Blue Marlin
The heavyweight of the offshore grounds and a bucket-list capture for any angler. Blue marlin roam the warm blue water wide of Sydney, and a hookup on one of these giants is the pinnacle of game fishing. We fish them tag and release.
About the blue marlin
The blue marlin is the true heavyweight of the billfish world, a deep cobalt-blue back fading to silver, a powerful bill and a high, pointed dorsal. They roam the open blue water far offshore, following the warm currents and the bait, and once hooked they combine raw power with blistering runs and towering jumps. This is a fish that tests angler, crew and tackle alike.
Blue marlin are found in NSW offshore waters and run best from November to March, when the warm currents are at their strongest. Like all our billfish, they are a tag and release target, released healthy to swim on after a fight you will be talking about for years.
Blue Marlin at a glance
| Name | Blue Marlin |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Makaira nigricans |
| Best season in NSW | Nov–Mar |
| Habitat | Offshore |
| Where found in NSW | NSW offshore waters |
| Size and bag limits | Catch & release |
| Average size | 150–300kg |
| Max size | 600kg+ |
| Fishing method | Game fishing, trolling |
| Best bait / lure | Lures, live bait |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Eating quality | Sport only |
| Taste | Not commonly eaten |
Trolling wide
Chasing blue marlin means running wide and putting a good spread over the right blue water.
The proven methods
Blue marlin are targeted by trolling a spread of large skirted lures and live baits out over the deep blue water, working the current lines, temperature breaks and bait concentrations. When a big blue engulfs a lure the whole boat comes alive. We run heavy game gear and outriggers, and the crew drives the hookup, the fight and a clean, healthy release.
How Wahoo puts you on them
Blues live wide, and finding them takes experience reading the ocean, the currents, the water colour and the signs of life. George Aslanian has decades chasing billfish off Sydney, including a 207.5kg blue marlin of his own, and he knows the runs and the timing. We put you in the zone, coach you through the toughest fight in fishing, and tag and release your fish. Ready to go? Book a Sydney game fishing charter.
Other Game & offshore fish
Black Marlin
Black marlin (Istiompax indica): Sydney's summer game-fishing prize, chased offshore on the troll and tagged and released. Season, size, methods, plus how to catch them.
Bluefin Tuna
Southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii): powerful cool-season tuna off the NSW coast, brutal fighters and top-shelf sashimi. Season, size, methods, plus how to catch them.
Mahi Mahi
Mahi mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), also called dolphinfish: dazzling, acrobatic and fast-growing, a summer favourite off Sydney. Season, size, methods and eating quality.
Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares): a blue-water bruiser off Sydney with rich, meaty flesh. Season, size, methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them.
Ready to chase a marlin?
Tell us your dates and crew and we will run you wide to chase Sydney's blue marlin, all gear supplied, tag and release. Browse the full species guide, or go offshore on our game and deep sea charters.