January 2000
Week of 1/24 - 1/30
| Hawaii claimed it's first grander of the year
before the first month was over, and the weather has cleared up a bit thus allowing most
everyone an opportunity to get out and play. Kona's water temperature has been down in the
73 to 75 degree range and that seems to have slowed the overall fishing on this island,
but with some good sized Ahi and the grander coming in, the skippers aren't too upset over
it. Heck, almost anyone will trade a couple slow days of fishing if they know a giant is
lurking around and have as good a shot at it as anyone else. Kona The Renegade, skippered by John Rooney, managed to bring home a 1213 pound Pacific Blue Marlin on Sunday the 30th while everyone was watching the Super Bowl. Reports suggest the trip was a half day afternoon with bottom fish as the initial target, and as they were headed for home and passed VV buoy, they struck paydirt. Congratulations to the skipper and crew for their great effort. Meanwhile, Eclipse managed a 307.5 pound Blue on the 26th right in front of Kailua Kona out about 2 miles. Captain Jack Ross also had another great strike that day but couldn't keep it on the line. Spellbound went out about 10 miles on the 25th and got into some good activity as well. An estimated 300-400 and a Stripe both pulled the hooks, but they still managed a 208 for the day, and Captain Mike also reported some Ono and Mahimahi for the week. Pamela found some Striped Marlin on the North Grounds on the 29th, and also pulled hooks on an estimated 200 pound Blue. Fish Wish continues to provide good action for their anglers with some Spearfish and Striped Marlin being tagged and released early in the week. All told, Captain Kent reported about ten billfish bites over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Everything was on the outside past the 1000 fathom line, but all up and down the coast. Medusa reported some Mahimahi for the week. Maui Start Me Up reported the Mahimahi bite was strong out at K buoy all week, and they managed a couple of nice Marlin out there as well. On the 27th a 380 came home, and the next day they tagged and released a 190 pounder that they decided to take when it was unable to swim away (does happen sometimes - it's the thought that matters). We were unable to reach the Hinatea guys for their actual reports, but the second hand information we got suggested they also had a good Mahimahi week. Maui Jim also ran one day and managed to land some nice Mahimahi for dinner. We got a late report from Hinatea this week that missed the original posting of our report, but better late than never. Captain Doug Barna reported they had a good week, with a landed Blue and a released Blue on Monday, a nice 40 pound Ono and a released Stripe on Wednesday, a 225 Blue Thursday, and a 320 Blue, a released Stripe and a 35 lb Mahimahi on Friday. Not bad for a group of guys who have been fishing Maui for about 20 years! Kauai Our previously landlocked skippers got out a bit this week and produced some nice fish. Lahela found 3 Shibi (Yellowfin under 100 pounds), 1 at 59 pounds and 2 other small ones released, plus 5 Aku 20-23 pounds up at WK buoy on the 24th, then Captain Scott followed up the next day with three Shibi 71-79 pounds, a Mahimahi and 2 more good sized Aku. The Grander and Kai Bear ran a few days and reported some good production in Mahimahi and Aku on the Port Allen side. Marlin fishing has been a bit slow on Kauai, but heads up when the fleet gets out with some regularity. Oahu Sea Verse had quite the day on the 25th, with a 160 Blue, a 35 Spear, 4 Mahimahi, 12 Aku, and 15 small Shibi. Captain Lee followed up the next day with 20 more little Shibi and a couple of Mahimahi ranging to 39 pounds. Magic and Wild Bunch had a couple of good action days as well, with Magic reporting a Spear on the 25th and a strange fish-off-the-hooks day on the 28th. Though they found 2 Ahi they wouldn't bite, and two Striped Marlin got hooked up but didn't stay on the line. Wild Bunch also shook two Stripes on the 26th, but landed several Mahimahi throughout the week. Kuu Huapala and Kamome were sidelined for engine and transmission work. |
Week of 1/17 - 1/23
| Strong trade winds throughout the state made
for a wide variety of conditions for the fleet this week. Kona skippers were able to get
out and fish areas South of the harbor without getting a drop of water on their decks
while the Kauai boats in Nawiliwili were trapped watching a raging ocean crashing over the
breakwall. Maui and Oahu boats were able to hide in select areas as usual, some with
fishing success. Oahu Monkey Biz won the charter fleet pool on Oahu for the first fish over 500 pounds by landing a 525 pounder on the 23rd, just beating out Magic's couple of 400 pound efforts to date. It was certainly fortuitous that Captain Freeman Roberts entered the pool only that morning, as no sooner did he get into the informal hui than he managed to hook into the fish. Kamome had the best overall week, running trips every day and finding their own little spot outside Diamond Head. During the week, Captain Ron picked up at least one Mahimahi every day but Wednesday, and most of the greenbacks were over 30 pounds ranging up to about 45. He also added a nice Spearfish and a Blue Marlin on Sunday to round out the week. Magic brought home a 470 pounder on the 19th, and Captain Russell also found three Shibi (yellowfin under 100) at 80 and 75 pounds, with a third that was eaten by a shark. Sea Verse managed several Mahimahi throughout the