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

The San Carlos fishing area is located in the Mexican state of Sonora, about two-thirds of the way up the eastern shore of the Sea of Cortez at about latitude 27 degrees north.

This location puts San Carlos roughly at the northern limit of the summer Sea of Cortez migrations of such fish as sailfish, marlin, dorado, and sometimes yellowfin tuna, and the fishing for these species can be very good here during periods from about June through October.

Only about 75 miles north of San Carlos' sportfishing waters begins the area of very deep and narrow channels, strong tidal currents, and cool upwellings known as the Sea of Cortez Midriff Area. Offshore "glamor fish" do penetrate farther into the Midriff and some even beyond it, but most years, the main summer migration tapers off drastically right about at San Carlos, as the cooler Midriff water acts as a barrier to the fishes' northward movement. At times, the fishing at San Carlos can go "wide-open" for dorado, marlin, and sailfish as wave after wave of summer migrators arrives and feeds before heading south again.

The wide range of sea water temperatures in the San Carlos fishing area reflects its location between the warmer southern Sea of Cortez and the cooler Midriff Area, with a low of about 62 degrees in January-February, and a high of about 90 degrees in July-August.

During the cooler months, from November to about April, inshore yellowtail are the primary quarry for San Carlos sport fishing boats, around local points and nearby Isla San Pedro Nolasco, and there is usually good to very good bottom fishing action for snappers, cabrilla, sawtail grouper, whitefish, and some gulf grouper in the same areas.

As is true of the Midriff area just to the north, San Carlos fishing waters are subject to seasonal winter north winds and occasional very marked plankton blooms in the spring especially. Some of Mexico's earliest studies on plankton blooms were done at nearby Guaymas. Summer fishing weather at San Carlos is usually calm in the 90s with prevailing breezes from the south.

The relatively new Mexican port and vacation resort town of San Carlos is located about 9 miles from the traditional commercial fishing city of Guaymas, with a combined permanent population of about 100,000. San Carlos is only about 6 hours south of the U.S. border and has been developed with the best marina facilities on the Sea of Cortez, in a breathtaking natural setting of deep bays surrounded by dramatic rocky peaks. Full marina, dry boat storage, repair, fuel, and launching services are available for those bringing their fishing boats to San Carlos, in addition to a wide range of other vacation activities.

San Carlos sportfishing has an interesting history going back to the days when Guaymas was also an important vacation destination, with a very early Mexican fishing tournament called the Guaymas Sailfish Rodeo first held in 1948. A local anecdote says that Fernando Murillo landed the first sport caught marlin on Mexico's west coast off Guaymas in 1929. (The first sport caught marlin ever was recorded by the Tuna Club of Avalon in 1903.)

In 1969, the Joseph Heller cult novel "Catch-22" was filmed at San Carlos, and the story took an interesting turn related to Mexico sportfishing when a B-25 bomber was intentionally shot down for the film that had been bought from none other than Ed Tabor of the Flying Sportsmen Lodge in Loreto on the opposite side of the Sea of Cortez. Former World War II era pilot Tabor had used war surplus aircraft to fly his clients to the always struggling fishing lodge, and after the movie was completed he was said to have commented: "That was the most money I ever made on that d____ed plane."

San Carlos fishing had a cartopper "tin boat" and trailer boat peak period in the 1970s after members of the U.S. boating club Vagabundos del Mar began coming to the area in numbers for local fishing and for cruise departures from nearby Kino Bay, which provided a good jumping off point for long boat cruises across the Midriff archipelago and down the Sea of Cortez. More recently, the marinas, charter fishing, and other marine related activities at San Carlos have served the exploding population centers of Arizona just across the U.S. border, and many Canadians as well.

