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Blue Marlin

Blue Marlin

Blue Marlin

This Blue Marlin weighed 660 pounds. Such an incredible trophy a Blue Marlin is. A fish of a lifetime.

Sometimes you may hook a Blue Marlin while fishing for Black Marlin in 300 feet of water, but it’s unusual. Blue Marlin are normally, found far out in the deep. You’ll fish live bait for Black Marlin but use lures to find Blue Marlin.

Blue Marlin fishing here remains a big question mark. With Black Marlin fishing as probable as it is here, it’s hard to spend precious fishing time away from pursuing Black Marlin when success is proven over and over any time of year. 

When Blue Marlin fishing is the order of the day you will travel over three hours to start south of Isla Jicarita to begin trolling toward the “Coiba Corridor” deep water undersea mountain ridge extending far out to Mal Pelo a Colombian Island closer to Panama. Mal Pelo rises like a bad hair out of the deep Pacific Ocean.  We have had success raising, hooking and fighting Blue Marlin trolling that direction more times than not, and that is great odds and worthy of the effort to fish out there.

When fishing live bait on circle hook as you will do with Black Marlin the hook more times than not, will not pull out. When trolling lures with J hooks, you must be really good or lucky to get a big Blue Marlin to the boat. There must be a hundred ways a big Blue Marlin gets free.  

Number one, Blue Marlin are magically fast, often creating chaos in the spread and on the deck. Blue Marlin scream line off the reel, to where you must back off the drag as the line disappears or it may break.  Blue Marlin shake their heads violently throwing the J hook if there is any slack to allow it.  Blue Marlin destroy tackle, if there is a flaw in the connections….a Blue Marlin will find it. A Blue Marlin can be jumping 100 yards behind the boat and in what seems like an instant shows up jumping out off the side or in front of the boat. 

You may have fairly good success  fishing Blue Marlin near Isla Montousa. Isla Montousa is a distant island, 14 miles west of Hannibal Bank,  also set at the edge, of the drop off the Continental Shelf. 

Blue Marlin seem to show up best during morning hours, while more black marlin bite around mid-day 

We  are fully equipped and well seasoned to maximize your chance at Blue Marlin success

Blue Marlin are pelagic, roaming the upper 50 meters (164 feet), often near the surface (0–16 feet), but can dive to 330 meters (1,083 feet). Near Isla Coiba, they’re targeted in 600–3,000 feet over seamounts or drop-offs, staying shallow during dawn/dusk feeding and diving deeper 600 feet midday. Trolling in the upper water column is effective during the wet season’s coastal aggregations.
 
Blue Marlin are highly migratory, ranging from 48°N to 48°S in the Pacific. In the eastern Pacific, they follow warm currents, influenced by La Niña and El Niño.
During La Niña, cold equatorial waters limit trans-equatorial migration, concentrating marlin near Central America, including offshore from Isla Coiba and Isla Jicaron, from November–January. El Niño allows broader dispersal. They migrate toward Panama during the wet season, following dorado and tuna, with a secondary peak in April–July.
Tagging studies show movements up to 2,000 miles, with Bahia Honda’s proximity to offshore banks like Hannibal Bank making it a prime staging area.

Blue Marlin grow rapidly, with males living up to 18 years and females up to 26–30 years. Females grow larger due to sexual dimorphism:

  • Year 1: 4.6–5.5 feet (1.4–1.7 meters), 20–50 pounds.
  • Year 2–3 (maturity): Males: 6–8 feet, 77–97 pounds; Females: 7–9 feet, 104–134 pounds.
  • Year 5–7: Males: 8–10 feet, 150–350 pounds; Females: 10–12 feet, 300–600 pounds.
  • Maximum: Females reach 14 feet, 1,800 pounds; males rarely exceed 350 pounds.

Catches near Hannibal Bank often range from 200–600 pounds, with larger females common during wet season peaks.

Blue Marlin do not transition from male to female. They exhibit sexual dimorphism, with females growing up to four times larger due to lower reproductive energy costs. Misconceptions about sex change stem from this size disparity, but studies confirm they remain their birth sex. Females dominate catches over 150 cm, especially during northern migrations from Panama.
Population StatusThe 2021 NOAA and ISC stock assessment classifies Pacific Blue Marlin as not overfished and not subject to overfishing, with an IUCN status of Least Concern. Pacific landings dropped from 39,684 metric tons (1963) to 27,599 metric tons (2013). Protected areas like Coiba National Park support healthy local stocks. Catch-and-release mitigates bycatch impacts from tuna fisheries.

 Blue Marlin feed on:

  • Fish (70–80%): Dorado, tuna, mackerel, and flying fish, abundant in wet season waters.
  • Cephalopods (15–25%): Squid, targeted during deep dives.
  • Crustaceans (<5%): Large shrimp, eaten opportunistically.

They slash baitfish schools with their bill, feeding actively at dawn/dusk near the surface.Central American Commercial CatchBlue Marlin are caught as bycatch in Central American longline and purse seine fisheries targeting tuna. In 2000, Pacific landings were 25,717 metric tons, with Costa Rica and Panama contributing minimally due to sportfishing focus. Costa Rica bans commercial billfish retention, enforcing catch-and-release. In Panama, artisanal fisheries may retain small amounts, but data is scarce. The IATTC recommends 50% bycatch reduction, with circle hooks improving survival.Panama-Specific Facts

  1. Trophy Hotspot: Bahia Honda’s access to Hannibal Bank yields 200–600 pound Blue Marlin, especially in November–January.
  2. Wet Season Surge: Cooler 77–82°F waters draw marlin closer to Isla Coiba, boosting catches.
  3. Coiba Sanctuary: Coiba National Park protects blue marlin habitats with the “ Coiba Corridor” a vast deep water no fishing zone above a deep sea mountain ridge extending to  Isla Mal Pelo, Colombia.
  4. Culinary Appeal: Blue Marlin’s firm, high-fat flesh is prized for ceviche, though catch-and-release is prioritized.
  5. Tourism Boost: Sportfishing from Bahia Honda supports local economies, with Blue Marlin as a flagship species.

Remarkable Facts

  1. Speed Kings: Reach 60 mph, delivering epic runs and leaps.
  2. Color Shifts: Iridophores create blue-to-silver flashes during fights.
  3. World Record: 1,376 pounds, Kona, Hawaii (1982); Panama offers similar potential.
  4. Cultural Icon: Featured in The Old Man and the Sea.
  5. Deep Divers: Reach 1,000+ feet, thriving in low-oxygen zones.

Why Fish from Bahia Honda? Coiba Adventures  proximity to deep waters and wet season marlin runs offers thrilling trolling or live bait fishing. Trophy catches and fresh ceviche create unforgettable experiences.Conservation NoteEncourage catch-and-release, especially for females, to sustain populations. Bahia Honda’s access to protected areas supports conservation.