April is the changeover. The water climbs through the month, the north wind eases, and the first dorado and roosterfish of the year start showing while striped marlin are still on the banks. A few late whales linger early on. For comfortable weather and a genuine mix of fish, April is hard to beat.
April is when things turn. Water climbs through the month, generally from around seventy up toward the mid seventies by the end. Air is comfortable, usually low to mid eighties in the afternoon, with mornings that no longer call for a jacket. Humidity is still low. For pure comfort on a boat, April is one of the two or three best months of the year.
The north wind pattern begins to fade. You still get windy stretches, but they are shorter and less frequent than in February and March. Rain is essentially not a factor.
The days are getting longer too. Sunrise comes earlier through April and the light holds later, so there are more fishable hours than in winter without the heat that arrives in June. If you only have one day to fish, April gives you more usable time on the water than most months do.
Striped marlin are still on the banks and April is a real month for them, though the peak of the winter run is behind us. As the water lifts, the fish spread out and you cover more ground for them.
The warm water species start arriving. Dorado begin to show in groups rather than as strays, especially late in the month. Roosterfish come alive inshore as the water warms, and April is the front edge of that. Yellowtail are still catchable but tapering. Sierra thin out as the water climbs past what they like.
The changeover is not a switch. Some Aprils the water warms early and the dorado turn up in the first week. Other years the cool water holds and it feels like March until nearly May. We fish what is in front of us rather than what the calendar promises, and you should book the month knowing that.
Still missing: blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish and wahoo. Yellowfin tuna are around but not in the numbers or the sizes they reach later in the year.
April is a month where the choice actually matters. Offshore gets you striped marlin and increasingly dorado. Inshore gets you the first good roosterfish of the year, which on light tackle is the best fight in Baja as far as we are concerned. Roosterfish are a release fish and we handle them that way.
April also suits a mixed day. Run offshore in the calm morning, then work the inshore rocks on the way back in. That plan works better now than in most months because both ends of it are productive.
Whale season is ending. Sightings continue into April, thin out through the month, and by May you should not count on them.
The water is warming into comfortable spearfishing range and visibility is generally good. April is a strong month in the water as well as on it.
The first half of April usually carries spring break traffic, and Semana Santa, the Mexican Easter holiday week, is one of the busiest weeks of the year on the beaches and in the marina. That week moves on the calendar, so check it against your dates before you book anything.
After Easter the town exhales. Late April is one of the better windows of the year: good weather, thinning crowds, and travel costs sliding down off the winter peak. If you have any flexibility in April, take the back half of the month.
April suits someone who wants a bit of everything with comfortable weather. Striped marlin, the first dorado, the first roosterfish, maybe a late whale on the way out.
Skip April if you specifically want a big blue or black marlin, or the heaviest yellowfin tuna of the year. Those are summer and fall fish. Skip the first two weeks if you are trying to avoid holiday crowds and higher prices, and take the last two instead.
Every species with this month inside its peak window. Tap one for the full page.
The short version of how a trip with Indigo Adventures works. Licences, deposits, boats and what happens to your catch. The full FAQ has the rest.
Read the full FAQ→Indigo Adventures is based in El Pescadero, on the Pacific side of Baja California Sur, a few minutes south of Todos Santos. Boats launch from three points: Punta Lobos beach in Todos Santos, San Jose del Cabo, and the Cabo San Lucas Marina. Which boat runs your trip decides where you meet us.
Custom fishing and spearfishing charters, freediving excursions, whale watching from mid December to April, and kayaking. Every trip is built around your group, your dates and the conditions rather than a fixed timetable, and almost every one goes out private.
Book online on the Book Now page, where availability is live and a 50 percent deposit holds the date. If you would rather we picked the trip, send an enquiry with who is coming, when you are here and what you want out of the day, and we will say which trip fits and which one does not.
No. Everyone fishing in Mexican waters needs a Mexican sportfishing licence, and each angler buys their own. We help you arrange it before the day so nobody is sorting paperwork on the dock. The same licence covers rod and spear.
Rarely. Almost every trip goes out as a private boat for you and your group. If a split makes sense for a small party we will say so when you enquire.
Three on the 24 foot Punta Lobos panga, up to four on La Ruca and La Morita, and up to six on Don Pancho and El Wahoo King. Whale watching numbers run a little higher because nobody is swinging a rod.
Yes. The catch goes home with you. Filleting at the dock, vacuum sealing and freezing are available, and most guests fly home with a cooler. Marlin are mostly released, with judgement on the day.
Yes, on fishing days. The crew rigs and handles the gear and hands you the rod when something eats. Guided spearfishing needs breath-hold experience and runs on a strict buddy system, which is the only legal way to spearfish in Mexico. Water, ice and snacks are normally aboard.
