Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine · How it works →
The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.
How we score the water
Our own model
Our own forecast engine — not a third-party widget. It weighs these water factors into one go-or-stay verdict for this coast; the 0–10 dial is that verdict, read out as a number.
01
Swell & wave memory
Height, period and direction of the swell, plus the wake of recent storms — an old storm still stirs the water, and the engine remembers.
02
Wind & gusts
Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
03
Tide phase
Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
04
Water temperature
Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
05
Currents & outflow
Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
06
Rain runoff & air clarity
Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
07
Coast shape & exposure
How the coast faces the swell — a sheltered cove keeps the water clean; an exposed, head-on point takes a penalty.
Safety gates
Thunderstorm forecast — an instant red, no exceptions.
An official warning (MeteoAlarm / IPMA) — yellow, or red for the higher ranks.
Missing input data — a would-be green is capped to yellow rather than overstated.
Strong disagreement between forecast models — a green day is pulled back to yellow.
Night hours — where night spearfishing is banned by law the window is forced red; where it is legal (Australia outside NSW, New Zealand, South Africa) it is capped at yellow, never green.
It all folds into a single 0–10 score and one verdict: go or stay.
A forecast, not a guarantee — the sea has the last word.
Where to get in, where to hunt
Entry points with coordinates
Seabed relief — promising ground
This verdict — in your pocket. Open the app for the week's window.
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0 m
Surface
Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.
spearo.app
calmupdated 11:44
Matosinhos (Porto) — solo, off the rocks
DON'T GO
don't go · wave 1.3 m (occasionally up to ~2.6 m)
wave 1.3 mwind 15 km/hsurge pounding the rocksvisibility ~1 m
today, best window 12:00–15:00
fish · Visibility 1 m · Water 18°C
confidence low · verdict for the selected day
Whole week — tap a day. is driving swell right now.
›
Solo risk: carry a float · tell someone your plan and exit time · doubt = don't go. A model-based planner; the call is made on site.
Selected day
Windows, hours and the day's trends.
The day is picked above, in the hero. Here are that day's windows, the hour-by-hour map and the trends. Tap a window to break down the conditions.
Wednesday · today2026-09-09
07:09–19:54 · new moon
▲ 02:00▼ 08:00▲ 14:00▼ 20:00 · 3.0 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide-0.80 m
Wave1.42 m
Wind4 km/h
Water17 °C
fish activity: moonrise 05:01 · moderate · moon overhead 12:10 · high · moonset 19:06 · moderate · moon underfoot 00:00 · high
Conditions window12:00–15:00
don't go fish ·
Hs 1.32 m · roughperiod 6.4 swind 15→24surge 6.9viz 1 m
1.32 mrough · up to ~2.64 · 313° at an angle
6.4 sswell moderate
15→24gusts 24 km/h
6.9pounding the rocks
0.19m/s
1 mrecent swell
18°C5 mm + hood
▲14:00tide turn near
Atmosphere38 kmlandmarks visible
highmoon overhead
wave 1.3 m (occasionally up to ~2.6 m)
steep wind-wave — choppy surface, careful on entry
What's missing? Tell us what you'd like to see — new spots, species, data or features. We read everything.
Your best window — with you. Forecast in your pocket.
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−10 m
The water column
Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.
What it is
A marine instrument, go / no-go for solo hunting.
spearo.app folds wind, wave, swell period, visibility, tides, water temperature and risk into a single verdict — go to the spot or not. It computes 7 days ahead from open marine models (Open-Meteo, IPMA), with no sign-up and no accounts. Built for solo spearfishing off the rocks, where any mistake costs dearly.
Now live: 1391 spots across 205 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.
