Species guide

White Marlin Fishing

To keep a white marlin it must be at least 66 inches lower jaw fork length, and FWC says a federal HMS angling permit is required in federal waters but not in state waters.

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White Marlin

Every charter here names white marlin on its own website, checked on the captain's own site

Check before you keep a fish. Seasons and limits change, sometimes in the middle of a season, and a court or an agency can change them overnight. Seasons and limits are set state by state. The ones on this page are Florida's, copied from FWC and NOAA Fisheries in Sep 2026 and listed with their source at the foot of the page. We are not a regulatory authority. Confirm the rule for the water you will fish with your captain or with that state's wildlife agency.

Where to fish for white marlin

39 charters name white marlin on their own website, across 20 towns in 1 state.

State records for white marlin

The heaviest white marlin each state has certified, biggest first.

StateWeightWhereYearAngler
Florida 161.06 lb Miami Beach 1938 L. F. Hoopersource
North Carolina 138 lb Off Cape Hatteras 2015 Neil Manningsource
New Jersey 137.5 lb Hudson Canyon 1980 Mike Marchellsource
Maryland 135 lb Poor Man's Canyon 1980 George Piersonsource
Louisiana 134 lb — 1976 Dennis L. Goodsource
Massachusetts 131 lb Nantucket 1982 Ted Nfatzgersource
New York 130 lb — 8/13 Mrs. P. Dater, East Hampton, NYsource
Rhode Island 125 lb South Block Island 1987 J. Luty Sr.source
Delaware 120 lb — 1972 William Garner Jr.source
Texas 111.5 lb Gulf of Mexico 1979 Geo Taggartsource
South Carolina 108 lb Charleston 1981 D. C. Critz Jr.source
Alabama 98.81 lb — 1997 James Ashley Walterssource

Each from that state's own records page, linked on every row. A location links to its town only where the agency named that town — a record logged to "Gulf of Mexico" or an offshore block belongs to no city. Weights are printed as the agency prints them. Records are certified by the state and can be broken at any time.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • In Florida state waters FWC does not require a federal HMS permit for billfish. In federal waters the vessel needs a valid HMS Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permit; tournament vessels may instead use an Atlantic Tunas General category or Swordfish General Commercial permit.
  • On a boat that holds an HMS permit, federal rules apply even in state waters, unless the state rule is stricter.
  • U.S. total landings of blue marlin, white marlin and roundscale spearfish combined are limited to 250 a year.
  • Land one and it must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours, at 800-894-5528 or hmspermits.noaa.gov.

Harvest rules

When can you keep one in Florida?

White marlin, Florida state waters

Florida state waters.

  • All anglersOpen year roundFWC.
66 inches, lower jaw to forkSize limit
1 billfish per personDaily limit. FWC: no federal HMS permit is needed in state waters. On a boat that holds an HMS permit, federal rules apply unless the state rule is stricter.

White marlin, federal waters

Federal waters, under NOAA Fisheries Atlantic billfish rules.

  • Anglers on a permitted vesselOpenNOAA Fisheries.
66 inches, lower jaw to forkSize limit
No set bag limitDaily limit. U.S. total landings of blue marlin, white marlin and roundscale spearfish combined are limited to 250 a year. Billfish cannot be kept if a hammerhead or oceanic whitetip shark is already on board or has been offloaded from the vessel.

Questions about white marlin

How big does a white marlin have to be to keep?

66 inches, measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail.

Do we need a permit?

Not in Florida state waters, per FWC. In federal waters the vessel needs a valid HMS Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permit (tournament vessels may use an Atlantic Tunas General category or Swordfish General Commercial permit). A boat that holds an HMS permit follows federal rules in state waters unless the state rule is more restrictive.

Does a landed marlin have to be reported?

Yes. FWC says all landed billfish must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours, at 800-894-5528 or hmspermits.noaa.gov.

Seasons, sizes and bag limits on this page were copied from NOAA Fisheries, recreational Atlantic billfish and NOAA Fisheries, HMS reporting and FWC, billfish, tuna and swordfish regulations in Sep 2026. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. Check the current rule with your captain or FWC before you keep a fish.