Blue Marlin, Pacific Blue Marlin, Indo-Pacific Blue Marlin, Marlin Azul, Makaira mazara.

The Blue Marlin is a highly prized game fish and a great deal is known about it. The Blue Marlin is characterized by a long robust body that is cobalt blue above and silver-white below, and a series of cobalt blue stripes on its sides.

The Blue Marlin's upper jaw forms a long slender spear and it has small teeth. The first dorsal fin is dark blue, forming a triangular peak greater in height than the body depth that ends near the origin of the second dorsal fin. The fins of the Blue Marlin are blue and its anal and pectoral fins are pointed. The pectoral fins fold flat against the body, a key identification characteristic as compared to the Black Marlin, Makaira indica, which has rigid pectoral fins. The Blue Marlin has long pectoral fins and a net-like lateral line. The Blue Marlin is found in the first 300 feet of the water column, and feeds on dorado, mackerel, mullet, and small tuna.

The Blue Marlin is one of the largest members of the Billfish Istiopherinae Sub-family of the Xiphiidae Family which are large oceanic pelagic billfish fish found in all tropic and semi-tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There is controversy in the literature in that the Indo-Pacific Blue Marlin and the Atlantic Marlin, Makaira nigricans, may be one and the same species.

In Mexico, the Blue Marlin is found in waters from 21 to 31 degrees Centigrade all along the Pacific side of the Baja California peninsula, on the eastern side of Baja as far north as about Santa Rosalia, along the coast of the mainland south of Guaymas through to Guatemala, and around all of the oceanic islands. The Blue Marlin is the second largest of the Istiopherinae family, reaching a maximum length of over 15 feet, and more than 1,000 pounds in weight. The world sportfishing record is 1,402 pounds, with all trophy catches being females, since the males do not exceed 300 pounds. However, the Blue Marlin's average size range is between 125 and 300 pounds. Caution: these are monster animals and should be handled with extreme caution; the spear is very dangerous!