The Salt Water Sportsman editors list the top two locations to fish in February for some of the most popular species, plus notes about each fish-location pairing.
First choice: Panama
Second choice: New Zealand
Lots of 300- to 500-pound blues hunt along the color change off Panama’s Pacific coast, where floating debris gathers, attracting the bonito, small tuna and dolphin that marlin seek. In New Zealand, warm summer currents bring in a steady flow of blues averaging 400 pounds. Most patrol the stretch between the Bay of Islands and North Cape.
First choice: Brazil
Second choice: Grenada
A major spike in the number of big females makes the waters off Vitoria and Canavieiras, Brazil, tops for Atlantic blues this month. In the Caribbean, blue marlin prowl a couple of major drops in the continental shelf along the Grenadines, just a short run from both Grenada and St. Vincent.
First choice: Panama
Second choice: Australia
The color change outside the Gulf of Panama and various underwater peaks just off the Pacific coast are primary hunting areas for black marlin, which remain a consistent target for offshore battles. The abundance of mackerel over shallow reefs off Australia’s Gulf Coast keeps numerous juvenile blues in the area.
First choice: Brazil
Second choice: Mexico
Despite the influx of big blues, white marlin remain a big draw in Vitoria, Brazil, where the latter are known to consistently exceed 150 pounds. Along Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, whites build steadily in number and continue to stage off Isla Mujeres, Cancun and Cozumel before it’s time for them to move on in late spring.
First choice: Florida
Second choice: Mexico
Atlantic sails don’t mind rough water, so anglers fishing Florida should get a well-deserved payoff in any conditions. The stretch from the Keys north to Stuart offers sails aplenty, but sight-fishing around ballyhoo schools over Islamorada reefs is not to be missed. Sailfish numbers are still on the upswing off Isla Mujeres and Cancun.
First choice: Guatemala
Second choice: Costa Rica
Peak sailfish season continues in Guatemala, where game boats still tally high release numbers. With most crews raising over 20 sails a day, there’s no better place to perfect hooking and fighting billfish or try your hand at fly-fishing for big game. In Costa Rica, the solid sailfish bite has spread from Golfito and Quepos northward to Los Sueños and Puerto Carrillo.
First choice: Mexico
Second choice: New Zealand
Now is when the fleet out of Cabo San Lucas pitches or drops back baits to an increasing number of striped marlin spotted surfing the waves. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the warm…
