UAE
11 fishing spots، most with their own tide model.
Open the fishing planner for UAE ←Fishing spots in UAE
| Place | Type | Bottom | Fish | Shore faces | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Corniche | Shore | Breakwaters and channels | Emperor, rabbitfish, queenfish, small hamour | Northwest | Tool |
| Ruwais – Jebel Dhanna | Shore & boat | Reefs and islands | Hamour, emperor, kingfish | North | Tool |
| Al Mirfa | Shore | Shallow sand | Rabbitfish, emperor, queenfish | Northwest | Tool |
| Dubai – Jumeirah & Umm Suqeim | Shore | Breakwaters and sand | Queenfish, emperor, barracuda, trevally | Northwest | Tool |
| Dubai – Al Mamzar | Shore | Creek and breakwaters | Bream, rabbitfish, queenfish | Northwest | Tool |
| Sharjah & Ajman | Shore | Corniche and breakwaters | Emperor, rabbitfish, queenfish | Northwest | Tool |
| Umm Al Quwain | Shore & boat | Creek, mangroves, islands | Bream, hamour, queenfish | Northwest | Tool |
| Ras Al Khaimah | Shore & boat | Reefs and breakwaters | Hamour, kingfish, emperor, trevally | Northwest | Tool |
| Fujairah | Shore & boat | Deep water close to shore | Kingfish, tuna, trevally, barracuda, grouper | East | Tool |
| Khor Fakkan | Shore & boat | Deep rocky bay | Trevally, barracuda, kingfish, grouper | East | Tool |
| Dibba | Shore & boat | Rocks and deep water | Kingfish, longtail tuna, trevally | Northeast | Tool |
Locations are approximate. Check where fishing is allowed. Note: offshore wind calms the water, onshore wind stirs it up.
Seas of UAE
Arabian Gulf: The Arabian Gulf is shallow and warm, with strong tides twice a day on most coasts (Qatar has a single daily tide). Spring-tide days (strong current) suit the shore, neap-tide days (weak current) suit the boat.
Gulf of Oman: The Gulf of Oman is deep close to shore, so big fish like tuna, kingfish and trevally come near the coast. Tides run twice a day.
Fishing spots map
🟦 shore · 🟧 boat. Tap any point for details, and open it in Google Maps or Google Earth.
Popular fish in UAE
Dawn, dusk and around slack tide
Early morning with birds and bait activity
Dawn to high tide, and dusk
Dawn and dusk
Daytime only (sunrise to afternoon); absent at night
Night, dusk and murky water
Dusk and early night
Early morning and afternoon
Early morning and dusk
Morning with moving water
Dawn, strong current at headlands
Early morning with dolphins and birds
Fish seasons
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Bait |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamour (grouper) Epinephelus coioides | Live mullet or sardine, whole cuttlefish, large prawn, fish strips | ||||||||||||
| Kingfish (kanaad) Scomberomorus commerson | Live mullet or sardine, no weight | ||||||||||||
| Sobaity seabream Sparidentex hasta | Live mullet or half-mullet, sardine, live shrimp | ||||||||||||
| Yellowfin seabream Acanthopagrus latus | Peeled shrimp, small crab, clams, worms | ||||||||||||
| Rabbitfish (batata / safi) Siganus rivulatus, S. luridus, S. canaliculatus | Firm dough (bread or flour), shrimp, green algae | ||||||||||||
| Tigertooth croaker Otolithes ruber | Prawn, sardine, cuttlefish strips | ||||||||||||
| Javelin grunter Pomadasys kaakan | Prawn, crab, cuttlefish | ||||||||||||
| Spangled emperor Lethrinus nebulosus | Cuttlefish, prawn, crab | ||||||||||||
| Queenfish Scomberoides commersonnianus | Live mullet or sardine | ||||||||||||
| Trevally Carangoides spp. | Live sardine, strips | ||||||||||||
| Giant trevally (GT) Caranx ignobilis | Large live bait | ||||||||||||
| Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares | Live sardine, squid | ||||||||||||
| Longtail tuna Thunnus tonggol | Live sardine | ||||||||||||
| Mahi-mahi (dorado) Coryphaena hippurus | Sardine, squid | ||||||||||||
| Sailfish Istiophorus platypterus | Live fish | ||||||||||||
| Red snapper Lutjanus malabaricus / L. bohar | Cuttlefish, fish strips | ||||||||||||
| Cobia Rachycentron canadum | Live fish, whole cuttlefish | ||||||||||||
| Barracuda Sphyraena spp. | Live fish | ||||||||||||
| Mullet (bait fish) Planiliza klunzingeri | Dough, bread | ||||||||||||
| Silver pomfret Pampus argenteus | Small shrimp | ||||||||||||
| Cuttlefish Sepia spp. | — | ||||||||||||
| Parrotfish (hareed) Scarus spp. | Crab, prawn, snails | ||||||||||||
| Greater amberjack Seriola dumerili | Live fish |
Darker = peak season. Seasons are approximate and vary year to year.
Laws & safety
Recreational fishing licence required (Abu Dhabi: EAD; Dubai: Dubai Municipality). Safi and Shaari ban roughly March–April, kingfish 15 Aug–15 Oct (check yearly).
Wear a life jacket, tell someone where you are, and don't take a boat out if wind exceeds 28 km/h or waves exceed 1 m.
Anglers' community in UAE
Share your catch and questions, and join the anglers' community in your country.