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.
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 week, but crossing swell creates awkward chop
Wind stays light (under 10 knots) and long-period SSW swell keeps overall wave heights moderate, but each day features a confused cross-sea where that SSW swell crosses wind-driven chop from a different direction, making for uncomfortable, unpredictable boat motion despite the calm-looking numbers. Conditions are best treated with caution rather than a full go, especially for smaller or less stable boats.
Cabo San Lucas — Saturday, Aug 15 · CAUTION
Winds stay light all day, generally under 8 knots from the N/NNE in the morning shifting SE to S by evening, with gusts topping out near 17 knots in the evening hours. The long-period 4.2-4.5ft SSW swell at 13-second periods is smooth on its own, but for about 10 hours (mainly evening) a developing NW-ish wind-wave crosses this swell, creating a confused cross-sea where the two wave trains meet at odds and produce an awkward, uncomfortable rolling motion with no single comfortable heading. Best conditions are midday through early afternoon when winds are nearly calm; plan for choppier motion after 4:00 PM.
Cabo San Lucas — Sunday, Aug 16 · CAUTION
Wind remains light throughout, mostly 1-9 knots shifting from N/NW in the morning to SE/SSW by evening with gusts near 18 knots after 5:00 PM. Swell holds at 4.1-4.6ft from the SSW at 11-12 second periods, but a crossing NW wind-wave persists for essentially the full 24 hours, meaning the sea surface never fully settles into one clean direction and produces a confused, uncomfortable motion even when wind speeds look benign. Mornings from about 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM offer the lightest winds and the best relative comfort, while the evening brings both stronger gusts and sharper chop on top of the underlying swell.
Cabo San Lucas — Monday, Aug 17 · CAUTION
Winds are light to moderate, 2-10 knots shifting from NW in the early hours to NE/E by afternoon with gusts reaching 18-19 knots between 4:00 PM and 9:00 PM. The SSW swell eases slightly to 3.7-4.0ft at 10-11 second periods, but it crosses a WNW-oriented wind-wave for roughly 22 hours of the day, producing a persistent confused sea state with irregular, uncomfortable motion rather than a clean, predictable ride. The calmest stretch is overnight into mid-morning (around 4:00 AM-11:00 AM) when winds are lightest, while afternoon brings both stronger gusts and a choppier cross-sea.
Golden Gate Bank
22.980, -110.180
A seamount rising from the Tinaje Trough about 20 miles west; upwelling stacks bait and holds blue marlin and tuna on the run out.
Light winds all week, but confused cross-seas keep it caution
Winds stay light (under 10 knots) from the northwest through the period, which sounds ideal, but a persistent SSW-to-SW swell crossing the northwest-driven wind-wave creates a confused, uncomfortable sea state each day. This cross-sea pattern is the main hazard - not wind strength - so expect awkward, unpredictable motion even though the water looks calm from shore.
Golden Gate Bank — Saturday, Aug 15 · CAUTION
Winds stay light all day at 5-8 knots from the northwest to north-northwest with gusts up to 19 knots by evening, which would normally make for an easy day on the water. However, a long-period SSW swell at 11-12 seconds is crossing the northwest-driven wind-wave throughout the entire 24 hours, creating a confused cross-sea where two wave trains arrive from different directions - this makes for awkward, uncomfortable boat motion with no single comfortable heading to take. Model confidence is high (95%) on this pattern, so plan for caution and expect the chop to feel worse than the wind speeds alone would suggest.
Golden Gate Bank — Sunday, Aug 16 · CAUTION
Similar to Saturday, wind stays gentle at 3-8 knots from the northwest with gusts building to near 19 knots later in the evening, but the real story is the confused sea state that persists for 22 hours as SSW swell at 10-11 second periods crosses the northwest wind-wave pattern. This cross-sea creates unpredictable, jerky boat motion that's uncomfortable even though neither wind nor wave height alone looks threatening. Wave period forecasts are diverging between models later in the day, adding some uncertainty to the exact timing of any improvement, so stay cautious throughout.
Golden Gate Bank — Monday, Aug 17 · CAUTION
Morning and early afternoon (12:00 AM to 2:00 PM MST) continue the cross-sea pattern with SSW swell crossing WNW wind-wave, producing that same awkward, confused motion boaters should be cautious about, even with light 1-9 knot winds from the north-northwest. Conditions finally improve starting around 3:00 PM MST as the wave pattern organizes, giving a genuinely favorable stretch through the evening with 4-5 knot winds from the southwest and 4.5-foot seas at a cleaner 10-second period. If you can time your outing for the afternoon, Monday offers the best conditions of the three-day period.
San Jaime Bank
22.720, -110.220
The deep bluewater bank about 20 miles southwest where the trophy blue and black marlin are won.
Confused cross-seas all weekend; light winds don't offset choppy swell mix
Winds stay light-to-moderate (7-16 knots) from the northwest all three days, which alone would be comfortable, but a persistent SSW-to-WSW swell crossing the NW wind-driven chop creates an awkward confused sea state each day. This cross-sea pattern eases somewhat late Monday as the wind-wave component weakens, opening a better window that evening.
San Jaime Bank — Saturday, Aug 15 · CAUTION
Winds stay in the good range all day, running 10-15 knots northwest to NNW with gusts up to 20 knots, but the sea state is the real story: a long-period SW swell at 11-12 seconds is crossing a separate NW-driven wind-wave, creating a confused, awkward cross-sea that persists for all 24 hours. With two wave trains arriving from different directions there's no single comfortable heading, and combined heights build to 5.7-5.8 feet by afternoon. This calls for caution - conditions aren't dangerous but the mixed-up motion will be uncomfortable and tiring for recreational vessels, especially midday when winds and gusts peak.
San Jaime Bank — Sunday, Aug 16 · CAUTION
Similar pattern to Saturday - wind holds in the good 8-15 knot NW to NNW range with gusts to 20 knots, easing nicely into the evening. However the confused cross-sea continues for the full 24 hours, with WSW swell at 9-10 second periods crossing the NW wind-wave, keeping the ride choppy and unpredictable in a way that a simple height/period reading wouldn't suggest. Seas build to 5.7-5.8 feet through midday before easing toward evening as winds drop to near 7-9 knots. Caution is warranted throughout the day due to this mixed sea state, even though wind alone looks manageable.
San Jaime Bank — Monday, Aug 17 · CAUTION
Winds remain good most of the day, 7-16 knots NW to NNW with gusts to 21 knots around late morning, but the confused cross-sea persists for 22 of the 24 hours as WSW swell at 8-9 second periods continues crossing the NW wind-wave. The mixed sea state makes for an uncomfortable, unpredictable ride with no ideal heading, particularly during the late-morning wind peak from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Relief finally arrives from 8:00 PM onward as the wind-wave component fades and the cross-sea untangles, making the evening the best window of the entire three-day period.
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 (~20 mi W) and San Jaime (~30 mi SW)
- 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 15 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 20 miles west) and San Jaime Bank (about 20 miles 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
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 20 miles west, and San Jaime, about 20 miles 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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