Striped Marlin

STRIPED MARLIN

Tetrapturus audax

RECORD:    156kg, D Mullins, Three Kings Islands, 2004

DESCRIPTION:

Like all marlin, stripeys can be easily recognized by their spiked horn and pointy fins.  Striped marlin are distinguished from the others by their blue to coppery flanks that are lit up with iridescent blue stripes.  While they are one of the the smaller marlin and usually seen around the 100-120kg mark they can grow up to 4m long and 400kg.

FEEDING HABITS AND HABITAT:

A true blue water pelagic, striped marlin are a solitary predator that roam the tropical-temperate waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans.  In New Zealand they may be found as far south as the Bay of Plenty and are only present when the water is at its warmest during summer. 

HUNTING TECHNIQUES:

Hunting marlin with spearguns is still a new sport with the first marlin only taken in 1997 by Chris Browne, a world record at the time, but it's popularity is growing fast.

Divers specifically targeting marlin usually troll with teasers, usual marlin lures with the hooks removed, to bring the marlin to them and only enter the water when a fish has been spotted.  This can be an extremely exciting way to fish and offers the surest results.  Fish taken by this method, however are inelidgible for world records (more information about claiming records).

Marlin can also be targeted the same as other gamefish by chasing bait balls or through the use of berley and flashers.  Both recent world records were taken by spearos not expecting to see marlin.

Marlin are another big, hard-fighting fish that require specialized equipment.  Gun-wise, large, modified euro-guns such as Picasso Pacific Blue Waters or Rob Allen Tunas or Saracens equipped with slip-tips and breakaways are ideal as they pack more than enough punch but are also much more streamlined than the big American style guns which is very important particuarly if you are jumping off the back of a moving boat.  The rigging used is also extremely important.  The ideal rig would be a 50 ft bungy attatched to a Rob Allen 11l then a 25ft bungy and a 35l Hippo float.  It is worth noting however that both world record marlin shot off New Zealand were shot by spearos out with normal euro-guns and hard lines with a single float.

World record marlin