Detailed simulations in aim to evaluate optical performances of a solar parabolic trough collector for various solar tracking modes under climatic conditions of Maroua have been investigated by using the empirical model of Capderou, incidence angle, day of the year, solar direct radiation, legal time, incident angle modifier and global energy absorbed by the heat collection element during the sunniest and the least sunny month. The performances of the three tracking modes assumed compare to full tracking mode during a typical sunny day in Maroua, lead to percentages 98%, 99.98% and 69.25% in the sunniest month and 91.2%, 81.45%, and 62.85% in the least sunny month for East-West polar tracking, East-West horizontal tracking and North-South horizontal tracking respectively. Besides, the results show that, the East-West horizontal and East-West polar solar tracking modes are more suitable and getting closer with full tracking compared the North-South horizontal tracking mode. The optical efficiency reached at about 74% according to the East-West horizontal and East-West polar solar tracking mode and maximum temperatures of 180°C for air and oil and 90°C for water were reached by applying East-West polar and East-West horizontal tracking modes in a typical day of the sunny month.