Fishing is a popular outdoor pastime and enjoyed by South Africans from all walks of life. Recreational fishing using rod and line is permitted in several CapeNature reserves (e.g. Goukamma, Limietberg) but prohibited in others (e.g. De Hoop with its no-take marine reserve).

Check with each reserve that you intend visiting if you are allowed to fish. Anglers are required to have recreational fishing licences to fish public waters (sea, estuary, river, public dam) but not private waters (e.g. farm dam). For inland waters a CapeNature angling permit is required whereas a marine angling licence is required to fish estuaries and the sea. Anglers are required to adhere to rules and regulations that guide the capture of indigenous and alien fish species.

Catch and release is required for indigenous freshwater fishes (e.g. Clanwilliam yellowfish). In general, there is no bag or size limits for most alien fish species (carp, bass, tilapia, lcatfish), but in some rivers there are catch restrictions for trout imposed by angling clubs.  

Angling is permitted at the following CapeNature reserves:

• Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
• Robberg Nature Reserve
• Goukamma Nature Reserve
• Swartberg Nature Reserve
• De Mond Nature Reserve
• Walker Bay Nature Reserve
• Limietberg Nature Reserve
• Rocherpan Nature Reserve

Click here for more information on how to secure a recreational fishing permit.