Florida Saltwater Fish Blue Marlin

*Appearance:

• Upper cobalt blue on top shading to a silvery white below
• Upper jaw elongated in form of a spear
• The dorsal, pectoral and anal fins are all pointed
• No dark spots on the dorsal fin

Habitat:

A deep-sea fish that makes major trans-Atlantic migrations.

Behavior:

Unlike swordfish, blue marlin feed mostly during the day. They hunt alone and have been reported to use their long, sharp bill to slice or stun prey.

State Record:

1046 lbs, caught near Panama City

Fishing Tips and Facts:

This may be the ultimate of the big game fish – the one Hemingway so often wrote about. Serious anglers rig heavy and expect to fight a marlin for 4-6 hours. * Information taken from (www.myfwc.com) Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission