East Cape Fishing Report: October 22, 2026 — Big Roosters and Full-Moon Tides
Weekly Fishing Report · Tight Line Anglers · Los Barriles, Baja California Sur
Fish On! This East Cape fishing report is all about first light. Big roosters are crashing bait at first light, jacks and pompano are eating flies off the rocks, and the blue water still holds yellowfin and sailfish. Water near 89°F, small seas all week, and a full moon Sunday.
What We're Seeing on the Water
Roosters: Big Fish Early, Little Ones Everywhere
The big roosters have been right off Los Barriles in the first hour of daylight, pushing bait in close. The window is short. Be on the water at sunrise.
Juvenile roosters are cruising the clear green water along the beach too. That's a good sign for the beach bite in the weeks ahead, and fun fly-rod fishing while you wait for a big one. Every rooster goes back.
Inshore: Fly From the Panga
Jack crevalle are eating flies along the rocky shoreline, and they fight like they're twice their size. Pompano are mixed in. Run the panga slow, cast tight to the rocks and strip fast. When a jack eats, turn his head before he finds a rock.
Offshore: Yellowfin, Sails and Amberjack
Yellowfin are mostly 20–35 lb school fish: perfect light-tackle and fly-rod tuna. Find the birds and porpoise. Sailfish keep showing on the same water, and every billfish goes back except a marlin you choose to keep.
Amberjack are the bruisers on the high spots, and the sharks have found them. Lock it up and get them to the boat before the taxman does. Snapper are still eating heavy jigs on the rocks.
At a Glance: Los Barriles / East Cape, Oct 22–28
Calm Sea of Cortez, warm blue water, and big roosters early.
Bite: Big and juvenile roosters · jacks and pompano on fly · yellowfin and sailfish · amberjack on the high spots
Water: ~89°F (32°C) East Cape and Cabo; ~85°F (29°C) Mag Bay
Seas: About 1–3 ft (0.3–0.8 m) on our side all week
Moon: Full moon Sun Oct 25, 9:12 PM BCS
Storm status: TS Vance far to the south-southeast · no watches for Baja Sur · monitoring
Storm Watch: Tropical Storm Vance
As of NHC Advisory 4 (2 AM BCS today), Tropical Storm Vance was about 1,070 miles (1,720 km) south-southeast of Cabo with 50 mph (85 km/h) winds, moving west. NHC expects a turn northwest and a major hurricane by the weekend. Tuesday's forecast point is still roughly 500 miles (800 km) south-southeast of Cabo, and NHC says track confidence drops after day 3. No watches or warnings for Baja California Sur.
It doesn't change our fishing this week, but watch Pacific swell for Cabo and Mag Bay next week. Check NHC and SMN/CONAGUA; the port captain decides. Booked late next week? Talk to us.
The Next Few Days
Thu (today): Light north breeze, seas about 1 ft (0.3 m). Glassy. Beach at sunrise, then the rocks.
Fri–Sat: Seas 1–1.5 ft (0.3–0.5 m), about a 45–50% shower chance. Fishable both days.
Sun: North breeze up to ~12 mph (19 km/h), seas near 2 ft (0.7 m). Full moon that night.
Mon–Wed: Seas 2–3 ft (0.6–0.8 m), light wind. Big full-moon tides, so fish structure on the moving water.
Cabo / Mag Bay: Cabo 5–6 ft (1.5–1.8 m) of southerly swell; Mag Bay 5–6.5 ft (1.5–2 m).
Conditions in Detail
Air: Highs 85–89°F (29–32°C), lows 72–78°F (22–26°C). Sunrise ~6:20 AM BCS.
Water (satellite, Oct 21): East Cape ~89°F (31.6°C), Cabo ~89°F (31.8°C), Mag Bay ~85°F (29.5°C).
Tides (La Paz, nearest station): Morning highs around 7:10–7:30 AM, 3.6–4.1 ft (1.1–1.2 m). Afternoon lows slide from 1:20 PM today to about 5 PM midweek and drop below zero (about -0.8 ft / -0.25 m). Biggest swings Sunday to Wednesday.
Moon: Full moon Sun Oct 25, 9:12 PM BCS.
Gear & Flies This Week
Big roosters: From the panga, live bait slow-trolled tight to the beach on a heavy casting or conventional outfit. On fly, a 10–12 wt, clear intermediate line, 40 lb fluoro, big mullet or sardine patterns.
Juvenile roosters: 8–9 wt, small sardine patterns; pink-and-white still gets eaten.
Jacks and pompano: 9–10 wt, intermediate or sink-tip, 30–40 lb leader. Baitfish flies and Clousers stripped fast; small poppers for jacks.
Yellowfin: 30–50 lb class conventional with live bait. On fly, a 12 wt, sinking line, sardine patterns.
Sails: Live caballito on a circle hook. Let it eat.
Amberjack: Heavy conventional, jigs or live bait. Max drag.
We don't sell gear or flies. The full packing list is on our Gear and Prep page.
Around the East Cape
Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore (Oct 14–16, Cabo): The fleet caught 226 billfish, including 119 striped marlin and 76 sailfish. A 350 lb blue topped the board and the heaviest yellowfin went 259 lb.
Bisbee's Black & Blue: Fishing Oct 21–23 out of Cabo, awards Oct 24. Blues are already on the board.
Bisbee's Mag Bay Mania: Nov 1–30, billfish release. Mag Bay has had wahoo and tuna.
License: Every angler on the boat needs a Mexican sportfishing license from CONAPESCA.
Missed the cubera and marlin doubles? Catch last week's report.
Book Your Days
Big roosters at sunrise, jacks on the fly rod, tuna and sails offshore. Dream big and go big: ask us about your dates for a beach morning, a fly-from-the-panga day or a heavy-tackle run offshore. We fish the East Cape / Los Barriles, Cabo, Mag Bay and San Evaristo on fly, light tackle and heavy tackle. Trips include hotel pickup plus water and soft drinks. Follow along at @tlanglersbaja.
Where lines get tight. See you on the water.
Conditions sourced Oct 22, 2026 from NHC, NOAA (satellite SST, tides), USNO, Open-Meteo. Always check official sources before heading out.
