Zakynthos Fishing Trip

A Zakynthos fishing trip is a boat outing with a local fisherman off the Ionian island of Zakynthos. Guests pull nets, cast lines and eat the catch. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.

The sections below cover the trips, the traditional and rod methods, the fish, the harbours, lunch on board and who it suits. They also cover the season, inclusions, licences and booking, with links into the Zakynthos pages. The trips shown are checked on GetYourGuide and Viator.

What is a Zakynthos fishing trip?

A Zakynthos fishing trip is a day or half day at sea with a local fisherman. Guests help set nets or cast rods off the Ionian coast. The traditional format ends with the catch cooked on board and a swim stop.

Two kinds of trip run on the island. The first uses a caique, a traditional wooden fishing boat with nets. The second is a rod trip on a fast motorboat after tuna and other big fish.

On a Zakynthos fishing trip, guests do the work beside the crew. Zante Fishing Tours says passengers were never before allowed on a commercial fishing boat at sea. The National Marine Park of Zakynthos endorses its trips.

Cruises built around sightseeing alone sit with the wider range of Zakynthos boat tours. A fishing day still includes two swim stops in quiet coves.

Which Zakynthos fishing trip can you book?

Three online listings sell a Zakynthos fishing trip: two on GetYourGuide and one on Viator. Three local operators also sell direct: Zante Fishing Tours, Soulitsa Fishing Tours and Big Game Fishing Zante. Each uses its own boat.

• Traditional Fishing Tour with lunch & swim stops (GetYourGuide): a 7-hour small-group day starting at 08:00.
• Private Fishing Experience with Local Fisherman (GetYourGuide): 3 hours, private speedboat, two anglers.
• Traditional Fishing Experience in Zakynthos (Viator): a 4-hour speedboat trip or a 7-hour net day on a caique.
• Zante Fishing Tours: the red fishing boat F/V Panagia, from Zakynthos Town main port.
• Soulitsa Fishing Tours: Soulitsa, an 11-metre wooden caique built of iroko wood.
• Big Game Fishing Zante: Marlin, a Bertram F32 boat built for big game fishing.

Abba Travel Zakynthos runs the Viator trip. Guests meet at the Strada Marina hotel, Lomvardou 14, in Zakynthos Town. The private GetYourGuide trip, sold by Yotomu, leaves from any suitable spot on the island.

Captain George, a third-generation fisherman, skippers F/V Panagia. Captain Yannis of Soulitsa comes from a family of fishermen going back to his great-grandfathers. Captain Yiannis Geladas runs Marlin, which he calls the island’s first licensed big game boat.

How does a traditional Zakynthos fishing trip work?

On a traditional Zakynthos fishing trip, the crew lays a long net in the sea at dawn. The boat then waits two to three hours. Guests help pull the net back in and pick out the fish.

Zante Fishing Tours says the nets on its Zakynthos fishing trip must go out very early. One guest helped the crew cast about a kilometre of net.

While the net soaks, the boat anchors off a quiet beach. One operator puts this wait at about two and a half hours. Guests swim, look at the seabed through masks or drop a simple fishing line.

Then the crew hauls the net back on board. Guests pull beside them and free each fish from the mesh. On one Zakynthos fishing trip, a family found two octopuses in the net.

Which fishing methods does a Zakynthos fishing trip use?

A Zakynthos fishing trip uses one of two families of methods. Caique days rely on nets. Rod trips use bottom fishing with hooks and bait, jigging, trolling and spinning. Big game boats add drifting for giant tuna and swordfish.

• Bottom fishing: a baited hook dropped near the seabed, as on the Viator speedboat trip.
• Jigging: a metal lure, called a jig, jerked up and down in deep water.
• Trolling: lures pulled behind the moving boat at high or low speed.
• Popping and spinning: a lure cast out and reeled back through the water.
• Drifting: baits hung from a drifting boat, for giant tuna by day and swordfish by night.

