Marlin Fishing in Key West
Key West is a good spot for marlin fishing. Typically, you’ll see two main species in Key West:
These strikingly blue beauties are some of the largest fish in the world. Female Blue Marlins are significantly larger than their male counterparts, and can reach up to 14 feet in length and can weigh more than 1,900 lbs. However, the average size tends to range around 11 feet and 200 to 400 lbs. The Blue Marlin is cobalt blue on top and silvery white beneath, with a pronounced dorsal fin and a long, spear-like snout. The best time for Blue Marlin fishing is around April to July.
Fun fact about Blue Marlin
It was the blue marlin that author Ernest Hemingway featured in his classic novella The Old Man and the Sea. The fisherman in this story battles a blue marlin, which was inspired by Hemingway’s own marlin fishing adventures while he was a resident of Key West, FL.
White Marlin
This is the smallest of the marlin species, with a maximum of about 9 feet in length and about 220 lbs in weight. These fish are not completely white, as the name might suggest, since their tops are blue. White Marlins are not sought after for their size as much as their ability to leap and battle with the best of them. The ideal time for White Marlin fishing ranges from June to August.