How to Go Fishing in Maldives

The Maldives, a renowned holiday destination, is also reputed as an outstanding environment for anglers as its waters feature a remarkable selection of different kinds of fish. On a fishing excursion here, you will have the opportunity to experience the Indian Ocean’s amazing biodiversity. The balmy climate and picturesque scenery will also contribute to the pleasure of fishing in Maldives. Some useful information about this activity can be found below.

Get to know the kinds of fish

In the Maldives, there is a myriad of appealing kinds of fish that will draw the interest of fishing enthusiasts, including exotic varieties some may not be familiar with. Without a doubt the giant trevally would be a great attraction for anglers; another popular catch would be tuna, with varieties like yellowfin, skipjack and dogtooth tuna plentifully available.

Another not-to-be-missed attraction in these islands would be reef fish with varieties such as sweetlip emperor, red emperor, groupers, squirrelfish, jobfish, jacks and many more to be found. Meanwhile, in the Maldives, you will also have the chance to go deep-sea fishing which will enable you to snare big game fish like mahi-mahi, wahoo, marlin, sailfish and tuna. Fly anglers may also look out for bonefish, permit and golden and bluefin trevally.

Select your mode of fishing

You will find that there are several ways of fishing to try in the Maldives. One of these would be charter boat fishing which would be a great choice for those interested in big game fishing or reef fishing. You will be able to choose from a variety of vessels for this purpose, ranging from luxurious yachts to traditional dhonis (a local boat). A unique experience to enjoy in the Maldives would be traditional hand-line fishing; on such an excursion, you will head out on a dhoni vessel, generally at sunset to catch more nocturnal fish species which can include red snapper and grouper.

If you don’t have that much time for your fishing pursuits, you may opt to fish from the shore; however, since such fishing is generally not permitted at resorts, you will probably have to travel to another island to do so. At places where shore fishing is permitted, you will have the opportunity to snare bream, bonefish, jacks and so on.

Choose your fishing location

You will find several outstanding destinations in the Maldives for fishing. A great location at which to start would be the Male Atoll which will be very accessible as it contains the nation’s capital; you may catch different kinds of reef fish here. Another good locality would be Dhiffushi, where you may engage in offshore big game fishing, inshore fishing and night fishing. For those on a more budget-conscious visit, a good choice would be Keyodhoo or Fulidhoo where the local captains will take you into the waters for offshore, reef and big game fishing.

Another fine locality for fishing would be the Baa Atoll, where you can engage in charter boat fishing, live bait fishing and more. As you enjoy the best things to do in Maldives, an accommodation choice to consider from which you could go fishing in and around this atoll would be Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences; apart from big game fishing where you can go after sailfish and tuna, such resorts also offer traditional Maldivian fishing at sunrise and sunset, worth experiencing too. Sometimes, your catch will be prepared for your dinner as well!

Remember the things to take note of

Fishing is vitally important to the economy and culture of the Maldives. Therefore, stringent regulations have been put in place to safeguard the marine environment. You may not fish at reefs having the status of a ‘reserve’; this will include most resorts. Additionally, it is prohibited to fish at the coral reefs and sandbars which form the islands.

Fishing nets may not be used over reefs whilst spearfishing is totally banned. Fishing for sharks is forbidden while for the most part, you may only fish for giant trevally as well as billfish on a catch-and-release basis. In fact, it would be recommendable to return any fish that you do not plan to eat back into the waters to conserve the fish populations.