Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Portugal (Complete Guide)
Portugal 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 Portugal will make a huge difference in your success rate.
The best time to fish in Portugal is from July through October but great fishing can be found in spring and fall throughout the country.
Portugal is a destination unlike any other. The country has something for everyone. It’s famous for tourist resorts and world-class fishing destinations.
Best Time to Fish Portugal
Fishing in Portugal is possible year-round. So, anglers can plan their fishing adventures for any time of the year.
A fishing season in Portugal starts in the early spring and finishes in the late fall. However, the vast majority of fish species get active between July and October.
There is a direct link between the best time to fish in Portugal and the bite times. That means that fishermen should plan their trips with bite times in mind. It’s possible to catch some species of fish all year long.
There are also fish species that get active at certain times of the year only. And of course, anglers should go fishing when their favorite fish species are the most active.
Spring is a good time to target bigeye tuna, largemouth bass, blue marlin, white marlin, spearfish, swordfish as well as trout and salmon.
A lot of fish species get active in Portugal during the summer months. Summertime is the perfect time of the year to catch billfish, spearfish, blue marlin, white marlin, tuna, carp, and trout.
Such species of fish as amberjack, bass, carp, bluefin tuna as well as blue marlin and white marlin are active during the fall months.
Recommended Fishing Charters in Portugal
These Portugal-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 |
| Flipper II Madeira | Madeira, Portugal |
| Azores Sport Fishing – Seazores | The Azores |
| Gavito – Sportfishing | Madeira, Portugal |
| Go Fishing Portugal | Sesimbra, Portugal |
| Azores Fishing and Adventures | The Azores |
| Bass Catch In Santa Clara | Santa Clara A Velha, Portugal |
| Grand Holiday Tours | Madeira, Portugal |
| Gavito – Big Game Fishing | Madeira, Portugal |
| Dreamboats – Mar Dos Navegantes | Cascais, Portugal |
| Azores Fishing Experience – NSTours | The Azores |
| Azores Fishing – 25′ Frontino | The Azores |
| Madeira Sight Casting | Madeira, Portugal |
| Madeira Marlin – Balancal | Madeira, Portugal |
| Aquasares Offshore Fishing Charters | Tavira, Portugal |
Portugal Species Breakdown: Best Times
Albacore Tuna
Fishing for albacore tuna in Portugal is excellent between January and April and between November and December. It’s a good idea to fish for albacore tuna near Ponta Delgada.
Amberjack
Amberjack is active in the Portuguese waters all year-long. However, anglers who target amberjack get the best results between January and December. Funchal is a popular fishing destination in Portugal.
Barracuda
Barracuda fishing season starts in April and finishes in October. Barracuda is active in the early morning and late evening. Calheta is an ideal place to fish for barracuda.
Blue Marlin
The season to fish for blue marlin in Portugal starts in May and ends in October. However, the best months to target blue marlin are June – September. Algarve is the perfect place to target blue marlin in the Portuguese waters.
White Marlin
The season to catch white marlin starts in April and ends in October. However, fishing is the most productive between the early summer and the early fall. White marlin can be found near Algarve.
Mahi-mahi
Mahi fishing season in Portugal begins in May and finishes in October. The best months to target mahi-mahi are June – September.
Mahi bites well during the morning and evening hours. It makes sense to target mahi-mahi near Sao Miguel.
Bluefin Tuna
The bluefin tuna fishing season in Portugal is high between May and October. The best months to fish for bluefin tuna are May, June, and October.
Bluefin tuna feeds actively in the early morning and late afternoon. A lot of bluefin tuna fishing charters are available in Ponta Delgada.
Wahoo
A peak wahoo fishing season in Portugal is between April and October. Oftentimes, anglers get bites of wahoo at first light. Anglers prefer to target wahoo near Calheta.
Trout
Fishermen can target brown trout as well as rainbow trout in Portugal. Trout fishing in Portugal is excellent between the early spring and the late summer. Trout is active in the early morning. Minho River is full of trout.
Salmon
Salmon fishing in Portugal is the most productive between March and July. Salmon bites well before sunrise and after sunset. A lot of salmon can be found in the Lima River.
Largemouth Bass
The season to catch largemouth bass in Portugal starts in July and finishes in March. Largemouth bass feeds actively in the early morning.
Valle de Gaio Reservoir is the right place to visit for anglers who are interested in catching largemouth bass.
Carp
Carp fishing season in Portugal begins in July and ends in March. Fishermen can get the bites of carp in the early morning, early evening, or at night. A lot of anglers prefer to enjoy carp fishing in Lake Alfarofia.
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.
Portugal Regions: Best Fishing Times
Algarve
The best time of the year to fish in Algarve is between the early spring and the middle of summer.
Calheta
The fishing season in Calheta is high between the late spring and the late summer.
Sao Miguel
Fishing in Sao Miguel is the most productive between May and October.
Algarve Region
A fishing season in the Algarve region starts in August and finishes in October.
Best Time of Day to Fish Portugal
When planning Portugal fishing adventures, anglers need to decide what time of day is the best to go fishing. It’s possible to experience fishing in the morning, afternoon, evening, and even at night.
Your choice largely depends on the fish species that you are targeting. First of all, you should study the bite times of your favorite fish species.
And of course, anglers should aim to fish the Portuguese waters when their favorite fish species are the most active.
