Bisbee's Black & BlueMarine Weather — Cabo San Lucas
The Bisbee's Black & Blue 2026 runs Oct 19–24, 2026 out of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Here is the zone-by-zone conditions outlook in the lead-up to tournament week.
Tournament Location
Inshore at Land's End, midshore over Golden Gate Bank, offshore at San Jaime Bank — the fleet fishes a wide band of water from the marina out to the Pacific banks, so this page reads all three zones separately rather than giving one coastwide number. The live day-by-day GO / CAUTION / NO-GO cards are up top; here is the context and the latest one-line outlook for each.
San Jaime Bank
OffshoreWhere the tournament is decided — San Jaime Bank. Pan and zoom the chart, and switch layers to read the water.
Cabo San Lucas
22.870, -109.900
The marina at Land's End, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez — every tournament day launches here.
Light winds all weekend, but crossing swell creates awkward chop
Wind stays light (under 10 knots) and waves stay under 4 feet all three days, but a persistent SSW swell crossing the WNW-to-NW wind-wave direction creates a confused, uncomfortable sea state each day. Conditions are technically calm on paper, but the mismatched wave trains mean caution and careful timing are warranted rather than an unqualified go.
Cabo San Lucas — Friday, Sep 11 · CAUTION
Winds stay very light all day, generally under 6 knots from the WNW to NNW with gusts only reaching into the low teens by early afternoon, and seas hold around 3.5-3.8 feet at long 9-11 second periods from the SSW. Despite the calm numbers, this SSW swell crosses the WNW wind-wave direction for a good stretch of the day, producing a confused cross-sea where the two wave trains meet at odds - expect an awkward, occasionally uncomfortable motion with no single heading that smooths it out. Visibility is excellent at 10 miles, and this remains the most benign of the three days, but plan for that underlying chop, especially through midday.
Cabo San Lucas — Saturday, Sep 12 · CAUTION
Wind remains light in the morning (2-4 knots N to NNE) but builds through the afternoon to 8-9 knots from the SW to WSW with gusts up to 18 knots by 4:00-5:00 PM, still within the 'good' wind range but noticeably breezier than Friday. Waves run 3.1-3.5 feet at shortening 8-10 second periods from the SSW, and with wind-waves pushing in from the WNW to W during the afternoon, the SSW swell crosses that wind-driven chop for a long stretch of the day - roughly half the day sees this confused, jumbled sea state that can feel uncomfortable even though heights stay modest. Confidence in wave period is only moderate today, so some added chop beyond forecast is possible.
Cabo San Lucas — Sunday, Sep 13 · CAUTION
Winds are light through the morning (2-3 knots) and build only modestly into the afternoon, peaking near 8-9 knots from the SW with gusts to 17 knots between 4:00-5:00 PM, while waves stay the smallest of the three days at 3.0-3.2 feet with periods shortening from 9 to 8 seconds. The SSW swell continues to cross the WNW-to-NW wind-wave direction for a notable portion of the day, producing the same kind of confused, choppy cross-sea seen Friday and Saturday, and wave period confidence is lower today with some model divergence, adding a bit more uncertainty to how choppy it may actually feel. Overall the smallest wave heights of the weekend are offset by that persistent crossing pattern, so plan around the calmer morning hours.
Golden Gate Bank
22.980, -110.180
A seamount rising from the Tinaje Trough about 17 nautical miles west-northwest; upwelling stacks bait and holds blue marlin and tuna on the run out.
Light winds all weekend, but Sat-Sun bring a confused cross-sea
Wind stays light (under 10 knots) across all three days with a well-organized SW swell dominating Friday, making it the pick of the window. Saturday and Sunday see the wind-wave field shift to WNW while the swell holds from the SW/WSW, creating a confused cross-sea for portions of each day that adds an awkward, uncomfortable motion even though wind and wave heights stay modest.
Golden Gate Bank — Friday, Sep 11 · GO
Friday is the standout day of the period with light 4-9 knot north to northwest winds (gusting to near 20 knots only briefly in the afternoon) and a clean, long-period 4-4.5 foot SW swell at 10-11 seconds throughout. Seas stay well-organized and comfortable all day with no conflicting wave trains, and visibility remains excellent. This is a straightforward GO day suitable for a full day on the water.