week on just a couple days of charters. Diamond Head out 5 to 10 miles was the hot spot last week, and Kamome seemed to be the only one that could find it. Kona Fish Wish got the fish of the week with a 380 pound Marlin about 10 miles straight out of the harbor on the 18th, angled by a thirteen year old. Then, Captain Kent helped fulfill an 80 year old gentleman's dream of catching a billfish in Hawaii by tagging and releasing an estimated 35 pound Spearfish on the 21st. Grand Slam also claimed a nice Spearfish on the 20th, but Captain Larry was more impressed with the monster that waved bye-bye on him that day. An estimated 500-600 pounder came in, took the lure, and ran. After about a 10 minute fight, it turned toward the boat, cut the line clean off, then added insult to injury by performing an aerial show to remember as it swam for the horizon. Ever heard a Marlin laugh? Meanwhile, Pamela had a couple of powerful knockdowns during the week, and Spellbound had a similar story for the 22nd. As an estimated 200 pounder took a lure, the crew began clearing lines. A couple other Marlin in the area started hacking away at the other lines but wouldn't hook up. Then, as they brought the fish that was on the line to leader, it pulled the hooks and went free as well, leaving Captain Mike and the crew with a great story to talk about over a steak dinner that night. Maui This island was a bit slow this week, mostly because it was almost impossible to get to the productive areas from the weather. Start Me Up began the week with a couple nice Mahimahi, one of which was 49 pounds. A few more Striped Marlin bites were procured during the week as well. Marlin Mischief was reported to have tagged and released a fish estimated in the 350 pound range. Otherwise the busy harbor was a bit quiet. Kauai We're all feeling for the Kauai boats. The weather was been so bad last week that skippers are found out what movies were playing in town, reading, and working on computers. This week the weather is looking nice, so let's bet the reports from Kauai are going to be pretty good soon. |
Week of 1/10 - 1/16
| Windy weather prevailed throughout the
Hawaiian islands this week, causing a great amount of the fleet to leave the lines wrapped
around the dock. Kauai boats are usually the hardest hit by higher winds due to their
proximity to the windward side, but none of the islands really were able to fully escape
the weather. Even the normally calm seas of Kona were a little rough to the North side of
Honokohau, and the Maui boats had to do their best by hiding in behind Lanai. For those
that did get out, however, fishing was pretty productive. With early signs of Yellowfin
around, plus Aku, Striped Marlin, Spearfish and Mahimahi still going stong, it's looking
like a good January so far. The Blues haven't been bashful either, making a strong showing
throughout the islands. Oahu Magic topped the list this week by landing the first fish of the year over 400 pounds on Oahu on Thursday the 13th. Some thought Captain Russell Tanaka would win the Kewalo harbor charter pool for the first fish of the year over 500, but it fell just a bit short at 440. While they were only able to get out three times in the week, they made the most of their trips as two early Yellowfins also came home at 80 and 82 pounds on the 16th. Kamome had a heck of a day on Saturday the 15th as they managed to find a great school of Mahimahi. By the time they were done, they had four of the greenbacks all over thirty pounds and another that was just under. The same day they had an estimated 400-500 pounder come unbuttoned after a fair fight, leaving the anglers happy they spent the day at sea. BO buoy and out a little beyond have been the hot spots, probably more from necessity than anything else, because this was no week to spend any time in the Molokai Channel. Kona Fish Wish is such a great name for Captain Kent Mongreig's boat, because he seems to have the best luck with the kids who wish for a fish. On Monday the 10th, Kent took out a 10 year old and her mother for a day, and while up on the "Grounds" the mother was able to catch and land a nice 161 pound Blue Marlin. Not to be out done, the daughter tied into a 122 pound Ahi, leaving them both exhausted but happy as any angler could be. Kent also reported great activity almost every day down toward Keauhou later in the week where a couple of big Blues and another big tuna got off the hooks over the weekend. Grand Slam, currently holding the title of highest Blue Marlin count for the new year, also had a good week, reporting a 414 Blue off the 1000 fathom line outside the Kona Surf on the 15th. Captain Larry Hite also managed a couple of big Spearfish (37 and 47 pounds) as well on the 13th and 16th outside Red Hill. Captain Steve Kaiser on the Medusa only got out a couple days this week but was also productive, with a 152 pound Blue on the 10th and a couple of nice Mahimahi on the 15th. Captain Peter Hoogs on the Pamela didn't run any charter trips this week but he wanted to report his voyage to weather buoy number two, where they managed to pick up a healthy supply of Ahi. He has also been doing some night fishing for Albacore, and since it's been so productive, he wanted to offer the opportunity for a charter to experience it. The "Grounds" and the 1000 fathom line toward Keauhou and Red Hill seemed to be the more productive spots to fish. Maui Whoever says Maui is at a disadvantage obviously hasn't been following the news this year so far. The largest fish in Hawaii