The best time of day to fish in Portugal depends a lot on the time of the year. It would be better to go fishing in the morning during the hot summer months. On the other hand, it’s best to go fishing in the afternoon during the cold months.
The best time of day to fish in Portugal also depends on the angler’s preferences. Are you an early bird? Or, maybe, you don’t like to wake up early in the morning? Go fishing when you like.
Portugal Fishing & Tidal Impacts
There is a direct link between tides and fish activity. Anglers should always study tides for fishing before their trips carefully. Fishermen need to know when tides are low and when tides are high.
It would be better to experience fishing during incoming tides. There is water movement during rising tides. Tides bring oxygen-rich waters to the area.
As a result, comfortable conditions for fish are created. Fish begin to search for food actively and anglers can catch it easily.
Is Winter Fishing Bad in Portugal?
The weather is getting colder and water temperatures go down in Portugal during the winter months. Cold weather has an impact on fish activity.
That’s the reason why fishing is becoming less productive. Nevertheless, some fish species are active in winter. That’s why winter fishing is possible in Portugal.
December is a good time to enjoy bass fishing in Portugal. Anglers can visit the Azores to enjoy bottom fishing this month.
Fishermen choose to target albacore tuna in the Portuguese waters in January. It would be great to fish near the reefs in the Azores this month. Fishing for albacore tuna provides anglers with a lot of fun.
Fishing in the Portuguese waters is becoming more productive in the late winter. February is a great time to fish for such species of fish like amberjack, cod, dentex, grouper, and seabass.
Top Fishing Spots in Portugal
Madeira
Madeira is one of the top fishing spots in Portugal. This location has gained huge popularity among the anglers who give a preference to big game fishing.
Madeira Islands impress anglers with fish abundance. The waters around the islands are home to many fish species such as amberjack, mahi-mahi, marlin, tuna, spearfish, and wahoo.
The Azores
The Azores is another popular place to go fishing in Portugal. The place has a lot to offer to anglers, who have a passion for big game fishing.
The chances to catch marlin are always high in the Azores. Here, fishermen can target such species as marlin, sharks, and tuna.
Peniche
Peniche is a small fishing town in Portugal. It’s hard to imagine the town without fishing. The waters of Peniche impress anglers with fish abundance. Seabass and seabream are the main targets in the area.
Lagos
Lagos provides anglers with endless fishing opportunities. Here, anglers can experience beach and cliff fishing. Anglers can also book a charter to experience deep sea fishing. Among the species of fish that you can catch in the area are billfish, tuna, sharks, and others.
Lima River
Lima River is the perfect place for anglers, who want to enjoy river fishing in Portugal. The river is full of salmon. Salmon is the main target in the Lima River. There are also many other freshwater fish species that anglers can target in the waters of the Lima River.
Minho River
Minho River is another good freshwater fishing spot in Portugal. The river is located on the border between Portugal and Spain. Minho River is home to such fish species as salmon, shad, and trout.
Alqueva Lake
There are many lakes in Portugal. Alqueva Lake is one of the best lakes to go fishing in the country. Fishing in the lake is excellent and anglers can catch a great variety of freshwater fish species. Alqueva Lake is a great place to target carp, largemouth bass, catfish, pike, and many other freshwater fish species.
Booking Guides & Charters in Portugal
– Best season to go
Fishing in Portugal is the most productive between April and November. However, a peak travel season in the country starts in late June and ends in early September.
So, it would be better to fish the waters of Portugal during the spring and fall months if you don’t want to visit the country during a busy season. It’s a less popular time of the year among tourists.
The period of time between April and May and between September and November are often overlooked by anglers. However, these are the best times of the year to visit Portugal to experience fishing.
The demand for fishing is lower and the prices on charters are cheaper, but anglers still can get good results. That means that you’ll get the best value for money if you plan fishing adventures for these times of the year.
– Morning vs. afternoon
Morning vs. afternoon – what time is best for fishing in Portugal? Actually, this question is very debatable. The reality is, that each time of the year has its own pros and cons.
Morning fishing is more suitable for the hot summer months. It would be better to go fishing in the morning between May and September. Water cools down in the morning and fish begin to search for food actively.
On the other hand, morning fishing is not good if you are not an early riser. Those angling adventurists, who hate fishing during the morning hours, should go fishing in the afternoon.
Afternoon fishing is productive during cold months of the year. Go fishing in the afternoon between March and April and between October and November. The water heats up and the activity of fish increases in the afternoon.
On the other hand, days are shorter in spring and fall. That means that your fishing time will be limited if you go fishing in the afternoon.
– 1/2 day, full-day, multi-day charters
Half-day fishing trips last 4 – 8 hours. However, 1/2 day fishing trips give anglers enough time to enjoy fishing in Portugal. During such trips, anglers can test their fishing skills and get bites. Half-day fishing trips are cheap. However, fishing trips of this type are a good choice for beginners.
Experienced anglers should consider booking full-day fishing trips. Such trips give fishermen much more time. Anglers can fish during the morning, afternoon, and evening hours. On the other hand, full-day trips are more expensive than 1/2 day ones.
Avid anglers need even more fishing time. That’s why they prefer to book fishing trips that last several days. Multi-day charters increase anglers’ chance to catch a trophy fish. However, multi-day charters are the most expensive option. So, multi-day fishing charters are not a good choice for anglers on a budget.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in the Azores, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Italy, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Greece, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Morocco, please check out this helpful guide.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Croatia, please check out this helpful guide.