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Latest San Carlos Sportfishing Reports:
Feb. 6-12, 2007, Winter bottom fishing and yellowtail at Punta San Antonio.
Jan. 29-Feb. 3, 2007, February yellowtail fishing tournament announced.
Jan. 13-19, 2007, Yellowtail fishing improves after heavy winds and seas.
Nov. 10, 2006, Yellowtail fishing at Isla San Pedro Nolasco, Mexico.
Oct. 22, 2006, Very good striped marlin fishing for 19 hookups and 4 releases, Craig Collins.
Oct. 12, 2006, Second Annual Cantina Cup Fishing Tournament at San Carlos.
May 30, 2006, Dave Harcourt, boat Cobia, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico, Dorado Fishing.
Jan. 29, 2006, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Jan. 15, 2006, Fernando Almada, Catch-22 Sportfishing Adventures, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Jan. 13, 2006, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Jan. 13, 2006, Jim Mori, Gulf Sierra, Sea of Cortez, Mexico Fish Information Request.
Jan. 7, 2006, Fernando Almada, Fish Stalker, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
Dec. 26, 2005, Steve Calvert, Catch-22, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Dec. 22, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
Dec. 18, 2005, Craig Collins, No Sniveling, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Sportfishing Report.
Dec. 13, 2005, Steve Calvert, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico, New Sportfishing Service Announcement.
Nov. 27, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Sonora, Fishing Report.
Nov. 27, 2005, Fernando Almada, Fish Stalker, San Carlos, Sonora, Fishing Trip Report.
Nov. 25, 2005, Craig Collins, No Sniveling, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
Nov. 25, 2005, Manuel Gerhardus, Las Glorias, Sinaloa, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
Nov. 18, 2005, Chris Edmonson, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Nov. 11, 2005, Craig Collins, No Sniveling, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
Nov. 5, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 30, 2005, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 29, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 20, 2005, Ivan Nevares, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Cruise Report.
Oct. 15, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 14, 2005, Craig Collins, No Sniveling, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Oct. 8-9-10, 2005, Matt Blair, San Carlos, Mexico Cantina Cup Fishing Tournament Report.
Oct. 4, 2005, Robert Dryden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
Sept. 25, 2005, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Sept. 9, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 29, 2005, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 23, 2005, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 20, 2005, Robert Dryden, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 17, 2005, Steve Calvert, Catch-22, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
Aug. 1, 2005, Robert Dryden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 30, 2005, Manuel Gerhardus, Las Glorias, Sinaloa, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
July 22, 2005, Vince Radice, Sonoran Sport Center, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 22, 2005, Steve Calvert, Catch-22, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 14, 2005, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 9, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 4, 2005, Steve Calvert, Catch-22, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 25-July 3, 2005, Stuart Burnett, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
July 3, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 27, 2005, Robert Dryden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
June 20, 2005, Robert Dryden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 13-17, 2005, Craig Collins, No Sniveling, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 11, 2005, Sean Lawley, Deal Maker, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
June 9, 2005, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
June 5, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
June 4, 2005, Dave Goulden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
June 3, 2005, Roy Schwartz, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 26, 2005 Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 14, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 8, 2005, Fernando Almada, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
May 8, 2005, Steve Calvert, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing report.
May 6, 2005, Craig Collins, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 30, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 23, 2005, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 23, 2005, Fernando Almada, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 23, 2005, Steve Calvert, Catch-22, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 22, 2005, Phil DeBoard, El Gringo, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 16, 2005, Steve Calvert, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 10, 2005, Craig Collins, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
April 4, 2005, Craig Collins, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Trip Report.
March 26, 2005, Bill Molden, San Carlos, Mexico Fishing Report.
March 4, 2005, Luis Bourillon, COBI, Guaymas, Mexico Position Available Working in Ecotourism.
Dec. 31, 2004, Fernando Almada, San Carlos-Guaymas Fishing Report.
Dec. 26, 2004, Fernando Almada, Guaymas-San Carlos Fishing Report.
Oct. 6, 2004, Bill Molden, San Carlos Fishing Report.
Oct. 24, 2004, Jon Lambert, San Carlos Fishing Trip Report.
Oct. 22, 2004, Bill Molden, San Carlos Fishing.
Oct. 4, 2004, Norman Don, San Carlos Fishing Trip Reports.
Sept. 26, 2004, Manuel Gerhardus, Las Glorias (Topolobampo), Sinaloa Fishing Trip Report.
Aug. 8, 2004, Bill Molden, San Carlos Fishing.
July 21, 2004, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, International Billfish Tournament and San Carlos Fishing.
July 1, 2004, Stuart Burnett, Fishing at San Carlos and Yellow Slime at Isla Tortuga.
June 28, 2004, Bob Blair, Fishing San Carlos, Strange Dorado Fishing Story.
June 25, 2004, Dave Harcourt, Mexico Fisheries In Disarray.
June 16, 2004, Chuck McReynolds, No Pangas Found For Guaymas Fishing.
June 12, 2004, San Carlos Long Line Panga Confrontation (names withheld).

(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 San Carlos and other Mexican fishing vacation destinations.)