The largest and most sought after game-fish. Those lucky enough to fight and land one of these monsters will have a fisherman’s tale worth listening too. Famous for its strength and acrobatic jumps, a marlin fight can last for hours. Blue marlin are the most common of all marlin found in Costa Rica’s waters, though black marlin and even the occasional striped marlin are hooked often enough. While normally in the 200-500 lb range, several have been lucky enough to fight marlin over 900 lbs.

DESCRIPTION: Blue Marlin are easily distinguishable by their bright royal or cobalt blue coloring on top with silver sides and a white underbelly. The most obvious feature of the blue marlin is their upper jaw, which is elongated into a spear shaped point. Their dorsal fin is pointed along with the pectoral and anal fins. They have no spots on their fins or backs.

FEEDING HABITS: Blue marlin typically feed on squid, small tuna, dorado and various other off-shore species. Marlin are famous for loving to feed on juvenile mahi-mahis that they find along garbage flows and currents. They use their elongated upper jaws to stun their prey, not spear it, by whipping their bodies with incredible speed and power. Once the fish is stunned or killed by the initial blow the marlin feed at their liesure

SIZE: The average size of blue marlin is 150-500 lbs. Females are almost always larger than males. Unlike black marlin who can cap out in the 1,500 lb range, blue marlin keep growing their entire lives. The IGFA record is 1,402 lbs, but blues have been caught to the tune of 1,649 lbs and 1,805 lbs (not IGFA records due to rule infractions).

WHERE FOUND IN COSTA RICA: Blue marlin are found all along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. They are a pelagic and migratory species which means they live near the surface in deep, off-shore waters. They typically are found in warmer tropical waters between 70-85 degrees, which Costa Rica has year round. To reach the marlin you typically will have to make a run out to the continental shelf, which can take 30 minutes to an hour depending on where you leave from.

BEST MONTHS: Blue marlin can and have been caught year round in Costa Rica. Typically the best months for blue marlin in the Southern and Central Pacific regions of Costa Rica (Jaco, Manuel Antonio, & Osa Peninsula) are late October through January. Most years there is usually a ’second run’ of marlin between May and early July. Blue marlin are found in the northwestern part of Costa Rica from May to September when the bite then moves back down south along the coast.