natal — rio grande do norte coast
Boat fishing on shoals and open sea, for cavala (Spanish mackerel), mahi-mahi, tuna and reef fish.
Natal has a narrow shelf, so blue water is close. Trolling for cavala (Spanish mackerel), mahi-mahi and tuna at the drop-off, and bottom fishing on the shoals and wrecks for guaiúba (dog snapper), cioba (cubera snapper) and ariacó (lane snapper). Barracuda and crevalle jack show up on the rocks. In the Potengi River, snook and camurupim. To the north, the Maracajaú and Rio do Fogo parrachos have shallow reefs and use rules. The trade wind blows hard much of the year: summer months usually have calmer seas.
best season
Summer, October to March, usually has calmer seas and pelagic fish close in.
Local rules: Goliath grouper (mero): catch banned nationwide. The Coral Reef APA (Maracajaú, Rio do Fogo and Touros) has zones with restricted fishing. Check local rules.
- getting there
- São Gonçalo do Amarante airport. Boat departures from the Potengi River and beaches on the north and south coasts.
- facilities
- Hotels, marinas, offshore fishing boats, guides and shops.
- coast
- Northeast Coast
tip
Bring trolling lures in dark colors for overcast days and light colors for strong sun. Switch until you find the day's pattern.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- technical ISA (Unidades de Conservação no Brasil) — APA dos Recifes de CoraisState protected area of RN (Maxaranguape, Rio do Fogo and Touros)
- official Imprensa Nacional (DOU) — Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026 (lista nacional de peixes ameaçados)Mero (Epinephelus itajara) as Critically Endangered
- official Idema-RN — Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável e Meio Ambiente do RNAPA management body. Not verified: the site (idema.rn.gov.br) was suspended for the 2026 election period