Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Italy (Complete Guide)
Italy is one of the true fishing paradises on earth and there are certain times of the year when fishing really peaks. Understanding the best time and seasons to go fishing in Italy will make a huge difference in your success rate.
The best time to fish in Italy is from April through September for bluefin tuna, amberjack, bonito, bluefish, sharks, grouper, swordfish, and carp. Winter is typically the slowest fishing season in Italy.
Italy is a destination unlike any other. The country has something for everyone. It’s famous for tourist resorts and world-class fishing destinations. With the longest coastline in Europe, fishing here is awesome.
Best Time to Fish Italy
Fishing in Italy is done throughout the year. The best time of the year to go fishing in the country depends a lot on the fish species that you are targeting. Also, it’s necessary to take into account the local weather conditions.
Initially, anglers need to decide what fish species they would like to target during their Italy fishing trips. After that, they have to plan their fishing adventures accordingly.
It’s incredibly important to study the bite times of favorite fish species carefully ahead of time. Anglers should go fishing when their target fish species are the most active.
Spring is a good time to target amberjack, bluefin tuna, and bonito. Amberjack, bluefin tuna, bluefish, grouper, and sharks are active in summer. Bluefin tuna, catfish, carp, spearfish, and swordfish get active in the fall.
The optimal time to fish in Italy is between March and October. However, the best months to go fishing are May – September. Water is warm and many fish species get active. So, fishing is the most productive during these months.
Water is cold in the fall, winter, and spring. So, many fish species stay inactive. That’s the reason why fishing is becoming less productive in the country.
Recommended Fishing Charters in Italy
These Italy-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Location |
| Mahi Sportfishing Puglia | Villanova, Italy |
| Pevea Big Game Fishing Charters | Levanto, Italy |
| Pequeño Nieto Fishing Charters | Lido Di Ostia, Italy |
| RC Fishing Trips | Valledoria, Italy |
| Sicily Fishing & Lodging | Siracusa, Italy |
| Napoli Fishing Charter | Naples, Italy |
| Sicily Fishing Charter | Castellammare Del Golfo, Italy |
Italy Species Breakdown: Best Times
Amberjack
Italy’s amberjack fishing season starts in the late fall and ends in the early spring. The best months to fish for amberjack in Italy are December to March. Oftentimes, anglers get bites of amberjack during sunrise and sunset. Naples is the right place to fish for amberjack in Italy.
Albacore tuna
Albacore tuna bites well in Italy between the late summer and early winter. Albacore tuna fishing is the most productive during the fall months. Visit Sorrento to enjoy fishing for albacore tuna in the waters of Italy.
Barracuda
Fishing for barracuda in Italy is good during the summer months. Barracuda bites well either in the early morning or late evening. Barracuda can be found in the waters around the islands.
Bluefin tuna
Bluefin tuna can be caught in Italy all year round. Fishing for bluefin tuna starts in April and finishes in December. However, the best months to fish for bluefin tuna are June to October. Go fishing for bluefin tuna either in the early morning or late afternoon. Rome is a popular bluefin tuna fishing destination in Italy.
Bonito
Fishing for bonito is productive during the summer and fall months. Bonito bites well at dawn. Bonito can be found in the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Crevalle jack
The crevalle jack is active during the spring and summer months. It’s a good idea to fish for crevalle jack in the Ligurian Sea.
Dentex
Dentex fishing season in Italy begins in April and ends in October. The best months to fish for dentex are May – June. Dentex fishing is good between July and September. Naples is one of the top dentex fishing destinations in Italy.
Little Tunny
Italy offers excellent little tunny fishing year-round. However, fishing for little tunny is the most productive during the spring and fall months. Sorrento provides great opportunities for those anglers, who are interested in targeting little tunny.
Mahi-mahi
Mahi fishing season in Italy starts in the early spring and ends in the late fall. Fishing for mahi-mahi is more productive better between July and October. The best months to catch mahi-mahi in the country are August and September. Early morning and late evening are the best times of the year to fish for mahi-mahi in the region. Lido Di Ostia offers great mahi-mahi fishing opportunities.
Seabass
Seabass fishing is good in Italy year-round. Seabass feeds actively at dawn and at dusk. Seabass can be caught in the Ligurian Sea.
Seabream
Italy’s seabream fishing season starts in the early spring and ends in the late fall. The best months to catch seabream are May – October. Seabream bites well at night. Lido Di Ostia is a popular seabream fishing destination in Italy.
Sharks
Italy shark fishing is good during the summer months. Sharks are active at dawn and dusk. The Ionian is the perfect place to fish for sharks.
Swordfish
The best time of the year to fish for swordfish in Italy is between October and January. Swordfish are active at night. Sorrento is a great place to target swordfish in the country.
I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.
Italy Regions: Best Fishing Times
Rome
Rome fishing season is between March and November.
Sorrento
Fishing in Sorrento is available for fishermen all year long.
Naples
A fishing season in Naples starts in April and ends in October.
Campania
It’s possible to fish in Campania at any time of the year.
Lido Di Ostia
The best time of the year to fish in Lido Di Ostia is May – October.
Sicily
The season to fish in Sicily starts in April and finishes in November.
Valledoria
Fishing in Valledoria is the most productive between May and October.
Best Time of Day to Fish Italy
The best time of day to fish in Italy largely depends on the time of the year. Morning fishing in Italy is good between May and September. Water cools down in the morning and fish begin to feed actively. Fishing in the morning allows anglers to avoid the summer heat.
