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Found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas, these solitary, pelagic, fast swimming species rarely come in close to shore.

The shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) is the species most often encountered by anglers as it is more likely to move in shore on occasion. The longfin mako (Isurus paucus) is a widely distributed off shore species. It is taken almost exclusively on longlines though there is a record of at least one specimen being caught on rod and reel in the Gulf stream off south Florida.

It resembles its close relatives the porbeagle and the great white shark. The body is streamlined and well proportioned and the snout is conical and ends in a point. The longfin mako has a blunter snout and a larger eye than the shortfin as well as much longer pectoral fins.

The back of the shortfin mako is a brilliant blue-gray or cobalt blue and the sides are light blue, changing to snowy white on the belly including the lower jaw. The longfin mako is also blue above with light blue sides, and is white below except for the jaw. In life the mako's colors are the most strikingly beautiful of all the mackerel sharks. After death the colors fade to grayish brown.

The mako is a known enemy of the broadbill swordfish. In one case a 730 lb (331 kg) mako was found to have swallowed a 120 lb (54 kg) swordfish whole. It is an intensively active fish, a hooked mako will unleash all its fury, reportedly leaping as high as 30 ft (10 m) out of the water.

Fishing methods include trolling with whole tuna, mullet, squid, mackerel, or lures and also, chumming or live bait fishing with similar baits. Many are hooked incidentally while trolling for marlins. The flesh is excellent and said to be similar to swordfish. Like mako and its relatives, the white shark and the porbeagle shark, differ from most sharks in that they are warm-blooded.