Few if any other kind of sport fishing beats blue marlin fishing. It is a moment of great pride and joy to emerge with the trophy of this actively sought species. It is exhilarating to triumph over against their splendid form, massive proportions and the feisty fight they put up.
Location
All the tropical oceans in the world are home to this fish. To sustain their numbers, spawning is undertaken. Locations where this is done include Hawaii,Caribbean islands, Mauritius and the Guinea Gulf east of the Atlantic.
Species
There are two species which include the Pacific and the Atlantic blue marlin. Scientific research has found that most of the species found in the Atlantic are genetically similar to that found in the Pacific. This is attributed to the prevalence of the p-phenotype in both oceans compared to the a-phenotype that has not been found in the Pacific and Indian oceans.
Weight
The male and female differ substantially. Fully grown males reach 300 pounds at the most. The female species on the other hand can grow to reach 1,000 pounds and even more. This is a fact that researchers and anglers still differ about. The largest catch ever made was in Hawaii. It was a Pacific blue marlin that weighed in at 1,805 pounds. The largest Atlantic species catch was in Brazil and it was found to weigh 1, 402 pounds.
Methods
Various techniques and apparatus are used. Method selection is based on the size of the catch being targeted as well as sea conditions. Methods have also been influenced by local marlin fishing charters and practices. Artificial lures, live bait or rigged natural baits are the three methods used.
Artificial Lures
The use of artificial lure is quite popular as blue marlins wage quite a war. This method has its origins in Hawaii. Locals first made lures using lures carved out of wood and shelled in drinking glasses. Others were made with chrome pipes that had vinyl upholstery or rubber attached on them. Today they are made in a number of sizes, shapes and shades.
Natural Lures
The rigged natural bait is another option. These have been in use since the early 1900s and they are still prevalent today. They are used in the eastern side of the seaboard in the United States, in the Caribbean and Bahamas where mackerel and ballyhoo are used to draw in the treasured Atlantic species. These are sometimes used together with manufactured lures. With the third method of live bait fishing, smaller types of skipjack and tuna are considered the most effective pulls. They however have a shortcoming in that trolling has to be done slowly so as not to kill the bait. It is only in lesser fishing areas. The fishery in Kona, Hawaii uses this method.