How to Spear a Marlin

Spearing a large snapper or kingfish is one thing but putting a spear into a billfish is a whole different story. Darren Shields shares his advice for any spearos looking to target marlin over the coming summer.

I know there will be some that won’t agree with killing a marlin, but for many, it’s the pinnacle of their spearfishing career. In New Zealand, it might only happen once or twice a year for competent spearfishers who decide to make a proper effort to target a billfish.

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For any spearos looking to take on this challenge over the coming summer, know that it’s not one to take lightly. Here are my thoughts and tips for those who want to give it a shot.

The writer took this marlin by using a livebait off the Bay of Islands. He was towed 1.8 nautical miles before landing it.

The writer took this marlin by using a livebait off the Bay of Islands. He was towed 1.8 nautical miles before landing it.

The challenge

The marlin season generally starts late December and runs through to late May. The best time to target them on spear is late January, with the peak being March to April. You want the conditions to be as good as possible, as you could be in the water for a while.

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As you can imagine, spearing a marlin can be very dangerous. You must have a good plan on how to handle a very big fish and have a good crew around you. Most of the time you will be miles from shore and could be towed for long distances. Your crew has to be totally committed to your mission, not fishing themselves. The boat you use needs an easy entry point that lets you access the water in a hurry while fully kitted up.

Dropping into the water while the boat is still moving is tricky. Make sure you have practiced this before you see the marlin.

Dropping into the water while the boat is still moving is tricky. Make sure you have practiced this before you see the marlin.

As well as the isolation of being out in blue water, there is also the more immediate danger of tangling with a 100kg plus fish. If you’ve not done a reasonable amount of spearfishing, this isn’t a challenge to take on just yet. Handling a large, struggling fish when you haven’t experienced what it’s like to fight much smaller fish could be extremely risky.

Finding the fish and taking advantage

There are two main techniques used for attracting marlin for spearing. They’re similar to conventional game fishing, but with the added challenges of having a person in the water.

The first technique is to tow teasers (marlin lures without hooks rigged) and jump in when you see a marlin following them. Sitting in the sun, watching lures for hours while trolling at seven knots is difficult, so divers take shifts at being ‘on strike’. When ‘on strike’, a diver must be fully kitted up with their gun loaded (pointing safely out the back of course) and be ready to get in as soon as a marlin shows itself. Marlin are usually spotted when a bill or fin breaks the surface behind the lure.

Once you spot a fish, slip into the water and duck under the prop wash. The marlin will generally be behind the lure as it comes past. Even after you’ve entered the water, the boat must keep trolling to keep the marlin with them, and should swing around again if you don’t get a shot on the first run.

You need your bungee, lines and floats to be free of any hazard they can tangle on. I tend to have a dedicated person aboard to manage this – their main purpose is to feed the gear out as you go over, keeping everything free from tangling. Before pulling the trigger on your fish, it is absolutely crucial that you check your body for any lines, as once the spear is lodged, it can be very difficult to release any tangles or wraps.

You will also want the backup diver to go in the water in case the initial diver requires any sort of assistance.

The second technique that has worked for us is livebaiting.

We head out and focus first on catching a skipjack tuna. We’ll then stop, hook it up on a tether no longer than 20 metres and let it swim around underneath the boat. You can then hop in the water and let the boat drift while you hang off the back, watching the livebait. If you’re lucky, the skipjack will attract a hungry marlin who will come in to investigate, providing the perfect opportunity for you to take your shot.

Skippies are a good sign that there could be marlin around.

Skippies are a good sign that there could be marlin around.

When using this method, it’s important to have your gun loaded and ready, as things can happen very quickly.

Again, your crew need to be totally dedicated to you, and the backup diver should be in the water ready to support you.

The right gear

Your gear is obviously going to play a huge part in landing such a powerful fish.

Even if it is very hot, you should have on a full wetsuit as you may end up in the water for a few hours.

Your gun needs to be multi-rubbered with a slip-tip shaft of 7.5mm or larger. You need the weight of the heavier shaft to get through a big fish and for the slip tip to hold on. You’ll also need a 20-metre bungee, two good quality heavy-duty inflatable floats, then another line (which can be non-stretch) that is at least 6mm thick, so you can grip it.

High quality inflatable floats are non-negotiable. I have seen hard foam-filled floats disappear behind a big marlin. We estimated that the floats ended up about 100 metres deep before coming back to the surface totally destroyed. Had we not had one high-quality inflatable float at the very end of that chain, we wouldn’t have seen the other floats ever again.

You should have back up guns in the boat with float and lines attached which are easily accessible. Do not try and grab a wounded marlin – their unpredictable nature means they can inflict fatal injuries very easily. A big fish can wrap you up in seconds, towing you deep down before you have time to free yourself.

There’s an old saying – “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail”. If you’re going to take on the challenge of spearing a marlin, take the time to do it right. After all, we have a big blue backyard, and New Zealand is as good as anywhere to give it a crack!

   This article is reproduced with permission of   
New Zealand Fishing News

November 2020 - Darren Shields
Re-publishing elsewhere is prohibited

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