Striped marlin frequent the tropical and temperate waters of the Pacific, but prefer somewhat cooler water than the other marlins.  Therefore, they are numerous in northern Mexico, where they spawn from May to July, but they are not as common as far south as Acapulco.

The striper’s bill is slender, not much thicker or as long as a sailfish’s, and is used to stun its prey.  It has 14-20 vertical lavender or blue stripes which become conspicuous after death, and a high pointed dorsal fin with purplish/black spots.  It feeds mainly on fish supplemented by squid, crabs and shrimp.

The striped marlin is the most acrobatic of all billfish and is fairly easy to catch.  Leaping and shaking their heads savagely they tire quickly and can generally be boated in from a few minutes to an hour.  Most fish are taken by trolling artificial lures when blind strikes are generally the rule.  However, they can also be coaxed into taking live bait by first locating the fish visually then casting to it.

The striped marlin is generally considered to be the finest-eating of all marlins because of its tender flesh and it is ideal for use in raw dishes or for grilling.