Istiophorus platypterus · Istiophoridae · predator
Brazil's most accessible billfish. In summer it comes close to islands and reefs, jumps a lot, and is the gateway to offshore fishing.
Also called: agulhão-bandeira, vela, sailfish
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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.
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
The sailfish, or agulhão-bandeira, is the fastest and most coastal of the billfish. It uses its huge dorsal fin to corral schools of sardines and squid and its bill to stun prey. In the Atlantic it rarely exceeds 40 kg, but it fights with repeated jumps and long runs. In summer it approaches the islands and reefs off the São Paulo and Rio coasts, a few miles offshore, which makes it possible to fish it from medium boats with light tackle. Ilhabela is the national benchmark. Fishing is recreational and catch and release: the fish suffers greatly when handled, and the species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN.
Sail-shaped dorsal fin, blue with black spots, taller than the body and extended over almost the whole back. Very long, thin pelvic fins reaching close to the anus. Slender body with rows of pale blue dots. The white marlin has a rounded dorsal that drops off soon after and short pelvic fins. The blue marlin is much more robust, with a pointed, low dorsal.
From the Northeast to Santa Catarina, most sought after in the Southeast. Ilhabela-SP is the benchmark, with grounds around the Búzios and Vitória islands and the channel reefs. Also Santos/Guarujá and Ubatuba-SP, Cagarras Islands and Cabo Frio-RJ, Guarapari and Vitória-ES. In the Northeast it appears off Natal-RN, Recife-PE, and Salvador-BA.
Habitat: Warm, blue waters of the outer shelf and slope, but it comes in near islands and reefs when there are sardine schools. It stays in the 0 to 50 m layer.
coast
states
Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina
famous destinations
In the Southeast, December to March, peaking in January and February, when the water passes 24 °C near the islands. In the Northeast it is spread more evenly through the year.
Daytime. Diurnal. The best strikes usually come in the morning and return in mid-afternoon. With a sardine school at the surface, it strikes at any hour of the day.
Water below 22 °C pushes the sailfish away from shore. An incursion of cold water (upwelling) at Cabo Frio or on the north coast of SP shuts down fishing right away.
After a cold front the sea gets murky and cold; wait for it to settle and the blue water to return.
Small effect. What matters is the presence of sardines.
Light rain doesn't bother. Thunderstorm with lightning: head back.
Not applicable at sea. The equivalent is the color and clarity of the water: look for blue, clean water and current lines.
Near the islands, a loud motor and maneuvering over the school scare off bait and fish. Approach slowly.
Moderate wind helps hide the line. Strong southerly wind churns the sea and cools the water.
Near the islands, tidal current concentrating bait at the points and reefs helps.
Surface down to 50 m. Fish over 20 to 100 m of bottom, at island points, reefs, and the shelf edge.
lures
natural baits
accessories
Slow trolling with live bait at 2-4 knots near islands and sardine patches. When you see the bill strike, open the reel, count to five, and set the drag without a jerk: the circle hook sets in the corner of the mouth.
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: No national ban on localized catch. IN SEAP 12/2005 prohibits only the sale of blue and white marlins.
The first dorsal and first anal fins of billfish, including the sailfish, may not be cut aboard; cutting is only permitted after landing. Text confirmed in a legislation database; confirm it is in force with the MPA.
ICCAT requires countries to limit sailfish mortality through measures such as releasing live fish, using circle hooks, and minimum sizes. We have not found a federal rule requiring release in recreational fishing; confirm with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Don't take it out of the water. Hold it by the bill with a glove, keep the boat moving slowly, and revive it until it swims off on its own. The sail and pelvic fins are fragile: don't lift the fish by them. Release is the standard practice of operators and tournaments.
Reddish, firm flesh, good smoked. As the species is vulnerable and release is the rule in sport fishing, let it go.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.000915134, b = 3.14; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total); coeficiente a ajustado ao porte máximo registrado). 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.
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations:
Your location is saved only on this device and feeds the forecast, the map and the "today" on the home page.
