Secret Places: A Fishing Trip on the Sea of Cortez

Today we are catching triggerfish on the beautiful Sea of Cortez near Puerto Penasco, (Rocky Point) Mexico. This is not only one of the most enjoyable fishing trips anywhere, but at around $50 per person, it is one of the most affordable.

This trip was in a panga boat, which is a deep-hulled, open air vessel about 25 feet long. There are also options for chartering comfortable cabin cruisers. They cost a little more but are still less than half the price you would pay to go saltwater fishing in the U.S.

We caught so many fish that they ran out of 5 gallon buckets and had to just pile them on the floor. After about three hours of fishing we were exhausted. We also had more than enough fish.

Trigger fish have strong teeth that allow them to eat shellfish such as clams and scallops, which is part of the reason they taste so good: A bit like Orange Roughy.

On the way back in our first mate, Pablo, fileted the fish for us. This service is included with your trip, but tips are appreciated.

Today we caught nothing but triggerfish, which is fine because they are among the best eating fish. But we often catch sea bass, Cortez halibut (something like a flounder), and an occasional grouper of snapper, but these are more plentiful if you go out further to deeper water. It is also possible to catch a variety of sharks, including hammerheads, and a very endangered fish called totoaba, but those are protected.

The sea life in the area is vibrant. It is common to see dolphins, sea lions, frigates, gulls and albatross. If you are lucky you might spot a giant whale shark. And you can often see humpback and fin whales in January and February.

In this area of Mexico they use triggerfish to make ceviche, the traditional Mexican dish of chopped fish marinated in lime juice, cilantro, onions and peppers. We made ceviche. Lots of ceviche. And we made Sopa Siete Mares (Seven Seas Soup), and had it grilled, pan fried, deep fried, broiled and baked. Nothing went to waste.

Puerto Penasco is sometimes referred to as Arizona’s beach. It is not well known outside of Arizona. It is about an hour south of the Arizona border and a 4 hour drive from Phoenix or Tucson. It has great fishing, great beaches, and lots of interesting little restaurants and shops.