Santa Rosalia fishing articles, maps, fishing reports, peak seasons, hot spots, and vacation
travel information for the top sportfishing locations of Santa Rosalia, Mexico.

The Santa Rosalia fishing area is, quite literally, the first look at Mexico's fabulous Sea of Cortez that vacationing anglers get as they drive down Baja California's Transpeninsular Highway after a dusty, 580-mile desert crossing from the U.S. border at Tijuana.

And as those drivers make the steep descent into town and glance at their tattered AAA Baja Road Maps, one thing that is not apparent about Santa Rosalia's rich fishing waters (because of the way the AAA map is split into two halves, and printed front and back) is that Santa Rosalia is actually located at the southern limit of the Sea of Cortez Midriff Area, and it is sort of a buffer zone between cool Midriff waters and the warmer Sea of Cortez farther south.

Santa Rosalia waters are therefore subject to some of the tidal currents and upwellings more common to the deep channels of the adjacent Cortez Midriff, and Santa Rosalia's fishing benefits from high nutrient levels mixed with warm currents, which brings not only frequent "green" water conditions caused by heavy plankton concentrations, but of course, the bait fish-game fish cycle that is sure to follow.

The end result of this situation is that Santa Rosalia fishing is very reliable for a very wide variety of fish species that come and go virtually all year long. Santa Rosalia is, hint, hint, a very good fishing spot.

But ironically, this historic French copper mining town has never been particularly oriented toward sportfishing or tourism, even though the year-round action in the entire area is some of the best and most reliable for middleweight species that Mexico has to offer.

Even today there are almost no sport fishing services available for the traveling angler at Santa Rosalia, although there is some limited commercial panga fishing and a huge panga armada that fishes at night for giant Humboldt squid. This situation is changing slowly as new vacation-oriented facilities are opened, travel services expanded, and the word gets out, but for the present, the excellent sportfishing opportunities in Santa Rosalia waters are still practically unknown to the outside world.

Historically and to the present day, most sportfishing boats working the Santa Rosalia area have been smaller trailer boats, inflatables, or cartop "tin" boats (lightweight aluminum skiffs mostly under 14 feet long) launching over the beach at shallow San Lucas Cove about 10 miles south of town.

The tiny little tourist camps and launching areas of San Lucas Cove amount to a combined total of only a couple of hundred yards of beach, but they very well may have accounted for more private boat sport caught fish per foot than any other beach in Mexico.

Going back to the earliest days following the opening of the Transpeninsular Highway, a steady stream of hardy, self-equipped vacationing anglers have come to San Lucas Cove, launched their small boats, struggled with the shallow water at extreme low tide, exited the narrow channel, and gotten into the amazingly reliable fishing just to the north off small "haystack" hill, south on the reefs surrounding the village of San Bruno, outwards to the reefs around nearby Isla San Marcos, or just north of the island to the "Isla San Marcos yellowtail bajos," which are so amazingly reliable and productive that they actually are "famous," albeit only to a small group of Baja yellowtail aficionados. Some seaworthy boats also get out to more distant Isla Tortuga for good seasonal offshore fishing, mixed with a sometimes higher grade of shallow water fishing made available by the island's relatively remote location.

Seasonal water temperatures at Santa Rosalia range from the low-60s in February and March to the low-80s in August and September, and the offshore migrators such as dorado, sailfish, marlin, and yellowfin tuna peak during the warmer months centered on May through September. Resident fish species such as spotted bay bass, triggerfish, cabrilla, corvina, and grouper also peak during the warmer months, but with the best action tending toward spring and fall. Yellowtail are resident and usually present in good volume, either on the bottom, on top, or somewhere in between.

As it vacation travel services develop, Santa Rosalia is sure to become a major attraction, due to its fishing, its historical interest, and its very unusual "feel" as the only town in Baja California that has an old downtown built mostly of wood. But for now, this long-standing "favorite fishin' hole" of a few knowledgeable insiders is still mostly "undiscovered" by outsiders.

