WE ARE FINE – THANKS FOR ASKING…AND SO IS THE FISHING!
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Bahia Suenos Fishing Report and Update for Feb. 6-23, 2026
OPENING MESSAGE FROM US ABOUT THE NEWS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN MEXICO
Thank you to everyone who has written and expressed their concern for us in La Paz! Gotta tell ya…we had live music like usual. The restaurant was full of diners. People jogged; walked their dogs with their families; rode their bikes yesterday and last night. Just another nice Sunday afternoon and evening!
Please keep things in perspective.
Read more than just a headline or someone posting online for clicks. Mexico is a huge country and the stuff happening is on the Mainland.
Not to minimize things there, but Baja is 1000 miles long and La Paz in the southern state of Baja and there are no restrictions or warnings related to what’s happening “over there.” It’s like worrying about what’s happening in a city in Florida and you live in Wyoming! (love both places!). The U.S. is huge and so is it’s Mexican neighbor!
Yes, burning busses and cars make great TV and get ratings. I was a radio and TV reporter for CBS for many years. But no tourists or innocent folks harmed, kidnapped, threatened as far as I’ve heard. Traffic from Tijuana to Cabo moving like a normal Monday. All of this is in response to the government killing of their cartel head.
It’s like the ICE riots or the “black lives matter” riots or the White House riot or the “Occupy (fill in the city).” Mexico TV portrayed those as the whole U.S. is on fire. Many of our Mexican friends are afraid to go to the U.S. I had one tell me he doesn’t take his family to Disneyland anymore because Los Angeles gangs will kill his family! That’s what Mexican TV portrays.
Lived here and run several businesses for over 30 years in La Paz. Many many good, kind, hard-working, welcoming folks and we all get along. We keep calm and keep things in perspective.
This happens sadly every year and then it diminishes. See if this is true. Becomes old news. Just like in the U.S. But, I would still go to Disneyland.
We have folks fishing. I took more reservations this morning for the year! We have live rock and blues tomorrow at the restaurant like usual! Come join us!
God bless us all! We love ya for asking about us! Oh…yesterday was national margarita day!
SHORT ATTENTION SPAN REPORT
WEATHER: It’s been nice and getting warmer. Some day time temps now in the low 80’s during the day. Sunny and pleasant and the wind seems to have thankfully diminished a bit too allowing for some better fishing
WATER: With the wind dialing back, the waters have been calmer for sure. Surface temps about 68-72 but there must be some warmer spots since there are a few dorado around which are warm-water specis.
HOOKED THIS WEEK: Yellowtail , roosterfish, sierra, amberjack, pargo mulato, pargo liso, yellow snapper, cabrilla, jack crevalle, dorado.
MEXICAN MINUTE LA PAZ VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY
Thanks to Gary Wagner, owner of the Rancho Costa Resort at Bahia Muertos where we launch our boats for this week’s great photos!
Gary with a sizeable mullet snapper (Pargo Liso). Normally, we see these tough fish spawn in the shallows more in April and May and they can easily get 40-60 pounds! Very very tough fighters and powerful!
Well…this is either a small juvenile roosterfish holding over from last year or an early fella for the 2026 season, but smaller roosters are showing up along the beaches! Hopefully, the bigger slugger brothers roll in soon too. Normally, May and June are the banner months for the monsters! Roy Moulton from Teton CO rocked this guy in the shallows and released it after the quick photo.
Now this is a toad cabrilla! Actually, it’s tipping towards probably a grouper, but nice trophy catch for Jason Wagner! Delicious from head to tail. For the locals, nothing gets wasted. One of the most popular fish at restaurants.
Another surprise! There must be some warm water spots around for a dorado like this to be hooked in February. Roy has a nice bull dorado . Normally, these guys show up in the summer months!
Beautiful cabrilla just off Bahia Muertos for Jason. I’ll fish these all day! They’ll eat bait, artificials and jigs or take a slow trolled crank bait.
Again, my apologies for not posting my usual weekly updates like I have done for over 30 years and like during the fishing season. But, for one, it’s just not the season from November to April so not much of anyone is on the water because the weather can be extremely windy, rough, cold and erratic.
But, moreso, Jilly and I have been on the road now for two months doing the fishing/ hunting shows and the last 3 weeks have been especially hectic! More on that in a bit! See below!
As far as the fishing, conditions seem to be slightly improving. Weather has been warmer into the low 80’s and sunny during the day now. Even more importantly, the winds have cut back a bit. At least, there have been fewer windy days the last week or so and when they did blow, they weren’t as strong.
I won’t go so far as to say the winds are done! March traditionally can be the windiest of all the months! But, it’s fishing and we’ll take what we can get!
Anyway, some folks have actually gotten out. Not many, but here-and-there, and found some surprising catches with a pretty wide variety.
The typical cooler water species are around like cabrilla, sierra, barred pargo, amberjack and smaller yellowtail. However, along those lines, those tough pargo liso have shown up and seem to be spawning in the shallows earlier this year. Hope they still around for awhile. As well, there are lots of bonito and jack crevalle.
Surprising catches have included smaller 5-10 pound roosterfish, the occasional dorado and even a tuna biter or two (by the commercial fishermen). So, each week will only tell us more and we’ll keep an eye on things. But, I don’t think we’re out’ve the windy season just yet!
