Fishing in Dubai

Fishing in Dubai can be done in many ways and with each one of them you can catch exotic species such as queenfish, hammour, kingfish, barracuda or cobia.

Fishing can be done by spinning, jigging or bottom fishing. Bottom fishing for species such as emperor, diamond trevally, catfish, small barracuda, grouper, snapper and small shark (especially in summer).

Trolling and deep sea fishing can also be practiced in Dubai to catch tuna, barracuda, king barracuda, grouper, kingfish, cobia, queenfish and diamond trevally.

Fishing for sailfish in Dubai?

Dubai used to be a fishing destination for sailfish and also for marlin, but due to urban developments these species are no longer found in the waters of the Arabian Emirate. The water is no longer clear and the sea currents have changed. To catch marlin and sailfish we recommend renting a Fishing Boat in Fujairah or Oman.

Regardless of the time of year, fishing in Dubai is almost always done very early in the morning. Especially in summer when the daytime heat makes it unbearable to be at sea. There are two seasons in Dubai: winter and summer.

Fishing in Dubai in summertime

Starting from April to November is summer in Dubai and it is hot. At this time of the year, fishing for tuna, snapper, barracuda, catfish is popular.

Fishing in Dubai in the winter time

From November onwards the temperatures start to drop (a little) and this is when you can fish in Dubai for queenfish, kingfish, cobia and grouper. The best months to fish for cobia are January and February.

Dubai is a major business city, a hub for global air transport and a tourist destination par excellence.

Visit the Burj Khalifa tower. In the old city stroll through the neighborhoods of Bur Dubai and Deira. Here you can also take a Boat ride on the Dubai Creek.

Lose yourself for a day in the Dubai Mall, the largest shopping mall in the world. Here there is an ice skating rink and an alpine ski slope!

Dine at the Dubai Marina and see all the Boats moored in this neighborhood. Nearby you can also visit the Jumeirah Mosque.

Another option is to take a 4x4 or quad tour in the desert.

Fishing in Dubai requires a fishing license. The Fishing license can be obtained free of charge from the Dubai Municipality website. It is valid for one year.

Remember that Fishing charters usually already have a collective fishing license so you don't need to buy one if you are hiring a Boat.