White Marlin water temperature at Norfolk & Washington Canyons.
Typical May SST in Norfolk & Washington Canyons is 60–70°F. White Marlin prefer 70–82°F with peak activity in 73–79°F.
White Marlin SST threshold
Year-round overlap with Norfolk & Washington Canyons SST
Where the Norfolk & Washington Canyons typical monthly SST band overlaps with white marlin's preferred and optimal ranges, the species is in range.
| Month | Zone SST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48–58°F | Outside |
| Feb | 48–56°F | Outside |
| Mar | 50–60°F | Outside |
| Apr | 54–64°F | Outside |
| Maynow | 60–70°F | Outside |
| Jun | 68–78°F | Peak |
| Jul | 72–82°F | Peak |
| Aug | 74–84°F | Peak |
| Sep | 70–80°F | Peak |
| Oct | 64–72°F | Fishable |
| Nov | 56–64°F | Outside |
| Dec | 50–60°F | Outside |
June, July, August, September
White marlin fishing is sight fishing at the surface — pitch baits to fish coming up on a teaser. Find them on the warm side of a 2–3°F break in 73–79°F water. Mid-Atlantic canyon mornings in August are the iconic bite.
These ranges are climatological norms. Actual SST varies year over year — get an SST satellite shot the day before you run.
Live SST imagery for Norfolk & Washington Canyons.
Bield: Fish overlays current NOAA CoastWatch SST onto your chartplotter view and alerts you when Norfolk & Washington Canyons hits white marlin's optimal 73–79°F window.