Fishing in Dubai

The fishing in and around the city of Dubai is done so possible to do in a variety of different styles that include bottom fishing and trolling plus other exciting and more demanding techniques such as jigging and spinning.

What fish are in Dubai Waters?

Bottom fishing you can catch emperor, diamond trevally, catfish, small barracuda, grouper, sea bream and small sharks (only during summer).

The species you can catch in Dubai trolling can be catch barracuda, king barracuda, grouper, kingfish, cobia, queenfish, tuna and diamond trevally.

Sailfish fishing in Dubai?

For sailfish and marlin fishing we recommend to travel towards the east coast in Fujairah or Oman. Unfortunately, due to the developments in Dubai the waters have become murkey and the sea currents have changed. Marlin and sailfish no longer visit the Dubai waters.

Grouper

Grouper are a common species to catch in many areas around the world. They love to live in and around rocky and unstable bottoms as well as close to shipwrecks or reefs. Trying to jigging for these can be a great deal of fun.

Barracuda

Barracuda are a long slender fish with some seriously sharp teeth on them. They are known to travel in the water at fast speeds chasing smaller predator fish. You will need to have a wire trace attached to your fishing set up to ensure you land this species to the boat.

Queenfish

This bright and shiny fish is bound to give any fisherman enjoying a day out in Dubai a really solid fight. They just never know when to stop fighting once hooked. If you do get one to the boat be careful as they have a set of nasty spines on them.

Kingfish

The kingfish is also known as a king mackerel in other parts of the world. It is a fish that will also offer a great fight to the fisherman of Dubai. They are a silver colour with often a nice and attractive pattern running down their body.

Regardless of the time of the year, you are looking to go fishing, the most productive time of the day always seems to revolve around the early morning and sunrise period when fishing in Dubai.

Such is the climate in Dubai it really only has two distinct seasons of summer and winter rather than the traditional four seasons that is found in most destinations. The summer period generally is regarded as being from April through to the end of October and obviously winter being the other months.

Dubai Fishing in Summer

Fishing in Dubai during summer produces an elevated chance of targetting tuna species. The best time to fish for tuna is generally from the start of summer in April to the end of May. Once the tuna begin to leave the fishing can go quite in Dubai from June until November. Snapper, barracuda and catfish can certainly be targetted all year round though and keep local and visiting fisherman happy. 

Dubai Fishing in Winter

Once the weather begins to cool down at the start of winter the fishing really begins to fire back up. The warm winds of summer disappear and fishing for species such as grouper, queenfish, kingfish and cobia start to be really exciting. The best months to target the cobia are in months January and February.

Some of the other types of fish you can catch in Dubai all year round include the Barracuda, Hammour and many more.

Overall the best fishing period to be had is from January until May each year. 

Is there good fishing in Dubai?

Dubai has become a popular tourist destination for plenty of tourists around the world these days. It is also a popular destination to stop at for an extended period when travelling to Australia, New Zealand and Asia countries. 

Some of the best things to do in Dubai include visiting the building worlds tallest building called Burj Khalifa, which stands an impressive 828.8m tall. Other popular attractions include the Dubai Mall, which is the entry point to Burj Khalifa. This is the world's tallest building, standing at 828 meters high. You can take an elevator to the observation deck on the 124th floor and enjoy breathtaking views of the city.

Here, you'll also find the Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House, Dubai Creek & Al Seef District and Deira.

Do one of the desert tours in 4x4 or quad. Experience the beauty of the Dubai desert with a desert safari. You can go dune bashing, sandboarding, and even ride a camel.

Visit the Dubai Mall: This is one of the largest malls in the world, with over 1,200 stores. It has an aquarium, an ice rink, a cinema, and even an indoor theme park.

Don't miss the Miracle Garden: This is the world's largest flower garden, with over 45 million flowers. It has a variety of flower displays, including heart-shaped arches, peacocks, and castles.

You need a fishing license to go fishing in Dubai. The annual recreational fishing license in Dubai can be obtained for free and has a validity of one year. Additionally, a one-week fishing permit can be issued to tourists. You may apply for it through the online portal of the Dubai Municipality. Or, you can visit the office of the environment department to apply.

Do you need a permit to fish in Dubai?

Yes, you do need a permit to fish in Dubai. The permit is issued by the Dubai Municipality, and it is mandatory for anyone who wants to fish in Dubai's waters. You can obtain the permit from the Dubai Municipality's customer service centers or online through their website.

Rember that the fishing charters in Dubai normally have the fishing license included in the price, so you don't need to buy one if you're chartering a boat. Your captain will take care of the permit and is also well informed about bag limits and minimum sizes of fish.