You’re standing on the edge of the pier. The rain is coming down in sheets, blurring the screen of your Switch, and your pockets are stuffed with about forty bags of fish bait. You toss a scoop of ground-up clams into the water. A shadow appears. It’s huge. Not just big, but massive—the kind of shadow that makes your heart skip a beat because you know, just know, it’s either going to be a masterpiece for your museum or another cursed sea bass. You cast the line. The bobber dips once. Twice. Then it plunges. You mash the A button, the controller rumbles like it’s trying to escape your hands, and finally, your character heaves a massive, pointed-snout beast out of the ocean.
The blue marlin in Animal Crossing is legendary for a reason.
Honestly, it’s one of the most frustrating and rewarding experiences in the game, whether you’re playing New Horizons, New Leaf, or even the older titles. It’s a trophy. It’s a 10,000-bell payday. But for most players, it’s a source of genuine "why won't it spawn?" misery.
Where the Blue Marlin Actually Hides
Most people make the mistake of running up and down the beach looking for this fish. You can run until your character's shoes wear out (if they wore out), but you won't find it there. The blue marlin is a "pier-only" fish. This is a specific mechanic in Animal Crossing: New Horizons that limits its spawn point to that wooden structure sticking out into the ocean.
In New Horizons, the pier is that fixed wooden dock on your home island, or the dock where Dodo Airlines lands on Mystery Islands. You can’t just stand on the rocks. You can't stand on the airport walkway. It has to be the pier.
The struggle is real because the pier doesn't have a lot of "spawn real estate." While the rest of your beach is constantly cycling through fish, the pier usually only hosts one or two shadows at a time. This makes fish bait a mandatory requirement rather than an optional tool. If you aren't digging up manila clams on the beach to craft bait, you are basically playing a lottery with terrible odds.
Timing and Seasonality Are Everything
You can't catch what isn't there. The blue marlin isn't a year-round resident for everyone. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you’re looking at two distinct windows: November through April, and then again in July and August. Southern Hemisphere players get it from May to October and January/February.
The interesting thing about the blue marlin is that it’s an all-day fish.
Twenty-four hours a day.
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Unlike the Barreleye or the Coelacanth, which have specific light or weather requirements, the marlin is always "available" during its months. But "available" is a relative term. The spawn rate is notoriously low. Data miners have looked at the code for New Horizons and found that the rarest fish usually have a spawn weight of around 1 or 2, compared to the sea bass which sits comfortably at 200+.
It’s rare. Very rare.
The Mystery Island Hack
If you’re losing your mind on your home island, there’s a trick. Using a Nook Miles Ticket to visit a Mystery Island can sometimes give you a better shot. Look for the "Big Fish Island" or any island with a pier. Because Mystery Islands have smaller coastlines, you can force-spawn fish more quickly by running around and scaring off the small shadows, then checking the pier.
Identifying the Shadow
Size matters. The blue marlin uses the "Size 6" shadow, which is the largest shadow in the game. This is the same size as a tuna, an oarfish, or a shark (though sharks have the tell-tale fin).
If you see a shadow that looks big but not massive, it’s probably a black sea bass or a red snapper. Don't waste your bait on those. If you're using bait and a small shadow appears, just cast your line and immediately reel it in to scare the fish away. Don't even bother catching it. You want to clear that slot as fast as possible to toss more bait.
The Physicality of the Catch
There’s a mechanical reason why people miss the blue marlin even when it finally bites. The "catch window" for rare fish is significantly shorter than for common ones.
For a sea bass, you have a generous amount of time to hit the A button after the bobber goes under. For a blue marlin? You have a fraction of a second.
If you're playing with Joy-Cons that have even a tiny bit of input lag, or if you're playing on a TV with high latency, you might find yourself "reeling in too late" constantly. A lot of pro players actually close their eyes and listen for the "plop" sound rather than watching the screen. Visuals can be distracting. The sound of the bobber submerging is instantaneous. Your ears react faster than your eyes. Try it next time—it sounds weird, but it works.
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Why Does Blathers Want It?
Once you actually land the thing, you have a choice. Do you sell it to Timmy and Tommy for 10,000 bells? Do you wait for CJ to visit and sell it for 15,000? Or do you give it to Blathers?
Always give the first one to Blathers.
The museum dialogue for the blue marlin is actually pretty cool. Blathers mentions that they are one of the fastest swimmers in the ocean, capable of reaching speeds of 50 to 60 miles per hour. In the New Horizons museum, the marlin is displayed in the large migratory tank. Seeing that huge, sleek body cutting through the water next to the tuna and the rays is a genuine "I did it" moment for any completionist.
Common Misconceptions and Lies
There’s a lot of misinformation floating around on old forums. Some people swear that you can only catch them in the rain. That’s simply not true. While rain is required for the Coelacanth, the blue marlin is perfectly happy to bite on a sunny day.
Another myth is that you can catch them from the secret beach at the back of your island. Nope. That counts as "sea," but not "pier." The game's code is very specific about those wooden planks.
Making the Most of Your Catch
If you've already filled your museum slot, the blue marlin becomes a high-tier commodity. 10,000 bells is a solid chunk of change, especially early in the game when you're trying to pay off Tom Nook’s relentless mortgage demands.
However, if you're into decorating, the blue marlin can be used to craft the "Blue Marlin Wall-Mounted Fish." You’ll need the fish itself and some wood. It looks great in a "nautical" themed room or a basement "man cave" setup. Honestly, it’s one of the few fish items that doesn't look like a tacky plastic toy.
The Grind Is Part of the Fun
Let’s be real for a second. Animal Crossing is a slow game. It’s built on the idea of patience and the passage of time. The blue marlin represents that perfectly. It’s not meant to be caught in five minutes. It’s meant to be that thing you talk about with your friends.
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"Did you get the marlin yet?"
"No, I’ve used 100 bait and nothing."
"Keep going, it took me three days."
That’s the loop. That’s the magic.
Essential Gear for Your Next Fishing Trip
Before you head out to the pier again, make sure you're actually prepared so you don't have to keep running back to your storage.
- At least 3-4 Fishing Rods: Don't bring just one. It will break right when the marlin spawns. It’s a law of nature.
- 50+ Bags of Fish Bait: You might get lucky in five, but usually, it takes dozens.
- Patience: Seriously. Turn on a podcast or some music.
Moving Forward With Your Collection
The blue marlin is just one of the "Pier Powerhouses." If you're hunting in the winter months (Northern Hemisphere), you're also in the prime window for Tuna. They share the same shadow size and location. If you’re fishing for one, you’ll likely end up catching the other.
Once you’ve mastered the pier, your next challenge should be the river-mouth specialists like the Sturgeon or the King Salmon. They require a similar level of spatial awareness and bait management, but with the added frustration of dealing with the constant flow of the river.
Go grab your shovel. Dig up those clams. Head to the pier. The marlin is waiting, and honestly, that museum wing isn't going to finish itself. Just remember to react to the sound, not the splash, and don't let the sea bass get you down.
To maximize your chances, try fishing during "big fish" mystery island tours or wait for a day when CJ is on your island so you can at least make a massive profit on the "failures" while you wait for the big one. Focus on the pier, keep your bait stocks high, and listen for the deep thud of the bobber.