"Mexico Fishing News":
Weekly reports and photos from Santa Rosalia and other Mexican vacation spots.

Other Mexican Vacation Fishing Spots:
Travel and fishing information for Santa Rosalia and other major Mexican sportfishing destinations.

Santa Rosalia Fishing Articles & Information:
Big Isla San Marcos Yellowtail Tournament at Santa Rosalia!
Caleta Santa Maria Fishing Map.
Craig Channel Fishing Map.
San Lucas Cove fishing description from The Baja Catch.
San Lucas Cove Fishing Map.
Santa Rosalia: Baja's Squid City.
Santa Rosalia Fishing Map.
Santa Rosalia Area Fishing Map (Including Surrrounding Areas).

Archived Santa Rosalia Sportfishing Reports:
March 10, 2007, Baja yellowtail fishing on tidal currents.
March 10, 2007, Slower yellowtail action for local fishing boats.
March 2, 2007, A few yellowtail biggies for Baja boats.
Feb. 25, 2007, Good Baja trailer boat fishing trip to San Lucas Cove.
Feb. 24, 2007, Heavy duty Baja yellowtail fishing at Isla San Marcos bajos.
Feb. 17, 2007, Good Baja yellowtail fishing when the wind isn't blowing.
Feb. 16, 2007, Rare winter striped marlin caught by Mexican pangueros.
Feb. 10, 2007, Low tidal current period fishing at Isla Tortuga.
Feb. 10, 2007, Excellent Baja fishing conditions for boats at San Lucas Cove.
Feb. 3, 2007, Yellowtail fishing and boat launching wheels at San Lucas Cove.
Feb. 3, 2007, Boats find excellent yellowtail fishing north of Isla San Marcos bajos.
Jan. 27, 2007, Isla San Marcos yellowtail bajos run hot and cold.
Jan. 20, 2007, Good fishing at Isla San Marcos yellowtail bajos.
Jan. 13, 2007, Good winter yellowtail fishing for San Lucas Cove tin boat fleet.
Jan. 6, 2007, Yellowtail fishing up-and-down on Isla San Marcos bajos.
Dec. 27, 2006, Windy fishing conditions for anglers at San Lucas Cove.
Nov. 20, 2006, Surface winter yellowtail fishing for 20 pounders and small fish limits.
Nov. 24, 2006, Yellowtail and a big gulf grouper caught in fishing at Isla San Marcos.
Oct. 4, 2006, Slow fishing at Santa Rosalia except for sierra at Haystack.
Oct. 28, 2006, Some early yellowtail and late dorado caught despite wind and rain.
Oct. 21, 2006, Dorado missing but sailfish caught in fishing at Isla Tortuga, Jim Anderson.
Oct. 21, 2006, Coming season's first north winds blow for local fishing boats.
Oct. 14, 2006, Governor's Cup Baja Sur fishing tournament held at San Bruno.
Oct. 6, 2006, Good dorado fishing and hard squid work out of San Lucas Cove.
Sept. 30, 2006, Sea Life Heavily Concentrated In Rain Runoff Following Storm, Jim Anderson.
Sept. 21, 2006, New Website For Mike Kanzler's Isla San Marcos Fishing.
Sept. 8, 2006, Mike Kanzler, Settling Waters After The Storm.
Sept. 2, 2006, Pre-Storm Sierra And Dorado, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Baja, Mexico.
Aug. 11, 2006, Ed Hogan, Local Santa Rosalia panguero catches a rare louvar.
July 28, 2006, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Emilia shuts down fishing at Santa Rosalia Monday to Wednesday.
July 23, 2006, Wayne Copeland, Dorado action catches fire off San Lucas Cove.
July 22, 2006, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Hot weather and very good fishing at Santa Rosalia.
June 24, 2006, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico, June fishing report.
June 17, 2006, Mike Kanzler, good yellowtail but no dorado at Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico.
June 10, 2006, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, nonstop yellowtail and dorado at Santa Rosalia.
June 3, 2006, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico, Weekly Sportfishing Report.
Jan. 28, 2006, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Jan. 21, 2006, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Jan. 17, 2006, Syd Lindsay, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing License and Boat Permit Information.
Jan. 14, 2006, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Jan. 7, 2006, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Jan. 6, 2006, Syd Lindsay, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Report.
Dec. 31, 2005, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Dec. 23, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Dec. 17, 2005, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Dec. 17, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Dec. 10, 2005, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Dec. 4, 2005, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Nov. 26, 2005, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Nov. 19, 2005, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Nov. 13, 2005, Alan Lewis, Voodoo Lounge, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Nov. 12, 2005, Jim Anderson, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Nov. 5, 2005, Alan Lewis, Voodoo Lounge, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 29, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 22, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 15, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 9, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 1, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Sept. 24, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Sept. 17, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Sept. 17, 2005, Ed Hogan, San Bruno, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Sept. 13, 2005, Russ Fritz, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Hotel Report.
Sept. 10, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 28, 2005, Ed Hogan, San Bruno, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 27, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 21, 2005, Ed Hogan, San Bruno, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 20, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 13, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 12, 2005, Ed Hogan, San Bruno, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 6, 2005, Mike McGettigan, Sea Watch, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Commercial Dorado Fishing Report.
