Kajikia audax
The most common marlin in the Pacific and the most acrobatic. In Baja California it chases sardine schools near the surface and can even be caught on fly.
Also called: marlim-listrado, striped marlin
Indo-Pacific marlin, the most abundant of the billfish. In the Pacific it forms a horseshoe-shaped distribution, from the northwest Pacific to the eastern and southwest Pacific, and in the Americas it ranges from California to Chile. It prefers slightly cooler water than the blue and black marlin, generally 20 to 25 °C, and stays farther from shore, coming close only where the shelf drops off quickly. It eats sardines, mackerel, squid and crustaceans, and in some areas herds bait schools at the surface. In Baja California (Cabo San Lucas and Magdalena Bay) it is caught trolling, with live bait cast to fish seen, and also on fly. It is a jumper and fast, and sport fishing is nearly all catch and release.
Long, compressed body, medium sturdy bill. The first dorsal fin is tall and pointed, taller than the body depth. Flanks with about 15 to 20 vertical cobalt-blue bars, clearly visible. Flexible pectoral fins that fold against the body. The black marlin has rigid pectoral fins and a low dorsal fin; the blue marlin has a lower dorsal fin and faint stripes.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Does not occur in Brazil. Indo-Pacific; in the Americas, the Pacific from California to Chile. Classic destinations: Cabo San Lucas and Magdalena Bay (Baja California Sur, Mexico), the Pacific coast of Central America, Ecuador and Peru.
Habitat: Open sea over the shelf and slope, above the thermocline; near shore where the bottom drops quickly, at thermal fronts and banks with bait schools.
At Cabo San Lucas it appears all year. In Magdalena Bay the peak usually runs October to December, when marlins chase sardine schools near the surface.
Daytime. Strikes all day, often at the surface, with the dorsal fin and tail out of the water when herding schools.
Likes water between 20 and 25 °C; water that is too warm or too cold scatters the fish.
Little direct effect.
Small effect; bait and temperature matter more.
Little effect.
Does not apply at sea. The equivalent is the presence of bait schools and birds working.
The engine and teasers attract; near a school, approach slowly so as not to sink the bait.
Light swell helps you see fish at the surface; strong wind hampers casting.
Little effect in open sea; currents and thermal fronts matter more.
Surface down to about 100 m; many strikes happen in sight.
lures
natural baits
accessories
When the marlin rises to the teaser, pull the teaser and put the live bait in front of it. With a circle hook, count to three and only then let the line tighten.
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Highly migratory; Pacific stocks are assessed by regional tuna commissions.
Within the 50 nautical mile strip off the Mexican coast, marlins, sailfish and swordfish (the billfish) are reserved for recreational sport fishing. The limit is 1 billfish per angler per day, which counts as 5 toward the total limit of 10 marine fish. Filleting billfish on board is prohibited, fish above the quota must be released alive, and fish caught in sport fishing may not be sold.
Release with the fish in the water; don't haul it aboard. Revive it with the boat moving slowly forward, and cut the leader near the hook if needed.
Considered the best meat among billfish for sashimi in Japan, but in sport fishing in the Americas the practice is release.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0055, b = 3.15; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
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