BLACK MARLIN (Makaira indicus)
OTHER NAMES: Pacific black marlin, giant black marlin (Hawaii), white marlin (Japan)
RANGE: Mexican Deep Waters, Eastern Pacific, Carribean
HABITAT: Black marlin generally exist in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are a highly migratory, pelagic species that will rarely swim deeper than 100 feet. They are most commonly found in deep waters, near such prominent bottom structures as continental shelves and reefs.
DESCRIPTION: The black marlin is the only marlin with non-retractable fins. Another distinguishing trait is their dorsal fin which is proportionately the lowest of any billfish. It stands less than 50 percent of the fish's body height. The black marlin's back is slate blue and transitions to a silver belly. It may also have light blue stripes when excited.
SIZE: World Record 1560 lbs. These are big fish!!
FOOD VALUE: Good, but normally released by sportsmen.
GAME QUALITIES: The black's immense strength and exceptional size makes it a favored target among big-game fishermen. A fight with one of these fish can last for hours, wearing severely on the angler as well as the tackle. Anglers commonly troll brightly colored lures or rigged baitfish to catch this species. As a result of the depleted stocks, many sport fisherman are now tagging and releasing their catches.
TACKLE AND BAITS: While many Blacks have been caught on lighter outfits, the standard is a good balanced ocean trolling outfit in the 5-pound or even 80-pound line class. Marlin baits fall into three categories: 1. Artificial trolling lures; 2. Live, fairly large baitfish, such as school Dolphin or Bonito; and 3. Rigged natural baits, such as Mullet, Mackerel, Bonito, Barracuda, extra-large Ballyhoo ("Horse Ballyhoo"). Lures are used most often, because they allow more ocean to be covered. In somewhat limited areas, such as along weedlines or around seamounts and other well-established grounds, live bait is usually preferred.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Sometimes Drifting; Trolling.
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DORADO (Coryphaena hippurus)
 OTHER NAMES: Dolphin, Mahi Mahi
RANGE: Mexican Coastal Waters
HABITAT: Dolphin ream the open sea in a continuous hunt for food. Anglers seek them along rafted weedlines and around any sort of large floating object. The location of schools may also be given away by feeding birds, particularly frigate birds.
DESCRIPTION: A blaze of blue and yellow or deep green and yellow when in the water, and sometimes shows dark vertical stripes as well when excited. Small dark spots on sides. Dorsal fin extends nearly from head to tail. Head is very blunt in males (bulls); rounded in females (cows). The Pompano Dolphin, Coryphaena equisetis, is often mistaken as a female or juvenile male Dolphin. It is found in most of the same waters, grows to about 5 pounds and can be distinguished by the rounded shape of the underbelly.
SIZE: Schooling fish run in similar sizes, from around a pound to nearly 20 pounds at times; larger fish are loners, or else pairs bull and cow. Big bulls often reach 50 pounds in weight and can exceed 80 pounds on rare occasion. Large cows generally top out at 40 pounds or so. World record 87 pounds.
FOOD VALUE: None better.
GAME QUALITIES: Top of the heap in any weight class speedy. Strong and acrobatic.
TACKLE AND BAITS: With the Dorados, anything goes. Private-boat anglers seek to find a school by trolling or by running and searching for visual signs. Once a school is located, it can usually be kept around the boat by restrained chumming with cut bait and/or by keeping at least one hooked fish in the water at all times. A hot school will eagerly accept jigs and all sorts of casting baits, including flies and popping bugs. If strikes slow down, cut bait often does the trick. Big or wise fish may insist on live baits. Countless Dolphin are also caught, both by design and incidentally, on the entire gamut of rigged trolling baits and artificial trolling lures.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Drifting; Trolling.
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GROUPER (Mycteroperca bonaci)
 OTHER NAMES: Bonaci, Arara, Aguaji
RANGE: Mexican Coastal Waters, Pacific Coast, Deep Waters
HABITAT: Groupers of many sizes and varieties are commonly found around the edges of coral reefs and rocks, from about 30 feet of water out to the deepest dropoffs. Even big fish, however, may roam to much shallower patch reefs, especially in cooler seasons. Small Blacks may also frequent creeks in some areas.
DESCRIPTION: Overall color is dark gray. Markings are blacker than those of the Gag, and form box-like patterns. Fins are black; their edges also black or deep blue.
SIZE: The largest of our Mycteroperca groupers, the Black frequently exceeds 50 pounds in weight and can top 100. World record 114 pounds.
FOOD VALUE: Excellent. Yum Yum!!
GAME QUALITIES: Nice fighter - Black Groupers are considered the best of the family.
