The Best Fishing Spots in Northern Cape
The Northern Cape region of South Africa offers varied recreational fishing from long, quiet beaches and rocky reefs to the brackish Orange River estuary and inland waters; anglers can enjoy surf fishing, shore angling, simple boat fishing and estuary trips. Key species include kabeljou (dusky kob) and leervis (garrick) along the coast, with seasonal snoek, occasional yellowtail, and reef dwellers such as galjoen and steenbras, while the Orange River and dams produce carp and introduced bass for freshwater anglers. The mix of sandy surf, rocky ground and estuary pockets makes the Northern Cape good for light tackle, bait, and lure fishing, and for anglers seeking quieter, wide-open waters.
Top Cities For Fishing
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Port Nolloth
A sheltered Atlantic town favored by surf and small-boat anglers targeting kob, galjoen, white steenbras, and elf off reefs and sandy gullies; winter fronts push kob close in, while summer brings scratching action for blacktail and hottentot, with nearby McDougalls Bay offering additional launch and reef options.
Noup
Remote-feel but accessible points and gullies near Noup yield galjoen, blacktail, and kob; light surf gear excels in foamy pockets on pushing tides, with bigger baits for kob off deeper ledges, and it’s an easy day trip from Kleinzee .
McDougalls Bay
Right next to Port Nolloth, this curved bay has accessible reefs and sandy patches ideal for galjoen, kob, elf, and white steenbras; calmer days suit light-tackle scratching from shore, while small craft probe outer reefs for kob at dawn, and you can easily pair a session with Port Nolloth proper.
Koingnaas
A quiet coastal village with rocky ledges and sandy corners that hold galjoen, hottentot, and kob; fish the surging whitewater on mid tides for reef species, with dusk sessions producing kob on natural baits, and you can roam north toward Noup for similar structure.
Kleinzee
A stretch of reef-studded shoreline known for galjoen and steenbras in the washes, plus chance kob on deeper ledges; scratch with prawn and mussel around the gullies at mid-tide, and explore north toward Koingnaas for more secluded points.
Hondeklipbaai
Rocky coves and points around this historic village yield galjoen, kob, hottentot, and blacktail; work the whitewater pockets on pushing tides in winter for galjoen, with summer mornings good for kob on paddletails, and you can roam the coastline toward Kleinzee for similar structure.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Warrenton
Easily reached Vaal River banks and weirs around town deliver steady smallmouth yellowfish, mudfish, and catfish; after summer rains the seams and tailouts switch on for nymphs and small cranks, with alternative swims downstream toward Douglas .
Upington
Long, island-dotted runs of the Orange River through town offer year-round action for smallmouth yellowfish on nymphs, largemouth yellowfish on streamers, and catfish on bait or lures; spring–summer flows create prime riffle fishing, with backwaters producing carp and tilapia, and similar water extends toward Keimoes and Kakamas .
Riverton
A classic Vaal River resort area near Kimberley frequented for yellowfish, catfish, and carp; warm-season mornings favor nymphing in riffles, evenings bring catfish on cut bait, and the stretch is often paired with nearby Warrenton for additional access.
Keimoes
The ‘islands’ section of the Orange River offers varied currents, riprap, and backwaters where smallmouth yellowfish, mudfish, and carp thrive; drifting in small craft to work seams is effective in spring–summer, while shore anglers find steady action in side channels, and it’s a short hop from Upington .
Kakamas
Productive Orange River runs and canals around this agricultural hub produce smallmouth yellowfish on nymphs, largemouth yellowfish on streamers near structure, and powerful sharptooth catfish; summer evenings bring surface activity in the shallows, and sessions link well with Augrabies Falls National Park .
Douglas
At the confluence of the Vaal River and Orange River, mixed habitats yield largemouth and smallmouth yellowfish, catfish, and carp; target current breaks and eddies where the rivers meet, with peak lure and fly opportunities in warmer months, and day trips connect easily to Vanderkloof Dam .
Boegoeberg Dam
A broad Orange River impoundment near Groblershoop known for catfish, carp, and seasonal yellowfish; target inlets and drop-offs from small boats or the long banks, with summer nights excellent for big catfish, and additional river reaches lie toward Prieska .
Augrabies Falls National Park
Outside the thundering falls, calmer Orange River channels and side pools in the park vicinity hold smallmouth yellowfish, largemouth yellowfish, and catfish; late spring to early autumn sees stellar fly and light-lure fishing in riffles and eddies, with nearby access towns Augrabies and Kakamas convenient bases.
Sendelingsdrif
Gateway settlement to the Richtersveld on the Orange River where slow pools and flowing runs hold yellowfish, catfish, and carp; drift lures or flies along rock seams in spring–summer and fish cutbait in deeper bends, with upstream camps like Potjiespram offering additional access.
Onseepkans
Border hamlet on a scenic Orange River gorge where pocket water and deep glides hold smallmouth yellowfish, largemouth yellowfish, and catfish; summer flows create excellent sight-fishing and streamer opportunities, and road-trippers often link it with Augrabies and Kakamas .
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Alexander Bay
At the Orange River mouth, anglers mix estuary and surf tactics for kob, elf, and steenbras in the surf, plus sharptooth catfish and yellowfish in the river channels; summer evenings see kob runs on the beaches, with the river providing productive backup water when the swell is up, and coastal sessions can be combined with Sendelingsdrif upstream.