Golden Gate Bank — Saturday, Sep 12 · CAUTION
Saturday starts calm with light north winds and a lingering 9-10 second SW swell, but by afternoon a WNW wind-wave develops that crosses the SW/WSW swell, producing a confused cross-sea - two wave trains arriving from different directions that create an awkward, uncomfortable motion with no single comfortable heading. Winds stay light (under 10 knots) all day, so this isn't a dangerous setup, but the mixed seas roughly midday through early evening warrant caution and careful timing. Early morning hours before the cross-sea develops are your best bet.
Golden Gate Bank — Sunday, Sep 13 · CAUTION
Sunday brings another round of light winds (4-8 knots, NW to WNW) with a similar setup to Saturday: a WSW swell crosses a developing WNW wind-wave through the midday and afternoon hours, producing a confused cross-sea that makes for choppy, disorganized motion even though wave heights stay under 4 feet. Conditions improve markedly by evening as the wave trains realign, with 6:00 PM-11:00 PM actually posting the best scores of the entire forecast period. Plan around the midday cross-sea and favor morning or evening for the smoothest ride.
San Jaime Bank
22.720, -110.220
The deep bluewater bank about 20 nautical miles west-southwest where the trophy blue and black marlin are won.
Light winds all weekend, but crossing swell/wind-wave creates choppy seas
Wind stays light (5-12 knots) and waves stay under 5 feet all three days, but a persistent SSW swell crossing a NW-to-WNW wind-wave sets up a confused, uncomfortable cross-sea for long stretches each day. Boats will be fine from a raw wind/wave-height standpoint, but the mismatched wave trains mean no single heading feels smooth, so caution is warranted rather than an outright GO.
San Jaime Bank — Friday, Sep 11 · CAUTION
Winds stay light all day, generally 5-10 knots from the N/NNW/NW with gusts up to 14 knots by evening, and seas hold near 4.1-4.5 feet at long 10-11 second periods from the SW. Despite these comfortable numbers, a steep wind-wave chop develops for about 5 hours and a confused cross-sea persists for roughly 11 hours as the NW-to-WNW wind-wave crosses the long-period SW swell, producing an awkward, uncomfortable motion with no single ideal heading. Best window is the early morning hours (12:00 AM-9:00 AM) when winds are lightest and the sea state is most settled; expect the ride to get choppier through the afternoon and evening as NW winds build toward 10 knots with gusts to 14 knots.
San Jaime Bank — Saturday, Sep 12 · CAUTION
Wind remains light-to-moderate, 7-12 knots from the NW/NNW/WNW with gusts reaching 16 knots, and waves sit around 4.0-4.3 feet at 8-9 second periods, shifting from SW to WSW late in the day. This is the choppiest day of the stretch, with a confused cross-sea running nearly the entire 24 hours and a steep wind-wave chop for about 4 hours, as the SSW swell and NW wind-wave cross paths and create an uncomfortable, jumbled motion with no clean heading to settle into. The best lull is midday (roughly 11:00 AM-1:00 PM) when winds ease to 7-8 knots, though the cross-sea pattern doesn't fully disappear even then.
San Jaime Bank — Sunday, Sep 13 · CAUTION
Winds stay light, 8-12 knots from the NW/NNW with gusts up to 17 knots overnight into early morning, easing to 8-9 knots by afternoon, while seas run 3.9-4.4 feet at a steady 8-second period from the WSW/SW. A confused cross-sea lingers for about 11 hours as the SSW swell crosses the NW wind-wave, giving an uneven, uncomfortable ride during that stretch even though wind and wave heights themselves are manageable. Conditions improve markedly by evening, with the 8:00 PM-11:00 PM window standing out as the best of the whole forecast thanks to light 8 knots NW wind and a more settled 4.0 foot WSW sea.
The AI fishing report for Cabo San Lucas
Weather tells you whether you can go. DeepCast reads the SST breaks, chlorophyll edges, and bottom structure for the exact waters the fleet fishes — inshore, midshore, and offshore — and turns them into a plain-English fishing report, the same AI reports built into the SeaLegs AI app.
Get the AI-powered fishing reportAbout Bisbee's Black & Blue
- DatesOct 19–24, 2026
- Host portCabo San Lucas, Mexico — the Cabo San Lucas Marina at Land's End
- The runCabo San Lucas out to the Pacific banks — Golden Gate (~17 nm WNW) and San Jaime (~20 nm WSW)
- Target speciesBlue & black marlin (the two jackpot species) — plus yellowfin tuna, dorado, and wahoo.
