Once a sleepy little fishing village, Cabo Frio has grown into a beachside vacation town with a resident population of about 120,000, thanks to state and local governments' investment in developing tourism.

A steady stream of wooden trawlers chugging through Cabo Frio's inlet attests to commercial fishing's continued economic importance. Local netters and longliners offload bluefish, tuna, dorado and sailfish at several packinghouses between the town's two private marinas.

Marlin season runs from January through mid-April; the ICRJ Cabo Frio Marlin Invitational usually coincides with the full moon in February. Several factors conspire to keep these waters from being fully explored by recreational anglers. Normally rough conditions intimidate many private boat owners, and no bona fide charter operation exists. According to angler Eduardo Baumeier, "Sport fishing here is mainly a weekend proposition with amateur crews who fish four or five days a month."

While local marlin tournaments feature a modified-release format with rather high minimum weights, few Brazilian recreational anglers adhere to a release ethic outside of competition.
Those who persist despite choppy seas and steady winds often find rewards in the form of wahoo approaching 100 pounds and tuna (yellowfin commonly reaching 120 pounds and occasional bigeye topping 300) mixed with marlin, as well as plentiful sailfish much closer to shore. Bottomfishing over rocky areas from 30 to 50 miles out often yields grouper pushing 50 pounds.

Rio de Janeiro represents the jumping-off point for anybody going to Cabo Frio. Americans visiting Brazil must have visas. A recently completed airport stays busy with commercial shuttle flights to and from Rio (about 30 minutes) and other major Brazilian cities; the 70-mile drive from Rio takes about two hours. 

Many small hotels and pousadas (bed-and-breakfast) offer accommodations varying from rustic to four-star quality. A few private owners charter their boats, but the process depends on extensive back-and-forth negotiation. For information on chartering in Cabo Frio and Rio de Janeiro, contact Capt. Eduardo Baumeier at edpb@openlink.com.br or Capt. Kdu Magalhaes at www.fishing@unysis.com.