Lou,
I think it totally doable. It's been something I've been thinking about recently.
Sailfish are a realistic target on stickbaits albeit with single hook combinations rather than trebles (although I have caught one on trebles). Personally I prefer swinging singles on assists. I think it's reasonable to assume that striped marlin would respond similarly.
One of the problems in fishing for them exactly like sailfish is that it is, unlike sailfish, a rare event that marlin are found in high enough concentrations to make blind casting viable. There are exceptions, when you come across a free swimmer or when big bait balls form offshore being some of them. A couple of years ago at the Carpark you could have reached over and touched them they were that thick but that is rare. More likely would be the use of traditional bait and switch techniques where the live or dead bait switch is substituted for a stick bait in a similar fashion to a fly.
Once hooked (other than smaller fish) they become a different proposition compared to sailfish. Once the aerials have subsided (if they ever start) your equipment has to have enough backbone to slug it out, 80-100lb line will suffice, maybe even 60-80lb, but you may need more than 300 metres of it. Modern spinning reels are more than adequate. Harnesses and back support have to be thought about since although GTs are brutal the pain only lasts 10-15mins, marlin are less brutal but the pressure is constant and may last longer than 30 mins.
Just my thoughts.
Regards,
Trevor
