Recorded captures of Vanuatu blue marlin have ranged in size from as little as 40 pounds to an astronomical 1094 pounds, the biggest fish weighed in the island to date. This midget to monster diversity has led marine observers to increasingly speculate that this region may be one of the world's very few blue marlin spawning grounds.

While it would be misleading to claim an average size for the Vanuatu blues, general observations have been made by skippers and crew accustomed to encountering the species. According to guide Dean Butler, in a run of fish averaging around 150-180 pounds, one in ten will be 400-600 pounds. At other times,he has seen the blues run at an average 300-500 pounds, with the oddfish among them weighing less than 200 pounds. Fish over 800 pounds can show up at any time.

Striped marlin migrate sporadically through the blue marlin waters, spending days, sometimes weeks on the grounds. Most encountered are large, from 200 to 300 pounds. The Vanuatu record is 411 pounds. In recent times, black marlin to over 800 pounds have been released and there's a very real chance for bigger fish to be taken. Exciting captures are expected over the coming seasons as Kahuna Charters begins truly targeting this species, which has often been taken as an incidental capture.

Aboard the Kahuna Charters fleet, standard procedure for blue marlin fishing involves running a spread of three to five trolling lures and various teasers on 130 and 80 pound chair tackle. Subject to the client's interest, if other species are available at the time, 50 pound tackle will also be deployed..

The excitement of bait and switch fishing for blue marlin is also an option aboard Kahuna and Nevagivup. Teasing fish to the boat, and using the right sporting tackle for its size, makes for great angling teamwork that's guaranteed to red-line your adrenaline levels.