How To Catch Marlin

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Would you like to go marlin fishing? Do you want to learn how to catch marlin? Marlin can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. There are four species of marlin namely, black, white, blue, and striped marlin. Marlin is a fast, large, and athletic fish. It is a hard fighter and will jump, twist, and shake when hooked. In this article, we will discuss how to catch marlin, fishing techniques, tips, and equipment to improve your chances of catching marlin.

Table of Contents

1 How To Catch Marlin
- 1.1 1. Trolling
2 Marlin Tackle
3 Best Bait For Marlin
4 Marlin Fishing For Beginners
5 Best Lures For Marlin
6 Marlin Fishing Tips
7 The Bottom Line

How To Catch Marlin

1. Trolling

Trolling is the way to fish for marlin. Look for buoys and steep underwater ledges where fish like to gather. Move the boat slowly over areas you suspect has marlin. By moving the boat slowly, you keep the live bait alive for a longer period of time. Often, anglers will cast multiple lines with live bait to attract more marlin.

Marlin Tackle

Marlin can be caught with almost all tackles. However, with its size, strength, and spirited fight when hooked, you have to invest in a high-quality tackle. it has to be heavy enough for the beating it will endure when a marlin gets hooked. A trolling reel and a custom roller rod with at least 130lb braid and a 300lb mono leader will work.

Best Bait For Marlin

1. Mullet

Mullet works well to entice marlin.

2. Mackerel

Mackerel is very effective when used as bait for marlin.

3. Bonito

Marlin likes bonito and that makes it a good bait for catching marlin.

4. Ballyhoo

Ballyhoo is one of the best baits for marlin as it is a favorite of marlin, tuna, wahoo, and mahi-mahi. When learning how to catch marlin, remember this as you collect baits and lures for marlin fishing.

5. Flying fish

Flying fish works well for marlin, billfish, and wahoo.

6. Squid

Squid works well when fishing for marlin.

7. Tuna

Tuna is a favorite bait for marlin fishing.

Marlin Fishing For Beginners

A beginner should go fishing with others who have experience catching marlin. Marlin is not a regular fish like bass or trout. You will need guidance with your fishing career. Moreover, it can be dangerous to fish and handle marlin.

There are chartered boat services for marlin fishing that may be the right setup for a beginner marlin angler. The charter services come with the right equipment and an experienced crew that will guide you on your fishing trips.

Best Lures For Marlin

1. Rubber Lures

Rubber lures work well when targeting marlin.

Marlin Fishing Tips

1. Live baits are a better choice when fishing for marlin than plastic or wooden baits.

2. When the fishing area is small, use live bait.

3. Trolling can be used to catch marlin.

4. When fishing for marlin, use live baits in areas near buoys and steep underwater ledges.

5. When marlin takes the bait, let the fish go with the hook for a short time before setting it. Then give the line a few tugs.

6. Marlin is often caught in the deep sea.

7. You can also use lures trolled behind a boat to catch marlin.

8. Marlin is a migratory fish and will migrate to spawn, eat, and find warm waters.

9. Troll slowly when using live bait because if you troll too fast, the bait will not survive.

10. Marlin will bite live bait, rigged natural bait, and artificial lures.

11. Ballyhoo is a popular choice for anglers when using rigged natural bait.

12. Circle hooks are a good choice for hooks if you will release the marlin back into the water.

13. One technique anglers implement is to troll one bait on each side of the boat and then have another one down deep on a downrigger if you have one.

14. When a marlin takes the bait, ease the tension on the reel until the line starts going out such that you can’t stop it. This usually implies that the fish has taken the bait.

15. One of the keys to successfully fishing marlin is to find the areas where they are located.

What is the best bait for marlin?

Mullet, squid, tuna, mackerel ballyhoo, and bonito are some of the best baits for marlin.

Is it hard to catch marlin?

Marlin is difficult to catch as it is large, fast, elusive, puts up a spirited fight when hooked, and is a master of escape.

How are marlins caught?

Trolling with live or dead bait, artificial lures, or rigged natural bait is the widely used method of fishing for marlin.

What depth do you catch marlin?

Marlin can be found at depth of about 150 feet, although you can also find Atlantic blue marlin and white marlin at depth of about 400 feet.

Is marlin meat good to eat?

Marlin is good to eat and is low in saturated fat and rich in vitamin B6, vitamin B12, calcium, protein, selenium, and other vital nutrients.

What time of year is best for marlin fishing?

The best time of the year for marlin fishing is from January to March.

How fast do you troll for marlins?

When trolling for marlin, moving in the range of 3 to 8 knots will work.

The Bottom Line

Marlin is one of the largest game fish in the world. It is one of the goals of anglers to catch a marlin. It is large, elusive, powerful, and a hard fighter when it is hooked. The angler’s skills are truly put to the test when they fish for marlin. The key to being successful fishing marlin is knowing where to look, using the right bait, and using the right equipment.

If you are also interested in largemouth bass, haddock, and lingcod, then read how to catch largemouth bass, how to catch haddock, how to catch sailfish, how to catch swordfish, and how to catch lingcod.