Ritchie Howell
There are several places where I have seen some big blue marlin, but by far the largest one I have ever seen was right here off Oregon Inlet. I always joke and say that it looked like a boxcar with fins. Another spot that is very close to my heart is Bermuda. That island has it all. While we are fishing, the wives and girlfriends who don’t fish can enjoy the natural beauty. There are great beaches, shopping and nightlife, and the people there are so friendly. It’s clean and lush and truly offers something for everyone. It’s also one of my top spots for a giant blue marlin. I’ve caught some big fish there.
Kevin Deerman
In the early 1990s, I spent a couple of seasons in Panama, and I saw some monsters there. I’d love to spend some time in Bermuda, and I would also pick Hawaii as one of my favorite vacation big-fish spots. The Gulf of Mexico has been pretty good to us though. We were lucky enough to catch the state-record blue here in Texas a few years ago. We had another big girl show up behind the boat a while back when we were live-baiting that we definitely believe would have topped 1,000 pounds. The Gulf is a good place to target big blues if you don’t mind the long runs.
Tim Richardson
Although I have a lot of experience with big black marlin, blues over 500 pounds are not a fish I encounter regularly due to my charter schedule. We do have some decent blue marlin off Cairns and Fraser Island in Australia at different times, and Exmouth in Western Australia has some nice fish during the year as well. I weighed my only grander blue, a 1,199-pounder, in Bermuda, and I’m looking forward to going back this year with clients for a week — it’s just such a beautiful place. Other great spots for big blues are Madeira, Cape Verde, the Azores, Kona and the Seychelles.
Robert “Cujo” Brinkmeyer
There are a lot of places I’ve visited around the world where we have caught a lot of blue marlin, and they all hold a special place in my heart. One favorite of mine is Cape Verde. I’ve been there twice now, and the average size and number of fish is incredible. In Bermuda, the marlin are big, and you’re looking for that one special fish, especially if you’re fishing in a tournament like the World Cup. The same goes with Madeira, where you’re fishing for that one big blue. There are plenty of other great places in the world, but these would be my top picks.