Book Now!

17 YEARS OF CHARTERS


1996LABEL
Based on your booking requirements and our local knowledge, we shall find the best charter boat suitable for your needs. We have many satisfied clients that appreciate our services of taking into account the age of your group members, angling experience and budget, and then by talking to the owners and skippers who we know very well, negotiating the best deal possible for you. All of the MADEIRA CHARTERS fleet are licensed operators and carry the best equipment and have experienced crew. Let us check the boats availability for you and save you a heap of time and expense, we charge you NO FEE for our services so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

CHARTBOAT
All boats are licensed by the regional government of MADEIRA for big game fishing.

stacks_image_7808_1

stacks_image_7817_1

stacks_image_7793_1

stacks_image_7802_1

stacks_image_7814_1

stacks_image_7820_1

stacks_image_7805_1

stacks_image_7796_1

stacks_image_7790_1

IMPORTANT NOTICE: We are a charter brokering business and therefore speak directly with the charter boats and their owners who pay us a commission to organise charters on their behalf. If you are already making DIRECT enquiries with them or plan to do so, PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THIS MAY LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO HELP YOU as there will be a conflict of interest.

SHARE
If you do not mind sharing with up to three other anglers let us arrange a shared charter for you to help you reduce the cost of an exclusive charters. Our shared charter service works well when it is only us organising it for you, involve others and it becomes complicated.

NO CHARGE FOR ORGANISING!

techs
If you are not familiar with big game fishing techniques to catch marlin and big tuna you may be a little suprised to learn that when you step onboard you're not handed your rod for the trip.

The crew will set out 4 to 5 heavy tackle rods that can range from 50lb class to 130lb class. They may also set up a smaller rod of around 20 to 30lb class and this may be used later on as a 'stinger' bait.

The technique consists of trolling up to 8 hours at 6 to 8 knots over known fish producing areas (normally where the baitfish likes to hang out). Consequently there will be, if a fish takes a lure, a huge adrenalin rush in everyone onboard as a fish that can easily weigh over 1,000lbs takes flight and rips line off the reel so fast you won't be able to see what is happening! After that just listen to the crew instructions and maybe 20 minutes later you'll have the opportunity to see the magnificent creature alongside the boat.

In general all boats in Madeira practice 'Catch and Release' for all billfish.

OTHER TYPES OF FISHING

• Jigging
• Light tackle trolling
• Bottom fishing
• Live bait fishing

OTHER NOTABLE FISH IN MADEIRA WATERS

SPEARFISH
Tetrapturus Belone
Season - May to September
Current all-tackle record for Mediterranean Spearfish: 90 pounds, 13 ounces Madeira Island, Portugal June 2, 1980

madeira island big game fishing

Big Game Fishing for Marlin in Madeira with ...

big game fishing in madeira

paul watson will help you book your fishing trip in madeira
The deep waters of Madeira and where the game fish can be found are just 5 minutes cruising from either Funchal or Calheta marina which is where the boats are based. Fishing is good all year round with Albacore and Big Eye Tuna showing up first (present most of the year) followed by the Spearfish and White Marlin. Blue Marlin appear from around June onwards until early October and the fish range from 400lbs up to over 1,000lbs! Mahi Mahi can be found during the summer months and provide great sport on light tackle. World record Wahoo are the last to show in September and they usually hang around until the beginning of the following year. If you're a beginner, intermediate or expert I am sure I can help you organise the right boat, the right crew and the right price. Capt. Paul Watson (CEO & Founder of MARLIN WORLD MAGAZINE)

madeira_fishing_client



blue marlin fishing in madeira portugal



ATLANTIC BLUE MARLIN
Madeira Season - June to September

WORLD RECORD
Location: Vitória, Brazil
Scientific name: Makaira nigricans
World record weight: 1,402 lb. 2 oz. (636 kg.)
Angler: Paulo Amorim
Date of capture: February 29, 1992 (Leap Day)
Bait: trolled pink/white Softhead lure
Time of battle: one hour 20 minutes
Previous record: 1,282 lb., Larry Martin

Painting by Flick Ford


ALBACORE
Madeira Season - October to January

WORLD RECORD
Location: Gran Canaria, Spain
Scientific name: Thunnus alalunga
World record weight: 88 lb. 2 oz. (40 kg.)
Angler: Siegfried Dickermann
Date of capture: November 19, 1977
Bait: live mackerel
Time of battle: 45 minutes
Prev. record: 74 lb. 13 oz., Canary Is., Olof Idegsen

Painting by Flick Ford


ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA
Madeira Season - April to August

WORLD RECORD
Location: Aulds Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
Scientific name: Thunnus thynnus
World record weight: 1,496 lb. (679 kg.)
Angler: Ken Fraser
Date of capture: October 26, 1979
Bait: trolled mackerel
Time of battle: 45 minutes
Previous record: 1,235 lb., Michael MacDonald

Painting by Flick Ford


DORADO (Dolphinfish, Mahi Mahi)
Madeira Season - May to September

WORLD RECORD
Location: Gulf of Papagallo, Costa Rica
Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus
World record weight: 87 lb. 8 oz. (39.46 kg.)
Angler: Manuel Salazar
Date of capture: September 25, 1976
Bait: trolled plastic squid
Time of battle: 34 minutes
Previous record: 85 lb., Richard Seymour

Painting by Flick Ford


WAHOO
Madeira Season - September to January

WORLD RECORD
Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Scientific name: Acanthocybium solandri
World record weight: 184 lb. (83.46 kg.)
Angler: Sara Hayward
Date of capture: July 29, 2005
Bait: trolled lure
Time of battle: 45 minutes
Previous record: 158.5 lb., Keith Winter

Painting by Flick Ford


WHITE MARLIN
Madeira Season - May to September

WORLD RECORD
Location: Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil
Scientific name: Tetrapturus albidus
World record weight: 181 lb. 14 oz. (82.5 kg.)
Angler: Evandro Coser
Date of capture: December 8, 1979
Bait: trolled dead bait
Time of battle: 40 minutes
Previous record: 174 lb. 3 oz., Otavio Reboucas

Painting by Flick Ford


YELLOWFIN TUNA
Madeira Season - February to June

WORLD RECORD
Location: Isla San Benedicto, Mexico
Scientific name: Thunnus albacares
World record weight: 388 lb. 12 oz. (176.35 kg.)
Angler: Curt Wiesenhutter
Date of capture: April 1, 1977
Bait: live caballito
Time of battle: two minutes
Previous record: 308 lb., Harold J. Tolson

Painting by Flick Ford


ATLANTIC BIG EYE TUNA
Madeira Season - February to June

WORLD RECORD
Location: Puerto Rico Gran Canaria
Scientific name: Thunnus Obesus
World record weight: 392 lb. 6 oz.


Painting by Flick Ford

The above gorgeous portraits were taken from the book BIG: The 50 Greatest World Record Fish, from artist Flick Ford and International Game Fish Association (IGFA) historian Mike Rivkin. The portraits are based on historic photographs, catch reports, and other research and, according to the publisher, "show each catch as it would have looked emerging from the water." Visit Greenwich Workshop Press, greenwichworkshop.com, for more information. All painting images by artisit ©Flick Ford, ©Greenwich Workshop Press, 2008.

Marlin World magazine runs regular competitions with the above mentioned book being the main prize. It's a delightful coffee table book and if you're not able to compete for it, it's certainly worth buying!