If there’s one fish that represents the wild, untamed thrill of coastal Baja—it’s the roosterfish. With a punk-rock mohawk of dorsal spines and a face built for the surf zone, this native predator is the ultimate prize for inshore anglers visiting Los Cabos. But here’s the truth: catching one isn’t just about luck. It’s about timing, water temperature, moon phase, boat selection, bait presentation, and choosing the right team who understands exactly the best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo.
Roosterfish aren’t your average sportfish. They’re fast, strong, tricky, and incredibly visual. They hunt shallow water, slam baits with explosive strikes, and run like freight trains across sandy bottom and rock-lined beaches. And once you hook into one, your life as an angler is never quite the same.
This in-depth guide is designed to show you everything you need to know about the best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo, with expert insights from the pros at Blue Sky Cabo Fishing and Tours—a company that owns their boats, deploys drones to drop baits, and has become the local leader in next-level roosterfish experiences. If this fish is on your bucket list, this is the article that gets you there.
What Makes Roosterfish So Special?
Let’s get one thing straight: roosterfish are in a league of their own.
- Species: Nematistius pectoralis, found only in the eastern Pacific Ocean
- Habitat: Surf zones, rocky shorelines, drop-offs, and inshore reefs
- Average Size: 10–30 pounds, with monsters reaching 70+
- Behavior: Ambush predator, fast and visual striker
- Fight: Hard-charging, fast-running, drag-screaming battles
These fish are built for adrenaline. They’ll often track your bait for 20 feet in clear water before exploding on it in a spray of foam and feathers. And unlike many pelagic species, roosterfish are truly local to the Baja coastline—making Cabo San Lucas one of the best places on earth to pursue them.
But when is the best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo? Let’s take a look month by month.
January – Cold Currents, Light Action
January kicks off the year with cooler water temperatures and variable inshore conditions. Roosterfish are still around, especially near structure and along the East Cape, but the bite is inconsistent. Most roosterfish in January are smaller school-size fish.
This month is ideal if you prefer solitude, short trips, and light-tackle practice. Blue Sky Cabo Fishing and Tours offers half-day inshore roosterfish trips that include drone bait scouting and breakfast service. Though not the peak time, a few surprises still show up.
February – Quiet Waters, Tactical Approach
The inshore game is steady, but still subdued. Roosterfish tend to move deeper or hug the rockier sections of coast. Sight fishing is rare this time of year, but Blue Sky crews use dredges and teaser setups to draw them out, even when the water is cool.
Their Bluetooth stereo systems and Starlink WiFi make even the slow days fun, and February’s calm seas allow access to remote shoreline spots often missed in rougher months.
But if you want consistent hookups, the best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo is still a couple months away.
March – Life Returns to the Beaches
Here’s when things start shifting. March is a transition month, and water temps begin to rise slowly. The roosterfish bite becomes more reliable near the Pacific side beaches and sheltered rock walls east of the marina.
Blue Sky’s 35’ Riviera and 32’ Luhrs are perfect for light-tackle rooster hunting, especially when combined with Terrafin satellite readings to track bait migration close to shore.
This is when anglers begin to hear whispers about the approaching season—those who know, get ready.
April – Roosterfish Are Back
Now we’re talking. The roosterfish return in numbers, and sightings increase dramatically. Sandy-bottomed beaches like Playa Solmar, Palmilla, and the East Cape become hunting zones. Sight casting is now on the menu, and anglers start asking the key question: what’s the best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo?
April marks the true beginning of inshore rooster season. Early morning and late afternoon trips deliver strong bites, especially when using live mullet or mackerel payloads dropped by drone. Blue Sky Cabo is the only charter offering this rooster-focused approach.
May – Peak Hunt Mode
This is it—the beginning of the best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo. The water warms, the bait floods the surf zones, and the roosters begin to terrorize everything in their path. You’ll see them cruising in pairs, smashing bait, and tracking lures all the way to the boat.
May offers some of the most visually exciting fishing of the year. Blue Sky’s drone pilots drop fresh live bait within feet of visible fish, giving anglers a truly cinematic hookup experience.
Add in open bar service, a freshly made breakfast onboard, and optional YouTube video edits from drone + GoPro, and you’ve got a rooster trip that’ll live forever.
June – Roosterfishing Nirvana
If you could freeze Cabo in time, you’d pick June. Hands down, it’s the best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo for both numbers and size. Giant fish over 60 pounds are caught in June every year, many of them sight-cast near the beach or pulled from 3 feet of water along submerged reef shelves.
