Billfish
Black Marlin
Rare, shy and stupid strong. Spooks if you troll too fast.
300–450 lbweight in the game
420+ lbtrophy size
4/10jumps
8/10speed
How it fights
The black marlin jumps now and then, runs hard. Heavier line lands it more often, but fish see thick line and bite less.
Best lures
Large Skirt, Small Skirt, Large Live Bait.
Counts at the weigh-in
Coral Key Classic, Kalea Invitational, Bimini Bluewater Open, Marlin Alley Shootout, The Gulf Five-State Shootout, Big Ledge Blue Marlin Classic, North Drop Moonlight Classic, Mano Channel Open, Big Blue Championship.
Tackle
Line: 80 lb test handles a top-end black marlin of 450 lb. Go lighter for more bites when the fish run small.
Depth: match your depth to the light: shallow when it’s dim, deep at bright midday.
Trophies: fish over 420 lb are rare. They turn up more for anglers with stronger stats and on the bigger lures.
Every lure, ranked
- Large Skirt — loves it
- Small Skirt — likes it
- Large Live Bait — likes it
- Small Live Bait — will take it
- Eyeball Head — will take it
- Fluorescent Head — will take it
- Plug Head — will take it
- Feather Jig — ignores it
Fight tips
- Runs: let the early runs go on a light drag; pumping against a fresh, running fish snaps line.
- Sounding: when it dives, lean back and pump steadily. It comes up when it tires.
- Holding: when it sulks, that’s your chance: pump and reel to gain line.
- Face it: keep the fighting chair pointed at the fish. Its stamina is solid.
