Waves of stormy winter weather continued to pass over the Hawaiian archipelago this past week, but in spite of the weather, offshore fishing was good for many of the charter boats fishing out of Honokohau Harbor. Catches included the who’s who of pelagic fishes — blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, spearfish, ahi, mahimahi and ono.
The catches are impressive considering the often challenging conditions presented by the weather. On top of that, not many offshore fisheries can claim to catch four different billfish species in a single week.
It looks like we are slowly moving into what I like to call mixed bag fishing. If you prefer to catch a big fish, you have a good chance of finding one. Or if you’d rather catch smaller fish, you have a good chance of finding them, too. This fun fishing trend gets even better as we move into the spring and summer season.
Let’s start with big fish.
Sixty-one blue marlin have been reported to the Honokohau Charter Desk since Jan.1. The majority of the blue marlin caught were tagged and released. Thirteen of the 61 fish were over 500 pounds, including four this past week.
The biggest blue to date is 709 pounds, and something tells me that will change soon as March is known for big fish. It’s important to note, not all catches get reported. So, when is a good time to go fishing in Kona? Anytime you can.
Surprisingly, the striped marlin and spearfish bite has slowed a bit, but that could change at any minute.
Now for smaller fish.
As mentioned last week, the flotsam from winter storms has provided excellent fishing opportunities and table fare table for charter boats who happened upon them. There are nice reports of mahimahi, ono and small tuna being found around these highly productive fish attracting devices known as floaters.
A few boats also caught yellowfin tuna up to 80 pounds, while others caught shibis, which are small excellent eating yellowfin tuna usually under 20 pounds.
First reported black marlin of 2018
Congratulations to angler Tom Selow for catching an estimated 200-pound black marlin on Sunday. Considered a rare species for Kona, Selbow tagged and released the black marlin fishing on the charter boat Night Runner with Capt. Shawn Rotella and crewmember Mike Dakil.
It was Rotella’s fourth black marlin since March of last year. The four blacks would certainly give him the honors of the most black marlin caught by a Kona charter or private boat in that time frame.
Rotella caught the black while live-baiting opelu for sailfish. Oddly enough, he jumped another black marlin off the day before. Two shots at black marlin off Kona in two days is pretty special.
In the past four years, Rotella caught 54 sailfish and probably holds the honors for most sailfish caught by a Kona charter or private boat in that time span as well.
So, congratulations to Shawn and his crew for consistently catching the somewhat rare Kona billfish species. Nice work.
Hula Girl gets the biggest fish of the week honors
Congratulations to female angler Marie Cavin for tagging and releasing an estimated 650-pound blue marlin. Cavin caught the big blue fishing with Capt. Greg “Stretch” Fogarty and deckhand Cole Crocker on the charter boat Hula Girl.
The big blue charged in and attacked a 36-inch mud flap teaser that was splashing right behind the boat. Crocker immediately pulled the hook less teaser away from the hungry and excited marlin, and the giant fish turned and devoured a homemade lure Fogarty calls the “strunger” on the long corner rod.
Just to let Cavin know what she was in for, the big marlin showed its magnificent size and beautiful colors by jumping for the first three to four minutes of the battle.
Cavin did an excellent job in the fighting chair, and 47 minutes later, the fish was alongside the boat, where it was tagged and released unharmed.
Female anglers take the three biggest fish of the week honors
Marie wasn’t the only female angler who caught a monster-sized blue marlin last week. Congratulations to Joanne Kionoski and Alisa Kiffmeyer for catching the second and third biggest blues of the week.
Joanne Kionoski tagged and released an estimated 600-pound blue marlin fishing with Capt. Al Gustavson and crewmember John Bennett on the Topshape.
With the scale having the most accurate weight. Alisa Kiffmeyer caught and weighed a 596-pound blue marlin fishing with Capt. Kevin Hiney on the Ku’uipo.
I can’t short change angler Spencer Allen, who caught and weighed a 556.5-pound blue fishing with Capt. Shawn Palmer on the High Flier.
Those are memorable catches. Nice work to all for catching such nice-sized fish.
Holo holo day on the Reelentless
Brian Cibulka, his wife Kodi, and their two daughters, nine-year-old Sadie and two-year-old Stella, along with the family dog Penny, enjoyed a break in the weather and had a fun family day on the water fishing on their 31-foot Bertram, Reelentless. Kodi caught a nice ono, providing a delicious meal for her family, and at the same time exposed her daughters to the joy of fishing.
I saw their picture and thought it appropriate for the column. I love the dog’s expression by the way. I believe the picture represents fishing, family, love, future generations and just plain fun.
You never know, maybe one day I’ll be writing about Sadie and Stella being two of Kona’s finest female anglers.
See for yourself what the local boats are catching by visiting or following our Facebook page “Kona Fish Report” and if you think you have an interesting offshore, bottom or shore fishing story, please email: markjohnstoncatchingup@gmail.com or jdegroote@westhawaiitoday.com.