In the northwest Florida area, the three types of 

 baits were used frequently enough to permit con- 

 clusions. Blue marlin preferred mullet over bal- 

 lyhoo and bonito strip as indicated by the respective 

 hook rates (0.138, 0.090, and 0.080). The three 

 types of baits were about equally effective for hook- 

 ing white marlin (0.290, 0.278, 0.279). But sailfish 

 very decidedly preferred bonito strip over mullet 

 and ballyhoo (0.532 versus 0.226 and 0.228). 



When the data for the two areas were combined, 

 as shown at the bottom of Table 16, the results 

 reinforced the conclusions reached for the north- 

 west Florida area. 



CONCLUSIONS 



To summarize our study for 1971, the following 

 results and conclusions were obtained: 



1. A total of 701 billfishes was caught by 

 sportfishermen in offshore waters of the 

 northeastern Gulf of Mexico during 1971. 

 Of the total, 99 were blue marlin, 284 were 

 white marlin, and 318 were sailfish. To 

 catch these, 11,107 hours of fishing were 

 spent by the anglers. 



2. During the same 11,107 hours, 492 blue 

 marlin, 849 white marlin, and 860 sailfish, 

 and 39 unidentified billfish were raised. 



3. Off northwest Florida, white marlin were 

 most abundant in July, sailfish were most 

 abundant during the latter half of Sep- 

 tember, while blue marlin did not have an 

 especially abundant period. Off South 

 Pass, the variability of relative abundance 

 from week to week was greater, making de- 

 terminations of periods of abundance very 

 uncertain. 



4. Blue marlin were more abundant off South 

 Pass than off northwest Florida. White 

 marlin and sailfish were more abundant off 

 northwest Florida. 



5. Hours of greatest relative abundance for all 

 billfishes were between 1000 and 1200 h and 

 again between 1300 and 1500 h. 



6. The bluer the water, the greater the relative 

 abundance of billfishes. 



7. Off South Pass, billfishes were most abun- 

 dant along tide lines and rips, whereas off 

 northwest Florida, they were most abun- 

 dant in open water. 



8. Effect of moon phase on billfishing was not 

 significant. 



Table 16. — Bait preference of billfishes for South Pass, 

 northwest Florida, and the two areas combined, 1971. 









Bonito 





Bait 



Mullet 



Ballyhoo 



Strip 



Others 



South Pass 











No. of days bait used 



330 



25 



3 



47 



Blue marlin 











No. hooked 



74 



1 







11 



No. hooked per day 



0.224 



0.040 



— 



0.234 



White marlin 











No. hooked 



44 



5 



1 



6 



No. hooked per day 



0.133 



0.200 



0.333 



0.128 



Sailfish 











No. hooked 



24 



4 







3 



No. hooked per day 



0.073 



0.160 



— 



0.064 



Northwest Florida 











No. of days bait used 



465 



421 



376 



231 



Blue marlin 











No. hooked 



64 



38 



30 



26 



No. hooked per day 



0.138 



0.090 



0.080 



0.113 



White marlin 











No. hooked 



135 



117 



105 



46 



No. hooked per day 



0.290 



0.278 



0.279 



0.199 



Sailfish 











No. hooked 



105 



96 



200 



40 



No. hooked per day 



0.226 



0.228 



0.532 



0.173 



Both areas 











No. of days bait used 



795 



446 



379 



278 



Blue marlin 











No. hooked 



138 



39 



30 



37 



No. hooked per day 



0.174 



0.087 



0.079 



0.133 



White marlin 











No. hooked 



179 



122 



106 



52 



No. hooked per day 



0.225 



0.274 



0.280 



0.187 



Sailfish 











No. hooked 



129 



100 



200 



43 



No. hooked per day 



0.162 



0.224 



0.528 



0.155 



9. 



10. 



11. 



Effect of lengths of boats on billfishing was 

 not significant. 



Boats 40 to 49 ft long raised more billfisnes 

 if they had twin screws than single screw. 

 Off northwest Florida, blue marlin pre- 

 ferred mullet as bait, sailfish preferred 

 bonito strip, and white marlin showed no 

 preference. 

 The results from 1971 represent only the begin- 

 ning of this study. In 1972, the area west of the 

 mouth of the Mississippi River to the Mexican bor- 

 der will be included. Thus, future reports will cover 

 the entire U.S. coast of the Gulf of Mexico. As data 

 for the next few years are collected and analyzed, 

 some of the conclusions reached for 1971 may be 

 altered, and where no conclusions were reached in 



288 



