Beautiful, powerful and mysterious - the Black, Blue and Striped Marlin are considered the pinnacle of fish evolution and the physical strength of the Giant Blacks make it one of the most exciting big game fish.

The colour patterns of the Black Marlin can change to varying shades of blue/black before striking baits and its suitably streamlined body is solidly muscled enabling it to swim for extended distances at amazingly fast speeds and to launch itself high out of the water, in a display of incredible acrobatics.

The pectoral fins on these big fish are rigid and fixed on Black Marlin over 55kg (120lbs). The dorsal fin is low and mounded and the bill is short heavy and round. Virtually all Black Marlin over 200kg (440lbs) are female fish - they are larger and live longer than the males.

Black Marlin are found in tropical and temperate waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans and although they prefer the oceans they are found close to the Australian coast.

The edge of the Continental Shelf, just off the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, is where they spawn each year between October and December.

The Blue Marlin are the heaviest and biggest of all the Marlins recorded commercially. They are an exciting fish in all sizes, tough fighters and spectacular jumpers that tend to fight deeper than Black or Striped Marlin.

Blue Marlin have a moderately heavy round bill, medium high dorsal fin and pectoral fins that are tapered and flat.

The Blue Marlin fishing offers a very exciting alternative to the Giant Black Marlin fishing that has made Cairns famous. The season commences at the closure of the Black Marlin season and enhances the opportunity for anglers to experience big fish through until Easter.