Sport fishing in Madeira: a local guide

Madeira is a serious blue marlin destination. The island holds the IGFA all-tackle world record for blue marlin: a 1,560-pound fish caught off Madeira in 1995. White marlin, bigeye tuna, wahoo, and dorado are also realistic targets in season. The fishing here is deep-water and pelagic; you do not catch much from shore.

Season timing

Blue marlin season runs July through October, peak August-September. White marlin overlaps. Bigeye tuna fishery extends a few weeks beyond the marlin run. November through March is bottom-fishing season: grouper, conger eel, amberjack, and rockfish. Calmer water, cheaper charters, less spectacular but steady catches.

Charter pricing

A half-day charter from Funchal Marina runs 800-1,400 EUR for the boat (4-6 anglers). Per-person sharing if the boat fills brings it to 150-250 EUR each. A whole-day charter adds approximately 500 EUR to the half-day rate. Tackle, bait, and crew are included; food and drink usually are not. The marina has 8-10 charter boats with valid commercial fishing licences; rates are similar across operators within 10-15%.

Catch-and-release norms

Most reputable Madeira charters are catch-and-release for billfish (marlin and sailfish). The boat will photograph and release the fish without bringing it aboard. Tuna, dorado, and wahoo are typically kept for the table; the captain will have a recommendation for a Funchal restaurant that will cook your catch.

Where to go next

For per-charter rates, captain bios, and seasonal calendars, see the Madeira fishing charters hub at madeirafishingtours.com. The site has a dedicated Big game fishing Madeira reference with species by month, a Blue Marlin Madeira page with the world-record context and current 1000-pound catches, and a Sport fishing tournaments calendar for visitors who want to time their visit around an event.

By Filipe Pereira, Madeira local travel guide. Last verified 2026-05-04.