# Is it a White, or Rat Blue?



## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

Is it a White Marlin? Besides the White's average weight of 50 pounds in the Gulf and Western Atlantic and Blues average of 250-300 pounds, is it White or a Rat Blue? Is it a White or Sail? 

I saw the first attached pic yesterday in the Billfish Report and decided to send out an email to my fishing buddies. I'll share it here as it may help some on the forum.

email; Fishing Friends that really want to know some of the minor points of billfish id (White Marlin),

Attached, is one of the best pics I’ve seen illustrating a White’s large pecs. One of the 1st hints that you have that a White Marlin is in the baits or that one is hooked, are their very large pectoral fins. 
White’s PECS light up like VEGAS when they come up in the baits. The pecs look like a bird’s wings, a large bird like a Frigate as they move through the baits. 
I think a 50 Pound White has larger pecs than a 300 pound Blue Marlin. I guess they spend a lot of time at Gold’s Gym.

The more common way to know the difference in Marlin is their Dorsal Fin, which is rounded. However, some have a little point to them. 
The other 3 Marlin; Black, Blue and Stripe have pointed lobes on the Dorsal Fin. The most reliable ID on a White is their Anal Fin. The anal fin always has a very rounded lobe.

Another thing that throws first timers and some who have only seen a few fish, is that often the dorsal fin and other fins retract into slots on the fish’s body as illustrated in this picture too. Finally, It is very rare for a billfish to be lite from tip of bill to the end of its fins.

The second pic is a file pic I found that shows a White with its fins in full display.

This fish (pecs) was released in the “DR,” Dominican Republic, which has recently been discovered to be a HOT SPOT for White Marlin and Blue Marlin. It may even become the new Grand Slam Capital, replacing Venezuela. Venezuela still has the fish, but the fleet tends to stay out of there, due to all of its unrest.

I’m going to answer one more potential question. Whites are in the Atlantic, Caribbean and extreme Western Mediterranean. Blues are in the Atlantic and Pacific. Black and Stripes, are in the Pacific and Indian. Sailfish are in Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific….

Tight lines…… Jim


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

Hatchet


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## Xiphius (Oct 10, 2007)

white rounded anal


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

The Hatchet marlin is now "officially" known as the Roundscale Spearfish, _Tetrapterus georgii._

Here are a couple good ID pics I found:


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## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

Good points, in an effort to get a live White Marlin showing off all its fins, the underwater image may be a "Hatchet" Round Scale Spearfish. The point I wanted to make is Whites have large pecs for their body size; 90 plus percent of the time Whites show up in the baits with pecs ablaze in lavender and are frantic. Push come to shove, is it a White or Blue? The anal fin is rounded compared to the other 3 Marlin. The info on the Round Scale Spear is interesting, the Short Bill (Pacific), the Long Bill (Atlantic) and Mediterranean (Club Med), their anus is far forward of the Anal fin compared to all billfish as is Chris V's pics on the Round Scale which has only been recognized "officially" about 8 years ago. Attached you will see a White in our Play Room, caught by our oldest son in '92, that is anatomically incorrect; 2nd is a mount that is correct, and finally a pic of a White that does a pretty good job of showing its fins.

Tight lines! Praying that Bluewater will push in close Soon!


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