TACKLE AND BAITS: For all-around work, ocean gear with lines of 30-pound test or higher gets the call. Light-tackle fishermen in Banderas Bay, however, have caught many Blacks over 50 pounds. One key besides a huge helping of luck is to hook the fish while drifting, instead of at anchor. The drift of the boat adds to the power of the tackle and just might help drag the big fish far enough away from his rocky "hole" that he cannot get back. For drifting or still fishing, the best baits are frisky live fish, such as Blue Runners or other small jacks. Pinfish and Pilchards are good too, as are Mullet heads and other large cut baits. Best casting lures are leadhead jigs, weighing from 1-4 ounces, depending on depth. Trolling over the reefs with rigged, swimming Mullet, feather-and-strip combos, and large plugs also takes many.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Drifting; Still Fishing; Trolling.
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CREVALLE JACK (Caranx hippos)
 OTHER NAMES: Jack Crevalle, Crevally
RANGE: Mexican Coastal Waters, Eastern Pacific. Carribean
HABITAT: The Crevalle may show up at any time in virtually all Mexican waters, from the deep reefs to well up coastal rivers. Usually runs in schools and the smaller the individual fish, the larger the school. The biggest Jacks often cruise in pairs and are usually found in or near major inlets and around offshore wrecks and reefs of both coasts, but may come into deep bays and canals where they chase Mullet and often herd the prey against seawalls. Banderas Bay has a large population of this species.
DESCRIPTION: Deep, compressed body. Blunt head with black spot on rear edge of gill cover. Hard scutes forward of sickle-shaped tail. Color usually yellowish with white undersides.
SIZE: Common at 1 pound or less to about 5 or 6 pounds. Plentiful up to 12 pounds in most areas. Sometimes tops 20 pounds and can reach 50 pounds or even more. World record is 57 pounds.
FOOD VALUE: Poor by most tastes. Most of the meat is dark red and of strong flavor. A delicasy for our fine finned friends however.
GAME QUALITIES: Few fish can out-pull a Crevalle of equal size. The fight is unspectacular but dogged, the usual pattern being a long first run. Jacks use their flat sides to good advantage when waging a tug-o-war.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Most Jacks are fairly small and are caught on the full range of light tackle by anglers seeking other game. If you target larger Jacks, say 10 pounds or more, sturdy spinning, baitcasting and fly tackle should be used, with lines no less than 8-pound test. Small Jacks, such as those frequently encountered on shallow flats, will gulp down almost any sort of natural bait, live or dead, as well as all the popular casting and flyrod lures. Big Crevalles, however, generally like their meals moving very fast. To assure hookups, you have to use fresh and frisky live fish, or retrieve your artificial lures rapidly, noisily, or both. Topwater plugs are good, as are fast-whipped jigs. Fly rodders often have to work very hard, stripping their streamers or poppers as fast as their elbows will move.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Drifting; Still Fishing; Trolling.
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SAILFISH (Istiophorus platypterus)
 OTHER NAMES: Atlantic Sailfish, Spindlebeak, Pez Vela
RANGE: Mexican Coastal Waters, Eastern Pacific, Carribean
HABITAT: Like the other Billfishes, the Sailfish is considered an ocean species, but generally can be found closer to land than the rest, seeming to prefer areas where coral reefs and/or freshwater runoffs mingle with ocean water.
DESCRIPTION: Upper surfaces usually dark blue to black; silvery below; vertical stripes often visible on sides.
SIZE: Averages 30-60 pounds, but many under 30 pounds and a few up to 100 pounds are also taken. World record 221 pounds.
FOOD VALUE: Very good broiled or smoked, and should be kept if inadvertently killed. Protected commercially.
GAME QUALITIES: Unsurpassed in its size range for combined strength and spectacle.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Light ocean trolling or heavy spinning outfits with lines up to 30-pound test; 12- and 20-pound lines are adequate in experienced hands and provide great sport. In Southeast Florida, live-baiting - either by kite fishing or flatline drifting - has become perhaps the most popular approach to sailfishing, with Blue Runners, Goggle-eyes, Pilchards or Pinfish being the common offerings. Historically, most Sailfishing has been done with rigged trolling baits, mainly Ballyhoo and strips of Bonito or other small fish. Many Sailfish have been caught on jigs and on drifted Ballyhoo/jig combinations. Fly casters have also taken them on occasion, but Atlantic sails do not decoy as readily as their Pacific counterparts and so fly fishing for them has not become very popular - despite the fact that science has proclaimed the Sailfish of both oceans to be the same species.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Occasionally Casting; Drifting; Trolling.
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ROOSTERFISH (Nemastistius Pectoralis)
 OTHER NAMES: Pez gallo, papagallo
RANGE: Pacific Ocean, Sea of Cortez
HABITAT: Surf and Rocky areas offshore. Can also be found near islands and reefs.
