Azores Blue Marlin Fishing: My Return to a Legendary Destination

Having returned to the Azores in 2024, a long 26 years after my first visit there on Jerry Dunaway’s “Hooker” and the “Madam”, it was great to be back to these beautiful islands - a top destination for Azores blue marlin fishing.

As you fly in to Horta you pass the 8,000 foot tip of Pico on your left and it brings a smile and an increase in heartbeat. Why? Everything in the Azores is big. Below the blue surface lurk massive bait schools, pursued by dolphins, whales, sharks, swordfish, tuna and blue marlin.

We were fishing on the newly refurbished “Double Header” a 43 foot Daytona, that was owned by IGFA trustee and author, Steven Sloan, then by Leo Cloostermans (holder of the Atlantic blue marlin world records on 4# and 12# line, caught off Faial). The legendary vessel is now owned by Captain Les Gallagher and Paul Scopinich.

Les is a very well-known captain having fished all over the west coast of Africa, Cape Verde and in Ascension Island. His two mates Max Östrand (English/Swedish) and Jett Tolbert are very experienced and specialize in wiring big blue marlin. Les is a very accomplished artist and has illustrated all the sea life, including marine mammals, from the Azores. He came to the Azores 40 years ago and has enough incredible fishing stories to write several books. He keeps a lovely art gallery next to his destination restaurant, the “Oceanic”. The sport fishing crowd gravitates to this watering hole and to another, called “Peter’s Café Sport” just a couple of hundred yards away.

A blue marlin erupts from the Atlantic off Faial — a prime moment during our Azores blue marlin fishing expedition.

Les and Max acquired a seasoned 36 foot Hatteras last year and brought it to the Azores to refurbish and add to the “Double Header”. Demand for marlin fishing is strong. The new boat, called “Blue Skye” with Captain Olaf Grimkowski, was the top boat in the Horta fleet when we arrived there in late August. Just an FYI, the Azores charter fleet does not use sonar… yet. Many of the visiting US boats have Omni sonar.

Our intrepid team of Cayman anglers were Martin Lancaster, Vince Snell, and renowned restauranteur and skier Andi Marcher. We kicked off our introduction to Horta with a visit to Les’ art gallery “Oceanic”, managed by Les’ daughter Katherine followed by dinner at the restaurant. The bigeye tuna steaks are all local fish.

It had been a slow start to the season and on our first day, we headed to the Condor Bank in calm weather. Les was not impressed with the level of bait activity and there seemed to be few birds working the area. The spread run by the crew is typical of most Azores blue marlin fishing setups for big fish. There were four 130# rigs, with two short, two long and lures with hooks. No teasers were out as the fish had been scarce.

We did not see a marlin until 3pm when a 500# fish took a swirl under the right short lure and was not impressed, leaving as fast as it arrived. 4 marlin were released today with 2 on the Azores Bank and 2 on Condor.

The next day we ran out to the Azores Bank, 20 miles south of Faial, in great conditions. We trolled all day, marked a lot of bait and had a cheap shot in the afternoon from another hesitant marlin. Meanwhile “Blue Skye” captained by Olaf Grimkowski, released a 850# blue on the pitch and a 400# blue soon after right next to us. We ran up alongside as the marlin was being released to get some boat to boat shots.

We were back at the Azores Bank the next morning having run past a fast moving school of spotted dolphins. The wind was 15 knots from the north and brought a light chop, making the lures look extra active. At 1.02 pm the dorsal of a large marlin slid behind the right short lure and the fish ate but did not really commit, pulling the line out of clip, the rod bent a little but no line was pulled off the reel. A cheap shot! The same thing happened to the other boats with window shoppers in the spread and tentative bites. The other boats fishing at the Azores Bank were 0/7 except for “Blue Skye”. What was going on?

Les rolled the dice again on Azores Bank. At 10.45 a.m we had a solid bite on the right long and Vince was tight to a jumping marlin going to the right across the spread. Everyone could see it was a big fish. We were quickly into the backing on the reel, Les turned to chase as Vince recovered the line. More jumps, but far away. Jett had the leader after 20 minutes and we got shots and video boat side of this beautiful 800# blue marlin. At 2.05pm a marlin came up on the right short, pulled some drag, came off and dropped back then we had a solid hook up on the right long. Andi was in the chair, an experienced angler he put a lot of pressure on the marlin after a long chase down sea again.

