Flying fish are named after their ability to fly over the sea. In fact, the so-called "flying" is just gliding on the water with the help of a pair of well-developed pectoral fins on the chest. This is mainly to avoid being chased by big fish. Because many ferocious fish such as sharks, swordfish and tuna often chase flying fish and eat them. In order to survive, flying fish "practice" a unique flying ability.

Flying fish have a pair of rather large pectoral fins, the length of which is 2/3 of the body length. Before flying fish takes off, it swims at high speed in the water, with its pectoral and pelvic fins tightly attached to both sides of its body, like a submarine. When the speed reaches enough to emerge from the water, the pectoral fins are fully opened, like the wings of an airplane. However, at this time, the pelvic fins are on both sides of the body and the tail fin is still in the water. When the flying fish is about to leave the water, its tail fin slaps the water quickly and forcefully, gaining momentum and taking off into the air. After gliding for a certain distance, the flying fish falls into the water, hits the water hard with its tail again, and jumps out of the water again for a second gliding flight. Under normal circumstances, flying fish can fly several times in a row. The height of flying fish flying above the sea surface is usually a few meters to more than ten meters, the gliding speed is 20 to 30 meters per second, and the gliding distance is hundreds of meters. When there is a tailwind, the farthest distance can even reach nearly a thousand meters.

Although flying fish do not rely on flapping their pectoral and pelvic fins to increase their flight speed in the air, they can use their fins to control their flight speed and direction. Regardless of the horizontal or vertical direction, it can be controlled very accurately. Therefore, although flying fish are sometimes very close to the boat, they will not collide with the boat.