Hawaii Game Fishing

[tim R]

First off Kona has very calm water and the fishery is vastly different. Maui is more tourist style fishing where you go out for a half day, usually in rough waters for the smaller Tuna's, Mahi, Wahoo (Ono's) and limited Blue Marlin... You have to run far etc...

Kona, you can hook up almost right as you leave the harbor (literally 500 yards outside the green buoy) because that is one of the best spots on the whole west side of the Big Island (Kawii Point). Late spring through the end of September can be epic for Blue Marlin and nice Tunas, the rest of the year can get slow, but it can also turn on big time, so there is always a chance of having a great day on the water.

The Kona fleet is a pretty hardcore tournament group that travel the world and because it's a bigger more diverse fleet you can easily find a boat that suites what you want to do...

If you go to Hawaii and don't fish your missing out, but do your research first. Jumping on a share boat is not the same as fishing with the boats listed above and really doesn't represent what Hawaii has to offer...

[Foul Hooked]

I remember fishing Kona about 9 years ago on my honeymoon. We had the first marlin in the spread just seconds after passing the sea buoy. Oh well, it was just window shopping, but it was still cool having a fish in the spread that close to shore. Minutes later, we see an old tri-hull runabout hooked up with a nice marlin (the crew was taking shots at the fish with a pistol ). Honestly a minute after that, we hooked up and boated a big girl that weighed 554 (2 HOURS LATER). We ran it back to the dock a few minutes after we boated it and the boat ride only took 15 minutes. We took some pics and went back out and fish the rest of the day releasing 3 spearfish and boating a nice bull mahi. This was in January when I was told not to have high expectations because it could be a slow month.

Anyway, I have fond memories of that place. I fished with Dennis Cintas. Not sure if he is still fishing the area, but he treated us well.

[tim R]

I remember fishing Kona about 9 years ago on my honeymoon. We had the first marlin in the spread just seconds after passing the sea buoy. Oh well, it was just window shopping, but it was still cool having a fish in the spread that close to shore. Minutes later, we see an old tri-hull runabout hooked up with a nice marlin (the crew was taking shots at the fish with a pistol ). Honestly a minute after that, we hooked up and boated a big girl that weighed 554 (2 HOURS LATER). We ran it back to the dock a few minutes after we boated it and the boat ride only took 15 minutes. We took some pics and went back out and fish the rest of the day releasing 3 spearfish and boating a nice bull mahi. This was in January when I was told not to have high expectations because it could be a slow month.

Anyway, I have fond memories of that place. I fished with Dennis Cintas. Not sure if he is still fishing the area, but he treated us well.

Everything you wrote is very true...Especially if your talking 9 years ago (with regard to shooting fish).

Since then Kona, HI has become the number 1 Pacific Blue Marlin release capital of the world. Boats like Sea Genie II, Pamela, Northern Lights have all put Kona on the map for being a tag and release sport fishing fleet. Dennis Cintas has taken over running the Krista and is available for great charters at 808-960-5900 or via e-mail @ cintasd001@hawaii.rr.com . Tremendously experienced captain with an unbelievable amount of energy...fish with Dennis and you WILL have fun.

The shooting part is hard to explain, but Kona, HI has long been a small subsistant commercial fishing location, by that I mean commercial fishing is by hand line or very short long lines that were run by families and communities. In short what was captured gave back to the immediate community and the catches never depleted the ocean like the current long liners or purse Seiners do, rather they lived off the ocean like true farmers.

Part of that was involved killing "some" Marlin for food or commercial sale, but usually one at a time. Again a highly sustainable program, unlike the current methodology employed by the commercial industry.

The small boat commercial fleet in Hawaii is a great example of what a commercial fleet should be, they provide the most revenue back to the community per pound of fish caught and they DO NOT overfish the ocean like the current productioni vessels do.

Anyway Billfish are almost 100% tagged and released here (hence we are the capital of catch and release for Pacific Blue Marlin)...Still some Blue Marlin do die here and can't be released, which is unfortunate, but the meat does not go to waste and is readily utilized by the community in several fashions.

Man I really feel like a Kona cheerleader on this thread....Probably because I am...We are fortunate to have the best offshore location for sportfishing in the entire U.S. and proably one of the best on average in the world...Certainly no one can compete with us on large Pacific Blue Marlin and the fishery as a whole is truly incredible....End of lecture!

[huts]

Long time lurker, first-time poster ...

I don't have the vast amount of experience that a lot of you all have, but I've fished in a few different places around the world (including a few "off the beaten track" locations like Angola and Mozambique), and I'd have to say Kona is my favourite place so far.

I've fished there twice in the last couple of years, both times during late winter / early spring, and both were good trips (I'm pretty sure last year's trip was with one of the posters upthread - unless there's more than one Jeff who works on the Bite Me fleet). I'm looking forward to this year's trip, which I've managed to schedule for June this time.

[reel fool]

Long time lurker, first-time poster ...

I don't have the vast amount of experience that a lot of you all have, but I've fished in a few different places around the world (including a few "off the beaten track" locations like Angola and Mozambique), and I'd have to say Kona is my favourite place so far.

I've fished there twice in the last couple of years, both times during late winter / early spring, and both were good trips (I'm pretty sure last year's trip was with one of the posters upthread - unless there's more than one Jeff who works on the Bite Me fleet). I'm looking forward to this year's trip, which I've managed to schedule for June this time.

Nope, only one "me" on here, at least to me that is

I'll be back in Kona sometime in April, so I'll be there for this years trip too.
heard that the big fish bite has been good in Kona lately

[HOLWACHAGOT]

Look up Kenny Llanes...He used to run the Leigh Aloha. I believe he is running another boat now. He was a pleasure to fish with. I fished with him for 9 days on my honeymoon. Look him up personally and give him a call. If you can, do an overnighter to South Point and chill.
Holwachagot