Deep water close to the shore
Madeira is the top of a volcano that rises straight from the ocean floor, so there is almost no shelf around it. A few kilometres off Calheta the sea is already more than a kilometre deep, and boats start trolling soon after they leave the harbour.
The mountains also shelter the south coast from the north-east trade winds. That lee is why Calheta and Funchal are the island’s two main ports for sport fishing, and why many days are calm enough to fish here when the north coast is rough.
Madeira has been famous for big blue marlin since the 1990s. Fish weighed in on the island have won the Blue Marlin World Cup six times, three years running from 1995 to 1997, and its waters hold several IGFA line-class world records.
- depth a few kilometres off the coast
- 1,000 m+
- blue marlin season
- May–Oct
- Blue Marlin World Cup wins for fish weighed in Madeira
- 6
Species and seasons
Blue marlin
The fish Madeira is known for. Fish of several hundred pounds are normal, and this is one of the few places where anglers talk seriously about 1,000-pound “granders”.
White marlin and spearfish
Smaller billfish that turn up with the blues. Spearfish are most common in May and June.
Bigeye tuna
The spring fishery, before the marlin arrive in numbers. Bluefin tuna pass by in autumn.
Wahoo
Fast, sharp-toothed and very good to eat, often caught along the drop-off.
Dorado (mahi-mahi)
Comes with the warm water and is often caught on shorter trips.
Albacore, amberjack and bottom fish
Albacore tuna are around all year. Bottom trips find amberjack, dentex, bream, triggerfish, grouper and barracuda.
Seasons shift from year to year with the water temperature.
Types of trip
- Big game trollingA half or full day trolling lures along the deep drop-off for marlin, tuna and wahoo. Most trips are private charters for a small group.
- Light tackleShorter trips with lighter rods for wahoo, dorado and small tuna. A good first trip, and easier with children.
- Bottom fishingThree to four hours closer to the coast, drifting over rocky ground for amberjack, dentex, bream and triggerfish: fish for the table.
- Shared tripsSome boats sell single places on a shared trip, which costs much less than a whole boat.
Licences, kit and comfort
- Licence: Madeira issues its own recreational fishing licences, and a licence from mainland Portugal is not valid here. On a charter the crew normally arranges it, but ask when you book. To fish on your own, apply through the regional SIMplifica portal.
- Tag and release: marlin are usually released after a photo. Ask about the boat’s policy before you go, especially if you hope to keep a tuna or a wahoo.
- Seasickness: the lee is calmer than the open sea, but there is always some swell. Take your remedy before you board and stay outside, looking at the horizon.
- What to bring: sun cream, a hat, sunglasses, a windproof layer, water and snacks. Rods, tackle and bait come with the boat.
- Weather: trips are moved when the wind or swell is too strong, so leave a spare day in your plans.
The rest of your stay
Boats leave from Calheta marina, next to the sand beach and the harbour restaurants (where to eat). You may see dolphins on the way out; for trips that are all about whales and dolphins, see whale watching from Calheta. On a fishing holiday a house near the marina saves early drives: holiday homes on madeira-dreams.com.