Fishing
Deep sea fishing in Dubai
A deep sea fishing charter in Dubai costs from AED 1,800 for four hours with tackle, bait, ice and crew included, for up to six anglers. The season runs October to May, the boats leave Dubai Marina before dawn, and the usual catch is kingfish, cobia, queenfish and barracuda.
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- From
- AED 1,800 for 4 hours
- Season
- October to May, best in January and February
- Departure
- 05:30 to 06:00 from Dubai Marina
- Anglers
- Up to 6 on the standard boat
Deep sea fishing off Dubai is better than most visitors expect. The drop-offs and wrecks between fifteen and forty kilometres out hold kingfish and cobia through the cooler months, and the shallower banks fish well for queenfish and trevally almost year round. Nobody is pretending this is Cabo, but a four-hour trip in February usually comes back with dinner.
Trips leave early (5:30 or 6am) because the fish feed at first light and the wind gets up mid-morning. A four-hour charter is the standard and reaches the near grounds. Eight hours gets you to the offshore wrecks and is the one serious anglers book.
Everything is aboard: rods, reels, bait, ice, and a crew who rig and gaff for you. You need a hat, sunscreen, closed shoes and something to put a fish in. Catch is yours to keep, and most marina restaurants will cook it for you if you ask.
What is included
- Rods, reels, lures and terminal tackle for the whole party
- Live and frozen bait, and ice for the catch
- Crew who rig, gaff and fillet
- Fuel, licences and marina fees
- Water and soft drinks; bring your own food
Worth knowing
- Best fishing is October to May. June through September is hot, slow and only worth it at first light.
- Take seasickness tablets an hour before boarding if you are unsure. Offshore is nothing like the Marina.
- Recreational fishing in UAE waters has size and species rules. The crew know them and will release what must be released.
Four hours or eight of deep sea fishing, and what each reaches
The two trips are not long and longer versions of the same thing; they fish different ground. Four hours stays on the near grounds and inshore wrecks, roughly eight to fifteen nautical miles out, where queenfish, trevally, barracuda and smaller kingfish hold.
Eight hours reaches the offshore wrecks and drop-offs, twenty-five to forty miles out. It costs less than double for twice the time because a large share of the shorter trip is transit either way. In January and February, when the offshore wrecks hold cobia and the bigger kingfish, that is where the difference in the day comes from.
Four hours in October, eight in January, and four in any month if anyone aboard is uncertain about being offshore for a full day.
Why the boat leaves at half past five
Fish feed at first light and the wind off this coast typically gets up mid-morning. A boat leaving at nine spends the productive hours travelling and the rest of the trip in chop, which is why every charter here departs between 05:30 and 06:00 in every month of the season.
You board in the dark, run out for forty minutes to an hour with the sky going light behind you, and start fishing as the sun comes up. The first two hours are the productive ones. By nine or ten the breeze fills in, the sea goes short and choppy, and that is when the four-hour trip turns for home — and, reliably, when somebody catches the best fish of the day.
Licences, the catch, and what happens to it
No personal fishing licence is needed to fish as a guest on a licensed charter boat: the vessel holds the permit and you fish under it. Permits are required to fish from your own boat or to spearfish, which is a different question people often conflate with this one.
The realistic species list off Dubai is kingfish, cobia, queenfish, golden and giant trevally, barracuda, grouper and snapper, with sailfish an occasional winter bonus offshore. Nobody catches all of those in a day, and any skipper promising a specific species is selling rather than fishing.
The catch is yours. The crew gut, clean and bag it on the way in, and several restaurants around the Marina will cook it for a per-head fee if you arrange it in advance. Protected and size-limited species are returned, which is not up to the paying guest.
Ways to do this
Half day, 4 hours
From AED 1,800 · up to 6 anglers
The near grounds and the closer wrecks. Trolling on the way out, bottom fishing at anchor. The standard trip.
Long day, 8 hours
From AED 3,400 · up to 6 anglers
Out to the offshore wrecks and drop-offs. Better fish, more of them, and a longer run each way.
Sunrise short trip
From AED 1,200 · 3 hours
Out at first light and back for breakfast. Light tackle on the banks, good for a first time out.
Ras Al Khaimah day
By arrangement
The northern grounds, an hour and a half up the coast. Different fish and far fewer boats.
What it costs
Per boat rather than per angler. Splitting between four or six is what makes this reasonable.
| Option | Detail | From |
|---|---|---|
| 3 hours, sunrise | Near banks, light tackle | AED 1,200total |
| 4 hours, half day | Near grounds and wrecks | AED 1,800total |
| 8 hours, long day | Offshore wrecks and drop-offs | AED 3,400total |
Ask about Deep sea fishing on your date.
Leave the date and the headcount and we will come back with what is free and what it costs. No deposit, and no obligation to book.
- No deposit to enquire
- A reply within a couple of hours
- Licensed boats, licensed crew, price all-in
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Send an enquiry
Questions people ask
How much is a fishing charter in Dubai?
From AED 1,800 for four hours and AED 3,400 for eight, per boat rather than per person, carrying up to six anglers. Rods, reels, bait, ice, fuel and crew are included.
What is the fishing season in the UAE?
October to May, with January and February the strongest months. Kingfish and cobia come through in the cooler water; queenfish and trevally are caught almost year round. Summer fishing is slow and worth doing only at first light.
What fish can you catch off Dubai?
Kingfish, cobia, queenfish, barracuda, trevally and grouper are the common catches. Sailfish are taken occasionally on the longer offshore trips between November and March.
Where are the best fishing spots in Dubai?
The wrecks and drop-offs between fifteen and forty kilometres offshore hold the best fish and need a four to eight-hour charter. The shallower banks closer in fish well on light tackle and suit a three-hour trip.
Do you need a fishing licence in Dubai?
Not as a guest on a licensed charter: the boat's permit covers the trip. Size limits and protected species rules apply, and the crew handle those, releasing anything that must go back.
Can we keep what we catch?
Yes. The crew fillet and ice the catch for you to take home, within the size and species limits. Several Marina restaurants will cook your fish for you if you call ahead.
The questions people ask before booking this
- Fishing reopens in October: book a Dubai charter now or wait?Book an October charter if you want a boat at all on a weekend, and January if you want the best fishing.
- How far offshore a charter yacht goes from Dubai MarinaHow far can a yacht go from Dubai Marina? About four kilometres offshore in practice, out to the World Islands, which is forty to forty-five minutes at cruising speed.
- Avoiding seasickness on a Dubai boat tripSeasickness on a boat in Dubai is rarer than people expect, because the water inside the Palm crescent and along the Creek is close to flat.
Other ways onto the water
Tell us when, and we will tell you what is free.
Weekends and sunset slots go first between October and April. Leave the date and the headcount below, or message us on WhatsApp. If your date is close, WhatsApp is quicker than any form.
- No deposit to enquire
- A reply within a couple of hours
- Licensed boats, licensed crew, price all-in
WhatsApp only — messages and calls