Greetings Fishing Friends!

This itinerary contains three crucial sections. Please review carefully. Legal documents & safety requirements are in red.

  1. Prepare for travel,
  2. Travel day instructions,
  3. What to expect at Cedros Island.

1. Prepare for Travel

  • Buy a Mexican fishing license.  You will need a Mexican fishing license in advance of your trip.
    • You can buy it at tackle stores around San Diego harbor such as Fisherman’s Landing.
    • You can also buy it online from the Mexican government: https://www.sportfishingbcs.gob.mx. If you have an issue please contact: Customer Support: English +1 (805) 857-9349; email: fonmar@gmail.com
  • Check your passport. Passport must be good for 6 months from travel date. Passport cards are NOT valid for international flights.
  • Obtain minors permission to travel (if applicable). Minor children must have copies of both parents’ passports and a signed consent letter from any non-attending parent stating their permission for a minor child to travel into Mexico with the name of the adult accompanying them.
  • Review Cross Border Express Requirements https://www.crossborderxpress.com/en/requirements.
    • Buy your CBX ticket. This ticket allows you to cross the international border via the CBX international point of entry to Mexico. It can be purchased in person at the CBX terminal or online. https://www.crossborderxpress.com/en/tickets
    • Buy I-94/FMM (tourist visa). This can also be purchased in person at the CBX terminal. https://www.crossborderxpress.com/en/I94
    • Helpful tips: There are a few tricky questions on the form. The answers are:
    • You are crossing by land.
    • The point of entry is Conexion peotonal aeroportuario Tijuana.
    • The address where you will be staying in Mexico is #1 Calle Mita, Cedros Town, Baja California Mexico.
  • Reserve parking. Optional, but if you plan to park, be aware that the non-reserved spots can fill up and they can be quite far from the terminal. https://www.crossborderxpress.com/en/parking
  • Print Plane Boarding Passes: We will send you two boarding passes (outbound and return) as soon as we get them from the charter company, hopefully, 2 or 3 days before your flight.
    • Helpful tips: In the past, the charter company has been slow to provide boarding passes. The boarding passes are ONLY needed to enter the CBX bridge. The passes are NOT needed to get onboard your plane, which is a private flight. OFFICIALLY, you are supposed to have a printed boarding pass, but in our experience, showing the boarding pass on your phone to the CBX personnel works fine. Either way, the CBX official will have to scan you through. Tell them that you are on a private flight. (In Spanish, vuelo privado.)We leave it to you to decide whether to print the boarding pass or store the document on your phone.

 Packing Tips

Do not bring Marijuana or any products containing cannabis or THC into Mexico. Medical marijuana cards are NOT valid in Mexico, and it’s illegal to cross the border with any type of cannabis products. Also now illegal in Mexico: ALL vaping devices, including tobacco. You may be subject to search by military personnel, border patrol, and/or drug-sniffing dogs.

Here’s a general packing checklist: https://cedrosoutdooradventures.com/category/travel-checklist/.

Pack and weigh your gear

  1. Please bring 2 lightweight cooler bags to bring your fish home.
  2. Keep the weight of your gear to 35-40 lbs. The less the better so you can bring more fish back.
  3. Our lists of recommended gear to bring:
    https://cedrosoutdooradventures.com/category/fishing-gear/
  4. Suggested Breakdown: 5 lbs. clothes and personal items, 25 lbs. for fishing gear. If you choose wisely, this should be sufficient. The amount of fish you get to bring back depends on the total weight of your particular flight. The less gear you bring, the more fish you can bring home.
  5. Tips to reduce weight: We will provide sinkers, so you don’t have to pack those. We have Seeker rods that are free for you to use. If you want specifics on the gear, email reservations@cedrosoutdooradventures.com. The lists of recommended Cedros gear on our website will help bring you in underweight & with everything else you need.
  6. Recent fishing reportswill tell you what species are biting and on what.
  7. Please use soft bags (backpacks or duffels), which can be accommodated easily in the hold. Small, lightweight, hard-sided tackle boxes are also fine.

Suggested Tipping Model

  • $40 – $80 per client, per trip to your lodge staff of 5
  • $40 – $80 per client, per trip to your dock & transport staff of 5
  • $100-$200 per client, per trip to your boat driver
Short on cash? Call the reservations team at 619.793.5419 and ask them to charge the tips on your credit card.
Our hardworking staff thanks you!

Pesos:  COA accepts dollars on the island, and our staff will be happy to accept either for tips. You will want some form of cash since there are no ATMs on the island. Businesses in town accept dollars, but you will get a better value for pesos.

2. Travel Day Instructions

Check to make sure you have all the required documents listed above.

