Black Marlin Fishing Charters in Mauritius

Black or blue: how to tell

Most marlin hooked off Mauritius are blue marlin, and in the water the two look alike. The surest sign is the pectoral fins, the pair just behind the gills. On a black marlin they are rigid and stick out from the body like wings; they cannot be folded flat. On a blue marlin they fold neatly against the side. Black marlin are also deeper and thicker across the shoulders for their length, with a shorter, lower dorsal fin. The crew will usually call it the moment the fish jumps, but if you want to be sure for a photo or a log book, look at the fins before the fish is released.

How the boats fish for them

A black marlin day is the same kind of day as a blue marlin day: the boat clears the reef pass, sets a spread of lures and trolls the deep water along the drop off, then watches for birds, bait schools and current lines. Black marlin like to feed close to concentrations of bait, so when the crew finds tuna or bait balls over a bank they may switch to a live bait slowly trolled through the area. Because it is a rarer fish, nobody can promise one; you book a marlin trip and the black is the bonus. The same spread takes yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dorado, so the rods rarely stay quiet all morning.

The fight is what sets the black apart. It is a heavy, stubborn fish that tends to dig deep rather than run along the surface, so heavier reels and a good chair or harness matter more than with most fish you will catch here.

Boats that target black marlin

• Big Game Fishing in Rivière Noire, on the west coast, names black marlin among its target species with blue marlin, sailfish and big tuna. Two specialist skippers go out with you to help or teach the method.
• Pyramide in Trou-aux-Biches, run by Skipper Mike Seblin and his brother Hansley, is rigged for it: outriggers, a center rigger, a fighting chair, a sounder and a live bait pump on a 26 foot Pro 2000 with twin engines for a fast run to the grounds. Up to 4 guests, gear and licences included.
• Full Day Trip, Big Game Fishing from Grand Baie fishes Tiagra 30 and 50 reels and lets you choose between stand up fishing and a custom made fighting chair, with smaller game fish on medium tackle in between.
• Fishing on Ivan in Trou-aux-Biches is a 36 foot boat for up to 6 anglers with a fighting chair and a toilet. Captain Sebastian shapes trips of 4 to 9 hours around your target, so tell him you want a marlin and book a long one.
• Flying Kiss in Pointe aux Piments leaves at 5:30 and is back around midday, chasing marlin, tuna and dorado in the calm early hours.

The rest of the boats on this page, in Trou-aux-Biches, Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux, troll the same marlin water.

When to come

Black marlin are a summer fish here. The best months are roughly December to March, with fish possible in April and May and again from October, and they are rarely the target in the cooler months from June to September. That is a little later than the blue marlin peak of November to February, so a trip in January or February gives you a fair chance at both. Go in the morning, when the sea is calmest before the trade wind builds; the Mauritius fishing seasons guide has the month by month table for every species.

What to ask before you book

• Release or keep? On many Mauritius boats the catch stays with the crew. If you want a marlin released, agree it before the trip; our guide on who keeps the fish on a Mauritius charter explains the usual arrangements.
• How heavy is the tackle? Ask which reels the boat runs for marlin and whether it has a chair, a harness or both.
• How long is the trip? Every extra hour on the troll is another chance at a rare fish. For a serious attempt, book a full day.
• Prone to seasickness? The drop off is open ocean. Read our seasickness guide before a long day out.