The Best Fishing Spots in Western Cape
The Western Cape of South Africa is a top spot for recreational fishing, offering productive shore fishing, rock fishing, surfcasting, boat fishing and deep‑sea trips from Cape Town around the Cape Peninsula to the Agulhas Bank. Anglers target strong local species such as yellowtail, snoek, kabeljou (dusky kob), galjoen and various steenbras, while offshore trips often seek yellowfin and albacore tuna and other gamefish like marlin. Fishing is productive using live or cut baits, poppers and jigging lures, and both light tackle for kelp and reef fish and heavy tackle for pelagics. Expect varied conditions and great chances for strong, hard-fighting fish year-round.
Top Cities For Fishing
Sea Fishing
Athlone
(10 km to coast)
Atlantis
(13 km to coast)
Cape Town
(3 km to coast)
Claremont
(11 km to coast)
Durbanville
(18 km to coast)
Gansbaai
(3 km to coast)
George
(10 km to coast)
Grabouw
(17 km to coast)
Groot-Brakrivier
(3 km to coast)
Hermanus
(1 km to coast)
Knysna
(1 km to coast)
Lansdowne
(12 km to coast)
Melkbosstrand
(0 km to coast)
Mossel Bay
(0 km to coast)
Plettenberg Bay
(0 km to coast)
Retreat
(6 km to coast)
Rondebosch
(8 km to coast)
Saint Helena Bay
(0 km to coast)
Saldanha
(0 km to coast)
Somerset West
(2 km to coast)
Velddrif
(5 km to coast)
Vredenburg
(13 km to coast)
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Struisbaai
Known for its long sandy beaches and nearby reefs, Struisbaai produces kob, steenbras, and elf/shad from the surf, with boaters targeting yellowtail and reef fish toward Rasperpunt and Cape Agulhas when conditions settle.
Knysna Lagoon
An iconic estuary where tidal flats, channels, and the Heads produce grunter, leervis/garrick, and kob; drifting prawn banks and working surface lures along the drop-offs near Thesen Island and Leisure Isle are prime tactics.
Walker Bay
The stretch around Hermanus and Gansbaai offers kelp-line fishing for galjoen, cracker, and musselcracker, with boat access to reefs producing yellowtail and roman; sandy pockets and ledges fish well through winter fronts.
False Bay
South Africa’s largest bay offers prolific shore and boat action for yellowtail, kob, steenbras, and winter galjoen, with summer runs of tuna offshore; hotspots ring the shoreline from Muizenberg and Kalk Bay to Strand and Gordon’s Bay , while reefs and pinnacles hold year-round reef species.
Table Bay
Fringing the city’s waterfront, this bay offers boat access to reefs for yellowtail, cape snoek, and tuna in season, while beaches from Milnerton to Bloubergstrand produce kob, elf/shad, and winter galjoen when the swell lines up.
Simon's Town
Protected False Bay waters with reliable boat launches to reef systems holding yellowtail, roman, and kob, while shore anglers pick off galjoen and elf/shad along the rocky stretches toward Millers Point and Smitswinkel Bay .
Melkbosstrand
Rock-and-sand gullies and outer banks provide reliable action for galjoen, steenbras, and kob; working the ledges from Van Riebeeckstrand to Silwerstroomstrand is a staple for West Coast surf anglers.
Langebaan Lagoon
A pristine tidal lagoon with clear flats ideal for targeting steenbras, kob, and summer elf/shad, plus light-tackle action for stumpnose and grunter; boaters drift channels near Kraalbaai while shore anglers work sandbanks and drop-offs around Leentjiesklip .
Hout Bay
Sheltered waters and quick access to offshore reefs make this a favorite for yellowtail, inshore kob, elf/shad, and roman; the harbour and nearby points like Chapman’s Peak and Kommetjie produce consistent shore and kayak catches.
Gordon's Bay
On False Bay’s eastern corner, breakwaters and reefs yield kob, elf/shad, roman, and summertime yellowtail; shore anglers work the harbour walls and Bikini Beach while small craft target pinnacles toward Rooi-Els and Pringle Bay .
Cape Point
A famed pelagic corridor where currents converge, producing blistering action for yellowtail on surface feeds, seasonal tuna runs offshore, and rugged-rock shore fishing for galjoen, cracker, and kob; nearby launch sites at Simon’s Town and Hout Bay give access when weather allows.
Bloubergstrand
Open, wind-swept beaches facing Table Bay that produce quality kob, elf/shad, and winter galjoen on clean water, with panoramic drifts along the sandbanks toward Dolphin Beach and Big Bay .
Mossel Bay
Consistent year-round action with cape snoek, yellowtail, and reef species offshore, while beaches and points around Santos , The Point , and Dana Bay hold kob, elf/shad, and winter galjoen.
Saldanha Bay
A vast natural harbour with productive points and channels for elf/shad, kob, stumpnose, and summer yellowtail; launch from Mykonos or work the shorelines around Pepper Bay and Marcus Island on moving tides.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Clanwilliam Dam
A Cederberg staple famous for smallmouth bass, with good numbers of largemouth bass and carp; rocky points, submerged brush, and river inflows near Olifants River produce consistent action through the warmer months.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Berg River
Entering the sea at Velddrif , the lower estuary and saltmarsh edges hold grunter, kob, and stumpnose, while upstream stretches offer freshwater opportunities; boaters and shore anglers work tidal pushes through channels and bends.