What you can catch from a boat in Gibraltar depends more on the month than on almost anything else. The short version: giant bluefin tuna from mid June to mid July, smaller bluefin from mid August to mid October, little tunny from late October through February, and mackerel, squid, cuttlefish and bottom fish such as dentex and amberjack across the rest of the year. Pick the season first, then pick the trip type that fishes for it.
The short answer
If you want a tuna, the window is summer and early autumn, and it is short. If you want steady action on light tackle, come between late October and February for little tunny, or any month for mixed small game. Gibraltar sits on the Strait, the only gateway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, so fish pass through on their own schedule. A trip that is excellent in July can be the wrong trip in December.
The season dates below come from what the Gibraltar boats on Reelzy actually fish, plus the published rules of the Government of Gibraltar for bluefin. Where a date is the captain’s experience rather than a rule, the post says so.
Gibraltar fishing calendar at a glance
| Months | Main target | Trip type |
|---|---|---|
| January to February | Little tunny, mackerel, squid | Small game, light spinning and jigging |
| March to May | Mackerel, bottom fish, cuttlefish, squid | Small game and bottom fishing |
| Mid June to mid July | Giant bluefin tuna | Dedicated tuna trip |
| Late July to mid August | Mixed small game, mackerel | Small game |
| Mid August to mid October | Smaller bluefin tuna | Tuna trip, dates advised by the skipper |
| Late October to December | Little tunny, mackerel, bottom fish | Small game |
Summer: the giant bluefin window
Atlantic bluefin tuna push through the Strait into the Mediterranean to spawn, and the Gibraltar government describes large numbers entering between April and July. For anglers on a boat, the peak is narrower. Blue Horizon Tuna Fishing Gibraltar puts its prime season for giant bluefin at 16 June to 16 July, with hookups almost daily in that window in its last season and chances dropping outside those dates.
The second phase is the smaller fish. The same skipper fishes for smaller bluefin from 16 August to 16 October and says the fish come and go in bursts, so the boat advises the hot dates when you book. If you are flexible, that advice is worth more than any calendar: a week’s difference can decide whether you fight a tuna or watch the rods.
What to know before you book a tuna trip:
- It is a full day of fishing for one species. A bluefin trip is not a sightseeing cruise. Expect long periods of searching and then a fight that can last a long time on heavy gear.
- Gear is supplied. Blue Horizon lists rods, reels and lures on board, plus fuel, snacks, water and soft drinks on full days.
- The fishery is managed. In British Gibraltar Territorial Waters bluefin fishing needs a Class K licence, catches are reported and weighed at the official landing point at North Mole, and a total allowable catch applies, so the season can close early once it is filled. Minimum sizes and bag limits are set by notice and have changed over the years. Your skipper works under these rules and will tell you what applies on the day. The current notices are published by the Government of Gibraltar.
Browse the species page for bluefin tuna fishing charters if you want to compare Gibraltar with other markets.
Autumn and winter: little tunny season
When the bluefin leave, the light tackle season starts. Blue Horizon Small Game Gibraltar gives late October to February as the little tunny season. Little tunny, also called false albacore, are small members of the tuna family that hunt in fast schools and hit lures at speed. On a spinning rod they fight far harder than their size suggests, which is exactly why people book a winter trip for them.
The skipper notes there are no quota limits on little tunny, unlike bluefin. That does not mean you keep everything: ask the crew what is worth taking home. Little tunny is dark, strong flavoured meat, and many anglers release most of them and keep a couple for the table.
Winter is also when the Strait can be at its roughest. The two winds that shape every fishing day here are the Levanter from the east and the Poniente from the west. A strong Levanter raises a short, steep sea on the eastern side of the Rock, and the skipper may move the trip to the sheltered side or call it off. Book with a day of slack in your plans if you can.
Spring and the in between months: small game and bottom fish
Between the tuna phases there is plenty to fish for. The small game trip lists mackerel all year round, which gives almost guaranteed action on light tackle and is a good first trip for children or anyone new to sea fishing. The harder targets are red snapper, dentex, groupers and amberjack, plus octopus, squid and cuttlefish. The boat calls those more challenging, and every one of them is a fish worth a photo.
A small game day usually mixes methods: trolling small lures, spinning at surface activity, jigging over rough ground and dropping baits to the bottom. That variety is what makes the in between months good value. You are not waiting for one fish to turn up; the skipper switches technique to whatever is feeding.
See dentex fishing charters, amberjack fishing charters and squid fishing trips for the species pages.
Dolphins, whales and the rules around them
The Bay of Gibraltar and the Strait are home to resident dolphins, and whales pass through. That is a bonus on any trip, and it also comes with rules. Gibraltar has a Dolphin Protection Zone, and popping for tuna (casting surface poppers into feeding fish) is banned inside it. Boats are expected to follow a cetacean protocol when dolphins or whales are close, which can mean slowing down, keeping distance or moving away from a school even when tuna are under it. A good skipper explains this before you leave the marina. It is part of fishing here, not a reason to worry.
How to choose the right trip for your dates
- Check your travel month against the calendar above. If you land in Gibraltar in December, a tuna trip is the wrong booking; a small game trip for little tunny is the right one.
- For bluefin, ask the skipper about this season’s quota and dates before you pay. The season can close early, and the skipper knows how the fish have been running.
- Ask what you can keep. Bluefin is governed by licence and landing rules; little tunny and mackerel are not quota fish, but the crew will still have a view on what is worth keeping.
- Plan around the wind. Ask the captain about the forecast and the weather policy the day before, and keep a spare day free if you can.
- Ask where the trip leaves from. Both Gibraltar boats on Reelzy leave from the Queensway area on the western side of the Rock, an easy walk from the town centre.
What the captain handles
On both Gibraltar trips the rods, reels, lures and terminal tackle are on board, so you do not need to bring gear. Snacks, water and soft drinks are included. The skipper deals with the bluefin licence, reporting and landing rules on tuna trips, reads the wind and picks the side of the Rock that is fishable. Your job is to bring sun protection, a layer for the wind, and something to carry home the fish you are allowed to keep.
Ready to go?
- All boats on the Rock: fishing charters in Gibraltar
- Summer tuna: Blue Horizon Tuna Fishing Gibraltar
- Winter little tunny and year round small game: Blue Horizon Small Game Gibraltar
- Crossing to Spain instead: what you can catch fishing in Málaga, month by month
Cover: "Gibraltar Rock 03" by Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0, edited (colour, retouching).
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