autumn · peak season
Yellowfin tuna fishing in Cape Town in May
Longfin peak, yellowfin thinning, and the seabird season properly open.
What are conditions like in May?
North-westerly fronts every few days, with settled windows between. Workable days: Moderate. The windows are shorter but they are predictable.
The month where a fishing charter and a pelagic birding trip are equally worth booking.
What is running in May?
Offshore water at the shelf edge sits between 16 and 19°C this month, against 14 to 17°C inshore. That gradient is what concentrates the fish.
- Yellowfin tuna20–100 kgPeak
- Longfin tuna8–30 kgPeak
- Cape snoek2–6 kgPeak
- Yellowtail5–15 kgGood
- Atlantic bonito1–5 kgGood
- Red roman0.5–3 kgGood
Planning a trip in May
The month where a fishing charter and a pelagic birding trip are equally worth booking.
Departure is set by daylight rather than by the clock. In May that means sunrise around 07:10 and sunset around 17:50, giving about 10.6 hours of usable light.
May at a glance
- Season
- autumn, peak season
- Daylight
- 10.6 hours
- Sunrise
- 07:10
- Sunset
- 17:50
- Sea temp inshore
- 14–17°C
- Sea temp offshore
- 16–19°C
- Trip length
- 9 to 12 hours
May rates
- Private charter, 9 to 12 hoursR 30 000
Adjacent months
Other months for the offshore tuna
May questions
Is May a good month for offshore tuna in Cape Town?
Yes. May is one of the stronger months for this trip. Longfin peak, yellowfin thinning, and the seabird season properly open.
What is the weather like off Cape Town in May?
North-westerly fronts every few days, with settled windows between. Workable days: Moderate. The windows are shorter but they are predictable. Daylight runs to about 10.6 hours, sunrise around 07:10 and sunset around 17:50.
What can you catch off Cape Town in May?
Yellowfin tuna (peak), Longfin tuna (peak), Cape snoek (peak), Yellowtail (good). Offshore water at the shelf edge runs 16 to 19°C.