Sweet! DFG finally answered my question about spearing a Marlin in California!

    Turning in Wasted Waterfowl | California Outdoors Q and A



    Is it legal to spearfish a marlin while diving?
    Question: I had an argument with my friend over whether or not we could spear a marlin while diving. I know that you can’t spear broadbill, but I looked up the allowed fish that spearfishermen can take and the regulations don’t say anything about marlin (see Title 14 section 28.90). But my friend read that section and he said a broadbill is a marlin, so that means I can’t spear those fish. Is he right? (Anonymous)



    Answer: It is legal to spearfish for marlin but not for broadbill swordfish – they are different species!
    # # #
    Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week. Please contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.

    Argument or discussion?:laughing:


    Nice, now when are you going to give me the spots on where the marlin are so we can actually shoot one?


    :toast:

    Long Beach Neptune


    USCG 50GT

    I would love to join a group hunt for a Marlin!:D


    I myself will only ever shoot one in my life which is plenty. Once one is shot no more wil because we can all divide up the meat. Marlin is AWSOME smoked right.

    Quote from yellowtailslayer

    well in mexico it is legal to kill them like bsb but unlike bsb we cannot bring any back to california.


    hmm well this woman doesn't change the DFG laws, she merely states what is on the books. Right now it illegal to simply posses a garibaldi in California. That's why you can spear them in Mexico, but you can't bring them back to California.


    Nothing I could ask would change that fact.

    I had no idea you could shoot marlin in california Daniel, thanks for the update although I don't have the gear to properly hunt them anyways.

    Quote from yellowtailslayer

    ask her about garibaldi and how we cant bring them back to cali.


    why would anyone want to spear a garibaldi, is the meat good? In FL it is illegal to spear any "ornamentals" like parrotfish, puerto rican hogs, angels etc. which if we had garibaldis im sure they would be considered an ornamental.


    how far offshore in cali do people find marlin and what species of marlin?

    Scupper Pro Gives You Wings!

    Quote from sdeisen

    why would anyone want to spear a garibaldi, is the meat good? In FL it is illegal to spear any "ornamentals" like parrotfish, puerto rican hogs, angels etc. which if we had garibaldis im sure they would be considered an ornamental.


    What is the criteria for a fish to be considered ornamental in Florida? Seems like it could be very subjective. The juvenile Garibaldi are very cool looking fish.

    Some Florida oranmentals are decent food fish; parrot fish, spanish hogfish tastes the same as hogfish they just never get big, file fish taste the same as triggers and can have good yield, box fish is good but IMO doesn't have a lot of yield relative to its size.

    Quote from toptuna

    Go shoot a marlin. Josh do you cold smoke the
    Fish at 36 f.


    My bbq is tough to manage the heat. I hot smoked YFT poke, halibut, and BFT.


    30min-1hr @ 100-125* and 5min @ 200-250*, but it all depends on size of steak, placement of steak in bbq(over billowing smoke or in top rack in smoke), and heat regulating.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member to leave a comment.

Register a new account
Sign in now