Best Marlin Fishing Spots

When you decide to book a marlin fishing trip, it is important to think about the season you will be going out and the species of marlin you want to go after. There are fishing charters in America that specifically target marlin, especially in Mexico, Hawaii and Panama. But there are other great places to catch marlin.

A good way to determine the appropriate marlin fishing season in your desired area is to consider the local water temperature at that time of year. For example, blue and black marlin like warm water, so in some places, fishing for these types of marlin occurs year-round, and in some — seasonally.

Blue marlin fishing seasons throughout the year on the map

Headings

The best

Red = blue marlin high season
Orange = very good blue marlin fishing
Yellow = good blue marlin fishing

Marlin fishing off the west coast of Africa

The entire strip of the Atlantic coast, which runs close to the equator west of Africa, is a hot spot for Marlin fishing.

Cape Verde , located 350 miles off the coast of Africa, is one of the world’s best trophy marlin fishing charter destinations. Mostly large blue marlin are caught here, but smaller, more agile specimens are also likely to be caught. August — December is the main season for blue marlin in Cape Verde. Interestingly, however, rare white marlin can be found in these waters all year round.

Blue marlin are common in the Canary Islands, usually between May and October. They tend to be larger here than in most other parts of the world, ranging from 400 to 600 pounds, with some weighing over 800 pounds. Marlin charters typically operate from Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, as well as Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, which has historically been the main jumping off point for big fishing trips to the Canary Islands.

The north of the Portuguese island of Madeira is also productive from May to October and the fish there grow to the same size as in places further south.

Even further offshore, and perhaps even better for catching some of the biggest marlin in the ocean, are the warm, deep waters around the Azores.

Marlin fishing in Hawaii

Some of the best marlin fishing in the world takes place in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean around Hawaii. There are probably more blue marlin caught on rod and reel here than anywhere else in the world. Some of the largest fish ever recorded have been caught in this area.

Located on the western island of Hawaii, the city of Kona is known throughout the world for its marlin fishing, not only because of the frequency of grandee sightings (more than 60 fish over 1,000 pounds have been recorded in Hawaiian waters), but also because of the skill and experience of its top captains. Marlin fishing in Kona is typically based out of Honokohau Harbor. If you’re in the area around the beginning of August, make sure you don’t miss the Hawaii International Billfish Tournament, the hottest, most exciting action in Marlin fishing.

Marlin fishing in Mexico

From late March through July, charter boats operating in Cozumel and Cancun encounter masses of blue and white marlin, as well as other large fish, such as sailfish, that follow the warm waters of the Gulf Stream into the area. Blue marlin here tend to be smaller than in the central Pacific, up to a maximum of 500 pounds. However, the smaller the fish, the more active the behavior it will exhibit, so you’ll still be in for an exciting fight.

Regardless of size, Marlin will make you sweat

In Western Mexico, Cabo San Lucas is known worldwide for its epic marlin fishing, thanks in part to the prestigious Bisbee’s Blackand Blue tournament. This is one of the most famous and largest fishing events in the world. It’s safe to say that Cabo San Lucas is the perfect place for this.

South of Cabo, the biggest black marlin are most often found around offshore structures such as Corbetana Rock and El Banco off Puerto Vallarta. Some sea monsters have also been caught around the Revillagigedos islands. Visit these places in September and October for a chance to experience the thrill of fighting a marlin at the end of your line.

Marlin fishing in Australia

The first black marlin ever caught on rod and reel was caught by a Sydney fisherman from Port Stephens, New South Wales in 1913. The east coast of Australia is now a mecca for marlin fishing, with blue and black marlin often caught on fishing charters here. While marlin fishing is often successful from Cairns, Sydney and Port Stephens, marlin fishing on the Gold Coast around the main beach is the most productive in terms of numbers of fish caught.

The Great Barrier Reef is the only confirmed breeding ground for black marlin, making Eastern Australia one of the most popular black marlin fishing destinations in the world. Cairns boasts of being the marlin fishing capital of the world, and anglers flock to the area from September to December to try their hand at the fishing of a lifetime.

However, it doesn’t stop there as the black marlin then move south to Port Stephens where the season continues until the end of March. Port Stephens is famous for being home to the largest Billfish tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, The Port Stephens Interclub, which takes place in early March.

Marlin are also common on the west coast of Australia, with Exmouth, Broome and Rottnest Island off Perth all important and highly productive Marlin fishing grounds.

Just 1,200 miles offshore east of Australia lies a marlin’s magic hotspot: Vanuatu, a chain of 80 idyllic islands in the South Pacific. This piece of paradise offers blue marlin fishing year-round, although May to November are best. Black Marlin are around the same period and Striped Marlin are best in August or November.

Marlin fishing on the East Coast of the United States

Due to its proximity to the Gulf Stream, marlin fishing in Florida is very successful. The sunshine state’s marlin season appears to be dictated by a «loop current» that the fish follow into the Gulf of Mexico past Miami and Key West. The marlin bite in this area is excellent from about April to July.

White marlin are common further up the east coast from mid-July onwards. This species has a preference for the continental shelf off the coasts of Maryland, Virginia and Delaware, with «Jack’s Spot» a bottom structure 22 miles south of Ocean City, Maryland, which is probably the best known white marlin spot in the United States. 

Marlin fishing in Central America

Marlin fishing in Central America gained notoriety in 1949 when Panamanian fisherman Louis Schmidt landed the first recorded grander black marlin caught on rod and reel. The beast tipped the scales at 1,006 pounds. Currently, the reef areas in Piñas Bay and other reefs along Panama’s Pacific coast are some of the best black marlin fishing in the Western Hemisphere, and blue and black marlin can be found here year-round.

Marlin are also abundant in the north, where Costa Rica benefits from warm waters and productive Pacific reef areas. The fishing season in southern Costa Rica runs from August to December, and Marlin fishing Charters from Jaco and Quepos are most successful from September to December. Although marlin fishing in the northern areas of Playa Flamingo and Tamarindo is best from November to March, marlin can be found year-round in the waters around Central America.

Marlin fishing in New Zealand

Striped Marlin are traditionally the top billfish species around New Zealand, although anglers have once caught the occasional Blue Marlin over 1,000 pounds there. In fact, blue marlin catches in the Pacific Ocean have increased over the past ten years. Currently, they are constantly found in the Bay of Islands. Waihau Bay and Runaway Point are particularly well known local marlin fishing spots and the catches here tend to be large averaging around 300-500lbs.

Other places to catch Marlin

Southern California is the northernmost point of the Pacific blue marlin’s migration route, and these fish can sometimes be found in the waters around San Diego. Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean, can also be a lot of fun. The high season for black and blue marlin runs from November to February, although you can still find them as late as April. The largest blue marlin caught in Mauritius weighed 1,430 pounds, and the longest recorded fight with a marlin lasted 26 hours before the tackle broke!

Marlin fishing is exhausting even at the best of times.

The Caribbean islands are fantastic locations for Marlin, with a season that runs from roughly June to October, although they can be found year-round.

Reports of catching several blue marlin per day are not uncommon, and white marlin are also a real target in these parts. A fishing vacation to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, like many others on this list, can be the perfect combination of extreme ocean action and the relaxing atmosphere of a tropical island.

Join Us

Прокрутить вверх