Fishing in Playa del Carmen – Deep Sea, Sport, and More Charters

Many people who come to the Riviera Maya ask us about fishing in Playa del Carmen, and for good reason. The area offers great opportunities for many types of fishing, and to catch a variety of fish in the Caribbean. There are tons of different activities and tours in Playa, and fishing is a great activity to throw into your vacation.

Types of Fishing in Playa

There are many ways to fish in Playa del Carmen and the surrounding Riviera Maya. In addition to these types of fishing, you can also partake in some shore fishing. Just be careful as we are not entirely clear on permits and the legality of shore fishing with a tourist visa in Mexico. The variety of fish and types of fishing make it one of the best things to do in Playa del Carmen.

Here are the types of fishing you can do in Playa:

• Sport Fishing
• Deep Sea Fishing
• Fly Fishing
• Spear Fishing
• Shore Fishing

Sport Fishing

General sport fishing is probably the most popular type of fishing in Playa. You can take day trips out from the shore all along the beach. Common types of fish you may find on these tours (depending on the season) include:

• Ladyfish
• Bonefish
• Trevally
• King Mackerel
• Sailfish (deeper sea)
• Marlin (deeper sea)
• Dorado (deeper sea)

We recommend this tour or this tour to get some sport fishing in during your stay in Playa del Carmen. These tours are offered by guides who are fluent in both Spanish and English.

Deep Sea Fishing

Although the Caribbean isn’t the Pacific, there still is some great deep sea fishing available. Tours leave from surrounding towns, and many offer transportation to the pickup site. Deep sea fishing from Playa, you may find:

• Wahoo
• Tuna
• Marlin
• Sailfish
• Grouper

We recommend heading over to Cozumel for this tour. You can read our Cozumel Ferry Guide from Playa del Carmen to learn how to easily get over to the island. There’s also this tour up in Cancun.

Fly Fishing

Although deep sea fishing, trolling, and bottom fishing are more popular in Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya, there is excellent fly fishing. You can learn more about fly fishing in Playa del Carmen over at www.PlayaDelCarmen.org. You can catch tarpon, barracuda, permit, and bonefish.

Spear Fishing

Finally, you can go spearfishing around Playa del Carmen. One of the most well-known spearfishing companies in all of Mexico is Spearfishing Today, and they’re located just across the sea in Cozumel. This is certainly a different way to catch fish, but offers a fun and new activity for you.

Fishing Seasons Playa del Carmen

You can fish year-round in Playa del Carmen, and you will find different types of fish. Our opinion is not to book your travel based on the fish unless you are serious about your sport. In general, December to February is the high season. There is better weather, more offerings, and the town is popping. If you’re looking to save money and don’t mind hurricane season, you can also come during the summer, or rainy season. For more information, and a wonderful graphic, check out this awesome fishing calendar.