Chances are if you have been to a sport fisherman’s home, or to a top seafood restaurant, you have certainly seen a Marlin trophy mounted on the wall. Known for the incredible fight they will put you through before you reel them in, Marlin are found around the world in the deepest of water. You will most likely want to hire an experienced captain and charter their boat instead of doing this on your own—besides the expensive equipment, these captains should know the best places to go in the waters surrounding their home ports! The “Holy Grail” of sportfishing, Marlins are an amazing example of strength and power that will leave your arms, core, back, everything sore but proud once you get your thousand pound fish on the deck.  

Where is the best place to go Marlin fishing? Why are Marlin even considered to be a prized trophy? And how much strength do you need in order to reel a big one in? Keep reading to find out!

What is Marlin 

Known around the world as a top billfish that has entranced anglers for centuries. This trophy fish has a sleek body shaped like a cylinder with a broad tail and a tall dorsal fin that flattens against its body as the Marlin torpedoes through the waters. Top off with a large, pointed nose, Marlin capture their prey by bludgeoning them, not to stab them.

Marlin are found throughout all of the oceans, except for the extreme cold waters in the north and south parts of the world. They are typically found in cold waters, but they can certainly be found in the warmer parts of the ocean, like the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea. They are found in the deep waters of the ocean, not in the shallow waters towards the beach. 

As a trophy fish, fishermen for centuries have battled with these giants aquatic creatures as they want to display the biggest example of Marlin on their walls. Ernest Hemingway even wrote about the battle between man and a blue Marlin in The Old Man and the Sea. And in the Bahamas, the country is so proud of their connection to this mighty fish that a blue Marlin is displayed proudly on their coat of arms. If you go fishing for a Marlin, you will have a great story to tell your friends and family for years to come!

How to Catch Marlin

It can take hours to find a Marlin, but when you do, it is game on! Once you are in the deep waters a couple of miles from the dock, you can put your line with live bait on the hook. You can use any small fish that is native to the waters you are in, since that is exactly what a Marlin wants to be eating. You can also use artificial, brightly colored lures that are trolled behind your boat to look like live bait. Their flashy colors will catch the eye of a trophy Marlin down below. You will be tested for your endurance and will power as they fight on your line and you fight right back. Make sure you use a strong rig, or else the line may snap easily! It can take up to three hours to reel in a Marlin, since this is really just a game of who gets more tired first—you or the Marlin!

Top Places to Catch Marlin 

Now that you know what Marlin is and why so many people want to catch them—and you know how to set up your rig like a pro—it is time to plan your Marlin fishing trip! Here are the top fishing ports around the world to catch all of the different types of Marlins and get your own trophy fish to hang in your home:

Cairns and Port Stephens, Australia

If you want a record breaking Marlin to take home, you should consider going to northwest Australia! Here 18 of the 25 junior or small fry world records for black Marlins were reeled in; nine of them weighed more than a thousand pounds! You will have plenty of options for skippers and charter boats to take you out for a day of good, fun fishing!

Bermuda

If you are looking to have a unique experience while you are visiting the island of Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean, hire a charter boat and go out for blue Marlins! Multiple Marlins have been caught that weighed in at more than 1,100 pounds. It may not be in your best interest to go during the late summer months as hurricanes and tropical storms roll in, but you can certainly find Marlin in these waters if you go looking for them. 

Cape Verde

Off the coast of Africa, Cape Verde is a great location to go leave from to get some massive Marlins. One of the top fishing destinations for Marlin, there have been more than 20 thousand pound weighed in onshore after long, successful days fishing. And two of the Blue Marlin World Cup winners caught their winning catches out of Cape Verde!

Hawaii

Blue Marlin are found in the Pacific waters surrounding the islands of Hawaii. You will have your best luck fishing from Kona, where eight world record holders come from. One of these records is for a 1,376 pound fish! The Marlin caught in these waters are active and there is no better view to look back on while you reel in your trophy fish. 

Ascension Island 

Right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is Ascension Island. There is no commercial fishing in these waters, which means all you have to do is get to this remote island and hop aboard the only game charter boat to have a successful day fishing. After a long afternoon fishing, walk around the island and learn all about the historical significance and cultural heritage of the island, which has been a military outpost for more than three centuries. 

The Azores, Portugal 

Another spot for blue Marlin, the Azores has plenty of thousand pound giants lurking in the deep waters, waiting to be reeled in. You can only go fishing for Marlin during the summer months, but the boats here make the most out of that season period—one boat in a summer caught 112 Marlin! And the average weight of the fish that come home has been around 500 pounds for the last 30 years. 

Canary Islands

Only about 300 miles off the coast of Africa, and owned by Spain, the Canary Islands are known for the seafood selection. Which should not be surprising considering the fact that you are in the Atlantic Ocean and more importantly, in paradise! Another spot for record break blue Marlin, there is no bad way to spend a day out in the water when you are coming back to the Canary Islands! 

Fiji 

If you want to mix a topical vacation with your fishing adventure, look no further than a trip to the island of Fiji! A new spot in the world to go sportfishing for Marlin, you will still be able to find and charter and experienced captain that is eager to help you reel in a thousand pound monster!

Pinas Bay, Panama 

If you’re looking for black Marlin and can’t get yourself over to Australia, fear not. Right in Panama is Pinas Bay, which is one of the best places for year round black Marlin fishing! The deep waters needed to catch a big trophy are only five miles from the shore. You will be casting your lines out over the Zane Grey Reef, which once gave fishermen a 1,300 pound black Marlin. And if you want to change it up and go for blue Marlin, the continental shelf that is eight miles from shore is where they can be found. 

Bahamas

Last, but certainly not least, is the Bahamas! This country is so proud of their connection and history fishing blue Marlin that they have one displayed on their coat of arms. You can fish for Marlin from about April through the summer in the many fishing grounds that are just a fun and exciting boat ride from where you are staying. 

Marlin fishing is all about the long game—can you wait until a monster gets hooked onto your line, and do you have the strength and power to reel them in? The best thing to do if you want to do this kind of sportfishing is drink a lot of water and pack a full meal, and find a very experienced captain who knows the waters well and can take you to all of the best spots.