Castelo do Queijo / Fort of São Francisco XavierGranite promontory (Porto border) · Castelo do Queijo / Forte de São Francisco Xavier
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
Early morning in a rare calm summer window. Otherwise, land scouting only.
tide
Low tide exposes more granite platforms to enter from, but also the shallow teeth under the break. Enter only on a calm low water.
shelter
Exposed granite promontory at the Porto–Matosinhos line — almost no shelter, waves hit from several sides. The nook north of the fort is slightly calmer.
conditions
Very rarely: needs near-flat conditions (<0.5 m) and light wind. The sea here is usually rough and cold — most days are not for solo.
hazard
Rough cold sea over granite teeth: shorebreak on the rocks at exit and risk of being thrown onto / wedged in stone as swell builds. Awkward slippery rock entry; boat traffic near the Leixões harbour mouth.
access
Park by the fort on Av. Montevideu; drop to the small rocky beach/platforms at the base of the promontory. Enter on the north, lee side.
Technically on the Porto border (Nevogilde/Foz), but it is the nearest southern rocky promontory of this stretch: documented as a fishing rock with awkward rock entry. Scout from land first.
Boa Nova headland / Leça lighthouseBoa Nova rocky promontory · Capela da Boa Nova / Farol de Leça headland
dangerous
best candidate for today
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
Early morning (calm before the sea breeze), summer to early autumn when swell drops and water warms slightly. Water is cold regardless — 5–7 mm suit.
tide
Low-to-mid tide on the push: more exposed rock to enter on and the reef sits closer. At high water the rocks cover and entry gets harder.
shelter
Almost no shelter: an open Atlantic headland. The north side of the rocks gives slight cover from a southerly, but nothing against the prevailing NW swell.
conditions
Only in a rare window: swell under ~0.8 m and light wind (this shore is agitated most of the time). Best on an easterly (offshore) wind that flattens the surface.
hazard
Shorebreak slamming the rock platforms on exit is the dominant danger — it traps you if swell builds even slightly. Cold water and currents along the headland. Slippery-rock entry and exit.
access
Park by the Boa Nova lighthouse / Casa de Chá; walk down to the rock platforms on either side of the sandy pocket. Enter from the lee side of the rocks.
The best rocky-reef entry on this coast: the offshore 'Pelo Negro' reef (8–21 m, canyon walls) runs out from this headland. Scout from land first — the rock exit is everything.
Praia da Meia Laranja (rocks by the tidal pools)Rocks by the Leça tidal pools · Praia da Meia Laranja (rochas junto à Piscina das Marés)
dangerous
⛔ Banned here
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
Early morning outside bathing season (the pools open Jun–Sep with lifeguards and crowds). In summer go before 9 am.
tide
Low tide: rock ledges and pools are exposed, safer entry. At high water there are bathers and shorebreak on the rocks.
shelter
Open west-facing shore with almost no swell shelter. The rock ledges damp the wave right at the edge, but this is a bathing beach, not a refuge.
conditions
Narrow window on small swell (<0.6–0.8 m) and light wind. Visibility is often murky from sand off the neighbouring beaches.
hazard
Chief issue: a guarded bathing zone beside a National Monument (the tidal pools) — hunting among bathers is banned and inappropriate. Plus shorebreak on the rocks and murky water.
access
From the Leça seafront promenade, drop to the rocky Meia Laranja section just south of the pools. Park along Av. da Liberdade.
More a fallback/scout than a hunting spot: monument and bathing zone adjacent. Fine for snorkel/training as a bad-day backup, not for shooting in a crowd.
SOLO is the biggest risk: underwater you can black out from lack of oxygen silently and fatally, with no one around. Solo is never truly «safe». Below are the best weather windows; carry a buoy, tell someone your plan and exit time, and any doubt — don't go.
One morning glance — and you know.
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≈
Surfacing
Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.
In season now: Sea bass, White seabream, Gilthead bream, Salema, Octopus, Mullet
In season now
Robalo (sea bass)
<4 m · end of ebb → start of flood · dawn/dusk
Prime target. Shy of light — pick early/twilight windows.
Sargo (white seabream)
1–5 m · flood (rides the surf onto the reef) · dawn
Dominant reef target. Visibility matters more than time of day.
Dourada (gilthead bream)
1–4 m · flood over sand/weed · dawn
Very skittish — static ambush.
