Bahia De Los Angeles Fishing - In-Depth Travel Guide
Let me tell you—once you fish Bahia de Los Angeles, it’ll forever hold a special place in your heart. I want to encourage and help everyone plan a road trip to BOLA and experience this one-of-a-kind fishery for themselves.
Missael from FishArmz put me on my personal best Cabrilla on our Strictly Irons prototype surface iron!
Planning - Before You Hit the Road
One of the most important things in life is to plan. Get a piece of paper, a pen, and write it down.
The following advice comes from my own experience. I’m no expert, but I will always share what I’ve learned from others and through my own trips. Before leaving home, make sure you check off all the essentials. You can download and print the following checklist to stay organized.
Party Size
The number of people on your trip will determine costs. I recommend 2-4 people—but only bring 4 if you have a big truck or multiple cars. Our last trip had 3 people in a Toyota Tacoma, and it was a tight fit. Also, consider your fishing space. Would you rather spend a little more and fish comfortably on the panga, or pack in more people and cut costs?
Cost of Stay - Costa Del Sol
Costa Del Sol was recommended by Charles from FishArmz, and we rated it 10/10 for location, cleanliness, restaurant, AC, and Wi-Fi. They even cook your catch of the day! I highly recommend the battered fish tacos with rice, beans, and warm flour tortillas. Cost: $1,700 pesos (~$100 USD) per night for a room with 3 beds. Split between your group, it’s about $25-$50 per person per night. They accept cash in Pesos or USD upon arrival. Security is solid—there’s an overnight guard watching the parking lot and rooms.
Cost of Fishing - FishArmz
Most pangas charge $500-$550 USD per day (not including tip), with fishing hours from 6 AM to 3 PM.We booked with Missael from FishArmz, who runs a new 28’ Super Panga with a 150hp Mercury Outboard for $550 USD + tip. Strictly Irons Hookup: If you’re fishing 2 or more days, mention Strictly Irons and get $50 off per day! No need to drive anywhere—FishArmz will pick you up right in front of Costa Del Sol.
Cost of Car Insurance
While not required, I recommend getting car insurance—you never know what can happen. Expect to pay $30-$50 USD.
You can either:
- Call your current provider to check Mexico rates.
- Get insurance through Baja Bound.
Cost of Mexican Fishing License
If you don’t have a Mexican fishing license, you can buy a day/weekly/monthly/yearly license through FONMAR.
Day 1 - Hitting the Road
Route to BOLA
Our starting point was San Diego. The quickest and safest route:
- Take I-8 East to Calexico
- Cross into Mexicali
- Pass through Mexicali, head toward San Felipe
- Straight shot south to BOLA
Use Google Maps, but preload the map—there are spots with no service.
Exchanging Currency & Money Tips
Most places accept USD, but some will undercut the exchange rate (e.g., $15 pesos per $1 USD instead of ~$17).
Where to withdraw cash:
- Lodging
- Fishing trip + tip
- Gas
- Food & drinks
- Emergency funds
Alternative: Use debit/credit where possible, and only use cash where necessary. Fishing trips and lodging must be paid in cash.
Pro Tip: If you don’t travel to Mexico often, call your bank and let them know—you don’t want them flagging your card.
I personally exchange at least $100 USD for mercados, ice, beer, drinks, etc. If you forgot, don’t worry—there are plenty of exchange spots in Calexico.
Pit Stop 1: Breakfast, Gas & Snacks in San Felipe
After a few hours on the road, you’ll be hungry by the time you hit San Felipe.
- Breakfast: El Molcajete Restaurant (Highly recommend the "Mixed Plate" - machaca con huevo, chilaquiles, bacon, hash browns & beans!)
- Groceries: Calimax (for snacks, drinks, last-minute items)
- Gas: Pemex or Chevron (1 minute from El Molcajete, cards accepted)
- Beer/Ice/Snacks: Mercado Alicias El Tunel (across the street from El Molcajete)
Pit Stop 2: Shore Fishing (Optional)
Near Puertocitos, you’ll start seeing fishy-looking shore spots. If you have time, stop and throw some bait!
Quick Tips:
- The turnouts are gravel roads—park at your own risk!
- You’ll need time to rig up, fish, and put everything away.
Tight drags, pull hard!
Pit Stop 3: Last Stretch to BOLA
After Puertocitos, you’ll reach San Luis Gonzaga, where you can make your last big stop:
- Rancho Grande Mercado (restrooms, snacks)
- PEMEX gas station (fill up before the final drive)
Arrival - Welcome to Bahia De Los Angeles!
You made it! Time to do the following:
- Check into your stay
- Unload the car
- Grab dinner
- Rig up your fishing gear for the next morning
If you’re up for it, hit the shore for some Corvina, Halibut, Spotted Bass, and Cabrilla.
Last-Minute Shopping
- La Isla Mercado (2-min walk from Costa Del Sol, perfect for beer & snacks)
- Mercado Xitali (opens at 5 AM, sells ice)
Fishing starts at 6 AM—be ready!
Day 2 - Cabrilla Fishing!
The moment you’ve been waiting for. Live in the moment, soak it all in!
- Tie on your favorite lures
- Figure out the pattern
- Find the hot colors & stick to them
Day 3 - Yellowtail Fishing
Day 1 was too windy to run to Isla Angel de la Guarda, but Day 2? Perfect conditions.
We made the 45-mile run, and let me tell you... IT. WAS. WORTH. IT.
- Surface & yo-yo irons were on fire
- Yellowtail were blowing up on bait
A gift from Strictly Irons to the FishArmz team: A fresh batch of surface and yo-yo irons to enjoy!
Final Thoughts - Plan & Fish Hard!
Properly plan your trip, communicate with your crew, and make sure everyone is on the same page. If you have any tips or experiences to share, drop them in the comments!
As always, thank you for the support over the past 8 years!
Much love,
Jared Saaib
4 comments
We have preferred to go through Tecate instead of Calexico of late. This is due to the policia who will shake you down for anything they can. They have fleeced every one of our friends over these past two years. They may find a pocket knife somewhere in your vehicle or even cite you for driving ‘strangely’ or even say you were speeding through Mexicali. LOL. The drive from Tecate is beautiful over the amazing Rumarosa road. Give it a try!!! It could beat putting several hundred dollars in the pockets of the police and their Chief, who gets a cut.
Please contact me for fishing
Pretty cool post about BOLA one of my favorite places to fish in Mexico , but some info is missing that is very important. You don’t want to bring any kind of fillet knives , pocket knives , tuna spikes etc. The Mexican cops will really try and get you for stuff like that and threaten to take you to jail and lock you up after all the harassment they will eventually just take your as much of your money as they can in exchange for your freedom, it’s horrible and it happens a lot more often then you would think. Avoid the BS from the cops down in Baja in any way you can and just leave anything that would get you into a pickle down there at home. Just thought this might help fellow anglers on future trips. 🤙
Mexican auto insurance is now mandatory for Americans driving into Mexico (even if you stay close to border, no more "free zone.) Also, you left out the Tourist stamp process while crossing the border, it’s free if you are staying less than 1 week, or about $32 US per person if you are staying longer. If you have to make an insurance claim and do not have a stamped tourist card the insurance company will automatically deny your claim, additionally you can be turned around at any checkpoint without one. ps- Nice cabrilla!