Sailfish
An acrobat with a sail. Spends half the fight in the air.
How it fights
The sailfish jumps often and high, makes blistering runs. Heavier line lands it more often, but fish see thick line and bite less.
Best lures
Small Live Bait, Fluorescent Head, Small Skirt.
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: 50 lb test handles a top-end sailfish of 180 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 160 lb are rare. They turn up more for anglers with stronger stats and on the bigger lures.
Every lure, ranked
- Small Live Bait — loves it
- Fluorescent Head — loves it
- Small Skirt — loves it
- Plug Head — will take it
- Eyeball Head — will take it
- Feather Jig — rarely bothers
- Large Skirt — rarely bothers
- Large Live Bait — rarely bothers
Fight tips
- Jumps: the moment it clears the water, drop the rod tip. Keep it tight and it throws the hook.
- Runs: let the early runs go on a light drag; pumping against a fresh, running fish snaps line.
- Face it: keep the fighting chair pointed at the fish. Its stamina is solid.