Aug. 6, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 31, 2005, Ed Hogan, San Bruno, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 30, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 24, 2005, Ed Hogan, San Bruno, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 24, 2005, Ed Hogan, San Bruno, Baja California Sur, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 23, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 16, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 10, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 7, 2005, John Gilkerson, San Lucas Cove, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 1, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 25, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 18, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 11, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 4, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 28, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 27, 2005, Roger Bill, Punta Chivato, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 26, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Mexico Yellowtail ShootOut Fishing Tournament Report.
May 21, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 14, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 7, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 5, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Mexico, Yellowtail Shootout Fishing Tournament Announcement.
April 30, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 23, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 16, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 9, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 2, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
March 26, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
March 12, 2005, Alan Lewis, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
March 5, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Feb. 26, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Feb. 19, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Feb. 12, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Yellowtail Fishing Photo Essay.
Feb. 12, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Feb. 5, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Jan. 29, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Jan. 22, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Jan. 15, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Jan. 8, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mexico Fishing Report.
Jan. 1 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Dec. 25, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Dec. 18, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Dec. 11, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Dec. 4, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Nov. 27, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Nov. 20, 2004, Alan Lewis, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Nov. 13, 2004, Alan Lewis, San Lucas Cove, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Nov. 6, 2007, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Oct. 23, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
Oct. 16, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
Oct. 9, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Santa Rosalia Great White Shark Catch.
Oct. 9, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
Oct. 2, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
Sept. 25, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
Sept. 23, 2004, Doug Pierson's notes on iron jig fishing with Mike Kanzler of Isla San Marcos.
Sept. 17, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Fishing Fleet Results.
Sept. 11, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
Sept. 6, 2004, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Mike Kanzler's "Live Yo-Yo Iron" Yellowtail Rig.
Sept. 4, 2004, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing, Mike Kanzler.
Aug. 28, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
Aug. 20, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia fishing report.
Aug. 18, 2004, Bob Sutke, Santa Rosalia fishing report.
Aug. 7, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
July 31, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
July 24, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing.
July 17, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
July 10, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
July 3, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, The Condition of Mexico's Fisheries.
July 3, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
June 26, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos.
June 19, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia Fishing Report.
June 17, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, True 53-Pound Yellowtail Photo.
June 12, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, New Boat, Isla San Marcos and Isla Tortuga Fishing.
June 5, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos Fishing & Moon/Yellowtail Analysis.
May 31, 2004, Randy Peters, Isla San Marcos Fishing.
May 25, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos Yellowtail Tournament.

(See weekly online fishing reports, news, photos, and weather and water conditions in "Mexico Fishing News." See the Mexfish.com home page for sportfishing and travel information for Santa Rosalia and other Mexican fishing vacation destinations.)