Black marlin have a place in Black Marlin fishing folklore all of their own, as do blue marlin, and they have both been immortalized by writers like Ernest Hemmingway and Zane Grey. Almost exclusively existing in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of both the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the black marlin is a highly migratory, pelagic species of fish that are most commonly found in deep waters, though they rarely swim deeper than a hundred feet, near bottom structures such as continental shelves and reefs. The black marlin’s immense size and strength make it a favored target among many big-game fishermen.

In Comparison with Blue Marlins

Black and blue marlins are commonly mistaken for one another. Usually this happens when a fish is caught weighing less than 100 pounds. There are a few noticeable differences between blue and black marlins, however, that can be easily detected. One of the main differing characteristics of black and blue marlins is that a black marlin has a pectoral fin that, when pressed on, will not fold over. Another character trait difference is that the bill of a black marlin tends to be much shorter and heavier than a blue marlin. The black marlin is also the only marlin that has non-retractable fins on its body.

Appearance

In terms of color, the black marlin possesses a slate hue that turns into a silver belly. When excited, the black marlin has been known to show off light blue stripes as well. Some researchers have noted that a few black marlins obtain a silvery haze over their bodies. This caused some in the pacific to mistakenly label them “silver marlins”. An enormous fish when mature, black marlins can reach lengths of up to 15 feet and weigh in at well over 1000 pounds. Most prize-winning black marlin that are caught a female, however, as it is extremely rare for a male black marlin to weigh more than 300 pounds. A black marlin’s diet consists of dolphin, squid, octopuses, swordfish, and tuna. It has been proven through stomach analysis that these fish use their long, sharp bills to conquer and eat their prey.

Trolling for Black Marlin

As anyone who has ever caught a black marlin will attest, once you have hooked a black marlin on your line, you are in for a serious battle. Once on the line, black marlins have been known to picturesquely jump from the ocean before diving deep back down. They will fight even an experienced angler for hours on end. In order to get a black marlin on your hook, however, you must employ one of the tried and true methods fishermen have carefully mastered. A very common way to get a black marlin is to troll boldly colored lures as well as rigged baitfish behind boats. As with many big-game fish, live bait has also been proven to produce good results. It’s fun to go Black Marlin fishing.

Black Marlin in the Marketplace

Commercial fishing of the black marlin and Blue Marlin fishing has put an enormous strain on numerous fisheries worldwide. Black Marlin fishing have not yet been evaluated as to whether they are a threatened or endangered species.