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COMPLETE GUIDE TO FRESH AND SALTWATER FISHING
1 foot long. The black marlin is seldom truly black, though its color varies greatly. Most are slate blue on the back and upper sides, shading to silvery white on the underparts. The sides occasionally exhibit pale-blue stripes. Blue Marlin
White Marlin
RANGE: Black marlin seem to be found almost exclusively in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, being found as far north as southern California and Mexico. One area of abundance seems to be off the coast of Peru. HABITAT: Little is known of the movements of the black
Black Marlin
sometimes have dark blotches. The blue marlin’s distinguishing physical traits include a relatively short dorsal fin and a relatively long anal fin, and a body shape that is considerably rounder than other billfish.
RANGE: Blue marlin are found in warm and temperate seas throughout the world. In the United States and nearby waters, they occur from the Gulf of Maine to Uruguay in the Atlantic, and from Mexico to Peru in the Pacific. HABITAT: Blue marlin are deep-water fish almost exclu-
sively, and they are often seen cruising and feeding on the surface.
SIZE: The maximum size of the blue marlin is something
more than 2,000 pounds, with the average being 200 to 500 pounds. Males seldom exceed 300 pounds, so those monsters often referred to as “Big Daddy” should really be called “Big Mama.” Because the biggest blue marlin are thought to be in the Pacific, the International Game Fish Association separates these fish into two categories—Atlantic and Pacific.
FOOD: Blue marlin eat a broad range of fish life, includ-
ing bluefish, mackerel, tuna, and bonito, as well as squid and octopus.
Striped Marlin
a brilliant greenish blue on the back and upper sides, changing abruptly to white at the lateral line. The sides have an irregular number of vertical bands of light blue or lavender. A unique feature of the white marlin is the rounded tips of its dorsal and anal fins. The relatively flat-sided body is slender.
RANGE: The white marlin is limited to the Atlantic, occurring from Nova Scotia to Brazil and from the Azores to St. Helena Island and South Africa. Centers of concentration at differing times of year seem to be off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland, and near Venezuela. HABITAT: Like the blue marlin, the white marlin is a fish of warm and temperate waters and is a migrant.
SIZE: Most white marlins caught by fishermen weigh 40 to 60 pounds, but the species apparently can reach 160 pounds. FOOD: The white is mainly a fish eater, but it will dine on
anything it can capture.
n Black Marlin
(Makaira indica or Istiompax indicus)
DESCRIPTION: Possibly the largest of the marlins, the black is an ocean giant that is most easily distinguished from other marlins by the fact that its pectoral fins stick (Makaira albida or Tetrapturus albidus) out at right angles from the body and are held rigidly in that position. The pelvic fins of the black marlin are DESCRIPTION: The white marlin is considerably smaller 2014 Publications. All Rights Reserved shorter than those of other marlins, usually less than and less universal © than the blueUniverse marlin. Its colors are
n White Marlin
marlin, though it is certainly a fish of the open oceans, and evidence indicates that it migrates only short distances if at all.
SIZE: The record rod-caught black marlin weighed 1,560 pounds, but specimens of up to 2,000 pounds have been taken commercially. The average size is probably 300 to 500 pounds. FOOD: Various fish species (a tuna of 158 pounds was found in a black marlin’s stomach) and squid are the main items in the black marlin’s diet.
n Striped Marlin
(Makaira audax or Tetrapturus audax)
DESCRIPTION: Smaller than the blue and black marlins, the striped marlin, as its name suggests, is most easily distinguished by the stripes on its sides. These stripes vary both in number and in color, which ranges from pale blue to lavender to white. Body colors are steel blue on the back and upper sides, shading to white on the bottom areas. The striped marlin also has a high, pointed dorsal fin, which is usually taller than the greatest depth of its body. Like all other marlins, the striped variety puts up a breathtaking battle. RANGE: Striped marlin are found in the Indian Ocean
FOOD: Striped marlin feed on a wide variety of fish life (anchovies, bonito, mackerel, and many others), and on squid, crustaceans, octopus, and anything else that might get in their way.
n Atlantic Sailfish
(Istiophorus albicans)
DESCRIPTION: The uncommonly beautiful sailfish probably adorns more den and living-room walls than any other marine game fish. Sailfish are spectacular fighters, hurling themselves high out of the water time and time again. You can’t mistake the sailfish for anything else that swims—thanks to its enormous purple (or cobaltblue) dorsal fin, which it often seems to flaunt at fishermen. Body colors range from striking blue on the back and upper sides to silver white below the well-defined lateral line. Side markings usually consist of a variable number of pale, vertical bars or vertical rows of pale spots. The dorsal fin usually is marked with numerous black spots. A sailfish’s pelvic fins are longer than those of other billfish. RANGE: The Atlantic sailfish is commonly found in the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Hatteras to Venezuela, with winter concentrations off the east coast of Florida. This species is also found off England, France, Africa, and in the Mediterranean. HABITAT: Sailfish are most often seen—and are almost always caught—on or near the surface. However, studies of their preferred diet indicate that they do much of their feeding in middle depths, along reefs, and even on the bottom.
SIZE: Most Atlantic sailfish caught by sport fishermen
weigh 30 to 50 pounds, but the maximum size is probably a bit larger than the rod-and-reel record of 128 pounds, 1 ounce.
and in the Pacific from southern California to Chile.
HABITAT: Striped marlin are open-ocean fish. The fairly well-defined local populations seem to make short north-to-south migrations. Like all the other marlins, they are often seen feeding on the surface. SIZE: The average rod-caught striped marlin weighs about 200 to 250 pounds, but the species grows to more than 500 pounds.
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Atlantic Sailfish