Black Marlin

Black marlin are identified by pectoral fins that cannot fold flat against the body, a shorter and lower dorsal fin than a blue marlin and a deep, heavy shoulder. The back is slate blue to black over a silver belly, and large fish often appear bronze or silver when lit up. They live in tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific waters from East Africa to Central America, with a few strays rounding the Cape into the Atlantic. Females dwarf males and account for every fish over about 300 lb; a 'grander' over 1,000 lb is the goal of every serious crew.

Unlike blues, black marlin spend much of their time close to reefs and continental shelf edges, where they ambush tuna, scad, mackerel and squid. The most famous fishery is the spring spawning aggregation off Cairns and Lizard Island on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, where heavy tackle and skip-baited scad have produced hundreds of granders. Cabo Blanco, Peru, set the all-tackle record in 1953 and Panama, Costa Rica, Mauritius and Kenya all offer serious shots. The fight is short-range, violent and often ends in a tail-walking display that no other fish matches.