Northern Portugal · Portugal

Viana do Castelo Portugal fishing forecast

92 Good of 100

Viana do Castelo Portugal is a saltwater fishing spot in Northern Portugal, Portugal. Anglers here target Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Atlantic Bonito, European Seabass, Atlantic Mackerel. The most productive months are typically June, July, August, September, October.

Quick answer

Best monthsJune, July, August, September

Top speciesAtlantic Bluefin Tuna, Atlantic Bonito, European Seabass

Score now92/100

Local rulesPortugal

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Today’s verdict

Ranks #52 of 409 spots FishRadar scored worldwide today

In line with this spot’s 7-day average

Score confidence ±4 points, from 8 live signals

The statistical model disagrees with the physics model here today — treat this score with extra caution.

Helping the score most

Water temperature+25.0Chlorophyll+18.0Wind+7.2

Pressure trend

Pressure data unavailable

Best window today

05:00 · Light wind (0 km/h) and calm seas

Next solunar peak

dawn 06:57

Current conditions

Sea surface temp	14.1 °C
Wind	21 km/h from N, gusting 26 km/h
Wave height	2.6 m at 9 s
Current	0.06 m/s toward ESE
Pressure	1026 hPa
Depth	3 m
Cloud cover	34%
Chlorophyll	1.84 mg/m³
Salinity	35.2 PSU
Mixed-layer depth	10 m
UV index	0
Wind sea	0.2 m at 2 s
Ground swell	2.6 m at 9 s from NW
Current shear (surface vs 50 m)	0.06 → 0.00 m/s

The water here is 4.4 °C cooler than the October average of 18.5 °C. Cooler-than-normal water slows the bite for warm-water species and holds cool-water species shallower for longer. The water is mixed to about 45.0 m, so surface temperature carries well down the water column.

Updated 1 h ago.

What the score means at Viana do Castelo Portugal

Viana do Castelo Portugal currently scores 92 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 14.1 °C. 8 forecast signals are active in this score.

Water temperature +25.0: how close the water is to this species mix’s comfort band
Chlorophyll +18.0: plankton density — the base of the food chain
Wind +7.2: surface chop, oxygen and bait drift
Current +6.5: moving water concentrates bait
Thermal front +5.5: temperature edges concentrate bait and predators
Barometric pressure +3.3: falling pressure often triggers feeding

What’s biting now

The model expects today: atlantic-bonito, european-seabass, bluefin-tuna, comber, european-squid, horse-mackerel, black-scorpionfish, cuttlefish

[object Object] — Protected here — release immediately

Bite windows

Moon

Waxing Gibbous · 90% lit

Solunar day rating

50 / 100

Best months for Viana do Castelo Portugal:

Score history at this spot

30 days tracked at this exact location

Best recent day: 2026-10-09, 96/100

29 day(s) at 70+ in the tracked period

About this spot

Water type

Sea

Open coastal saltwater — conditions and safety depend heavily on the live wind, wave, and tide forecast, so check them before you head out.

Access & shore

Fishable from shore · offshore ground

What you can catch

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Thunnus thynnus
Atlantic Bonito

Sarda sarda
European Seabass

Dicentrarchus labrax
Atlantic Mackerel

Scomber scombrus

Best months by species at Viana do Castelo Portugal

Atlantic Bluefin TunaThunnus thynnus
Atlantic BonitoSarda sarda
European SeabassDicentrarchus labrax
Atlantic MackerelScomber scombrus

Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.

Local regulations

Direção-Geral de Recursos Naturais, Segurança e Serviços Marítimos (DGRM)

Portugal

Species	Bag limit	Min size	Open season
European SeabassRegulation (EU) 2019/1241, Annex VII, Part A	—	min 36 cm	—
EU minimum conservation reference size in South Western Waters is 36 cm (Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, Annex VII, Part A). All Portuguese waters fall in this zone: the mainland is ICES division 9a, the Azores are sub-area 10 and Madeira is CECAF 34.1.2. DGRM may set stricter national measures and recreational daily limits. Verify current limits with DGRM before fishing.

Licensing:

saltwater-recreational — residents A recreational ("lúdica") fishing licence from DGRM is mandatory. Separate categories for shore ("apeada"), on-board ("embarcada") and underwater ("submarina") fishing, with daily/monthly/annual options. Obtain it via the Balcão Eletrónico do Mar (bmar.pt)., non-residents Non-residents need the same DGRM recreational licence; apply online via the Portal BMar (bmar.pt).

Some rules may have changed since our last verification — always confirm with the authority before you fish.

FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only. Portuguese recreational fishing rules are set by DGRM and EU regulations, and the Azores and Madeira autonomous regions may apply additional measures. Always verify with DGRM at dgrm.pt before fishing.