What to pack, and what is already on the boat
Non-slip closed shoes, sun protection that survives wind, a light layer for the early start, and — if you are at all prone to it — seasickness tablets swallowed before you board rather than after you feel it. Everything to do with the fishing itself is already on the boat: rods, lines, fresh bait and a captain who baits your hook.
That is the useful part of this question. Most packing lists for fishing trips list tackle you do not need to bring.
Shoes, because a deck is not a floor
A fishing boat's deck gets wet within the first hour — bait, spray, a fish that lands where it lands. Deck shoes or trainers with a soft, non-slip sole are the right answer. Flip-flops slide, and a bare foot next to a hook is a bad idea. Nothing white, unless you want a souvenir stain.
Sun on water is not sun on a sunbed
You are getting it twice: down from the sky and up off the surface. A hat that will not blow off — one with a strap, or a snug cap — plus sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen applied before you leave the hotel. The wind out on the open Mediterranean makes the sun feel milder than it is, which is exactly how people come back burned from a trip that felt pleasantly cool.
Seasickness: the one thing worth deciding in advance
Our Alanya fishing trip is direct about this in its own booking notes: it is great for families and first-timers, but open water can be choppy, so motion-sickness tablets can help. Tablets need time to work — take them before the transfer, not once the boat is rolling. If you have never been on a small boat in open water, assume you might be one of the people who feels it.
Food and drink: the two trips differ, and it matters
Side, from a small boat with a maximum of 12 guests
The Side deep sea fishing trip is a morning: about six hours door to door, an early hotel pickup, and the transfer brings you back between 12:30 and 13:00 with your afternoon intact. Adults are €45. A complimentary Turkish simit and hot tea are served on deck as you head out, and all professional tackle, lines and fresh bait are supplied. Lunch is not included — and you are very welcome to bring your own snacks, meals and cold drinks aboard. Cold drinks are also sold on board.
So for Side, pack food if you get hungry before one o'clock. A cool bag is not overkill.
Alanya, a full day with lunch and a swim
The Alanya fishing trip runs around six hours on the water from Alanya harbour, adults from €50, and it includes a hot lunch served on deck plus a swim stop in a sheltered bay. Drinks and bar service are not included and can be bought on board. Because there is a swim stop, this is the trip where swimwear and a towel belong in the bag — and non-swimmers are still fine, since all the fishing is done from the boat.
The short list
- Non-slip closed shoes you do not mind getting wet or fishy
- Hat that stays on, sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen
- A light layer — early departures are cool before the sun is properly up
- Motion-sickness tablets, taken before boarding
- Camera or phone for the catch, ideally in something waterproof
- Cash for drinks on board and tips
- Swimwear and towel — Alanya only
- Your own snacks and drinks — Side only, where no lunch is served
What you do not need
Rods, reels, line, hooks and fresh bait are all supplied and included on both trips. You are welcome to bring your own tackle if you prefer your own gear, but nothing is required, and no experience is required either — the captain and crew show complete beginners how to bait, drop in and reel up.
Who this is not for
The Side boat is deliberately capped at 12 guests and it is a quiet working morning, not a party boat. If you want music, a bar and a crowd, you will be bored — book a boat trip instead. If you are travelling with young children who cannot sit still for a stretch of open-sea time, the Alanya day with its lunch and swim stop is the kinder choice. And if you are seriously prone to seasickness and know it, a coastal boat trip in sheltered water will treat you better than a fishing ground.
What nobody can promise is a specific fish. Species depend on the sea and the day — off Alanya that might be yellowfin, sea bream, sea bass or bream — and the captain picks the ground accordingly.
Related reading
If you are still choosing between a rod and a sunbed, what to bring on a Side boat trip covers the packing list for the relaxed version, the best time of season for boat trips explains how the sea changes month to month, and what to bring on a private charter is the one to read if you would rather have the deck to yourselves.