DESCRIPTION: Gray back, silver body with two pronounced diagonal stripes. Pectoral fin long and sickle shaped, dorsal fin very elongated and supposedly has a likeness to a rooster's comb, hence the common name. Tail fin is deeply forked as is typical of all members of the jack family.
SIZE: 10 to 30 lb. average, but can reach 100 lb. World and Mexican Record is 114 lb.
FOOD VALUE: Not the best, but certainly not the worst.
GAME QUALITIES: An angler will see the roosterfish come up on and boil on the trolled bait. They will typically circle and whack at the offering before actually crashing on it. A furious fighter with unequaled stamina, unpredictable slashing moves, jumps and long screaming runs.
TACKLE AND BAITS: live bait, with mullet and sardinas their favorite. Rarely taken on lures, but when feeding will hit surface jigs.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Casting; Drifting; Still Fishing.
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SNAPPER (Lutjanus buccanella)
 OTHER NAMES: Blackspot, Snapper, Bahamas Red, Snapper
RANGE: Mexican Pacific Ocean, Sea of Cortez
HABITAT: Nearly all are caught along outside dropoffs at depths of 200 feet or greater. Roams the deep blue water, but anglers can find them by working dropoffs, seamounts, weedlines and other favorable feeding locations.
DESCRIPTION: Vivid red overall, with black crescent-shaped mark at base of the pectoral fin.
SIZE: Averages 3 or 4 pounds; usual maximum is 10 or so. World record 7 pounds, 3 ounces.
FOOD VALUE: Excellent.
GAME QUALITIES: Strong fighter like other Snappers.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Blackfin Snapper generally stay well beyond the depths of anchoring. Most are caught while drifting and jigging off cliffs and ledges. Blackfin eagerly strike a heavy bucktail or nylon jig.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Drifting; Trolling.
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YELLOWFIN TUNA (Thunnus albacres)
 OTHER NAMES: Allison Tuna, Ahi
RANGE: Mexican Coastal Waters, Eastern Pacific, Carribean
HABITAT: The open seas, but frequently near dropoffs.
DESCRIPTION: Distinguishing the Yellowfin Tuna from the Blackfin or Bigeye is sometimes difficult as many visual features are similar. Finlets of the Yellowfin are yellow, trimmed in black. Gold stripe along side. Light underside usually shows spots and/or wavy lines. Second dorsal and anal fins of very large individuals are elongated and lunate - a feature not found on any other Tuna.
SIZE: May run anywhere from a few pounds to more than 200 pounds. Maximum close to 400. World record 388 pounds, 12 ounces; Florida record 230 pounds.
FOOD VALUE: One of the best.
GAME QUALITIES: Second only to Bluefin Tuna, and only because of smaller size.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Heavy outfits are indicated - 50- or 80-pound. But light and medium ocean outfits are often used. Most are probably caught trolling with offshore trolling lures or rigged baits, but in certain areas the best approach is to anchor on a reef near deep blue water and bring in the fish by chumming with Pilchards or similar small baitfish. In that situation they can also be hooked by casting artificial lures with spinning, baitcasting and fly tackle - and landed, if the size is right and luck is with the angler.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Drifting; Still Fishing; Trolling.
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WAHOO (Acanthocybium soladri)
 OTHER NAMES: Peto, Ono
RANGE: Pacific Ocean, Sea of Cortez
HABITAT: Roams the deep blue water, but anglers can find them by working dropoffs, seamounts, weedlines and other favorable feeding locations.
DESCRIPTION: Long, slender body marked with zebra-like stripes of white and deep blue or black. Mouth is elongated and narrow, and equipped with razor-sharp teeth - careful!
SIZE: Common at 10-50 pounds; often grows to 80 or 90 pounds; maximum potential about 150 pounds. World record 158 pounds, 8 ounces.
FOOD VALUE: White meat is tasty but rather dry. A good smoking fish.
GAME QUALITIES: May strike a surface bait in spectacular, greyhounding fashion, but seldom jumps after being hooked. Wild fight is characterized by several sizzling runs, usually at or near the surface. One of the fastest of all gamefish.
TACKLE AND BAITS: Many Wahoo are hooked on heavy tackle, incidentally to Billfishing. Best choices, however, are light to medium ocean trolling outfits with lines up to 30-pound test; 50-pound isn't too heavy for good sport with big specimens. A few have been caught by deep jigging or ocean casting with spinning and baitcasting tackle - even fly tackle on rare occasion. Most productive bait is a weighted feather or similar trolling lure, rigged in combination with a whole small baitfish or large strip. Surface trolling is sometimes effective, but deep trolling is much more likely to produce a Wahoo.
FISHING SYSTEMS: Drifting; Trolling.
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