The prized game fish, Makaira Indica, more commonly known as Black Marlin, is one of the world’s fastest fish. It reaches speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. Generally weighing in at 1700 pounds, or 750 kilograms, larger beasts have been reportedly caught by Black Marlin charters. M. Indica is of the Perciformes order of fish and dwells in the coastal surface waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Greenpeace

Makaira and other genera are on Greenpeace’s seafood red list. What this means is that they are very likely to be drawn from unsustainable sources. This is why the modern sport fisherman will capture them humanely, photograph them for posterity and return them to the sea from whence they came. Genus Makaira is from the same family, Istiophoridae, as the Hawaiian Silver Marlin and the Japanese White.

Old Salt

Santiago, the fictional ageing fisherman from the Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) novel, ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, had finally broken an 84-day run of bad luck when he hooked a specimen of this order. The remainder of the novel chronicles the man’s struggle with nature.

Color

Strictly speaking, Makaira Indica is not black. It is dark blue and white. Only the rigid pectoral fins and the tail fins are black. It has a less rounded shape than its blue cousin and its ventral fins rarely exceed one foot long, regardless of how big the fish is. It prefers the warm, coastal waters of the tropics and the subtropics. Rarely, it has been seen to cross the Atlantic Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa as far southwest as Brazil and northwest to the Lesser Antilles.

Fishing Tours

Some of the best charter fishing tours for M. Indica originate off the eastern coast of Australia. Nearly three quarters of all marlin of more than one ton in weight are caught over a 150 mile-long stretch of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns. This is roughly twice the amount caught around Brazil, Portugal and Hawaii combined.

Deap Sea

The deep sea waters off of Brisbane’s Gold Coast is a much frequented haunt for light tackle sport fishermen looking for M. Indica and other game species. Hobbyists can trawl for Mia Mia, Spanish Mackerel and Wahoo, among others. Jiggers, or bottom fishers, also flock here to capture the likes of Cobia, Kingfish, Peal Perch and Snapper.

Port Stephens

Port Stephens is more than twice the size of Sydney Harbor. With its beautiful scenery, glassy clear waters and golden shoreline, it is a world-class focus for game fishing. Tours from this area depart during the month of January through April.

Black Marlin Charters also operate out of Central America’s Republic of Guatemala. Some of the most bountiful hauls of billfish have been reported to have come from here. On a good day, an angler can bag 20 or more fish in a single day. Because of its position tucked in between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the area is prone to hurricanes. This controls the months during which Black Marlin Fishing charters are able to operate.

The prized game fish, Makaira Indica, more commonly known as Black Marlin, is one of the world’s fastest fish. It reaches speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. Generally weighing in at 1700 pounds, or 750 kilograms, larger beasts have been reportedly caught by Black Marlin charters. M. Indica is of the Perciformes order of fish and dwells in the coastal surface waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Makaira

Makaira, along with other genera of the Perciformes order, is on the Greenpeace seafood red list. This is a list of commonly available fish that are highly likely to be sourced from unsustainable sources. For this reason, most modern sport fishermen will return them to the sea once they have caught and photographed them. It is in the same family, Istiophoridae, as the Japanese white and Hawaiian silver marlins.

Old Salt

Santiago, the fictional ageing fisherman from the Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) novel, ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, had finally broken an 84-day run of bad luck when he hooked a specimen of this order. The remainder of the novel chronicles the man’s struggle with nature.

Color

Contrary to its moniker, M. Indica is not black but rather deep blue and white with black tail and pectoral fins. The pectoral fins are unique in that they are rigid, rather than flexible. Another feature that sets it apart from other species is its abbreviated ventral fin, no more than 12 inches in length. Makaira likes the warm equatorial and subtropical waters that hug the coastline, although it is not completely absent from the open sea. It has been spotted as far north as the Lesser Antilles and as far south as Brazil.

Popular Tours

The eastern coast of Australia offers some of the best chartered fishing breaks on the planet. Approximately 75% of all marlin over the weight of one ton are caught along a 150-mile section of the Great Barrier Reef off the Cairns coast. Altogether, game fishermen off the coasts of Brazil, Hawaii and Portugal catch in the region of half this amount.

Brisbane’s Gold Coast

Brisbane’s Gold Coast is a favorite spot for light tackle enthusiasts seeking M. Indica as well as other game fish. Here fishermen can trawl for Wahoo, Spanish Mackerel and Mia Mia and others. Bottom fishers (’jiggers’) gather to haul in Snapper, Peal Perch, Kingfish and Cobia.

Port Stephens

Port Stephens is more than twice the size of Sydney Harbor. With its beautiful scenery, glassy clear waters and golden shoreline, it is a world-class focus for game fishing. Tours from this area depart during the month of January through April.

In Central America, the Guatemalan Republic is evolving as a favorite location to seek Black Marlin Fishing. Some of the biggest hauls of billfish have been reported as coming from here, with anglers boasting catches of more than 20 fish in one day. Because of its location between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the season for Black Marlin Charters depends largely on the weather. Some of its biggest storms in living memory have been Hurricanes Stan (2005) and Mitch (1998).