Put the Marquesas on Your Bucket List

By Capt. John Crupi

Where is it in the world that every owner and crew should experience at least once? There are so many choices, and my guess is this topic could and will be debated for years to come. For me, the place I would return to time and time again is the Marquesas. These French Polynesian islands have some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, combined with amazing fishing comparable to anywhere on the planet.

Abundant Fish

When you leave the anchorage, you have no idea what is in store for you. I have seen days where boats go out, troll to the southeast point, catch a 400- or 500- or 600-pound blue marlin and be back for lunch. I have departed from the anchorage in the late afternoon after spotting biomasses of bait and birds and found tuna that are hard to imagine. On the radar, these areas look like small islands. For fishermen, they are heaven on earth. We have been hooked up on double header blue marlins (both over the 500-pound mark), seen three to four more tailing down sea and had massive yellowfin tuna busting all over the place. One of the largest marlin we have ever seen was released within sight of the anchorage.

The Marquesas are in a league of their own. Although it will take more exploring to figure out if there is a good or better time of year to fish this destination, I have been there in the Fall and Spring (southern hemisphere seasons) and averaged a release every day we fished. I have talked with the locals and never really received a solid answer on the best time of year for blue marlin. The funny thing is that the locals see marlin as a nuisance. They want tuna and wahoo and thought it was strange that all we wanted was big blue marlin!

Features and Opportunities

One of the key differences between the Marquesas and other areas is the structure both around the islands and the surrounding banks. These structures hold massive amounts of bait. The wahoo fishing is unreal. The dog tooth fishing on Clark Bank brings in many fish over 150 pounds. The stories go on and on. The fact is you must see it to believe it.

The Marquesas are difficult to get to—yes. That’s part of the appeal to me. But even for those without a mothership, it is possible to get there via transport ship. Ship to Tahiti and you now have some of the world’s most beautiful islands at your disposal and activities to entertain even the most discerning owners and guests. Fish, cruise, dive, kite surf, surf, swim with whales, spearfish… the list goes on and on. From Tahiti, there is daily air service via Air Tahiti to Nuku Hiva and many of the other islands in the Marquesas chain. For those looking for adventure and seeking off-the-grid fishing destinations away from the crowds, the Marquesas will check all the boxes. No matter how long you visit, you’ll leave wanting more.