Best recreational fishing spots in and around Cape Town

If a heavy tug on your fishing line creates a tug at your heart, recreational fishing, deep sea fishing, saltwater and freshwater fishing in and around Cape Town will certainly stir your fishing passion.

This guide should provide you with an overall summary on the best fishing locations, a guide to the fish and bait, fishing charter companies and fishing permits.

Recreational Fishing in and around Cape Town has always been a popular past time. Many fishermen’s journeys are more than likely to end up in Cape Town.  There are excellent fishing spots in a number of places depending on whether you are looking for Big Game Fishing or something more along the lines of a quiet fly-fishing trip. Cape Town also offers both saltwater and freshwater fishing options, raging sea fishing or quiet rivers, streams and trout fishing in dams.

For more information on the actual fish species, see our full guide on different fish that you are likely to catch in and around Cape Town.

Fishing charter companies…

There are a number of companies offering deep sea fishing charters, Sport Fishing recreational fishing and freshwater fishing. Find fishing charter company contact details here.

Try Offshore Sport Fishing Charters or Agulhas Fishing. Two Oceans Sport Fishing Charters also offer inshore fishing sports fishing and fly-fishing trips. Otherwise try Hooked on Africa Fishing charters or Big Blue Fishing Charters.

The best fishing spots that are closest to Cape Town…

– In and around False Bay and the Cape Peninsula where you are likely to catch bluefin and yellowfin Tuna.

– In Rooikrans (or Rooikranz) you are likely to catch Blacktail, Hottentot, Kob (Kabeljou), Galjoen off the cliff ledges. Rooikrans is located on the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park is located at the latitude and longitude coordinates of -34.1 and 23.416667.

Rooikrans is regarded as the most famous & best fishing spots in South Africa and one of the best fishing spots in the World!

– In Kommetjie Bay expect the Cape snoek run in the winter season and you can catch white steenbras, stumpnose & galjoen off the rocks at Kommetjie but if you wish to fish off boats and really fight for your line, take a charter 30 nautical miles out from Kommetjie where you can enjoy some of the best deep-sea fishing grounds of the Cape Peninsula and these are home to tuna, albacore, black marlin and the fighting mako shark.

– Melkbosstrand is only about 30km from Cape Town and is an excellent spot for recreational fishing where you will find steenbras, kob and blacktail.

– Langebaan fishing trips can be arranged where one can enjoy lagoon fishing and ski-boat fishing which a great option for those wanting Black Marlin and the rare Broadbill which are also found here occasionally.

– Jacobs Bay or Bluewaterbay are all along the West Coast are also excellent options about 130-150km from Cape Town’s CBD. Jacobs Bay is especially safe and the perfect spot for family fishing and Bluewaterbay is a great place for less competitive fun fishing. The bay is also very well  known for its sand sharks.

For freshwater anglers there are numerous dams close to Cape Town…

– Fischerhaven dam is loacted just outside of Hermans and is great for bass, rainbow trout fishing and carp

– Theewaterskloof Dam is near Villersdorp on the N2 past Bot River about 120kms outside Cape Town for smallmouth bass, trout and carp

– Clanwilliam Dam is about 230kms out of Cape Town on the N7 for large and smallmouth black bass

Fishing Permits…

Recreational Fishing is regulated by “bag limits” and all fishers are required to get recreational fishing permits which can be organized at Post Offices or if you go fishing with an official charter company they will organise the permits on your behalf. The permit will give you the fishing regulations in detail. Please take note of all the prohibited species

If you obtain your own permits last for a year and must always be carried alongside your identity document when fishing.

If you want to share your experiences or find out about more secret fishing spots join the Fishing Forum in Cape Town where you can chat and leave comments, meet and socialize with other Capetonian anglers, upload pictures of your catches, discuss venues and tackles, bait and even participate in socials.

Note: The overall bag limit = 10

The new regulations stipulate that all powered vessels, jetskis and other toys require proof that they have been surveyed and issued with the necessary certificate and stickers, no matter where they are being used – penalties are stiff for not complying and insurance will be invalid.

Enjoy your fishing experience, make the most of it; be it recreational or competitive fishing, sleepy fly-fishing or heavy deep sea fishing. There is something for all and we welcome you to share your fishing photos with us.