Fishing Charters in Spain

Where the boats are

Spain has three very different fishing coasts on Reelzy, so pick the boat by where you are staying:

• Málaga and Marbella, Costa del Sol. Close to the Strait of Gibraltar, where Atlantic and Mediterranean water mix, which gives a long species list for the Mediterranean. In Málaga, La Starfisher takes up to 8 on 10 hour light tackle trips and La Faeton Blue Marlin takes up to 12 on full days of trolling, drift fishing and jigging, both run by a captain with more than 20 years on this coast. In Marbella, Blue Tide Marbella Boat fishes for up to 9 with a professional skipper, trolling, anchored or bottom fishing depending on the season, with gear, bait, cold drinks, insurance and permits included. See the Málaga and Marbella pages for more on each port.
• Cádiz, on the Atlantic. Pesca a fondo is a private boat for groups of up to 6, bottom fishing in the waters off Cádiz for lots of bites and lots of fish. It is aimed at families and first timers as much as experienced anglers, and the crew guides you and supplies the gear.
• Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Out in the Atlantic, far from the Strait, so the fishing is its own thing. Bottom fishing 6 hours works the reef for amberjack and snapper with live bait, dead bait or jigging, for groups of up to 10.

What you can catch

Most of the boats here list bonito and dentex, with mahi mahi, gilt-head seabream, amberjack and conger also common. On the Costa del Sol the reef fishing leads from December to April, the pelagics take over on the troll from June, and September to November is the best all round season, when dorado (lampuga locally) arrive and the reef fish feed before winter. Our guide to what you can catch fishing in Málaga, month by month has the detail, and trolling and bottom fishing are the two methods you will meet most.

Bluefin tuna pass through the Strait every spring, but Spain closed recreational bluefin fishing for 2026 on 23 June once the quota was used up. The rules are set again each year, so if tuna are the reason for your trip, ask the captain what is open on your dates before you book.

Before you book

• Licences. On a licensed charter on the Costa del Sol or in Cádiz you do not need a licence of your own: the boat's collective recreational licence covers everyone aboard, and the operator handles the catch declaration. You need your own licence only on a private boat without a skipper. In Gran Canaria, ask the skipper what applies. Our guide to fishing licences in Spain and PescaREC has the detail.
• Agree the catch. Some crews keep the fish and some let guests take theirs. Ask before you leave if you hope to cook what you catch.
• Plan around the wind. On the Costa del Sol the levante and the poniente decide where the boat can fish, and the wind usually builds after lunch in summer, so trips start early. Keep a spare day if you can.
• Staying near the Rock? Gibraltar is a short drive from Marbella, and its boats fish the Strait for tuna and little tunny: see the fishing charters in Gibraltar.