Arrive at the Cross Border Xpress terminal (CBX)  by 6 am. 2745 Otay Pacific Drive, San Diego, CA 92154.

Come early if you are parking, because it can be a long walk to the terminal. Reservations recommended. Once inside it can take 30-60 minutes to complete your crossing, depending on how long it takes you to walk across the bridge and clear customs.

Before you enter the CBX terminal, please text 619-793-5419 to let us know you’ve arrived. Many clients lose phone service while crossing the CBX bridge, so it’s important that we know you’re there in case you’re delayed.

NEW: We are no longer meeting at Starbucks on the Tijuana side so if you want something, get it at the Starbucks on the US side before crossing the bridge.

  • Inside the terminal, walk past the airline counters toward the back corner of the building. If you need to buy your CBX ticket or fill out your I-94/FMM tourist visa, there will be kiosks for that.
  • Once you have your CBX ticket and tourist visa, proceed toward the CBX bridge entrance at the back corner of the terminal. You can scan your CBX ticket, but you will not be able to scan your boarding pass since you are traveling on a private flight. Tell the agent you are on a private flight (vuelo privado), show them your boarding pass, and they will let you through.
  • Follow the signs for the Tijuana airport as you walk across the bridge.
  • When you arrive in the Tijuana Airport CBX terminal pass the airline counters, go downstairs, and look for Manuel, our bi-lingual airport travel coordinator. He will meet you near the exit doors of the CBX terminal. You should arrive no later than 7:30 a.m. If you arrive earlier than 7:00 am, wait for Manuel and the other passengers to arrive.

NEW: After you meet Manual, a van will pick you up outside the CBX terminal and take you directly to the private flight terminal. No need to walk anymore! There are bathrooms in the private terminal, and we will provide water and snacks.

3. Cedros Island Stay:

You will be met at the airport by our staff and taken to Baja Magic Lodge, our private oceanfront lodge. Melanie and Jose are the owners, and one of them will usually be at the lodge during the season. Mike, our guest services manager, is available to help with anything you need. If you have any questions or concerns, please let one of them know immediately so we can assist you.

At the lodge, you will drop off your luggage and get ready to fish. The cooks will have a lunch of quesadillas and guacamole ready for you. If you would like something different, let us know ahead of time, and we’ll have it ready. As soon as you eat and get your gear ready, you can go out to fish.

BE SURE TO CARRY YOUR FISHING LICENSE ON THE BOATS WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. 

Baja Magic Lodge:

Meals:

  • We offer full hot breakfast, lunch to go on boats or at the lodge, 3-course dinner, and snacks. Meals are served family-style but are customizable at your request.
  • Dinner is at about 6:00-6:30, after everyone is back from fishing. It usually includes soup, an entree, veggies or a salad, and dessert. Appetizers are available on request.
    • Special diets (diabetic, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, etc.) please notify us in advance of your trip as much of our food is flown in.)
    • The kitchen is always open for our clients. We pride ourselves on feeding our clients well. Our staff is friendly and helpful. If you need more food or different food at any time, please let us know.
  • If you would like the cooks to prepare any of your fish, just ask the dock staff to send it to the kitchen and let them know how you want it prepared. Options include sashimi style with soy and wasabi, ceviche, fried, or barbequed.

Days 2-5: You can fish up to 10 hours (6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) each full day you’re on the island. If you want to fish less than that, just ask your driver to bring you in when you’re ready. You can take a siesta and go back out again. It’s up to you and the others in your panga boat. The pangeros are local, and most do not speak English. They are very experienced and know what to do, but if you have trouble communicating, let us know, and we will help.

Tipping: The suggested tip total is about 10-15% of your total package cost. Click here for an average tipping model. Tips are shared among several groups:

  • Lodge staff: the people who cook, clean, & maintain the premises, and our bi-lingual guest services representative.
  • Dock staff: the guys who clean and package fish and drive you to the dock and airport.
  • Pangero: the captain of your boat.

Give Away

Did you know that every year we give away a 50% discount on a future trip? To enter, submit pictures or short videos of the fish you caught on a COA trip this season, with the following details:

  • Dates of your trip
  • What fish you caught
  • What bait and gear you used

Send details to melanie@cedrosoutdooradventures.com.We will use this info in reports on our blog and Facebook page. At the end of this season, we will put the names of everyone who submitted a report in a hat and do a drawing. Winner announced at the end of the year.

Our Phone Numbers:

  • Cedros Outdoor Adventures: (619) 793.5419 (U.S.): This rings into the main office.
  • Rowan’s Mexican Cell: (dialing from U.S. 011.52) 646.127.2618
  • Baja Magic Lodge in Cedros (from U.S.):  011.52.616.158.5450.

Call us if you have any questions or concerns; otherwise, have a great trip!