Sport Fishing Vessel Deckhand

Responsibilities

• Operate as working deckhand on sport fishing charter vessels targeting blue marlin, striped marlin, sailfish, dorado, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna in the Sea of Cortez and Pacific offshore: rig trolling lines, prepare live bait, manage outriggers and teasers, and assist during the fish fight sequence
• Execute catch-and-release protocols for marlin and sailfish: Los Cabos sport fishing is predominantly catch-and-release for billfish — proper reviving technique (holding the fish in the current, keeping it moving, supporting it until it kicks away under its own power) is a required professional skill executed consistently regardless of time pressure from the charter client
• Assist the captain with navigation and bridge communication: radio contact with other charter vessels for fish report sharing (the Los Cabos charter fleet maintains an informal daily radio network), weather monitoring, and fuel management
• Prepare and serve lunch and beverages during the charter: multi-hour offshore fishing trips include prepared meals and beverage service for which the deckhand is responsible alongside their fishing duties
• Conduct post-charter fish cleaning, vessel wash-down, and overnight rigging preparation: cleaning the vessel to a standard that is ready for a VIP charter departure the following morning is a non-negotiable daily responsibility
• Build client relationship for return charters: the deckhand who connects genuinely with the fishing client — who asks good questions, shares their own fishing knowledge, and creates an outstanding day — generates the repeat bookings and referrals that sustain a charter operation's revenue

Requirements

• Sport fishing deckhand experience; Los Cabos or Sea of Cortez offshore fishing experience preferred
• Live bait and artificial lure rigging technique
• Billfish catch-and-release handling — a non-negotiable professional standard in the Los Cabos conservation culture
• English conversational fluency — the Los Cabos sport fishing charter market is almost entirely North American
• Physical fitness for offshore fishing in Pacific and Sea of Cortez conditions (occasional swell, heat, extended hours)

Benefits

• IMSS, aguinaldo, paid vacation + premium
• Housing allowance MXN 2,500/month
• Fixed monthly + charter gratuity (the highest tip income of any marine crew role in Mexico — experienced deckhands earn significant income from North American fishing clients)
• Sport fishing access on the vessel during off-season and non-charter periods
• Captain licensing pathway support through SEMAR

Work environment

Sport fishing charter deckhand in the Cabo San Lucas marina. Offshore Pacific and Sea of Cortez fishing in the world's most productive accessible billfish destination.

About the role

The deckhand who has seen 2,000 marlin fights in their career — who knows within 3 minutes of a fish hitting the lure whether it's a 300-pound blue or a 150-pound striped, who sets up the chair and adjusts the drag before the captain has finished maneuvering — is operating on the basis of experience that builds marlin by marlin, season by season. The clients who book the same deckhand year after year aren't paying for the boat. They're paying for that 2,000-fish knowledge.