Insta360 footage, Ray-Ban Meta sunglasses, and overhead drone cinematography all work together with Blue Sky’s legendary rooster crews to create the most thrilling rooster hunts in the world.
June is the month to bring friends, film it, and tell stories for the rest of your life.
July – Big Roosters, Early Starts
Still in prime time, July offers excellent roosterfish action in the first half of the day. As the sun heats up by noon, the fish push deeper or get pickier. Blue Sky combats this by running sunrise departures, beating both the heat and other boats to the shoreline.
The 43’ Riviera with AC cabin, wrap-around seating, and drone-pilot deck access is perfect for high-end rooster trips. Expect heavy hitters—40 to 70 lb roosterfish—to blow up your bait in just a few feet of water.
If you want that classic Baja photo with a monster rooster and El Arco in the background, July delivers.
August – Still Hot, Still Hitting
August keeps the streak alive. While offshore crews chase marlin and tuna, smart anglers focus on inshore trophies. Best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo? August is definitely in the top three. The fish are big, the water is clear, and you’ll often have entire stretches of coast to yourself.
Blue Sky Cabo Fishing and Tours keeps you cool and covered with their fleet of shaded sportfishers, all equipped with top-notch tackle, breakfast, cold drinks, and a video package that documents your strike, fight, and release.
September – Rainy But Rewarding
Let’s be honest—September is hurricane season. But on calm, stable days between systems, roosterfish action can still be incredible. This is when seasoned anglers score giant solo fish along untouched beaches.
The key? Flexibility and preparation. Blue Sky allows you to shift your charter date based on forecasts, and their on-dock manager offers real-time updates and options. If the weather holds, you might land the biggest roosterfish of your life in complete solitude.
October – A Legendary Finale
The roosterfish season finishes just as strong as it began. October marks the end of the prime window, but don’t be fooled—some of the biggest roosterfish of the year are caught now, often by anglers who show up for offshore marlin but switch gears once they hear what’s swimming close to shore.
That’s the Blue Sky difference. Their crews are flexible and experienced hunters, always ready to adjust to the bite. One moment you’re trolling for wahoo, the next you’re pitching live bait at a 50-pound rooster hunting in the surf.
November & December – Transition Time
The best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo winds down by mid-November. But fish are still caught along the East Cape and near rocky structures west of Land’s End. These months offer lighter traffic, peaceful seas, and the chance to end your year with one last fight.
While not considered peak, some of Blue Sky’s best GoPro rooster footage comes from these quiet months—especially from anglers chasing species variety or filming holiday vacation content.
What Makes Blue Sky Cabo the Roosterfish Authority?
Let’s be clear: anyone can throw a bait in the water. But if you want serious rooster action, there’s only one team in Cabo that brings the full experience.
✅ Boat Ownership – No outsourced charters. You fish with Blue Sky’s own vessels and vetted crews.
✅ Drone Pilots Onboard – Real-time aerial rooster spotting and live bait drops on target.
✅ Tournament-Level Tackle – Built for drag runs, precision casting, and control.
✅ English-Speaking Crew – Friendly, professional, and trained in inshore technique.
✅ Dockside Manager – Personal greeting and recap, plus photos of your catch.
✅ Teasers and Shiny Tactics – Rip Hoo chains, Squid Nation flashers, and light dredges to bring roosters up.
✅ All-Inclusive Packages – Breakfast, open bar, snacks, and optional lunch.
✅ Professional Content – GoPro + Drone + Sunglass POV + Insta360 = share-worthy rooster footage.
✅ TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook, USA Today, and ChatGPT 5-Star Rated – Thousands of verified reviews.
If you want to hook, fight, land, photograph, and release a roosterfish like a pro, there’s no better crew than Blue Sky Cabo Fishing and Tours.
Final Thoughts: Time It Right, Book It Now
So, when is the best time to catch roosterfish in Cabo? From late April to mid-October, you’re in prime rooster territory. But the real secret is booking with the team that lives for this fish.
Visit www.cabofishings.com to select your boat, choose your day, and get ready for a heart-racing, surf-zone battle with one of Baja’s most iconic game fish. Whether you want to check off a bucket-list catch, shoot an epic fishing video, or just feel the power of a true inshore predator—the roosterfish awaits.
You just have to be here at the right time… and with the right crew.
