Atlantic sailfish

Long bill and a huge, blue, spotted sail-like dorsal fin that it raises when excited.

30–60 lb.

About 10 ft and 140 lb (Atlantic).

Flying fish, ballyhoo, small tunas, mackerels and squid.

Open-ocean traveler that follows current edges, weed lines and bait schools.

Found from South Florida & Keys, Florida Atlantic Coast, Florida Gulf Coast, Northern Gulf (AL–TX), Mexico Gulf Coast, Mexican Caribbean & Belize, Central America, Colombia & Venezuela, Bahamas & Turks and Caicos, Cuba, Jamaica & Cayman, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles, Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao, Trinidad & Tobago, Georgia & South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia & Chesapeake Bay, Delaware & New Jersey, New York, Long Island & Connecticut and Rhode Island & Massachusetts. Blue water near the Gulf Stream edge, reefs and color changes; Southeast Florida is the "Sailfish Capital."

Blue water near the Gulf Stream edge, reefs and color changes; Southeast Florida is the "Sailfish Capital."

Surface to 200 ft over 100–300 ft of water.

Surface to 100 ft over deep water (300+ ft).

November–April off Southeast Florida, when cold fronts push fish south.

Morning bites are common; fish the whole day when the current edge is right.

Ocean current and temperature breaks matter more than tide.

Moderate wind against the current can stack bait — but only go when it's safe.

Live goggle-eyes, pilchards, threadfin herring and ballyhoo.

Small trolling lures and rigged ballyhoo.

20–50 lb class trolling or stand-up outfit; kite and live-bait rigs for sailfish.

5/0–8/0 non-offset circle hooks with natural bait (required for billfish tournaments and federal HMS rules).

20–50 lb mono or braid with mono top shot.

40–100 lb mono or fluorocarbon.

Kite-fish live baits along the reef edge or slow-troll ballyhoo; drop back and let it eat before coming tight on a circle hook.

Keep the fish in the water for photos and revive it by idling forward until it swims off.

Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Usually released — a sport fish more than a food fish.

Release it. Billfish are almost always released — they're worth far more alive.

Bills and fast runs — never grab the bill of a lit-up fish, and keep big fish in the water.

Federal HMS Angling permit required in U.S. federal waters; there is a minimum size and most anglers release them — use non-offset circle hooks with natural bait. A Florida fishing license is required unless you are exempt; Florida rules are set by FWC (myfwc.com). Federal waters fall under NOAA Fisheries. Other states and countries set their own limits — check before you keep fish.

Keep only what you'll eat, release the rest quickly, and follow size and bag limits.