Do flying fish really fly? Or do they just kind of jump out of the water? Great question， and the answer is Yes. There are around sixty-four species of flying fish, and they really do fly. Well, actually, they glide. Right，but they glide like birds do.Here's how it works. Say a flying fish is cruising through the water, when all of a sudden a swordfish shows up, looking for a meal. Choosing flight over fight, the flying fish whips its tail into a frenzy and shoots up out of the water. Then the airborne fish spreads its long, wing like pectoral fins and tilts them upward, similar to a bird.