Fish
Longbill Spearfish
Tetrapturus pfluegeri
A slim, oceanic billfish of the open Atlantic and warm offshore water, the rarest of the region's marlin-family gamefish.
Also known as longbill, longbill marlin, spearfish
- Typical size
- Commonly 1.5-2 m
- Habitat
- Open offshore ocean
- Depth
- Surface to upper open water
The longbill spearfish is the most slender of the billfishes, with a long, low dorsal fin, a very slim body and a short, delicate bill compared with true marlin. It is dark blue above and silvery below, built for speed in the open ocean.
It is a pelagic wanderer of warm offshore waters and is only occasionally taken off the South African coast, usually by anglers trolling for marlin and tuna far from land. Being uncommon and of limited food value, spearfish are frequently released, and their scarcity makes any encounter notable.