Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026: Dates, Rules and Payouts

The Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026 runs November 4 to 7 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, with fishing days on Thursday, November 5 and Friday, November 6, according to the official tournament site. Western Outdoor News started the event in 1999, and it bills itself as the richest tuna tournament in the world. Teams fish for the three biggest yellowfin tuna of the event, with separate money for dorado and wahoo.

When is the Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026?

This is the schedule posted on the official Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot site:

• Tuesday, November 3: early check in, 1 PM to 5 PM, inside Tesoro Resort.
• Wednesday, November 4: registration, 3 PM to 6 PM at Tesoro Resort, then the captain's meeting at 7 PM in the Tesoro banquet hall.
• Thursday, November 5 and Friday, November 6: the start boat leaves at 5:45 AM from outside Baja Cantina, the shotgun start is at 7 AM, the scale opens at 3 PM and lines come out at 4 PM.
• Saturday, November 7: awards dinner, 5 PM to 9 PM at the cruise ship pier.

The tournament says schedule details can change, so check the official site before you plan around a time.

How much does it cost to enter, and how much does it pay?

Base entry is $1,000 per team of up to six anglers, according to Mexico News Daily, or $50,500 for a team that enters every daily jackpot. The optional tuna jackpots run from $500 to $20,000, and each one is split evenly between the two fishing days, according to the WON entry packet.

In 2025, 131 teams fished and the total payout was $1,438,500, according to Western Outdoor News. Mexico News Daily reports that the record prize pool is $1,533,800, set in 2022.

What are the rules for the Tuna Jackpot?

The main points from the official rules:

• There is no off limits boundary. Teams can run wherever they like, as long as local laws are followed.
• The minimum weight is 30 lb for tuna and wahoo and 20 lb for dorado.
• Each team can weigh up to 3 tuna, 1 wahoo and 1 dorado per day.
• There is no limit on rod, reel or line size, but fish must be caught on hook and line, and only the team's anglers may fish.
• A boat can carry up to 11 people: 6 anglers, 3 crew and 2 guests.
• Boats must be back inside the harbor entrance at the jetty by 6 PM. One minute late and the fish can't be weighed.

Who won the Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot last year?

North Star, captained by James Rosenwald, won the 2025 Tuna Jackpot with a 253.75 lb yellowfin tuna and took home $572,225, according to Western Outdoor News. It was the team's third Tuna Jackpot title. Strictly Business II finished second and cashed $387,850.

What is the fishing like off Cabo right now?

The water is warm. On November 3 the sea temperature at Cabo San Lucas read 87.6°F, against a November average of 81.1°F, according to seatemperature.info.

Boats are back on the water after Tropical Storm Vance. The Cabo Sun reported on November 2 that the ports are officially open again and that fishing charters are running at full capacity. Since the reopening, the 27 ft Big Kahuna II, run by Captain Roberto, has found sailfish and dorado, and another Lands End Charters boat found wahoo. We have no fresh tuna reports from our own fleet yet, so the two Tuna Jackpot fishing days will be a good read on where the yellowfin are.

Can you watch the Tuna Jackpot?

Yes. The start boat leaves at 5:45 AM on both fishing days, and Smiles International sells start boat tickets at its booth on registration day, with all ticket sales going to the charity, according to the official site. Extra tickets to the awards dinner on November 7 are sold on site.

What does tournament week mean for your trip?

Expect a busy marina. Last year 131 teams left at the same 7 AM start, and this year the PGA Tour's World Wide Technology Championship plays at El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas from November 5 to 8, according to The Rio Times. The Cabo Sun advises booking catamaran cruises and dinners ahead, since walk up tables at top spots disappear by mid November.

The Tuna Jackpot comes right after the Bisbee's Black and Blue, where one blue marlin paid a record $5.6 million. If you are not entered, you can fish the same water on a regular charter. Pick a boat from our Cabo fishing fleet, see the Big Kahuna II or the El Torito, and read our guide to Cabo fishing in November for what else is biting. For this week's catches, sea temperatures and news from all of Baja, read The Baja Catch Report.