The Biggest Fishing Tournaments in Los Cabos in 2018

Since the first resorts appeared in the late 1950s and early 1960s, anglers have been lured to the southernmost rim of the Baja California peninsula by the promise of abundant and enormous billfish. And in an inevitable sequence, where the fishermen have gone the tournaments have soon followed.

The Sea of Cortez Fishing Tournament Internacional was the first, but lasted only two years: 1968 and 1969. Perhaps its short-lived existence had something to do with the lack of a marina and an international airport (dredging on the former started in Cabo San Lucas in 1973; the latter was completed in San Jose del Cabo in 1977), but in any case, more tournaments sprung up soon afterwards, and they’ve continued to appear regularly ever since.

Bisbee’s Black & Blue remains the benchmark, the longest continually operated annual tournament in the region, and the richest. But every year now – from early June to early November – competitive types can get all the big-game fishing action their hearts (or more likely, their wallets) can handle.

Here are the five biggest fishing tournaments scheduled in Los Cabos in 2018:

Cabo Summer Slam/Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament

 Much of the summer tournament action is centered around the Los Cabos municipality’s beautiful, less developed East Cape, but Cabo San Lucas is always a focal point when it comes to the biggest sponsors and most lucrative payouts. That’s certainly true of what qualifies as the first major tournament of the 2018 season, the Cabo Summer Slam, AKA the Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing.

Pelagic, a Newport Beach based company, is one of the world’s leaders when it comes to lifestyle apparel and high-performance gear associated with watersports like fishing, boating, diving and surfing. So it’ll come as no surprise that the Cabo Summer Slam offers some high stakes prizes and jackpots. Over $200,000 is on the line for the 5th annual tournament in 2018 – slated for June 7 to 9 – meaning it’s the biggest Cabo San Lucas based tournament until Bisbee’s big money competitions in October.

Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore

As summer temperatures heat up, the fishing tournament scene migrates to the Los Cabos municipality’s gorgeous East Cape. No less than two separate single-day tournaments – the East Cape Dorado Shootout and Gold Cup Wahoo Jackpot – give away new fully-loaded automobiles to winners, but the region’s summer headliner remains the Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore.

The ECO is the first of three Bisbee’s sponsored fishing tournaments that take place in Los Cabos each year. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three qualifiers in marlin, tuna and dorado categories during the 2018 edition – scheduled for July 31 to August 4 – with the awards celebration taking place afterwards at the Hotel Buena Vista. Base entry for the event is $1500 per team, with additional fees for daily jackpots. Prize money is based on entry fees received, with 60% going to the billfish winners, and 20% each to top tuna and dorado anglers.

Los Cabos Billfish Tournament

 Just as September is El Mes de la Patria, the “the country’s month,” in México, October is the month of the fishing tournament in Cabo San Lucas. Bisbee’s two cash-rich tournaments – the Los Cabos Offshore and Black & Blue – get most of the publicity, but the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament also sends out a siren call to big-game fishermen eager for big-money prizes and jackpots. The three tournaments combined last year to pay out over $4,735,000 to the winners. The 20th annual LCBT – slated for October 14 to 18 – again features three entry levels:  a $5,000 base entry for each 6-person team; daily jackpots for the largest tuna, wahoo and dorado; and daily billfish release jackpots.

Bisbee’s Black & Blue

Oft billed as “The World’s Richest Fishing Tournament” and “The Super Bowl of Sportfishing” thanks to its million dollar payouts, the Black & Blue marlin fishing tournament originally premiered in 1981, and remains to this day the highest profile annual event in Los Cabos. The $4.165 million payout in 2006 was and still is the largest in sportfishing history. Base entry for this millionaire maker is $5,000 U.S. per team, and requires a $71,500 U.S. outlay across all categories, jackpots and challenges. Prizes are awarded for the top five catches of black and blue marlin, assuming they meet the minimum standards (300 lbs.). The 38th annual Bisbee’s Black & Blue will take place Oct. 23 to 27.

WON Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 

The Western Outdoor News has a long history with Los Cabos, dating back to the 1950s, when Baja columnist Ray Cannon’s rave fishing reviews helped put the area on the destination travel map. Cannon’s 1966 book The Sea of Cortez remains a classic time capsule look at the region and its signature activity, and the WON writers who’ve followed him on the Baja beat have continued to burnish Los Cabos’ reputation as a sportfishing mecca. The WON Tuna Jackpot honors that heritage with one of the larger fishing tournaments in Cabo San Lucas, a fixture of the autumn sporting calendar that follows hard on the heels of the Los Cabos Billfish and Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore and Black & Blue tournaments. The 19th edition in 2017 saw 147 teams competing across 11 events for over $677,000 in prize money. Even bigger things are yet to come, with the 2018 tournament scheduled for November 7 to 10.

For more information about events, activities and villa rentals in Los Cabos, call us TOLL FREE at 1-888-655-4548, visit www.LosCabosVillas.com, or email us at Info@LosCabosVillas.com   .

Photo courtesy of Bisbee’s.

Upcoming Event Calendar

May

483rd La Paz Foundation Festival – May 3 – 5

Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Cinco de Mayo – May 5

Día de la Madre (Mother’s Day) – May 10

3rd Annual Paella Contest at Sheraton Grand – May 19

Gastrovino Food & Wine Festival – May 19 – 20

White Party at ME Cabo and Blue Marlin Ibiza – May 26

Rancho Pescadero Yoga, Surf & Nutrition Retreat – May 30 – June 2

June

Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – June 7, 14, 21, 28

Pelagic Triple Crown: 5th Annual Cabo Summer Slam – June 7 – 9

Los Cabos Open of Surf – June 11 – 17

Fiesta de la Musica – June 23

Stars and Stripes Golf & Fishing Tournament – June 28 – July 1

July

East Cape Dorado Shootout Fishing Tournament – Jul. 21

Los Cabos Open of Tennis – July 30 – Aug. 4

Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Fishing Tournament – Jul. 31 – Aug. 4

 August

East Cape Gold Cup Wahoo Jackpot Fishing Tournament – Aug. 25

 September

Día de la Independencia (Independence Day) – Sep. 16

 October

Los Cabos Billfish Tournament – Oct. 14 – 18

Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Fishing Tournament – Oct. 18 – 21

Bisbee’s Black & Blue Fishing Tournament – Oct. 23 – 27

25th Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers Rally – Oct. 28 – Nov. 10

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) – Oct. 31 – Nov. 2

 November

Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Life Luxe Jazz Experience at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica – Nov. 1 – 4

IRONMAN 70.3 Latin American Tri Club Championship – Nov. 4

Adidas Golf Invitational at Cabo del Sol – Nov. 6 – 11

WON Tuna Jackpot – Nov. 7 – 10

SCORE Baja 1000 – Nov. 14 – 18

Día de la Revolución (Revolution Day) – Nov. 20

Día de Acción de Gracias (Thanksgiving) – Nov. 22

December

Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27

Virgin of Guadalupe Feast Day – Dec. 12

Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) – Dec. 24

Navidad (Christmas) – Dec. 25

Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve) – Dec. 31