It has been said that if Puerto Peñasco (and Mexico) had no other attractions, fishing the Sea of Cortez alone would make it one of the most exciting places on earth. Writers have called the Sea of Cortez the world’s greatest fish trap, and suggest fish heading for the Pacific Coast got lost and piled into it. Logic suggests that the conditions in the Sea of Cortez are so ideal that the fish follow inherited migration patterns and follow the same path year after year. The Sea of Cortez attracts a huge variety of fish due to a number of factors: favorable water temperature; endless supply of food; caves for protection; creviced rock habitats; and brackish backwaters for spawning. Favorable water temperatures and varying depths make it one of the best places for deep sea fishing in the world. Though narrow, the Sea of Cortez offers a variety of unique habitats, islands, reefs and scenery for the expert angler, the fly fisherman or a first time pole caster.
Rocky Point offers some great shore fishing spots as well as a number of charters that take you out for a day of deep sea fishing or arrange an overnight trip, a weekend or a week. You do not need a fishing license if you are fishing from shore, but if you are on a fishing vessel you will need a fishing license even if you are not fishing. Everyone on the boat needs a license – fishing or not – and you can get a fishing license at the Municipal Building, Fishery Affairs, on the corner of Blvd. Benito Juarez and Blvd. Fremont. Ask for Pedro Nava and he will help you through the process. If you are chartering a boat be sure to ask if they are obtaining licenses for your group or if they will take you to get them.
Fishing from shore in Rocky Point is easy and can be done anywhere there is water! Pelican Point, at the tip of Cholla Bay, offers some great rocky areas where you might catch Sand Bass, Pargo, Spotted Bay Bass, Porgy or Triggerfish. Use a small piece of squid as bait or a cast spoon lure that imitates bait fish. Also found in rocky areas are Flag Cabrilla, Starry Grouper and Cabrilla Piedrera. Use a hook and bait for these fish and you should catch fish at least a foot long. Big Mouth Sole or Lenguado, as it’s called locally, is great eating and is caught in abundance from December through May. Often times you can buy fish directly from the fishermen off their pangas after a catch or you can go to one of the many fish market stalls on the Malecon in the Old Port. Other fish you may catch while fishing are Sawtail Grouper or Pinta Bass, Leopard Grouper, Gulf Coney, Roosterfish, Yellowtail, Red Snapper, Jack Crevalle, Marlin, Sierra Grande, Spotted Cabrilla, Longjaw Leatherjack, Finescale Triggerfish or Cochito, Sierra Mackerel and Spotted Bay Bass.
Looking for a good fight or a bit of a workout? The Pacific Striped Marlin is the real king of the Sea of Cortez. They are a welcome challenge to anglers and give their captors a good go for their money. Members of the Jack Family such as the Jack Crevalle also give fishermen a good work out. Less of a struggle may be the Sierra Grande and the Triggerfish. Watch out for the Triggerfish with their strong jaws and sharp teeth you don’t want to accidentally put a finger in their mouth. All months are great months for shore casting for deep-sea fishing on the Sea of Cortez. The water is warm and the sun is shining and what better way to spend a day in Rocky Point than being on the water?