Los Cabos isn’t the only place where fishermen and women can haul in catches worth millions of dollars. The title “world’s richest fishing tournament” is traditionally given to Bisbee’s Black and Blue, Los Cabos’ biggest event for over 40 years. However, the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland is competitive with similar purses. Where no other destination comes close to Los Cabos is the number of tournaments with million-dollar-plus prizes: there will be at least four this year.
It is worth noting that almost all local big-money tournaments are held in Cabo San Lucas, except for Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore, which is based in Buena Vista. For those interested in participating or at least keeping up with the action, here’s the tournament schedule for 2025.
Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament
Water sports apparel giant Pelagic returns to host this annual season kick-off, after the event was canceled in 2024. It’s a two-day team fishing competition (six anglers per team maximum) that targets billfish like black, blue, and striped marlin; and game fish such as tuna, wahoo, and dorado. Base entry is US $4,000 per team, with $93,000 across the board for all jackpots and challenges; the highest figure ever for this event. The purse exceeded $400,000 in 2023 and should easily top half a million this year.
- Dates: June 19 – 22
- Location: Cabo San Lucas
- Cost: $4,000 base entry per team, $93,000 across the board
East Cape Dorado Shootout
This is one of the largest regional fishing tournaments, with an average turnout of 130 teams each year. What makes it so popular? In previous years, the opportunity to catch the largest dorado (aka mahi mahi or dolphinfish) during the one-day tournament and win a brand new, fully-loaded 4×4 Volkswagen Amarok. Whether that’s the case this year has not yet been announced, but cash and prizes above half a million dollars — a record for this event — are expected. Usually, over US $50,000 worth of items are also raffled off at the post-tournament awards ceremony.
- Dates: July 19
- Location: Los Barriles, East Cape
- Cost: Last year’s entry was US $700 per team. TBA for 2025.
Ladies Only Fishing Tournament at Palmas de Cortez
The name is accurate. Only women can compete in this annual East Cape fishing tournament (although captains and crew may be men). Information other than the date has not yet been released for 2025. However, since its inception in 2019, this tournament has been a popular summer feature. Points are traditionally given based on the type of fish caught: 200 points for catch-and-release billfish, 100 for tuna, dorado, wahoo, roosterfish (also catch-and-release), amberjack, and crevalle jack.
- Dates: July 26
- Location: Los Barriles, East Cape
- Cost: Last year’s entry was US $300 per team. TBA for 2025.
Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore
The first of this year’s major money events — last year, 80 teams competed for $1,675,000 — and the first of Bisbee’s trio of tournaments in 2025. Black and blue marlin are prioritized, earning more release points (300) than billfish like striped marlin, sailfish, and spearfish (25). The teams with the top three qualifying marlin (300 pounds minimum) also take home most of the prize money, although tuna and dorado categories are also awarded. Each Bisbee’s series tournament has an Early Bird Drawing and the winner gets free entry into the following year’s tournament. The deadline for this year’s Early Bird entry is June 1.
- Dates: July 29 – August 2
- Location: Buena Vista, East Cape
- Cost: $1,500 base entry per team, $36,000 across the board
Los Cabos Billfish Tournament
The next fishing tournament to crack the million-dollar mark in Los Cabos could soon be this one. After all, the purse exceeded US $767,000 in 2024. The LCBT is the first of three signature October tournaments, which combined last year exceeded $10 million in purses. It’s also one of the busiest in terms of catch totals. For example, fishing was so outstanding during this tournament in 2023 that a record 583 striped marlins were caught and released by the 42 competing teams. Billfish like blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish, and spearfish are also targeted, as are gamefish like tuna, wahoo, and dorado.
- Dates: October 8 – 12
- Location: Cabo San Lucas
- Cost: US $5,000 base entry per team, with additional challenges and jackpots
Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore
Commonly known as “Little Bisbee’s,” to differentiate it from the “Big Bisbee’s” (that being the Black & Blue marlin fishing tournament that also takes place each October), the LCO is considered more charity-focused. Of course, the payouts are still enormous: US $2.7 million in 2024. But charity is also highlighted. Last year, over 11,000 pounds of fish were donated to Hope for Los Cabos, providing upwards of 47,000 meals to local families in need. The Early Bird deadline is August 1 for the LCO and Black & Blue.
- Dates: October 13 – 18
- Location: Cabo San Lucas
- Cost: US $1,500 base entry per team, $36,000 across the board
Bisbee’s Black & Blue
Often referred to as “the world’s richest fishing tournament” or the “Super Bowl of fishing”, this is the biggest event of the year in Los Cabos … and the most legendary event in fishing. Founded in 1981, the 2022 purse of US $11,651,300 remains the benchmark, with $9 million and $7 million on the line in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Marlin must exceed 300 pounds to qualify and boats may not venture more than 50 miles from Cabo San Lucas. A 993-pound blue marlin is the largest fish ever caught in the tournament.
- Dates: October 20 – 25
- Location: Cabo San Lucas
- Cost: US $5,000 base entry per team, $84,500 across the board
WON Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot
The world’s most lucrative tuna tournament has offered over one million in purses yearly since 2019. Last year’s haul was US $1.3 million, setting the bar high for 2025 — although whether anyone can top the tournament record tuna, a 383-pounder bagged in 2009, remains to be seen. Teams are capped at six anglers. However, the LCTJ also caps boat limits at 11, with up to three crew members and two observers permitted.
- Dates: November 5 – 8
- Location: Cabo San Lucas
- Cost: US $1,000 base entry per team, jackpots and challenges available
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