On the other hand, fishing between afternoon and late evening is better during the spring, fall, and winter months. Waters heat up and fish gets more active.
Italy Fishing & Tidal Impacts
Tides have an impact on fishing. That’s why it’s so important for anglers to study the tide times in Italy carefully in advance. Fishermen need to know when tides are high and low in the region.
Rising tides create the ideal fishing conditions in Italy. Incoming tides result in water movement. The current causes an increase in the activity of fish. So, fish start feeding actively and anglers find it easy to catch them.
Is Winter Fishing Bad in Italy?
The weather is cold and water temperatures drop down in Italy in winter. So, many species of fish get inactive and fishing becomes less productive during the cold winter months.
During this time of the year, anglers can fish for the seasonal species which are active during the winter months as well as the species which are active year-round.
Among fish species that anglers can target in the waters of Italy in December are bream, dentex, seabass, and others.
Fishing is slow in Italy in January. However, anglers can still try to do bottom fishing as well as trolling and get a few bites.
Fishing is more productive in Italy in February. Now, anglers should fish in nearshore waters and waters around the islands. Fishermen can target such species of fish like amberjack, bonito, and groupers this month.
Top Fishing Spots in Italy
Venice
Venice is known as the Floating City. The city has gained huge popularity both among travelers and fishermen. Here, it’s possible to fish in the canals or from bridges. Among the top fish species that anglers can catch in Venice are dentex, sea bream, and tuna. These are just a few of the many fish that you can target in the waters of Venice.
The Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is also a fantastic place to go fishing in Italy. This destination attracts anglers, who are interested in deep-sea fishing. A lot of charters are available for fishermen. There are many quiet fishing villages, resorts, and ports on the coast of the sea. The Adriatic Sea provides anglers with easy access to productive fishing grounds. The destination impresses anglers with its diversity of fish. Here, fishermen can catch such fish species as dentex, mahi-mahi, seabass, sea bream, and tuna.
The Lakes
The Lakes is a fishing destination that provides anglers with a great opportunity to experience fishing the crystal clear waters and get valuable angling experiences. Anglers can fish from shore, experience deep sea fishing, or take advantage of fly fishing. During fishing trips, anglers can target pike, perch, trout, and whitefish.
Calabria
Calabria is a destination that provides anglers with diverse fishing opportunities. It’s the place where anglers can try such fishing techniques as bottom fishing and trolling. Anglers can catch bluefin tuna, dentex, grouper, sharks, and many other fish species in the waters of Calabria.
Sicily
Sicily impresses anglers with its natural beauty. Anglers can enjoy beautiful views of landscapes, parks, marines, and archaeological spots during their fishing trips. There are many great fishing spots in the region. The waters of Sicily are full of fish. Sicily is best known for bluefin tuna fishing. In addition, anglers can catch many other species of fish such as amberjack, barracuda, bluefish, dentex, grouper, mahi-mahi, sea bream, snapper, spearfish, swordfish, and others.
The Ionian Sea
Anglers can also test their fishing skills in the waters of the Ionian Sea. Here, it’s possible to fish from shore on the coast. Also, anglers can fish in nearshore waters and deep-sea waters. Bottom fishing is also a popular fishing technique in the region. The top targeted species in the Ionian Sea include bluefin tuna, dentex, grouper, mahi-mahi, mackerel, seabass, sea bream, swordfish, and others.
Bel Paese
Bel Paese is also one of the top fishing destinations in Italy. The destination impresses anglers with its beautiful nature and architecture. But most importantly, fishing in the waters of Bel Paese is incredible. The local rivers are full of trout. Anglers can do fly fishing and catch brown trout, marble trout as well as seabass and pike. A chance to land fish of trophy size is high in the region.
Booking Guides & Charters in Italy
– Best season to go
Fishing in Italy is good between March and October. However, the peak tourist season in Italy starts in May and finishes in September. The demand for fishing is high and prices on charters go up during these months. If you don’t like to fish in Italy during the busiest months then plan your fishing adventures for March, April, or October. Fishing is still good, but the prices on charters are much lower. That means that fishing during these months provides the best value for money.
It’s also important to know that many tourists choose to visit such cities as Florence and Rome year-round. That’s the reason why these cities are busy at any time of the year.
-Morning vs. afternoon
Morning fishing in Italy is effective between May and August. It’s not too hot during the morning hours, so anglers find it comfortable to fish. On the other hand, afternoon fishing is more productive in March, April, September, and October when the weather is getting colder.
Anglers have to wake up early in order to experience fishing during the morning hours. However, the same can’t be said about afternoon fishing. An angler doesn’t have to be an early bird if you prefer to fish in the afternoon.
Anglers can spend more time on the water if they begin a fishing trip in the early morning. On the other hand, anglers’ time is limited if a trip is planned for afternoon hours.
-1/2 day, full-day, multi-day charters
Half-day fishing trips are a good choice for first-time anglers. Beginners can learn how to fish and develop basic angling skills during 1/2 day trips. However, professional anglers should consider longer fishing trips. It’s also important to note that 1/2 day trips are cheap. So, think about full-day or multi-day charters if you are an angler on a budget.
Full-day trips give anglers more time and increase their chance to catch a trophy fish. However, full-day trips are more expensive compared to 1/2 day trips.
Are you an avid angler? Or, maybe, you are an angler who would like to get the most out of fishing? One way or another, multi-day fishing trips are worth considering. However, multi-day fishing charters are the most expensive option. That’s why such trips are not suitable for anglers with a limited budget.
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