Cascais fishing guide

Portugal, as you know is a coastal country with the Atlantic ocean covering its entire west region and south region. Cascais, is a small town on the western end of Portugal a little towards the south and at a distance of just 30 km from the capital city of Lisbon. Cascais is that port to which travellers like Vasco da Gama returned to after their historic voyages. Since the age of the Kings that ruled this land Cascais has been renowned for its pleasant weather, lovely beaches and above all for its perfect positioning. This Portuguese town has been known since ancient times for its diverse and abundant marine life. This is one of the reasons why when the new Cascais Marina was built this region grew to become one of the most prominent spots for sport fishing and sailing.

The Cascais marina has witnessed many a sailing events including the America’s Cup World Series. With moorings for over 650 boats the Cascais marina has plenty of space for the regular sport fishing boats and even the huge luxury yachts.

When in Cascais you can indulge in some of the most beautiful white sand beaches like the Guincho Beach. If you enjoy surfing, this is the best place to be. With surf-camps and surf-schools you can satiate all of your surfing desires here. The famous Boca do Inferno, the seaside cliff chasm is also located in Cascais. If you are planning to spend some quality time enjoying the nature and some of the most amazing seascapes then Cascais is the place to be.

The Weather:

The weather in Cascais remains quite pleasant throughout the year. The maximum temperature ranging from 23 to 25 degree Celsius is recorded during the months of July and August. January are the coldest months with lowest temperature recorded to be 12 degree Celsius.

Fishing in Cascais:

Cascais has been a fishing village since its ancient times. The Atlantic Ocean is home to over 200 different species of fish and hence fishing in Cascais has always been exciting and fruitful.  On any day you will be able to fish out species like grouper, jewfish and bream. However, if you travel further into the deep waters you will be able to land big game fish like the Marlin, Tuna, Grouper, Dorado and Amberjack and many more from Cascais.

Fishing is viable in Cascais all through the year, Carlos Velez the Captain of Cinco Pestinhas boat operating in Cascais tells us that the best time to fish for the Big Game Species is during the months of August, September and October. It is during these months that you will be able to catch the big specimens of each species. Mr Carlos also goes on to tell us that the minimum depth at which you can fish here is 5 m below the surface and can go up to a maximum of 500 m in depth. Another one of the most amazing facts of Cascais is that just by travelling to 1 km from the coast ie, 10 minutes in the boat, you will be able to locate fishing spots in the water. The captain also explains that to catch larger game fish they even wander off to the sea over 80 km from the coast. Captain Carlos is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, German and French and has experience in the waters of Cascais since a long time. To view his boat details and book a trip on Cinco Pestinhas Boat click here.

The boats usually leave the Marina de Cascais. To find and book fishing charters that operate in Cascais click here.

The Big Eye Tuna is a highly prized sport fish. These fish are larger than the Yellowfin tuna but do not exceed in size from the Bluefin Tuna. They have a larger head and a set of large eyes, that distinguishes them from the other tunas. The Big Eye Tuna has a streamlined body that allows them to swim with great speeds in the water. These fish are said to grow up to 2.5 m in length. When fishing for the Bigeye tuna you should be prepared for a long duration at the rod because these large fish will make you sweat at the other end of the line. They are huge and are a repository of stamina. If you are looking for a fish that makes you do some work out then the Bigeye Tuna sure is a good choice.

When to fish for Bigeye Tuna in Cascais:

The Bigeye Tuna is a fish that is quite abundant in the Atlantic ocean by Cascais. You can reel in a Bigeye Tuna almost all through the year from these waters. But the most rewarding time of the year spans from March to October.

How to catch a Bigeye Tuna from Cascais:

Like most of the large predatory fish, the best method to land a Bigeye Tuna is by using the method of trolling with preferably squid as the bait. Other baits that can be successful in Bigeye Tuna fishing are small fish like mullet and artificial lures.

...

