Back
During a trip to New Zealand, locum tenens will want to try their hand at marlin fishing, as the South Pacific country is a haven for enterprising anglers.
Marlin fishing first became popular in New Zealand in the early part of the 20th century, and since then the sport has held an important place in the cultural consciousness of the nation. Today, Kiwi waters are home to some of the world's biggest striped marlin, with fishermen in the area catching several record-setting fish—including one whopper that tipped the scales at 494 pounds.
When fishing for striped marlin, most anglers use lures, but people have had success with other techniques as well. In particular, live and rigged dead bait have helped fishermen catch plenty of impressive specimens.
Many regions throughout the country are ideal for marlin fishing. The primary habitats for striped marlin in New Zealand range from Houhoura and the North Cape in the north to Gisborne, Raglan and Napier in the south.
While not as common as the striped variety, blue marlin can also be caught in New Zealand. Although the largest fish hooked every year fall in the 600-pound range, the largest blue marlin ever found in the country weighed in at more than 1,000 pounds.