Mafia Channel fishing forecast
Mafia Channel is a saltwater fishing spot in Indian Ocean, Tanzania. Anglers here target Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Striped Marlin, Giant Trevally. The most productive months are typically September, October, November, December, January, February.
Today’s verdict
Ranks #90 of 437 spots FishRadar scored worldwide today
Trending up — 15 points above 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.
Current conditions
| Sea surface temp | 26.5 °C |
|---|---|
| Wind | 26 km/h from SE |
| Wave height | 1.0 m at 4 s |
| Current | 0.34 m/s toward NNE |
| Pressure | 1020 hPa |
| Depth | 42 m |
| Cloud cover | 100% |
| Chlorophyll | 0.54 mg/m³ |
| Salinity | 35.2 PSU |
| Mixed-layer depth | 22 m |
| UV index | 0 |
| Wind sea | 0.5 m at 3 s |
| Ground swell | 0.7 m at 4 s from ESE |
| Current shear (surface vs 50 m) | 0.34 → 0.26 m/s |
The water is running true to season — within a few tenths of the September average of 26.4 °C for this location. The water is mixed to about 30.7 m, with the thermocline below that.
Updated 1 h ago.
What the score means at Mafia Channel
Mafia Channel currently scores 83 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 26.5 °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
- Current +18.0
- moving water concentrates bait
- Waves +9.0
- swell energy stirring the water column
- Eddy energy +5.0
- mesoscale eddies trap nutrients and bait
- Wind +4.1
- surface chop, oxygen and bait drift
What’s biting now
The model expects today: sailfish, giant-trevally, dusky-kob, brassy-trevally, black-marlin, spanish-flag-snapper, king-threadfin, chinaman-fish
Bite windows
Best months for Mafia Channel:
Score history at this spot
30 days tracked at this exact location
Best recent day: 2026-09-08, 83/100
15 day(s) at 70+ in the tracked period
+12 points vs the same day last week
About this spot
Channels concentrate moving water and strong tidal flow. The bite often picks up at slack water and through the first hour of the flood or ebb.
Approximate bottom depth: 42 m
Access & shore
Fishable from shore · offshore-only
What you can catch
-
Istiophorus platypterus
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Kajikia audax
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Caranx ignobilis
Best months by species at Mafia Channel
| Indo-Pacific SailfishIstiophorus platypterus | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striped MarlinKajikia audax | ||||||||||||
| Giant TrevallyCaranx ignobilis |
Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.
Local regulations
Licensing:
- saltwater-recreational — residents A sport fishing licence is required to fish for leisure in Tanzanian (mainland) waters under the Fisheries Regulations 2009. Sport fishing licences may be issued for a fortnight, one month or one year. "Sport fishing" is legally defined as fishing for leisure and not for sale — catch may not be sold. Inside a marine park (e.g. Mafia Island), additional Marine Parks and Reserves Unit (MPRU) entry/activity fees apply, and no fishing is permitted in a marine reserve without the Director's authorisation., non-residents Visiting anglers also need a sport fishing licence (fortnight / one month / one year) under the Fisheries Regulations 2009. A sport fishing VESSEL licence is 50.0 USD per vessel for citizens and non-citizens (higher fees apply for vessels linked to shore-based processing). Non-citizens applying for a sport fishing vessel licence must provide an introduction letter from the Local Government Authority, a passport copy and a work permit. Marine-park fees (MPRU) are payable separately when fishing inside a park.
- charter — residents Charter / sport fishing vessels are licensed under the Fisheries Regulations 2009 (sport fishing vessel licence: 50.0 USD/vessel). Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) may be used for sport fishing, capturing live aquarium finfish, training and research purposes only. Deep-sea fishing beyond 12 nautical miles in the EEZ is licensed separately by the Deep Sea Fishing Authority (DSFA).
FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only and are PARTIAL for Tanzania. Tanzania has a multi-authority system: mainland sport fishing requires a sport fishing licence under the Fisheries Regulations 2009 (Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries); fishing inside marine parks (e.g. Mafia Island Marine Park) requires Marine Parks and Reserves Unit (MPRU) fees and authorisation, and no fishing is allowed in a marine reserve without the Director's permission; Zanzibar (incl. Pemba) is governed separately by the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries; deep-sea/EEZ fishing is licensed by the Deep Sea Fishing Authority. Dynamite/explosives, poison and beach seines are strictly prohibited (severe penalties). Marine turtles, dugong, whale sharks and dolphins are fully protected (no-take), and octopus and lobster under 500 g (or egg-bearing) may not be taken. Per-species finfish catch limits are not standardised nationally and may be set locally by marine parks. Always confirm current rules and fees with the relevant authority before fishing. FishRadar is not a legal source.
Check Mafia Channel before you go
Live scores update through the day. Get the full forecast, bite windows, and your own saved spots in the FishRadar app.
Download on the App Store Google PlayNearby spots
Explore 4 more fishing spots within 320 km of Mafia Channel.
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Rufiji River Tanzania
Zanzibar Tanzania
Zanzibar North Channel
Pemba Island Tanzania
Frequently asked questions
What fish can you catch at Mafia Channel?
Anglers at Mafia Channel target Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Striped Marlin and Giant Trevally.
When is the best time to fish Mafia Channel?
The most productive months at Mafia Channel are typically September, October, November, December, January, February.
What is the fishing forecast for Mafia Channel right now?
Mafia Channel currently scores 83 out of 100, based on live ocean and weather conditions — see the full breakdown on this page.
Can you fish Mafia Channel from shore?
Yes — Mafia Channel is fishable from shore (offshore-only).
Is the thermocline set up at Mafia Channel right now?
Not strongly right now — the water column is fairly mixed, so fish are less depth-locked.
How deep is the water at Mafia Channel?
The scored point sits over roughly 42 m of water. Depth shapes which species hold here and how the thermocline forms.
Fishing guides for this spot
- How to Read Tides for FishingHow to Read a Fishing ForecastBest Moon Phase for Fishing
Forecasts, not guarantees — check local rules before you fish.