Species 02. Kajikia albida
White marlin fishing in the Canary Islands
Smaller than the blue and far more acrobatic. The white marlin is the fish that separates anglers who can drop back cleanly from anglers who cannot, and our captain spent two seasons on one of the best white marlin grounds in the Atlantic learning exactly that.
Overview
The white marlin rarely passes 45 kg, which is precisely what makes it interesting. On appropriate tackle it is the most acrobatic billfish in the Atlantic, and it is famously difficult to hook: it inspects, taps and follows before it commits.
It is a warm-water fish that shows in the archipelago through late summer and autumn, often on the same grounds as the blue but higher in the water and in small groups rather than alone.
Two seasons fished in one of the best white marlin grounds of the Atlantic, in Morocco.
Where
Where to find it
White marlin work the same edges as the blue but sit higher in the column and tolerate a wider temperature band. Where a blue is a single fish on a front, whites often appear in twos and threes.
They also respond to bait concentrations more visibly: birds working over small bait can be the whole clue.
Best islands for this species
How we fish it
How we fish it
Lighter than for blue: smaller baits, thinner leaders, and a spread that presents rather than provokes. Circle hooks are not optional here: they are what makes a clean release possible on a fish that swallows fast.
The drop back is everything. Too early and you pull the bait out of its mouth; too late and it is gone. This is the species where an experienced hand on the reel is worth more than any piece of equipment.
Fishing Intelligence
Conditions we look for
White marlin tolerate a wider thermal range than blues, so temperature alone tells us less. We weight bait presence and surface activity more heavily: birds, breaking bait, and clean blue water with visible structure beneath.
Questions
About white marlin
Is it easier than blue marlin?
Easier to raise, harder to hook. Whites inspect a bait for a long time and refuse anything that behaves wrongly. Many anglers lose more whites than blues.
What tackle do we use?
Lighter gear, 30 to 50 lb class. Using heavy gear on a 30 kg fish takes away the entire point of catching it.
We don't wait for the fish. We follow them.
Book a white marlin day
Send us your dates and the species you are after. We will tell you honestly what the ocean is likely to be doing.