Chasing Roosterfish, Yellowfin, and Striped Marlin in Mexico's East Cape

Exploring the Fishing Paradise of Mexico’s East Cape

Riding in a side-by-side through the dunes of Mexico’s East Cape, Ryan Morie gripped the grab bar and shouted over the engine’s roar, “You drive these things a lot back home?” His tone suggested either admiration or concern. I was handling the vehicle with the same enthusiasm as the Dukes of Hazzard, weaving through S-turns and sending sand flying into the scrub brush.

“No!” I barked, pushing the accelerator to climb a dune. The wheels spun and bogged down, leaving us stuck up to the axles. We piled out, and while our young content creator friends—Morie and YouTube sensation Tyler Wald—filmed themselves “bro-ing” about the situation, veteran adventurer Jon Whittle and I stood there scratching our heads.

Protected from the Mexican sun by Pelagic Exo-Tech hoodies and a cooler of Pacificos, it took time and trial and error before Whittle realized gravity could be our friend. With the YouTubers acting as oxen and the pedal to the floor, we eventually bulldozed through the scrub in a sketchy vertical path to freedom.

A New Approach to Fishing

After our adventure, Wald asked, “What do we do now?” He seemed to be looking for a specific answer. We were miles from our intended destination, the lighthouse at Punta Arena, where local tips hinted at large roosterfish cruising the beach. “There’s only like 30 minutes of daylight left,” Morie said, glancing toward our rental house a few miles up the beach and then down to the Sea of Cortez, where clear-green surf lapped around an isolated cluster of boulders on a flat sand beach. “We should probably fish,” he said.

No more words were needed. We grabbed surf rods from the ATV, donned waterproof Yeti backpacks full of tackle, and headed down to the beach. Armed with poppers and a two-piece, 10-foot, medium-heavy Penn Carnage III rod, we had roosterfish to chase.

This was the evening of our first full day on the East Cape of Mexico's Baja California Sur. Lesser men might have been satisfied after a full day offshore, but Wald hit the nail on the head when he said, “I mean, when's the next time you think you'll be fishing in Mexico?” We had three days and a mission to wring out every last cast.

Discovering the Hidden Gems of the East Cape

Flying in and out of Cabo San Lucas was about all we saw of the bustling resort town with its crowds, nightlife, and famously craggy beaches. Our destination was quieter, an hour or so north by van near a town called La Ribera. This is the East Cape, on the Gulf of California between La Paz to the north and Los Cabos to the south.

A new luxury development, Costa Palmas, is turning this little desert town into an upscale destination. “You get the small-town feel with luxury amenities at your disposal,” says Aaron Kenna, owner of the Onda Estate property where we stayed. “We have everything from local taco shops to five-star Michelin restaurants.”

Indeed, on our morning ATV rides to meet the boat at nearby Costa Palmas Marina, a head nod from the gate man transitioned us from stray dogs gnawing roadkill along a pitted dirt road to the cobblestone paths and lush landscaping of a Four Seasons resort. The dichotomy of the area is intense, but not uncomfortable.

Tuna and More: The Bounty of the Sea

The yellowfin tuna weren’t huge, but they were plentiful, delicious, and eager to jump on a popper as soon as it hit the water. Our first order of business was to obtain rations, which meant tuna. Onda actually provided all the food and drink we needed—and an excellent Spanish-speaking cook we called “Chef”—but when yellowfin tuna are available, you take them.

Powered by triple Yamaha 425 XTOs, Capt. Bryan Mackliz's 42-foot Yellowfin made comfortable work of the short run out past the 1,000-meter contour. In 3,000-foot depths less than 10 miles from shore, we began our search for the telltale signs of life amid the blue offshore waters of the Sea of Cortez.

From the dock to tuna, it took about an hour. Along the way, we spotted free-jumping striped marlin, a whale shark, and a silly sleeping sea lion bobbing about a dozen miles offshore with one flipper in the air. “Pajaro!” points deckhand Yon Gilberto Romero, which means bird, frigates in this instance. Things were about to get interesting, and it wasn’t long before Mackliz throttled down among hundreds of porpoises spinning, cartwheeling, and frolicking in an immense bait drive.

Roosterfish and Beyond

Fishing along jetties rewards anglers with the opportunity to catch a variety of species. Off the beach and along the jetties, roosterfish are everywhere in the Sea of Cortez off the small town of La Ribera. Bump trolling and chumming with live sardinas is an easy way to hook up.

Roosterfish were a primary target of the expedition, and we found them thick on day three by cruising north aboard the Yellowfin to a place called Punta Pescadaro (Fishmonger Point). “Kikiriki! Kikiriki!” Romero exclaims in a high-pitched rhythm. Again and again, he shouts it every time we hook up, hollering “Gallo! Gallo! Gallo!” and pointing emphatically when a rooster comb breaks the surface in hot pursuit of the hundreds of live sardinas he's been side-arming off the stern all morning.

Live bait entice all manner of predators. In the bow and stern of each panga, fly-fishermen flailed away with determination, using a rapid two-hand retrieve to draw reaction strikes. If you want to catch a roosterfish on fly, this is a good place to do it, but live bait is much easier. You could see disdain on some faces as we battled one fish after the next from our big boat.

A Side Dish of Stripers

You didn't think we were going all the way to the Sea of Cortez without sampling its famous striped marlin fishery, did you? You could tell Mackliz and the crew were aching to troll, even while we were having so much fun catching other species like tuna and roosters. For some fishermen, riding around in a boat all day chasing one shot at glory just isn't as exciting as actively casting to fish.

Boy, that's a bad attitude. “You should come back in summer when the bite is really on,” Esteban tells me in perfect English as I experience the fatigued glow of post-marlin euphoria. Over just a few hours, we went four for five on stripers and missed a big wahoo, and Mackliz is claiming it gets better? “Yeah,” he says. “In summer, we also get blue marlin and sailfish and lots of dorado.”

Where to Stay: Onda Estate

All-inclusive resorts are one thing; Onda Estate is something different. Decadently luxurious, it's a gorgeous beach villa with a pool and hot tub that sets up perfectly for three families with kids or a handful of hardcore fishing buddies. For a flat rate, Onda takes care of everything, including the boat and crew, transportation, ATV rental, and delicious and authentic Mexican meals made with your catch. You don't need to ask Cesar, the butler, for anything. He anticipates your needs, whether it's a cup of coffee, laundry service, a snack, or a top-shelf tequila drink by the pool.

There are numerous vacation rentals along the East Cape, as well as large and boutique resorts. Charter operations are easy to find, and we even saw anglers on the beach with surf guides. But before you book anything, check out Onda. From facilities to staff, everything about it is top-notch.