Muscat fishing guide

Located between the Arabian Gulf (Persian Gulf) and the Indian Ocean, Oman is considered one of the best fishing spots in the world. It truly is a hidden gem for the seasoned fishing enthusiast. Anglers and game fishing lovers alike can enjoy fishing here for a vast variety of fishes, all year round. Muscat is the capital of Oman and needless to say, also a great place for fishing.

The city

Muscat is a sea front city with warm weather, which makes it a great fishing destination to enjoy the sun and other water sports. It’s true that Muscat is the capital, business, and governmental district of the entire country yet it manages to capture the feeling of a small and local city. Muscat has many other attractions as well, such as visits to the Mirani and Jalali Forts, the Muttrah Souq, or diving and dolphin watching.

Weather

The weather in Muscat is warm all year round with a temperature that ranges between 18C to 40C. May, June and July are the warmest months, while January and February are considered the coolest and the rainiest months. October, November and March are considered the moths with best weather, especially for fishing.

Fishing in Muscat

Marina Bander Al Rowdah will be your departure location for almost all of your fishing trip operators.

The Tuna is one of the strongest fighters, so make sure to do  your push-ups before going after this feisty fish. It’s fast, strong and a lot of fun to catch. The Yellowfin tuna is the most sought-after, and the most common to find in Muscat. The Yellowfin tuna can grow to a length more than 2m and weigh more than 200kg. An average catch will weigh around 30-40kg.

When to fish for Yellowfin Tuna in Muscat?

The best time to fish for tuna in Muscat is between Sep and March (except for Dec-Jan). Some say that March is the best time to catch bigger size Tuna. 

Where to find Yellowfin Tuna in Muscat?

If you see feeding dolphins then there is a big chance that you will find tuna as well, because dolphins and tuna usually chase schools of sardines together. Yellowfin tuna are highly migratory and are found throughout the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea and cannot be found in one specific place. However, there is one famous spot to fish for tuna near the Suwadi islands. It’s a bit far from downtown Muscat (roughly 1.5 hrs by car), but some people say it’s totally worthit.

Yellowfin tuna Fishing Technique?

The best way to fish for a tuna is to use live-bait (free-swimming fish) - usually a sardine. Also, trolling is a very common way to catch a tuna using squid-like lures.

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The famous Sailfish is on the wish list of many fishing enthusiasts all over the world, and Muscat is a great place to get a chance to hook this beautiful fish.  The Sailfish is a smart and also a great fighter, jumping above the waterline and thrashing its head to try to unhook itself, then diving deep making your reel hiss like a jungle cat.

When?

There is no specific month to fish for a Sailfish. It has been caught all over the year, you just need to be little bit lucky.

Where?

Sailfish usually migrate into near-shore areas, and prefer to stay in warmer waters with a temperatures between 21C to 28C. These species are also considered highly migratory. They show in bigger numbers near Salalah, but still have a very good presence in Muscat.

How?

Sailfish usually feed near the surface or in mid-water. Trolling with a live bait, a half-dead Ballyhoo or a squid are all good fishing techniques to catch it.

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The Grouper is one of the tastiest fishes ever, and come in a variety of types and sizes. The Arabian Grouper (Greasy Grouper) inhabits Oman coastlines and reefs, and generally weighs between 20-50kg with a length of around 30cm to 100cm.

When?

Groupers can be found year-round, especially in deep waters. However, fishing for a grouper in deep waters is better when the water is calm (easier to control the boat and the rod lines). We believe the best time for Groupers is from March to Jun, and during Sep/Oct.

Where?

Groupers inhabit deep coastal reefs. They live on the bottom of the sea/ocean between the rocks, and they are usually found in very deep waters of more than 200m.

How?

Bottom fishing is the only way to catch this tasty fish using squid, dead bait or live bait.

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The Dorado (also known as Mahi mahi or dolphinfish) is a beautiful fish famous for its bright gold, green and yellow colors. Sport fishermen love catching this creature because it’s fast, acrobatic, beautiful and tastes magnificent. The average weight of a Dorado falls within the range of 7kg to 13kg.

When?

Mahi Mahi can be found year-round (except for February, March and April) with greater presence in August, September and October.

Where?

Dorados swim near the surface close to floating objects such as large buoys or floating wood. They also swim near Sargasso (floating weed) to feed and to hide. Some experienced fishermen can also detect the position of Dorado by watching birds dive to feed on small fishes near Sargasso.

How?

Trolling is a very common way to catch a Dorado. You can use dead, live or artificial bait. Another way to hunt this fish is by trying to pinpoint a school of Dorado, once spotted you can keep them around the boat by throwing some chums and cut bait, and be sire to keep a live fish hooked at all times. You can also catch the Dorado using fly fishing techniques.

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The Kingfish (sometimes also called King Mackerel) has all of the characteristics of a true sport fish, it’s fast, strong, and big with razor-sharp teeth. This strong fighter can grow up to 2m and 70kg, and prefers to live in warm waters with a temperature ranging between 20C to 29C.

When?

All year-round.

Where?

Kingfish can be found in depths between 12-45m, usually swimming over reefs and rocks that are not so far from the shore.  

How?

Trolling is the best way to catch a Kingfish with various kinds of baits (live bait, dead bait, spoons, jogs or artificial lures).