Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026 Results: Day 1 Pays $494,500 for a 165 lb Tuna

The Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026 results after day 1 put a 165.20 lb yellowfin on top of the money list: the team Estrella del Norte won $494,500 on Thursday, November 5, according to Tribuna de México. The heaviest tuna of the day was a 170.65 lb yellowfin from Lux Team. The 124 team tournament fished out of Cabo San Lucas on November 5 and 6, and the final awards were Saturday, November 7. Solomon's Toy won the tournament on day 2 with a 220.15 lb tuna (see the update below).

Who led day 1 of the Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026?

According to Tribuna de México, these were the top fish on Thursday, November 5:

• Heaviest tuna: Lux Team, a 170.65 lb yellowfin. It was entered only in the $1,000 option.
• Second heaviest tuna: Estrella del Norte, 165.20 lb, entered in the $500, $2,000, $3,000, $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000 options, for $494,500.
• Wahoo: Encantada, 53.55 lb, winning the $1,000 and $3,000 options.
• Dorado: Texas Tuna Ticklers, 30.70 lb, winning the $1,000 option. The $3,000 dorado option rolled over to day 2 with $38,400 in it.

The day 1 money list, according to Tribuna de México: Estrella del Norte $494,500, Encantada $86,800, Texas Tuna Ticklers $34,800 and Lux Team $31,200.

Why did a smaller tuna win more money?

The Tuna Jackpot pays by options. Each team picks which daily pots to enter, and each pot goes to the heaviest qualifying fish among the teams that entered it. Lux Team had the biggest tuna of the day, but it was only in the $1,000 option. Estrella del Norte's fish was 5.45 lb lighter, but it was entered across six options, so it took the larger pots. That is why the biggest fish and the biggest check do not always go to the same team.

How big is the Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026?

The 2026 tournament drew 124 teams and a total prize pool of $1,449,400, according to the Los Cabos city government. Fishing days were Thursday, November 5 and Friday, November 6, with weigh ins at the Cabo San Lucas marina. Western Outdoor News organizes the event, which has run since 1999.

The awards dinner was Saturday, November 7, from 5 PM to 9 PM at the Cruise Ship Pier, according to the official Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot site.

For comparison, the 2025 tournament had 131 teams. Team North Star won it with a 253.75 lb yellowfin weighed late on day 2, for $572,225 in total, according to Western Outdoor News. That made North Star the only team to win the event three times.

Who won the Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026?

Update, November 8, 2026: Solomon's Toy won the 2026 Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot with a 220.15 lb tuna, according to the tournament's official scoring site on CatchStat. Los Compadres was second with a 207.85 lb tuna and TNT third with a 206.90 lb tuna. All three were caught on day 2 and were heavier than any fish weighed on day 1.

The options split the money again. TNT's fish won the $10,000 and $20,000 tuna options, so TNT earned $266,550, more than the champion. Solomon's Toy earned $220,050 and Los Compadres $100,100. North Star, listed in Spanish coverage as Estrella del Norte, kept the largest total with its $494,500 from day 1. Just Right won both wahoo options with a 34.50 lb wahoo. The scoring site shows a total payout of $1,432,400 and marks all payouts as unofficial.

What does the Tuna Jackpot mean for your Cabo fishing trip?

A 170 lb yellowfin on day 1 shows that big tuna are within reach of Cabo boats this November. Tuna move fast, though, and a hot spot one week can be quiet the next, so ask your captain what the fleet saw the day before your trip.

Lands End Charters boats have been finding sailfish off Cabo this week, including the 27 ft Big Kahuna II with Captain Roberto, and Captain Felipe sent in a big sailfish on Friday. If tuna is the goal, a bigger boat like the 38 ft Second Chance lets you run farther offshore. You can compare boats on our Cabo fishing fleet page, or book a private yacht charter if part of your group would rather swim and cruise.

For the rules, options and history of the event, read our Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot 2026 guide. For the month ahead, see our guide to Cabo fishing in November. For catches, sea temperatures and news from all of Baja, read The Baja Catch Report.