Salema
0–2 m · — · daytime
Easiest target at 0–6 m. ⚠️ Do NOT eat the head/guts (ichthyosarcotoxism).
Polvo (octopus)
1–6 m · high water · twilight
Peaks in autumn. Spot the den by the pile of shells. Don't take egg-bearing females. Min. weight 750 g (DGRM).
Tainha (mullet)
0–2 m · — · —
Extremely wary; murky water HINDERS it. Opportunistic, in calm coves.
Santola (spider crab)
1–10 m · low water (reef shelf exposed) · calm morning (≤force 2)
Carapace ≥12 cm. Peaks Jul–Aug. CLOSED 15.02–15.06. Limit 2 kg/day.
Law
🦀 spider crab open (season 16.06–14.02)
✓Spearfishing licence required, daily/monthly/annual (~€25/yr). Speargun = licence required. (DL 246/2000, art. 12.º + 12.º-A; fees in , .) There is no minimum age for the licence, but under-16s are exempt from holding one when fishing accompanied by a licence holder (art. 12.º n.º 2 al. b).
✓Hand-gathering shellfish with NO gear — no licence; but if a speargun is on the dive, a spearfishing licence is required (DL 246/2000, art. 12.º n.º 1; ).
✓Night prohibited: spearfishing only in daylight (sunset→sunrise not allowed). Artificial light as a means of finding/attracting fish is banned — a torch for safety only (, art. 8.º/3 + 3.º/5; DL 246/2000, art. 14.º n.º 1 d).
✓Signalling buoy MANDATORY for spearfishing: buoy/float with an «Alfa» flag (red/orange/yellow, ≥8 L), no more than 30 m from the diver (, art. 4.º/2).
✓Spearfishing daily limit: fish + cephalopods — 15 kg (excluding the largest specimen). General rod-and-line recreational fishing — 10 kg (, art. 12.º/1).
✓Spider crab: min. carapace 12 cm; (closed season) 15.02–15.06 — applies to recreational gathering too (, ; table).
✓Min. sizes: robalo 36 cm, sargo 17 cm, dourada 19 cm, choupa 23 cm, corvina 42 cm; octopus 750 g ( + EU Reg. 2019/1241; minimum-size table).
✓Grouper — fully protected, may not be taken (
Safety protocol
Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. At Cabo Raso/Arriba a 0.5 m rise in swell makes a boulder exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer here.
Headland rip: at Cabo Raso there is a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
Nortada (Jun–Sep): wind builds from midday — be out of the water by ~11:00; the chop builds — get out.
UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.
Local guide · Matosinhos (Porto)
Spearfishing in Matosinhos (Porto): spots, seasons and rules
Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher
Spearfishing around Matosinhos and Leça is cold, urban and narrow-window. The Boa Nova headland has the best reef structure, while Meia Laranja is a shallow fallback by the tidal pools. West exposure, Leixões harbour traffic and possible Douro turbidity make visibility and exits unreliable. Wait for a very small swell, light easterly wind and an early morning, then scout the rock exit from land before entering.
TL;DR
Matosinhos and Leça are urban, exposed and port-influenced, not clean wilderness shore diving.
Boa Nova / Leça lighthouse is the best reef entry; Meia Laranja is a cautious fallback.
Castelo do Queijo is red/scout and stays out of the recommended table.
Best spearfishing spots in Matosinhos / Leça
Only non-red, non-scout entries are listed. Both require small swell and strong swimmer awareness.
Spot
Type
Depth
Level
Access
Notes
Boa Nova Chapel / Leça Lighthouse
Exposed rocky headland
Shallow entry, reef gaining depth
Intermediate to advanced
Park by the lighthouse or Casa de Chá and walk down to the rock platforms
Best reef structure on this stretch, linked to Pelo Negro reef. The rock exit is the critical safety check.
Praia da Meia Laranja
Rocks by the Leça tidal pools
Shallow ledges and pools
Careful intermediate
Leça seafront, down to the rocky section south of the pools
More fallback than main hunting spot. Avoid bathing hours, shorebreak and swimmers.