The Bisbee's Black & Blue Marlin Jackpot is the richest marlin tournament in the world, run out of Cabo San Lucas at the tip of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Each October the fleet launches from the marina at Land's End — where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez — and runs the offshore banks chasing the two jackpot species, blue and black marlin.
Blue marlin dominate the winner's board — the event record is a 993-pounder, and the 2025 jackpot fell to a 459 lb blue. A big black marlin is the trophy bonus: real and eligible, as the 634 lb black that took 2024 proved, but far less predictable than the blues and not an everyday staple. Yellowfin tuna, dorado (mahi-mahi), and wahoo round out what's biting in October.
Because the fleet fishes a wide band of water — from Land's End out to the Golden Gate and San Jaime banks — this page reads conditions across three zones at once: inshore at the point, midshore over Golden Gate, and offshore at San Jaime. Each zone gets a plain GO, CAUTION, or NO-GO call, updated every morning from the latest marine model data — the same AI rating used in the SeaLegs AI app.
Making the run from Cabo out to the banks
The run out of Cabo is short by canyon-tournament standards — the productive banks sit roughly 17 to 20 nautical miles off Land's End — but it is open Pacific water. The same point where the Pacific swell wraps the cape can stand the sea up steep when wind runs against the current, which is why the three-zone read matters: a calm morning at the point says little about what San Jaime is doing by mid-afternoon.
Golden Gate Bank (about 17 nautical miles west-northwest) and San Jaime Bank (about 20 nautical miles west-southwest) are seamounts rising from the Tinaje Trough, where upwelling stacks bait — sardine, mackerel, and squid — and concentrates marlin, tuna, and dorado over the structure. Mid-to-late October is peak for Cabo's big blue and black marlin, with water in the upper-70s to low-80s °F, which is why Bisbee's runs its Black & Blue then. Weight swell period alongside height, plan the whole fishing day rather than just the departure, and always confirm the official marine forecast and warnings before you leave the dock — this page is a planning aid, not a substitute for them.
Bisbee's Black & Blue forecast FAQ
What are the marine conditions at Cabo San Lucas today?
As of Sep 11, 2026: Cabo San Lucas / Land's End — CAUTION; Golden Gate Bank — GO; San Jaime Bank — CAUTION. Every rating is rebuilt each morning from the latest marine model data.
When and where is Bisbee's Black & Blue?
Bisbee's Black & Blue Marlin Jackpot runs out of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico, with the 2026 edition scheduled for October 19–24. The fleet launches from the marina at Land's End and fishes the offshore banks — principally Golden Gate, about 17 nautical miles west-northwest, and San Jaime, about 20 nautical miles west-southwest.
Which fish count in the Black & Blue?
The jackpot is a blue and black marlin tournament — those are the two eligible species. Blue marlin dominate the winners (the event record is 993 pounds), while a big black marlin is the trophy bonus: eligible, but far less predictable than the blues. Yellowfin tuna, dorado, and wahoo are also biting in October but are not jackpot species. (Striped marlin run the area too, but their peak is winter and spring and they are not a Black & Blue species.)
Why does Bisbee's run in October?
Mid-to-late October is the peak of Cabo's big blue and black marlin bite, when the water sits in the upper-70s to low-80s °F and the banks stack bait. That seasonal window is why the tournament is scheduled then.
How often is this forecast updated?
The three-zone board is rebuilt every morning from the latest marine model data, and each SpotCast card refreshes live in your browser. The date stamp above the outlook shows exactly when it was last generated.
What do GO, CAUTION, and NO-GO mean?
GO means conditions are favorable for most recreational offshore boats. CAUTION means marginal — manageable for experienced crews in capable vessels, but check the wind, swell period, and timing closely. NO-GO means conditions are hazardous for small craft and the trip is best postponed.
Can I get a forecast for my own bank numbers?
Yes. In the free SeaLegs AI app you can drop a pin on any spot on Earth — the Golden Gate, San Jaime, your own bank numbers, or the point at Land's End — and get the same AI-rated marine forecast and trip planning, rated GO / CAUTION / NO-GO.
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