As quoted by many a fishing expert like Robson Green, the Blue Marlin is the holy grail of sport fishing. These beautiful marine monsters are any angler’s dream fish. The sight of a Blue Marlin moving through the water itself is a spectacle in itself. The spear like bill and the long body are the characteristic features of a Marlin. These fish are very strong and are known to be very elusive. These powerful fish will make long runs and plummet deep into the water and then leap high into the air with relentless power and put up a great fight. These are the traits that make anglers go crazy after these beautiful fish. The Blue Marlin has been estimated to grow beyond weights of 1000 kg. However, the current world record of Blue Marlin caught is of a giant weighing 635 kg.

When to fish for Blue Marlin in Cascais:

The Blue Marlin lurks the Atlantic waters near Cascais all through the year. The best fishing season of the Blue Marlin in Cascais is however during the months from May to October.

How to catch a Blue Marlin:

Trolling is the most used and most successful method that is used to land a Blue Marlin. A wide variety of baits can be used from the live baits like mullet, mackerel, bonito, ballyhoo and any other fish that is locally available that falls under the Blue’s menu. Strip baits have also proven to be successful in catching a Blue Marlin. Some anglers also use artificial baits and have landed huge Marlins with them.

...

The Grouper, now this is considered to be a classic bottom fish. They predators dwell in the bottom of the ocean and feed on crustaceans and other fish. These fish are very popular for their flesh and are often fished for it. Though the Grouper is quite easy to hook they are difficult to land. When hooked, the Grouper has a tendency to swim to holes and caves and expand its body by extending its muscles. This makes them difficult to reel in as they will lock themselves in these small enclosures. The Goliath Grouper can grow to over 8 feet in length and can weigh well over 455 kg.  

The Grouper puts up a good fight and if you wait too long to reel in a Grouper after it has taken the bait then you are most probably going to lose the fish as these fish can run to underwater structures from which pulling them out is impossible.

When to catch a Grouper in Cascais:

The Grouper is found in the waters in Cascais all through the year, so if you have done enough of your homework on the Grouper you can surely catch one for yourself or an easier option is to hire a fishing charter boat with an experienced captain who will help you locate the Groupers in the Atlantic.

How to catch a Grouper in Cascais:

The two most common methods used to land a Grouper are live bait fishing and jigging. The Grouper likes to hit and bite the bait before it mouths it and runs with it. Slow trolling has also known to have given some success in certain occasions of Grouper fishing. Baits like small fish, spiny lobsters, cut bait and crabs are commonly used.

...

The Red Snapper is a beautiful fish with a pinkish red hue. These fish are very popular sport fish. They are fun to catch as they exhibit fierce fights by shaking their heads vigorously when hooked. They are less prone to take off on long runs, but they stay determined to fight with all their might till they are landed. The Red Snapper tends to inhibit the shallow waters near the beach and are sometimes found in deep holes located in the large bays. The world record of a Red Snapper caught is that of one that weighed around 22 kg.

When to fish for Red Snapper in Cascais:

The season of the Red Snapper in Cascais is good all year round. You can land a Red Snapper from Cascais any time you set out to fish.

How to fish for Red Snapper in Cascais:

Still fishing, casting or even slow trolling is used to catch a Red Snapper. Cut baits, dead minnows and pilchards are used as the common baits for Red Snapper. However, experienced anglers advise that in spots that are heavily fished using live fish is more successful.

...

The Conger is a species of Eel that is commonly found all over Europe. The Conger eels are known to grow and become as large as 3 m in length. They are very powerful and is a very sought after catch in and around Europe. The Conger Eel have very strong teeth, are a powerhouse of strength and one of the most alluring characteristic is that they can swim backwards. All of these traits make them a very valued game fish. These fish are not fished by using nets due to their sharp teeth and enormous strength and hence they are exclusively an angler’s fish.

Conger Eels prefer to dwell in deep water reefs and wrecks. In deep waters of depth ranging from 60 ft and more the Conger Eels feed anytime but as they come closer to the surface they turn to become nocturnal feeders.

When to fish for Conger Eel in Cascais:

You can land a Conger any time of the year from Cascais as they are abundant all through the year.

How to catch a Conger in Cascais:

Stout rods for wreck fishing are used to fish for Conger Eels. Live cuttlefish and mackerel flappers are the most successful baits used in Conger Eel fishing.