Some people say that there are no seasons here in Hawaii. The folks who say that may just not be attuned to the variances because they can be so nuanced. Nuance antennae can’t be downloaded from the app store, so one must keep a sharp eye out for “signs.”
Our temperatures don’t range as drastically as in other regions, but temperatures alone are not signs of seasonality. Around here, the sun shines in southern windows in winter and almost but not quite, the northern panes in summer. This is a nuanced sign.
Starting about Thanksgiving, storms march down the island chain from the north northwest, sending folks diving into their closets. Locals wearing socks in their slippers are an unmistakable sign of winter. Once you become attuned, you may even graduate to a level of enlightenment knowing that ripe avocado and/or mango can be talisman indicating when mahi mahi will be biting. The operative words being “can be.” It gets tricky.
When I was a kid there were five clearly defined seasons: Baseball season, fishing sea-son, football season, hunting season, spring training season (more football) and then back into baseball season. Likewise here in Kona, in addition to those (and the seasons outlined earlier) we also have fishing tournament season, bird hunting season, paddling season and surf meet season. Fishing and surfing go on year round though, so these activities are not reliable signs of one season or another. There may be a triathlon sea-son too, but when you grow up with two football seasons a year, you tend to stray away from that sort of thing once you have done your penance. So I don’t know.
The presence of trade winds “can be” indicative of summer but high pressure to the north can fill in an absence of storms, so trades can blow at any point throughout the year. This can trick the uninitiated, who should exercise caution in declaring it to be summer just because trades are blowing and it’s warm. The telltale signs of summer are not weather conditions. The telltale signs of summer are fishing tournaments, and the signs are everywhere now. From homes on the mountain, even landlubbers can see more boats frothing up the ocean, trolling to and fro. That’s obvious. More nuanced signs of summer are the increase in beer vans on the road, trying to keep up with fishermen wiping out the stores. Second to that is the increase in new pick up trucks on the road – bought by beer distributors and lucky crews who win a tournament. Look for those in July along with hot days and steady trades. It’s a bit early now.
Yes, Fishing Tournament Season is upon us and it kicked off in fine form over the weekend. Fifty-two teams participated in the return of the Umeke’s Hanapa’a for HUGS annual tourney. This event raises funds for HUG’s of Hawaii, an important Hawaii nonprofit. HUGS stands for Help, Understanding and Group Support for Hawaii families with kids up to 21 years of age, facing life threatening illness or disease. The fish chipped in too, with a total of seven marlin, 10 ahi, 19 ono, four mahi and 16 Aku reported caught. Everyone had fun while supporting a great cause.
Likewise, Hospice of Kona returned this past March after COVID year delays, and net-ted about $20,000 — underscoring the importance of these events to the nonprofit community. Next up is the Neal Isaacs Rock n Reel Hawaiian Open Fishing Tournament, a fundraiser for the various programs of the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club, also a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The Rock ‘n Reel will fish over the weekend of June 11 and 12.
After a break the following weekend, the “major” tournaments kick off in earnest on June 24 weekend with the annual Kona Kick Off tourney, leg two of the Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series. The HMT Series is in its 36th season, and its April Lazy Marlin Hunt tourney was also well attended. The Lazy Marlin Hunt was won by an almost all family team with Mom Kathleen Wyatt doing the angling honors, Dad Wyatt working the deck and sons Colton and Hudson documenting the tag and release with video, while also tackling all of the odd jobs that pop up.
Ninety-five percent of all the marlin caught in the HMT Series are tagged and released, so getting the video documentation needed to qualify can be a high pressure job for young kids. At the Lazy Marlin however, Mom took the pressure off by landing a 942.5-pound blue to sweep most of the prize categories. Last year their team on Sea Genie II took Second Place overall in the HMT Series with 15 marlin tagged and released, so the boys have proven they can meet the challenge in the season ahead. Sea Genie II is skippered by the only pro on the team, Capt. K.J. Robinson.
From here the signs of summer are unmistakable with tournaments running back to back through the month of July, and they are not confined to weekends. On June 29 and 30th Capt. Marlin Parker teams up with the Hawaii Big Game Club to present his Marlin Magic Lure tournament. The 35th Firecracker Open fishes July 2 and 3, followed by the World Cup on July 4. The Kona Throw Down fishes July 5 to 7, the Skins Marlin Derby runs July 8 to 10 and the Lure Maker’s Challenge closes out that flurry of tournaments, July 15 through 17.
Nonprofit beneficiaries over the years include: the HBGF Club, PORF, Miloli’i Hipu’u Virtual Academy, Kalanihale, Hawaii Conservation Association and Wild Oceans. Information on all the events hosted by the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club can be found on the Club website hbgfc.org. Entry forms, video and information on the Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series can be found at konatournaments.com.
