The Shortbill Spearfish is a type of Marlin, a rare find in tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

How big

Fish can be found up to 7.5ft long and over 130lbs heavy, but are common up to 6.25ft and between 20 and 60lbs. That said, they aren't common at all.

Distribution

Shortbill Spearfish are present in very low numbers in waters between 60 and 84°F in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, with rare fish caught in the Atlantic, west of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. They are not highly sought after, comercially nor recreationally, but anglers looking for this elusive trophy fish should head to Hawaii, the only place known to hold stable stocks.

How to catch

The species is highly migratory and pelagic, commonly residing in depths of up to 1000ft, but able to dive to 6000ft. It feeds close to the surface, however, and so can be caught by trolling live bait or softhead Marlin type lures, but mostly on light tackle.

Good to eat?

The flesh is dark and fairly good table fare.