Best Blue Marlin Fishing Destinations

The team at Sportquest Holidays all specialise in their own area of fishing techniques. The team that look after all our big game destinations and search the world high and low to be able to bring you the very best in their field have sat down and given you some of their recommendations on where is hot for the chance to tick off your Blue Marlin target.

Blue Marlin are found across the globe with them often coming in on large charter boats but there are better places for either numbers of Marlin or the chance of a specimen sized Atlantic Blue Marlin. However, what we try and do is to set peoples expectations at the correct level, as it is pointless travelling to places like Madeira or Cape Verde if you are looking for numbers of Marlin as both these places are home to some of the worlds biggest Blue Marlin but with any specimen fishing these true giants do not give themselves up easily.

Fishing for Blue Marlin anywhere in the world is a waiting game, yes there are certain things you can do to increase your chances but at the end of the day it’s all down to being in the right place at the right time and whether that Marlin feels like playing ball. But when this does happen make sure you are ready for possibly one of the longest and hardest fights you and your fighting chairs will ever likely encounter, it really is some of the most intense fishing in the world.

Best Blue Marlin fishing

Below are some of our best Blue Marlin Fishing locations where the chance of catching a giant Blue Marlin is far greater than other places. These are just a few locations around the world where big Blue Marlin can be caught

Rodrigues Island

This small volcanic island of Rodrigues is located in the Indian Ocean east of Mauritius, laying claim to the world-renowned Grand Banks located offshore. This amazing fishing area holds some truly monster fish and when fishing there you will really have a great chance of catching a big Blue Marlin. Due to the amount of small Tuna that hang around the Banks the Marlin tend to turn up in great numbers to take advantage of this.

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Madeira

This archipelago is situated off the southwest coast of Portugal, this stunning destination is on top of a long-dormant volcano and surrounded by deep water that attracts many pelagic species to feed. One such species is the majestic Blue Marlin which is drawn here to feast on the many baitfish that can be found in these nutrient-rich waters. Madeira is widely regarded by some to be one of the top Blue Marlin destinations on the planet with some amazing fish being caught here year after year.

Madeira has always been known as one of the best Blue Marlin fishing destinations for its superb fishing but you must go out there with the knowledge that not much else swim these waters. Unlike other destinations where there are many other species to keep you busy while trolling, Madeira really only offers the Marlin with species like White Marlin and Sailfish. Madeira enters the Marlin World cup each year and many times have come first so this helps cement its place in the world for one of the best places for the chance of a grander.

When the Sportquest team are speaking to their customers about Madeira, they are always honest with them regarding how many fish get caught and it really is a place to visit if you have done big game fishing elsewhere and have caught your fair share of 200-300lb Marlin and want something a little bigger. Of course, you can visit this destination if you are new to the sport but be prepared as the time between fish can be sometimes fairly lengthy but well worth it when that rod screams and all hell breaks loose.

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La Gomera

La Gomera is one of the smaller of the Canary Islands, situated 20 miles south-west of Tenerife. The island has no international airport so has been relatively untouched by tourism thus keeping its local charm and beauty. The island is easily accessible via various ferry services throughout the day from Los Cristianos on the south coast of Tenerife

The Blue Marlin grow to a huge size in these waters with Blue Marlin caught each year exceeding 1000lb but an average Marlin in La Gomera will be around 600lb. Other species you may catch are Tuna, Spearfish, White Marlin, Makos and Wahoo.

Jason Pipe and his crew have been Marlin fishing these waters for some time now and know a fair amount about the Marlins habits. They are in touch with commercial anglers who spend their whole lives on the water so he is in touch with the right people to give him the best advice. La Gomera is very much like Madeira with regards to the amount of fish you are likely to catch. It’s not a place where you go for numbers of Marlin but is a location you should choose if you wish to target that really special Marlin.

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a land of rainforests and is bordered on one side by the Pacific Ocean and the other side is the Caribbean. This magnificent country boasts some of the world’s most prolific game fishing with many different species being a viable target for the travelling angler. Of course one of the most sought-after fish found here are the mammoth-sized Blue Marlin and year after year anglers head to Costa Rica to see if they can duel with these impressive fish and catch that fish of a lifetime.

The two most well heard of destinations that have direct access to these waters are Crocodile Bay and Zancudo Lodge both offering superb accommodation and an amazing fleet of boats all located a short drive to some of the most prolific Marlin grounds in and around Costa Rica.

A real big positive that attracts many different skilled anglers to this location is the numbers of fish you could encounter. You are not out there in search of that one off huge grander Marlin. The average sized Marlin for this area will be around 350lb and you could get several shots a day at fish of this seize and bigger, making this location a good introduction to your big game fishing.

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Panama

Every sport fisherman has heard of stories of how world-class the fishery is in Panama and it’s no wondering when Panama is the home to so many IGFA records of all manner of species and our lodge is right in the thick of it. The Gulf of Chiriquí is a real treasure of Panama and with the likes of world-renowned areas such as Hannibal Bank and Isla Montuosa being the fishing grounds, it is no wonder why so many Sport fishermen travel to this magical area to target the many different inshore and offshore species.

Hannibal Bank – one of the most well recognised and heard of areas off Panama is located 48 nautical miles from the lodge and is one of the most unique fishing grounds in the world. The bank runs for five miles long and is a staggering three miles wide. The banks are characterised by deep water and benefit from the Humboldt Current that brings along an abundance of plankton to the surface, in turn, provides a prolific food chain for trophy-sized Yellowfin Tuna. Its not just the Tuna that use this bank as their food larder, many Black and Blue Marlin are caught in this area and with it being a 70-minute boat ride from the marina, it certainly has to be an area you must visit at least once.

A little bit like Costa Rica, the numbers of Marlin at this location are great and you should expect to get on a good day several hits from the Marlin making it a great place to start your big fishing adventure.

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Contact us

We hope that our best Blue Marlin fishing locations blog has given you some inspiration or ideas on where you would like to travel next. If you are still undecided or need some more advice then feel free to call the team on 01603 407596 as we are always happy to give unbiased advice on any destination we offer. Alternatively, you can fill out a contact form here and we will call you back. For those of you who would like to see some Blue Marlin action, check out this video of the release of a stunning specimen in Maderia.

Tight lines,

Sportquest Holidays