SETTING UP FOR THE PERFECT PITCH

Examining the teasers that big-game professionals use around the world

- CAPT. RICKY WHEELER

The absolute top-tier target in sport fishing is the blue marlin. The explosive bites paired with the opportunity to effectively bait-and-switch these powerful fish make them my personal favorite to catch. Teasing up marlin and then switching them to a circle-hook rigged bait is the most popular method used to target blues, and provides the angler with the most fun you can have with your clothes on. And when you catch one, it likely won't be your last.

Fishing is an addiction, and luckily, blue marlin can be found in many locations around the world. Some hold larger fish in fewer numbers, and some hold many small fish. To explore just how professional captains and crews raise blues, let's explore a few of the more popular fishing destinations and focus on just how the experts raise (and catch) them in their home waters.

CARIBBEAN

Capt. Michael de Freitas of the 60-foot Viking Magic Lady is based out of Trinidad. Although this corner of the Caribbean doesn't get a lot of recognition, this team absolutely puts their time into racking up the release numbers in locations such as Tobago, Grenada, Dominican Republic, St. Thomas and St. Lucia. Magic Lady recently enjoyed some incredible fishing in December 2022, with 106 blue marlin releases in just one week.

"For our baits, we use the Mustad Demon 39951NP-BN 9/0 circle hook on a 100-pound leader with a mini chugger rigged with a select size ballyhoo when we are FAD fishing in places such as St. Lucia and the Dominican Republic. For catching blues in the wild, we go with the Mustad Demon 39948NP-BN 11/0 circle hook on a 250-pound leader with a small bonito as our pitch bait of choice," de Freitas says.