When are Leça conditions worth it?
The coast faces west and takes NW swell directly. Boa Nova wants swell under about 0.8 m, light easterly wind and early morning before the sea breeze. Meia Laranja is shallower and wants 0.6 to 0.8 m or less. Low to mid tide helps read the platforms but exposes sharp rock. Leixões harbour traffic and the Douro plume, about 6.6 km away, can reduce the margin for error.
✓Breath-hold only: spearfishing may be practised in apnea alone. Scuba, rebreather and hookah are banned; the speargun may not be powered by a detonating charge or by compressed gas (DL 246/2000, art. 9.º n.º 3 — o antigo art. 6.º foi revogado).
✓The catch may NOT be sold: displaying for sale, offering or selling recreational catch is prohibited — it is for the fisher, the household, or donation to charitable, scientific or museum institutions (DL 246/2000, art. 7.º).
✓A loaded speargun out of the water is an offence (DL 246/2000, art. 14.º n.º 2 f). Same article: no fishing closer than the legally set distance from concessioned beaches during the bathing season (n.º 2 d), nor in places closed for health or marine-traffic reasons (n.º 2 e). The exact metres come from the regulation and the capitania — check before you go.
✓Distances between people: at least 20 m from another spearfisher (, art. 6.º n.º 3) unless you agree otherwise; from a boat, 50 m from other vessels, divers and set gear (art. 6.º n.º 2); every vessel must keep 50 m from your signalling buoy and from boats flying flag Alfa (art. 7.º n.º 6). The figure that circulates — «30 m between hunters» — is wrong: 30 m is the distance to YOUR OWN buoy.
✓What you may take into the water: the CAPTURE gear on a spearfishing dive is the speargun, a shellfish knife, a gaff (puxeiro) and an arrelhada (, art. 3.º n.º 3). That is not a ban on everything else: art. 4.º n.º 1 expressly allows equipment for cold protection, for buoyancy, for protection or safety and for carrying the catch, and any other equipment that does not permit the direct capture of specimens. Bait and groundbait are PROHIBITED in spearfishing (art. 5.º n.º 3). You may not carry or keep a speargun and a breathing apparatus aboard at the same time, nor carry the gun ready to fire out of the water or in a zone where spearfishing is banned (art. 3.º n.º 6). On any recreational-fishing boat the whole crew wears a lifejacket (art. 4.º n.º 3).
✓Where recreational fishing is closed altogether (, art. 8.º n.º 1): in marked shipyard zones (no exception) and in aquaculture establishments — in the LATTER only, fishing is possible when the concession-holder or owner formally authorises it; the shipyard bar has no such carve-out; within 100 m of the mouth of any marked sewage outfall; over beach-concession waters, to the extent the POOC sets; and in other zones closed by the port or maritime authority. For spearfishing and boat fishing specifically (n.º 2) the navigation channels of port and river bars, the approach channels and the buoyed channels are closed. There is NO «300 m from the beach» rule on the mainland — that number comes from Madeira's own act; on the mainland the distance is set by the POOC and by the capitania's edital.
✓The border rivers Minho and Guadiana: spearfishing is BANNED along both international stretches — bilateral Portugal-Spain agreements, art. 9.º n.º 3 (Minho, RAR 34/2023, in force since 26-05-2023) and art. 6.º n.º 1 (Guadiana, RAR 173/2025, in force since 07-12-2025), both reading «É proibida a pesca submarina». On the Guadiana it is also a serious offence (art. 19.º), and a 100 m strip alongside the Sapal de Castro Marim reserve is closed separately (art. 5.º). The stretches run from the confluence with the Trancoso / the Chança down to the closing line at each mouth.
✓On the other Portuguese-Spanish border river stretches (outside the TIRM and the Guadiana maritime-jurisdiction zone) — Decreto 30/88, art. 6.º n.º 1: harpoons, gigs, tridents and any blunt instrument used to take fish are prohibited (al. e), as is «a pesca ou caça subaquática» with artificial light, and night fishing (al. g).
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