Starting this December, the Sailfish season begins in Cancun, characterized by its spectacular dorsal fin that they deploy to swim faster when hunting, it is one of the fastest aquatic animals, hence its special attraction to fish it. It generally offers a hard battle when hooking the hook, which attracts fishermen from all over the world, they are usually seen in the coasts of Cancun from December to July. Learn more about this spectacular fish and how you can enjoy this wonderful fishing experience in this installment.
The trophy
This magnificent specimen is considered a true trophy in sport fishing par excellence, it is believed that this is due to the difficulty of catching it, it is a very strong fish and it is considered a worthy fighter, it really puts up a fight against its avid captors. The baits they use are very varied, they can use fresh bait, live bait, drag lures, among others. Due to its speed and strength it is necessary to apply precautionary measures with the equipment, because the Sailfish when hooked can jump out of the water and then start a race to the depth, which makes “The Fight” with this fish something unique and memorable. If you want to know how to live this experience in Cancun, check here
Characteristics
The Sailfish can reach up to 110 Km/hr, being one of the fastest aquatic animals in the world, it is a spectacle to watch it hunt, its unique attraction and its characteristic metallic blue, is shown when jumping up to two meters out of the water. It is a fierce predator, when hunting they seem to dance in the water, they are very agile and with the use of their long beak they make their way through the prey, they usually hunt in groups, tuna is their favorite prey and the way to warn those in their group that there is food or that they are about to ram is by deploying their dorsal sail as a warning signal so as not to hurt each other.
Physical structure
These streamlined fish can measure more than 3 meters long and weigh up to 100 kilograms. Females are larger and more developed than males, but unlike males, they are less colorful. Their dorsal spines have a total of 48 to 53 soft rays that form the large sail, which is the origin of their name. There are no spines on the belly and on the back before the tail there are a total of 9 to 12 soft rays. They belong to the marlin family, they are similar in the upper jaw that protrudes above the lower jaw, which forms a very sharp point, like a harpoon, its tail in the shape of a hard and thin fork, allows them to reach high speeds. Their meat is quite tough and not usually eaten, so they are highly valued only for sport fishing. (Source National Geographic)
Catch and Release
In Mexico, Sailfish fishing is exclusively for sport fishing, within 50 nautical miles from the baseline from which the Territorial Sea is measured. In the case of Marlin, Sailfish, Swordfish and Shark, the maximum limit per angler per day will be one specimen, which will be equivalent to five of other species. For more details of these regulations, you can access here
Care for Release
The Sailfish seems to have no scales and is covered with slime, which is sometimes harmful to the person carrying it because in some cases it causes a reaction in the human skin due to contact. To ensure a safe catch for both you and the fish and release with proper safety measures, learn more by clicking here on this content
Reproduction
Females spawn several times a year off the coast, releasing about one million eggs in a single clutch, which are then quickly fertilized by the males. Once fertilized, the small fry are born and float near the surface, becoming easy prey for a variety of predators. Unfortunately, of the more than one million eggs, only 12 to 20 will develop into adult Sailfish.
Once adults, the Sailfish will have as enemies other species such as the Mako shark, but the lack of natural predators in some of the seas, as well as the fact that the females spawn several times a year, together with the establishment of laws in some countries that even force their fishing to be only for sport, keep the Sailfish population stable and even increasing.
Why Cancun?
Cancun offers a unique spectacle, due to the incredible geographical position in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, which makes this destination a strategic place for fishing lovers to have a spectacular encounter with the Sailfish in the months of sighting, from December to July, where you can live the experience of fishing, as well as watching them hunt. If you wish to sail to the sighting points accompanied by Chartiers del Mar’s specialized team, enter here and choose your favorite boat
