Dec 2024
Striped Marlin
Marlin rayado
Kajikia audax · Istiophoridae
- Category
- Billfish
- Found in
- Pacific Baja, Sea of Cortez, Pacific Mainland
- IUCN status
- Least Concern
- Mexico fish counts
- 3,089 counted, 80 so far in 2026
About Striped Marlin in Mexico
How to recognize it
This is the slimmest of the Pacific marlin, with a tall, pointed first dorsal fin that is often as high as the body is deep. The back is dark blue, and the sides carry bold light-blue or lavender vertical stripes that stay visible after the fish dies, unlike the faint bars of a blue marlin. Pectoral fins fold flat. Fish caught in Mexico typically weigh somewhere between 80 and 200 pounds.
Where and when in Mexico
The marlin rayado is the bread-and-butter billfish of Los Cabos. Mexico Fish Reports' counts list more than three thousand from Cabo San Lucas boats since 2001, far more than any other billfish in our data. Fish are around Cabo in every month, with the heaviest action usually in late fall through spring. On the Pacific side of the peninsula, Magdalena Bay draws a well-known fall and early-winter bite, when striped marlin pin sardines and mackerel into bait balls offshore. They also turn up in the southern Sea of Cortez, around East Cape, and off the mainland coast.
How it's fished
Typical approaches include trolling small and medium lures, then pitching live mackerel or caballito to fish that crash the spread, or casting live bait to marlin seen tailing or balling bait. Medium tackle in the 20- to 50-pound range is plenty for most fish.
Good to know
Striped marlin are reserved for sportfishing, and almost all charters release them. Circle hooks and keeping the fish in the water are standard good practice.
Fishing rules in Mexico
- Reserved for sportfishing within 50 nautical miles of the coast
- 1 per angler per day (picudos)
Source: LGPAS Art. 68; NOM-017-PESC-1994 §4.9.1 (2013 mod.). Rules change; confirm current limits, seasons and permits with CONAPESCA before you fish.
Where Striped Marlin are caught in Mexico
- Cabo San Lucas 3,089 counted · last Oct 2026
Fish counts by year
| Year | Kept | Released | Trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (so far) | 7 | 73 | 50 |
| 2025 | 0 | 157 | 103 |
| 2024 | 21 | 133 | 86 |
| 2023 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 | 55 | 28 |
| 2021 | 1 | 42 | 23 |
| 2020 | 0 | 54 | 32 |
| 2019 | 0 | 242 | 62 |
| 2018 | 0 | 10 | 7 |
| 2017 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | 7 | 66 | 52 |
| 2014 | 7 | 32 | 22 |
From fish counts posted by the Mexican landings on Mexico Fish Reports. Years with no posted counts are not shown.
Boats catching Striped Marlin (2025–2026)
- El Budster Cabo San Lucas 121 counted on 74 trips
- El Budster Pride Cabo San Lucas 115 counted on 78 trips
- El Budster I Cabo San Lucas 1 counted on 1 trip
Striped Marlin photos from Mexico
Recent Striped Marlin reports
Fishing on the EL BUDSTER PRIDE. The DEKUN WANG´S party, CAUGHT AND RELEASED ONE 130 LB. STRIPED MARLIN. The fish was caught 14 to 16 miles from the coast of…
(More…)
Fishing on the EL BUDSTER. The EDUARDO MARESMA´S party, CAUGHT AND RELEASED ONE 110 LB. STRIPED MARLIN. The fish was caught 14 to 16 miles from the coast of Cabo…
(More…)
Fishing on the EL BUDSTER PRIDE. The DAMIR AKHUNOV´S party, CAUGHT AND RELEASED ONE 110 LB. STRIPED MARLIN. The fish was caught 14 to 16 miles from the coast of…
(More…)
Fishing on the EL BUDSTER. The RYAN HESS´S party, CAUGHT AND RELEASED ONE 120 LB. STRIPED MARLIN and ONE 70 LB. SAILFISH. The fish was caught 14 to 16 miles…
(More…)
Fishing on the EL BUDSTER. The PEDRO SILVESTRE´S party, CAUGHT AND RELEASED TWO 90-110 LB. STRIPED MARLIN.The fish was caught 12 to 14 miles from the coast of Cabo San…
(More…)
Fishing on the EL BUDSTER. The GELITZLY GONZALEZ´S party, CAUGHT AND RELEASED ONE 130 LB. STRIPED MARLIN.The fish was caught 14 to 16 miles from the coast of Cabo San…
(More…)
