For most people, fishing in Tenerife means a 4-hour morning or afternoon on a boat from Puerto Colón, with rods, bait and drinks included. If there are two or three of you, the shared boat works out much cheaper; from six people upwards, a private boat practically pays for itself. What a 4-hour trip isn't is a marlin day: the boat combines light bottom fishing with trolling, and the big fish is a prize, not the plan.
You don't need to get a licence. Charter fishing boats have a group licence that covers everyone on board.
Our picks
1
The cheapest on the list
The "Furia", 4–4.5 h, from €69.75. Check whether it's a shared trip and whether that price is for an angler or a companion.
GetYourGuide4 - 4.5 hours
Fishing trip Tenerife – Furia
4.4 (33 reviews)
from €69.75Check availability
2
Private from Puerto Colón with lunch
Between 3 and 7 hours, price per boat, rated 4.8 from 9 reviews. For groups who want the boat to themselves.
GetYourGuide3 - 7 hours
From Puerto Colón: Private Fishing Boat Charter with Lunch
4.8 (9 reviews)
from €500Check availability
3
Private, designed for families
4 hours, rated 4.8 from 15 reviews: you set the pace and the children don't share the boat with strangers.
GetYourGuide4 hours
Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Private Family Fishing Tour
4.8 (15 reviews)
from €487Check availability
Shared or private fishing trip: which works out better
Shared. You pay per place and share the boat with other anglers. With No Limits in Puerto Colón, the 4-hour trip costs €85 per angler, €69 per non-fishing companion and €69 per child up to 12. There are two sessions, at 09:00 and 14:00. There's no minimum age: children fish with an adult's help.
Private. You pay for the whole boat and choose the time and length. These are the direct prices of the two best-known boats in Puerto Colón:
| Boat | 4 h | 6 h | 8 h | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Limits Two (Rodman 1250) | €650 | €950 | €1,250 | up to 10 |
| No Limits One (Bertram 28 ft) | from €495 (according to a reseller) | — | — | up to 6 |
| The Rodfather (pontoon 4) | €550 | €780 | €1,050 | up to 8 |
Do the maths before you choose. Two adults fishing plus two children on a shared trip pay €308. Eight people on The Rodfather for 4 hours pay less than €70 each, with a boat to themselves. There's a catch with companions too: on a shared trip they don't go free, they pay €69.
What you can catch and when
On the 4-hour shared trips you bottom-fish with light tackle, mostly for barracuda and red porgy (bream), and troll on the way out and back. Pure big-game fishing (marlin, giant bluefin tuna, bigeye) is a different kind of trip: if that's your goal, think about a 6- or 8-hour private charter.
This is the calendar published by a big-game fishing boat in Las Galletas. It's one operator's estimate, not official statistics:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue marlin | no | no | no | no | likely | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | likely | no | no |
| Bluefin tuna | no | no | ideal | ideal | likely | no | no | no | likely | likely | no | no |
| Yellowfin tuna | likely | likely | likely | likely | likely | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | likely | likely |
| Wahoo | no | ideal | ideal | likely | likely | likely | ideal | ideal | ideal | likely | likely | no |
| Dorado (mahi-mahi) | no | no | no | no | likely | likely | ideal | ideal | likely | no | no | no |
| Skipjack and albacore | likely | likely | likely | likely | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | likely | likely |
unlikelylikelyideal
Two details that will save you a disappointment. Blue marlin is not around all year: the season runs from May to October, peaking between June and September. And giant bluefin tuna are concentrated in March and April; No Limits sells them as catch and release, as it does bigeye.
What you can take home
Canary Islands rules limit recreational fishing in inshore waters to 5 kg per person per day, in several fish or a single larger one; undersized fish and banned species go straight back in the water. With No Limits each group can take home up to 5 kg.
The licence: the boat provides it
In the Canary Islands you need a licence for recreational sea fishing, but charter fishing boats hold a first-class group licence that belongs to the vessel. As a passenger you don't need to apply for anything. If anyone tells you that you have to buy a licence to go on a charter, it isn't true; the details are on the Canary Islands Government's recreational fishing page.
The licence, rods, tackle, bait and drinks (water, soft drinks and beer) are included on the boats mentioned. On a private trip, food is added: sandwiches with No Limits and a meal on board with The Rodfather.
Departure harbours
Puerto Colón, in Costa Adeje, is the main harbour: No Limits leaves from the marina pontoon and The Rodfather from pontoon 4. There's pay-and-display parking by the pontoons. Fishing trips are also advertised from Los Cristianos, Las Galletas and Los Gigantes, but those boats don't publish direct rates: ask for a fixed price and what's included before you pay a deposit.
If what you want is a boat for your group without the rods, look at private boat charter; to see whales and dolphins, whale-watching trips are a different thing and cheaper.
More fishing trips
GetYourGuide4 - 4.5 hours
Fishing trip Tenerife – Furia
4.4 (33 reviews)
from €69.75Check availability
GetYourGuide4 hours
Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Private Family Fishing Tour
4.8 (15 reviews)
from €487Check availability
GetYourGuide3 - 7 hours
From Puerto Colón: Private Fishing Boat Charter with Lunch
4.8 (9 reviews)
from €500Check availability
GetYourGuide4 - 6 hours
Fishing in Tenerife with White Shark Fishing
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Tenerife: Fishing trip with private boat
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South Tenerife: Premium Fishing Charter (Jigging + Trolling) 7 hours
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See all options on GetYourGuide →
Several of these trips are new and don't have reviews yet. If in doubt, stick with the ones that show a rating and number of reviews, or book direct with a Puerto Colón boat that publishes its prices.
Tips before you board
- If you get seasick, plan ahead. Four hours on a small boat can feel long: take your usual remedy before boarding.
- Choose your session to suit the group. The 09:00 one leaves your afternoon free; the 14:00 one suits you if you had a late night.
- With children, go shared. There's no minimum age with No Limits and children pay €69. More ideas in Tenerife with kids.
- Fit it in with the rest of your trip. Plenty of boat trips leave from the same pontoons.
How much does a fishing trip cost in Tenerife?
On a shared boat, about €85 per angler and €69 per companion or child, for 4 hours. A private boat costs between €550 and €650 for 4 hours and up to €1,250 for 8 hours.
Do I need a fishing licence to go out on a boat in Tenerife?
No. Charter fishing boats have a group licence that covers all passengers, and it's included in the price.
When is blue marlin season in Tenerife?
From May to October, with the best time between June and September according to the big-game boats' calendar. It isn't fished all year.
Can I keep the fish?
Canary Islands rules allow up to 5 kg per person per day for recreational fishing in inshore waters, and some boats set their own limit per group. Protected species, such as bluefin tuna or marlin, need special authorisation.
Where do fishing boats leave from in Tenerife?
The main harbour is Puerto Colón in Costa Adeje. Trips are also advertised from Los Cristianos, Las Galletas and Los Gigantes.
Can children go on a fishing trip?
Yes. On No Limits' shared trip there's no minimum age and children up to 12 pay €69; they fish with an adult's help.
