Blue Marlin
Makaira nigricans
Unverified
Handling & regulations: Federally confirmed as of 2026-08-08: minimum retention size is 99" lower-jaw fork length, and blue marlin, white marlin, and roundscale spearfish together are capped at a combined 250 fish landed nationwide per year — in practice, the overwhelming majority of blue marlin caught recreationally are released, which is why this entry defaults to catch-and-release rather than 'commonly eaten.' Retaining one legally requires a federal HMS Angling or Charterboat/Headboat permit, and billfish cannot be retained if a hammerhead or oceanic whitetip shark is already aboard.
Where this fish fits
These are discovery categories describing where anglers realistically fish for this species, not a guarantee this project has confirmed regional access at every listed setting — see the linked locations below for this project's own actually-sourced spots.
- Typical season
- Summer, in the offshore canyons — the marquee Mid-Atlantic billfish season.
- Habitats
- Deep blue water canyons and current edges offshore
- Food use
- Catch-and-release recommended
Data not yet verified.
This site hasn't checked for a fish-consumption advisory covering this species yet. That is not the same as confirmed safe — check current official guidance before eating your catch.
Seasons, size limits, and possession limits change and vary by water body. Always check the current regulations at the current regulations page before you fish.
- Bait & lures
- Trolled large skirted lures and rigged ballyhoo
- Beginner difficulty
- Challenging
Drawn from a named source but not independently confirmed. Double-check before relying on it.
Season, habitat, and bait notes reflect general regional angling knowledge and have not been individually checked against official data. The regulation link was confirmed live as of 2026-08-08 — always check it before you fish, since seasons and limits change. Unlike the general habitat/bait notes, the minimum size, national landings cap, and permit requirement above were directly confirmed live against the official NOAA HMS billfish page as of 2026-08-08.