Big Game Fishing Zante drops baits for swordfish at night to about 600 metres. Its boat carries a downrigger, a weight that holds a lure at a set depth. A fish finder, a sonar screen, shows fish under the hull.

Another operator, Zante Fishing, uses light tackle on a boat about six metres long. It takes two or three anglers on five- and six-hour trips. Its skipper chases whatever species the season brings.

What fish do you catch on a Zakynthos fishing trip?

The catch on a Zakynthos fishing trip depends on the method. Net boats bring up small fish from near the seabed, such as red mullet. Rod boats chase bigger open-water hunters such as tuna, amberjack and bonito.

• Red mullet: a small red fish from the nets, cooked for lunch on board.
• Sea bream and sea bass: coastal fish named for the net trips.
• Mackerel and anchovy: small fish that swim in large groups.
• Bluefin tuna: big tuna, in season from late spring to July.
• Amberjack and bonito: strong fighters taken on jigs and lures.
• Swordfish and white marlin: billfish, meaning fish with a long pointed snout.

Rod skippers also list dentex, dusky grouper, scorpionfish and barracuda. They add dolphinfish, also called mahi-mahi. Albacore, a smaller tuna, runs from August to November.

Net catches on a Zakynthos fishing trip are modest. One guest counted about 30 fish, each the size of a clenched fist. That was still enough for everyone at lunch.

Where does a Zakynthos fishing trip sail from, and where does it fish?

A caique or big game Zakynthos fishing trip starts from Zakynthos Town. This is the island’s main port, on the east coast. The Viator speedboat trip leaves Tsilivi fishing port. Nets and rods work the south-east and east coasts.

A big game Zakynthos fishing trip ranges further than a net day. Big Game Fishing Zante fishes Zakynthian, Kefalonian and Peloponnese waters. Its boat, Marlin, cruises at 18 to 20 knots, about 33 to 37 km an hour.

Laganas Bay on the south coast forms the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. From late spring to the end of October, no boat can enter Zone A. Fishing is banned there too.

Zones B and C carry a speed limit of 6 knots, about 11 km an hour. Boats cannot anchor in Zone B. Spearfishing is banned across the wider park.

Keri Lake, on the west side of the bay, sits close to the Keri caves. Northern sightseeing cruises leave Alykes and Agios Nikolaos, not the fishing harbours.

How does lunch work on a Zakynthos fishing trip?

On a full-day Zakynthos fishing trip, the crew cooks the morning catch on board. The boat anchors in a quiet cove for a swim while lunch is prepared. Drinks are part of the day, including water, soft drinks and local wine.

Zante Fishing Tours serves the fish grilled, fried or in a soup. Risotto, local vegetables and salads with Zakynthian olive oil come with it. Shared trips have a fixed menu, so guests on a special diet bring their own food.

On a Zakynthos fishing trip, the morning opens with Greek coffee and baked goods. The Viator speedboat trip has no meal, but its captain names a place to cook the catch. Island wine and olive oil also run through traditional Zakynthos food.

Who suits a Zakynthos fishing trip?

A Zakynthos fishing trip suits beginners, families and small groups. No fishing skill is needed, because the crew shows each step. The traditional tour welcomes all ages, and the private speedboat trip takes a maximum of two fishing guests.

Zante Fishing Tours takes up to 12 passengers, and the Viator tour accepts ages 0 to 90. Guests who do not fish still swim, snorkel and help haul the nets. Families can plan more days out with Zakynthos with kids.

Seasickness is a real factor on a Zakynthos fishing trip. The boat moves very slowly while fishing and sits at anchor for swims and lunch. The Viator listing advises against the trip for pregnant guests and people with back or heart problems.

When does a Zakynthos fishing trip run, and how does the weather change it?

A Zakynthos fishing trip runs through the warm months, with early starts. Zante Fishing Tours leaves between 07:00 and 07:30 and returns around 5 pm. Wind decides the day, and captains cancel at short notice when the open sea turns rough.

Early mornings bring more fish, says the Viator operator. Calm water near the shore at dawn does not prove the open sea is calm. Big Game Fishing Zante lists these seasons:

• Big tuna: late spring to July.
• Barracuda: late spring to November.
• Bonito, albacore and kingfish: August to November.
• Broadbill swordfish and amberjack: all year.

Greek fishing advice favours spring, early summer, September and October. A Zakynthos fishing trip in July or August meets a warm, busy sea and a poorer catch. Wind patterns sit on the Zakynthos weather page.

How long does a Zakynthos fishing trip last, and what is included?

A Zakynthos fishing trip lasts from 3 hours to a full day. Short trips use a speedboat with hooks and bait. Full-day trips use a traditional boat with nets, and they include breakfast, lunch and drinks.

• Private Fishing Experience: 3 hours on a private speedboat with professional gear.
• Viator speedboat option: 3 hours with captain, fuel, hooks and bait.
• Traditional Fishing Tour: 7 hours with nets, rods, drinks and full insurance.
• Zante Fishing Tours: 8 to 10 hours with a toilet and freshwater shower.

Towels are not included on the traditional tour, and the Viator speedboat trip leaves out snacks. Zante Fishing Tours also sells a private Zakynthos fishing trip for up to 6 guests.

Big Game Fishing Zante adds jigging rods, a downrigger and a bait tank. A downrigger is a weighted cable that holds the lure deep. Fast sightseeing with no rods fits the Zakynthos speedboat tour.

Do you need a licence for a Zakynthos fishing trip?

No personal licence is needed for a Zakynthos fishing trip on a licensed boat. The operator holds the permits for the guests on board. Greek law sets out fishing tourism, which lets professional fishermen take paying guests out to fish.

Big Game Fishing Zante calls its boat the first licensed professional big game fishing boat on the island. Other Greek fishing rules cover visitors outside a charter:

• Shore fishing with a rod: no licence.
• Fishing from a private boat: registration with the port authority.
• Spearfishing, or hunting fish with an underwater gun: a separate permit.
• Mussels, crabs, lobsters, starfish, seahorses and sea cucumbers: no catching allowed.

Under Greek coastguard rules, boats with engines under 30 horsepower need no boating licence. That self-drive choice is covered on the page for boat rental without a licence.

How do you book and cancel a Zakynthos fishing trip?

You can book a Zakynthos fishing trip on GetYourGuide or Viator, or direct with a local operator. Both platforms give a full refund for cancellations at least 24 hours before the start. On Viator, bad weather brings a new date or a full refund.

GetYourGuide lets guests reserve a Zakynthos fishing trip now and pay later. On Viator, a cancellation inside 24 hours gets no refund. The traditional tour accepts no changes inside 24 hours.

The traditional tour also needs a minimum number of guests. If that number is not reached, guests get another date or a full refund. Soulitsa Fishing Tours books direct and meets guests at Zakynthos Town port.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see sea turtles on a Zakynthos fishing trip?

Yes, Zante Fishing Tours names loggerhead turtles, dolphins and Mediterranean monk seals as possible sightings on the way. Soulitsa Fishing Tours works with the National Marine Park of Zakynthos on sea conservation. Zante Fishing Tours crews also explain sustainable fishing and why protected areas matter.

Can you bring your own rods on a Zakynthos fishing trip?

Yes, Big Game Fishing Zante welcomes anglers who bring their own rods and reels. Its boat has two 220 horsepower turbo diesel engines, a fish finder and a full life raft.

Can you catch and release fish on a Zakynthos fishing trip?

Yes, Big Game Fishing Zante offers tag and release for billfish, the long-nosed fish such as marlin. The angler’s name goes on the release form. Warmer seas, about 400 kilometres from Africa, have brought marlin, sailfish and spearfish into these waters.

Can you add sightseeing to a Zakynthos fishing trip?

Yes, the Viator speedboat trip fishes the east coast and offers an optional Blue Caves visit afterwards. Big Game Fishing Zante also runs plain sightseeing charters for guests who do not fish. Its island-hopping trips reach Kefalonia, Lefkada, Paxi and Corfu over 2 to 3 days.