TAILHUNTER TOUR HOME STRETCH!
As alluded to above, the last two months have been our usual annual hectic road trip and Jill and I have been on the road doing our fishing/ hunting shows and expos. It started with a 4-day show in Sacramento at the International Sportsmans Expo.
We then did a huge 3 day show at the Reno Convention Center at the Wild Sheep Foundation!
Those were the warm-ups!
The last 3 weeks, we hit the massive Western Hunting and Conservation Show and Expo in Salt Lake City where something like 60,000 folks attended over 4 days. That was followed by the most recent show in Nashville TN at the Safari Club International. Both Jilly and I are hoarse from that 4 day show not to mention pretty darned tired!
But wow…we have had a great time! So many old friends and new friends and yes…lots of reservations to come fish with us in La Paz!
So, now here we go…wrapping things up in our homecourt of Southern California with our fishing tribes!
The two PCS (Pacific Coast Sportfishing) Shows. First one at the Costa Mesa Fairgrounds in Orange Co. March 5-8. Then, the last one in San Diego at the Del Mar Fairgrounds!
These aren’t just shows! These are huge fishing parties! Lots of things for the whole family! It’s a celebration of fishing so we hope you can come see us! Here’s a link for more info:
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Bahia Suenos Fishing Report and Update for Jan. 25-Feb. 5, 2026
SHORT ATTENTION SPAN REPORT
WEATHER: About what you’d expect this time of year. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60’s to lower 70’s in the day. Night temps in the high 50’s. Can get very windy, especially in the later mornings and afternoons with 15-20 mph gusts.
WATER: We think it’s chilly, but vistors probably really like that it’s about 67-71 degrees on the surface. At thermocline can drop another 5-8 degrees. Typically, this is the coolest ocean temps of the year.
FISH HOOKED RECENTLY: Sierra, bonito, pargo, cabrilla, snapper, jack crevalle, yellowtail, rainbow runner, trevally, tuna, wahoo, roosterfish
MEXICAN MINUTE LA PAZ VIDEO REPORT and TAILHUNTER UPDATES
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY
Something you don’t see alot of this time of year with Chris who found some days without so much wind. One…we don’t usually see roosterfish this time of year. Secondly, he did it with his flyrod! The fish was released.
Water temps right now are on the cool side only 67-71 degrees. Usually, the coolest of the year in February, but there must be some patches of warmer stuff because dorado like water closer to 80 degrees! Chris found this nice bull of Bahia Muertos.
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It’s been pretty much your typical winter conditions.
Waters are surely cooler and not as blue with surface temps hovering around 67-71 degrees. (We think it’s really cold!) Off the water, it’s pretty pleasant. The snow-birds and visitors will love that it’s mostly sunny with day time temps between 65 and the low 70’s. Night temps in the mid-50’s. Still good to keep a hoodie or similar handy.
The problem is the winds. Still getting some gusty days hitting 15-20 knots, especially in the later mornings and afternoons. That’s the issue because during the winter, the winds can make it pretty rough on the water and if strong enough can make it precarious. In worst-case scenarios, the port captain has been shutting down the port completely to all boat traffic which affects not only the prospects of fishing, but diving, snorkeling, kayaking, whalesharks and other activities.
That being said…
If you can find the windows when the winds aren’t kicking so hard, the conditions can be pretty nice and the fishing fairly surprising with a number of species willing to bend a rod.
The typical cold-water species like sierra, pargo, cabrilla, snapper, yellowtail and amberjack are around as well as some surprising bites from smaller inshore roosterfish and even the occasional dorado or tuna if you can get through the schools of bonito which can still be really fun. Bonito pull pretty hard!
But that’s the key is finding that sweet spot in the weather. Even if can get out, it’s no fun getting bounced around, wet, cold and worse…seasick. Especially true with families.
But, if you check with us, we can give you an honest opinion of the upcoming weather and we do have some spots to fish where it’s more protected from the winds and fish can be found without heading out too far!
TAILHUNTER ROAD TOUR 2026…to Salt Lake City then Nashville!
Jilly and I just wrapped up our January road tour with two fantastic shows. First, we were in Sacramento at the International Sportsman’s Expo at the California State Fairgrounds for a 4 days show.
We followed that up with the Wild Sheep Expo and Convention at the Reno Convention Center in Reno, NV. That was a 3 day show and was off-the-hook fun as well.
We want to give a shout and thank eveyrone who came by the booth and also a big thanks to everyone who came and signed up to come see us this year in La Paz! It’s gonna be a fun year for sure!
So…now we’re on our way to Salt Lake City, Utah for one of the largest shows on our calendar. It’s at the Salt Palace Convention Center downtown for the Western Hunt and Conservation Expo.
This show is massive and something like 50-60,000 folks will show up to check out more than 600 exhibitors and vendors from all over the world with charters, safaris, hunts, boat trips, camping, trekking, RV’s, gear and so much more. Every year, this is one of our busiest shows and we see so many friends who come in from many surrounding states!
After we wrap things up in Salt Lake City, we head to Nashville for the big Safari Club International Show.
By the way…the reservations are coming in daily and dates are filling up! Let us know if we can set up your fishing trip in La Paz this year so we don’t miss you! You can write me directly at:
Tailhunter Fish Report 