A powerful blue marlin hooked off the Azores Bank launches into the air — classic Azores blue marlin fishing action at its best.

Max was the wire man this time, I was able to get underwater video of the magnificent 700# blue at the boat. These fish are very long, fat and in magnificent condition. There was another hook, like a commercial long line hook in its mouth. After the release Les had been marking the movement of bait across the east side of the bank, following it. At 2.58p.m, a marlin crushed the right short and Martin was in the chair. There was a long run and chase, Jett said the hook may be around the bill. Sure enough once on the leader after 20 minutes the fish turned toward the boat, and the right there the hook slid off the bill. It was a smaller marlin of 500# and we were 3/3. Great day. We celebrated with drinks and dinner at Peter’s, the legendary bar just above the harbour in Horta. Be sure to visit the scrimshaw museum above the bar, any week day. The collection of scrimshaw art on sperm whale teeth and whale bone is the largest I have ever seen.

Guy Harvey visiting Peter's Cafe Sport. 
This is an emblematic cafe-bar, on the island of Faial, where all the best-known navigators in the world pass.

We tried the Azores Bank again the next day, but and in spite of marking wads of bait, no marlin in the spread all day. We did see a school of pompano dolphin being chased by an unseen predator, a mako or a marlin, with Pico in the background it would make a wonderful painting.

There was a front moving from the south west on Day 6. Les took an admin day and Jett drove while Andi and I helped Max in the cockpit. It just takes 10 minutes to reach the drop on the north side and we fished in 300-800 meters in and out, with the beautiful patchwork green slopes of the caldera in the background. It was lumpy and cloudy on the western margin. At 11.50am we had a bite on the right long. Andi was in the chair, the marlin jumped a lot and I was able to get some action shots with the island in the background though it was overcast. After releasing the 600# blue marlin Jett stayed in the area, with 5 other boats also working this strip of water and having bites. At 3.45 we got close to the “Xacara” to take photos the as they released a 500# blue. At 4.15pm a dorsal fin slid up behind the left short and pulled a lot of drag before disengaging. Damn! We stayed in the area and at 6.02, Jett nearly fell off the bridge as he shouted; “There is an absolute MONSTER on the left short”, verified by a huge fountain of water where the lure had been and the line was pouring off the reel. But after 50 yards, the hook pulled…ugh. That was the one. We were 1/3 after a most exciting day.

Our last day started with a bang, as we got to the north drop we had a bite at 9.57a.m on the right long, Martin did the honors and we released a 500# blue that jumped all over the ocean. By 10.30a.m, the 41 foot G & S, “Deceiver” with captain John “JB” Batterton was 0/4 working 4 miles west of us on the north side. The bite was on with “Brasilia” captain Luis Roque was already 2/2, was got more boat to boat photos with Pico in the background. “Deceiver” was 1/5, with other boats also getting bites. By 3pm we had missed one on the short left and “Brasilia” was 3/3. At 3.02pm we had a big marlin on the right short and as we turned to chase another swam past the boat and did not bite the pitch bait. Vince tackled this active 700# fish jumping in the sunlight with the beautiful pastures in the back ground, hedges all full of bright blue hydrangeas. What a shot!

That was our last bite as we finished up 2/4, “Brasilia” 4/4, “Xacara” 1/3, “Uno Mas” raised several and “Deceiver” 3/14 by the end of the day. A couple of days later the BAD CO released a massive blue “way over the mark” when the hook straightened while on the leader. It was the kind of week that reminds you why Azores blue marlin fishing is in a league of its own.

That is the lure of blue marlin fishing in the Azores. This year the season started a little late but boats continue to see a lot of big marlin in September. Les and crew will fishing up around October 10. TIGHT LINES!

After days of unforgettable Azores blue marlin fishing, Gillian and I spent 5 days in the largest island of Sao Miguel, doing tours and visiting the spectacular sights of numerous hot springs and calderas, Lago Furnas, Lago do Fogo and the really amazing village at Sete Cidadas. Amazing food and wine choices, friendly people and inexpensive prices made for the ultimate island experience in the archipelago of the Azores.