{"id":831,"date":"2026-10-13T00:35:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T00:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reelzy.co\/blog\/malta-fishing-trip-for-beginners\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T20:54:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T20:54:35","slug":"malta-fishing-trip-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reelzy.co\/blog\/malta-fishing-trip-for-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"Malta Fishing Trip for Beginners: What Happens and Which Boat"},"content":{"rendered":"

You do not need any experience to go fishing from a boat in Malta. Book a half day of bottom fishing or light trolling with a skipper who says first-timers are welcome, tell them it is your first time, and they will hand you a rigged rod and show you what to do.<\/strong> You do not need a licence either: the boat carries the permits. What you need is the right trip type, the right clothes and one honest message to the skipper before you book.<\/p>\n

This guide is for adults who have never fished at sea, or have only cast from a pier on holiday. If you are bringing children, our Malta fishing charter with kids<\/a> guide covers ages, shade and toilets in more detail.<\/p>\n

The short answer<\/h2>\n

A first fishing trip in Malta usually means a few hours on a small local boat, fishing over reefs and ledges a short run from the harbour. The crew sets up the rods, baits the hooks and tells you when to wind. Your job is to hold the rod, feel for a bite and enjoy the coast.<\/strong> Nobody expects you to know knots, lures or the names of fish.<\/p>\n

The one choice that matters is the kind of trip. A bottom fishing or mixed trip near the reefs gives a beginner the most bites and the calmest morning. A dedicated bluefin tuna trip is a different thing altogether: long hours, heavy gear and a fight that can wear out an experienced angler. It is a great second trip, not usually the best first one.<\/p>\n

What actually happens on the day<\/h2>\n

Most Maltese charters work in the same rhythm.<\/p>\n

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  1. Meet at the harbour.<\/strong> Boats on Reelzy leave from St Paul’s Bay, Gzira, Ta’ Xbiex, Floriana and Marsascala on Malta, and from the north of Gozo. The skipper sends the exact quay when you book.<\/li>\n
  2. Safety talk and a quick lesson.<\/strong> Where to stand, where the life jackets are, how to hold the rod and how the reel works. Five minutes, and it is the part beginners worry about most for no reason.<\/li>\n
  3. The run out.<\/strong> Reef and ledge fishing often starts close in. Pelagic fish like dorado (lampuki) and albacore can mean 10 to 20 miles offshore, though on some days they come much closer, according to the Fishingmalta crew.<\/li>\n
  4. Fishing.<\/strong> On a bottom trip you drop a baited line to the seabed and wait for the tap. On a trolling run the boat tows lures and the crew calls you to the rod when one goes off. You will be shown both if the trip mixes them.<\/li>\n
  5. Back to the harbour.<\/strong> Ask before the trip what happens to the catch. Most Malta boats let you take table fish home if they are above minimum size; our guide to keeping the fish on a Malta charter<\/a> explains the rules species by species.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Which trip type suits a beginner<\/h2>\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Trip type<\/th>\nGood first trip?<\/th>\nWhy<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Bottom fishing over reefs and ledges<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nPlenty of bites, light tackle, close to shore, calm for most of the year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Mixed trolling and bottom fishing<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nYou see two methods in one morning; the crew does the rigging<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Seasonal lampuki trolling (late summer and autumn)<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nFast, colourful fish that are fun on light gear<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Big game bluefin tuna<\/td>\nNot usually<\/td>\nLong days, heavy gear, release is common and the fight is hard work<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

    If you are fit, keen and want one big story, a tuna day is possible as a first trip. Say so to the skipper and ask how long a typical fight lasts. For most people, a reef morning first and a tuna day on the next holiday works better.<\/p>\n

    Malta boats that welcome first-timers<\/h2>\n

    Six Malta charters list on Reelzy. These are the ones whose own descriptions talk about beginners or explain the day in a way that suits one.<\/p>\n