Sunday, October 16, 2011

The Fun Of Blue Marlin Fishing

By Ben Pate


Did you know that blue marlin fishing is a fascinating and addictive pastime for the adventurous angler? Their sleek bodies reach up to twenty feet in length. This, together with their long, pointed bills, combine to make them particularly photogenic. Weighing nearly a ton, they put up a fierce struggle and serve as worthy opponents for those strong enough and crazy enough to take them on in hand to hand combat using a rod and reel.

Catch And Release

The daytime blue marlin fishing excursions to capture and photograph them may last only a few hours or up to a day but it takes weeks of fitness training to prepare for the encounter. The sport was popularized by Ernest Hemingway in his novel, 'The Old Man and the Sea', written in 1952 and telling the story of the relationship between an old Cuban fisherman and his sleek, blue quarry. The practice of 'capture and release' was adopted to protect dwindling populations.

Warm Waters

In common with their human sparring partners, these creatures crave warmth. They are found mainly in tropical seas, both Indo-Pacific and Atlantic. They take advantage of advantageous feeding conditions in the temperate zones of the north and south during the spring and summer months.

Two Species

Two genetically different species have been identified by marine biologists. These are the 'A-phenotype', which dwell in the Atlantic, and the 'P-phenotype', that cruises Pacific waters. While specimens of the 'P-phenotype' have been located in Atlantic waters, there have been no reports of reciprocal occupation.

Billfish

The general term 'billfish' describes a number of species of long, predatory fish characterized by long, sword-like bills. It includes sailfish and swordfish. They are generally exploited for both food and game. Swordfish, in particular, are prized for their firm, tasty flesh. While the long beaks have been observed in anger to spear objects such as small boats, their main function is to stun prey.

Different Lures For Blue Marlin

Blue marlin may be caught using artificial lures as well as natural and live bait. Artificial lure fishing, the most popular technique, originated in Hawaii. Some of the first artificial lures were fashioned from chrome bath towel pipes and strips of rubber from inner tubes. Four or more such lures are trolled behind boats travelling at speeds anywhere from 7.5 to as fast as 15 knots.

Best Live Bait For Blue Marlin

The preferred live bait is the skipjack tuna. This makes sense since tuna, mackerel and squid are among the game fish's favorite diet. Specimens as large as 100 pounds have been retrieved from the stomachs of these fish. Trolling live bait is limited by the degree to which the bait remains alive. One of the most popular spots for using this technique is in Kona, on the island of Hawaii. Natural baits may be either living or dead. Spanish mackerel and horse ballyhoo are popular amongst the Atlantic species. Ballyhoo is from the halfbeak family of fish.




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