The Sailfish is a member of the Istiophoridae family of Billfish, and there are populations throughout the warm and temperate parts of the world’s oceans. Predominantly brilliant blues and greys in colour, they have a characteristic dorsal fin known as a sail, which often stretches the entire length of their back and gives them their name. Another notable characteristic is the elongated bill, resembling that of the Swordfish and other Marlins.
Sailfish start as tiny larvae, no more than a few millimetres in length, but grow rapidly during their first year. When they reach adulthood, they can weigh upwards of 200lb; in fact, the official IGFA record is a Pacific Ocean Sailfish of over 220lb; however, the average size is around 65lb. As adults, they feed on reasonably sizeable bony fish, crustaceans and squid. They’re unique hunters, feeding in groups and using their dorsal fins to create a barrier around their prey before using their bills to slash through the dense school of baitfish, stunning and injuring them before returning to eat their wounded victims.
Sailfish are the fastest fish in the ocean and marine environment; they have been clocked at more than sixty-eight miles per hour. Their tough bills can be frustratingly hard to hook; they’re super powerful and acrobatic and provide the angler with a real challenge. Big game trolling is the most popular method of catching them, but fly fishing for them is one of the most exciting forms of fishing you can ever experience.
Below are the top destinations in the world for Sailfish Fishing.
Bluewater Fishing Panama offers travelling anglers the chance to enjoy a fantastic week of mixed fishing for an array of hard-fighting species. Fishing the rich waters of the Gulf of Chiriquí, an area responsible for over 50 IGFA World Records, you'll wet a line in some of the most famous fishing marks on the planet.
The Maldives Liveaboard trip allows travelling rods to experience some of the most exciting and explosive bluewater fishing in the world, casting poppers and jigs to some of the most remote areas of the Laamu Atoll. Situated in the rich waters of the Indian Ocean, it's home to over 1,100 fish species, from small reef dwellers to giant pelagics.
The Maldives is one of the top five names that appear on anglers' bucket lists worldwide. Home to over 1,100 fish species, from small reef dwellers to giant pelagics, it offers travelling rods the opportunity to enjoy some of the finest bluewater popper and jig fishing found anywhere on the planet.
This exciting new hosted popper and jig fishing trip is hosted by our guide Ross Johnson and will give you the opportunity to fish the rich waters off the coastline of Madagascar and Nosy Be, for a vast array of blue water species including Giant Trevally, huge Dogtooth Tuna, Grouper, King Mackerel, Amberjack, Black Marlin, and Sailfish, to mention just a few.
The Zancudo Lodge, where over 70 IGFA records have been set, is world-renowned for its lure and fly fishing inshore and offshore and its finest service. You will receive access to all the required fishing tackle from ultra-light to heavy fly fishing tackle with all poppers, lures, jigs and small flies will also be included.
Due to the amazing fishing at Rodrigues Island, Sportquest Holidays decided to put on their very own hosted Jig fishing trip to the fish packed waters that surround Rodrigues Island in Mauritius. This trip is for the anglers out there who seek adventure and excitement with some pretty extreme fishing for fish that absolutely pull your arms off.
Often referred to as the Billfish capital of the world, Guatemala is famed for its insane averages and yearly release numbers of Sailfish and other hard fighting pelagics. Although many anglers travel to this beautiful region for big game fishing, it’s become increasingly popular amongst the saltwater fly fishing community.
El Bahia de Los Suenos, also commonly referred to as the ‘Bay of Dreams’, offers travelling rods mile upon mile of open and accessible coastline, as well as some of the richest offshore waters found anywhere in the world. Here, the Roosterfish is king, and the area is probably the number one destination for both numbers and the large average size of fish.
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
At Kwanza Lodge the fishing is varied with the opportunity to one day, fish the freshwaters of the river Cuanza for super huge Tarpon and then the next to be some nautical miles offshore fishing for huge Marlin. The guides will make sure that all your requirements are catered for, so if you wish to troll all day or even popper fish then this will be tailored into your itinerary.
Astove Atoll gives six lucky anglers each week the exclusivity of one of the wildest, most rugged atolls on the globe for a wide range of saltwater flats species. This is a wild, secluded and remarkably remote small-scale destination for anglers seeking adventure and a unique fishing experience not to be missed.
Alphonse Island needs to be experienced to be believed. It's famed for its world-class saltwater fly fishing for numerous flats species, quiet picnics on secluded beaches, sunset cruises with loved ones, mesmerising encounters with marine life and blissful pampering treatments all set within some of the most picture-perfect surroundings on earth.
Fly fishing Oman's vast coastline allows anglers to catch many different species that inhabit the Arabian sea and for many years it has been making fly anglers dreams come true. Our guides have a huge amount of knowledge regarding fly fishing for the different species and have played a huge part in pioneering some of these.
Over the last few years, Silver King Lodge in Costa Rica has built a reputation as one of the best Tarpon fishing destinations found anywhere in the world. Located in a lush tropical environment on the banks of the Rio Colorado on the northeast coast of Costa Rica, it's home to abundant numbers of big Tarpon.
Guatemala is the most prolific and talked about Sailfish destination in the world. Home to so many world records it really is classed as the number one place in the world. With regular 50 shot days in peak season and 15 – 25 shots on a regular day you will soon find your self realising that this part of the world is a must visit Sailfish destination.
The world-class resort in Costa Rica called Crocodile Bay has won so many awards on Trip Adviser that we class it as a must go for any big game angler. It is also the perfect destination to take your non-angling family, as the eco tours onsite are unbelievable and if you were to stay there for a whole month, you would never get through them.
This is a very exclusive trip based on only a few anglers plus a Sportquest Host. The holiday is ideal if you are looking at travelling on your own and would like to fish with like-minded anglers. If you have wanted to go big game fishing but struggled to find other friends to travel with then now is the perfect time to join us.
Palma de Cortez resort in Mexico is the ideal big game fishing destination. Not only is the resort located next to all the prime fishing grounds but all tackle is included too. On top of this, we now offer light tackle packages on all Panga boats for bait fishing which include all hooks, weights and leaders free for you to use.
Our fully hosted holidays to Mexico have been running for many years and this is due to how incredible both offshore and inshore fishing is, for a huge variety of different species. Each year we help many anglers catch their target species and 9 times out of 10 these anglers will book year after year. Fully packaged for your convenience.
Looking for your next extreme fishing adventure? Well, we are extremely pleased to be able to offer the very best popper and jig fishing Madagascar has to offer. Utilising our live aboard Catamaran and top of the range sport boats, you will be fishing a huge diverse range of unspoilt and un-fished areas.
Tropical Flats Fishing Lodge on Christmas Island is a unique and natural operation that magically combines all the elements critical to fly fishing success. Endless hard sand flats, remarkable numbers of cruising fish, the best guides on the island and consistent year-round weather is what awaits all who visit this unique atoll.
Our famous hosted trips to Christmas island have become legendary; they offer you the best saltwater fly fishing along with world-class popper jig fishing. Combine this with light offshore trolling provides one of the most diverse fisheries in the world. A fishing adventure that should not miss at any cost.
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