for the year at 780 pounds was caught a week or so ago by a new operation in Lahaina called the Wild Life. Also in contention just before that was Captain Tom Casey's effort on the Maui Jim, where he was able to situate some of the PGA's upper level brass into a super 630 pound fish. Not bad for a newcomer and a first-timer (the PGA guy, that is). Meanwhile, Start Me Up carried on with their fish-finding ways and managed to release two Blues estimated at 200 pounds and a Striped Marlin estimated at 75 pounds during the course of the week. They also got into some nice Mahimahi ranging from 20 to 40 pounds to keep everyone honest. Hinatea, one of the stalwarts of the harbor, only had four trips for the week, but their guests had a good time with some great Mahimahi action and a couple of strong Marlin bites on the 13th that got away. Details were a bit sketchy on the locations these fish were caught, but it's pretty safe to assume the majority of the action was South of Lanai and in the triangle. Kauai The Kauai fleet was the hardest hit by the wind and seas, so they had a miserable time getting out of the harbor this week. Lahela had the best week with two half-day trips, managing some Aku (Skipjack Tuna), a nice 60 pound Shibi (Yellowfin under 100 pounds), and a Striped Marlin on the 14th. Kai Bear and the Grander got some polish on the decks while Maka Hou managed to sneak out on Monday the 10th and pick up a few Aku. When they could actually run, the 1000 fathom line up to Wailua and off the airport were the spots that were working. Aloha. |
Week of 1/3 - 1/9
| Last week the fishing in Hawaii remained a
little sporadic, but most boats are still reporting many Striped and Blue Marlin bites,
plenty of Mahimahi, some Shibi (yellowfin under a hundred), Aku and few Spearfish too. Ono
reports are few and far between. Oahu Sea Verse reported some good Striped Marlin and Mahimahi activity for the week, with some nice greenbacks still ranging up to 35 pounds or so. Kamome had a great Mahimahi week as well, with up to 5 ranging to 40 pounds on the 8th. Magic and Wild Bunch are both on the board with Blues, Magic with a 245 on the 5th and Wild Bunch with a 200 on the third. Both have also been hitting the Mahimahi as well, and Magic added a couple nice Stripes on the 4th. Everyone has brought home Aku as well, so we're pretty confident there are a good supply of Stripes and Blues roaming around. Productive areas last week were BO Buoy, and about 8-10 miles off Diamond Head. Kona Spellbound followed up their New Year's tournament win with a 406 pound Blue on the 3rd, caught about 20 miles outside Red Hill. Captain Mike Rand has also seen some great action with strong bites on the short corner almost every day, and along with his three tagged Striped Marlin and a few Mahimahi up to 44 pounds to add to the mix, he is off to a great start for the year. Fish Wish released three Marlin mid-week including 2 small Blues and a Stripe, and also lost a couple nice fish on the 3rd and 4th. Grand Slam landed their first Blue of the Year at 231 on the 3rd and also added a Spearfish on the 5th, but Captain Larry Hite's highlight of the week was a 26.5 lb Shibi that came in on a light bait rod. Took the angler 45 minutes to land the stubborn pelagic, and it was great fun for everyone. Eclipse also got into the Mahimahi action with a couple right at 30 pounds on the 4th. The productive areas in Kona last week were up on the "grounds" to the North of the harbor, "F" buoy, and Red Hill. We also got a pass through report that the fish of the year in Kona so far was a 600+ caught on Jun Ken Po. Also, we're still working on the issue of Spellbound catching the first Blue Marlin of the Millennium as reposted last week. We found one boat laying claim to it, but more info is need to verify!! Maui Hinatea managed three Blues and two Stripes in two days on the 6th and 7th, including a 300 plus, a 200 plus, a released Blue estimated at 50 pounds. A great start for the year. Start Me Up wasn't able to get a report to us by writing time, but part of that is Captain Doug being out of town. Don't worry, we'll have Start Me Up results as we move along. The Maui action has been pretty good, however, and many boats are reporting plenty of Mahimahi and Aku to go with their Marlin activity. On the 5th, Maui Jim with Captain Tom Casey at the helm and Henry Hughes of the PGA in the chair, managed to catch a 629 pound Blue Marlin at about 8:30 in the morning just South of the Lighthouse off Lanai. It's tough to pinpoint the good areas for Maui because they scatter so much, but most of the activity reported has been in the triangle and the South Shore of Lanai. Weather hasn't really been friendly enough to hit the North shore of Molokai, but there are spotted days when they can get up there. Kauai The Striped Marlin bite was hot then went cold, but with all the Aku around, it still looks promising. Part of the problem has been the weather and boats not being able to get out every day. Maka Hou landed two Shibi at about 70 pounds along with 4 Striper bites on the 3rd, but had to cancel trips for most of the rest of the week. Lahela got 19 Aku about 10-13 pounds also on the third, and when they snuck out for a half day of whale watching on the 5th, they also managed 5 more Aku between 10 and 15 pounds. The Grander (new boat for Kai Bear Sportfishing) had a dive trip trip to Niihau on the 6th and managed a nice 75 lb Shibi on the return to Port Allen. They've also been stuck in most days from the weather, but on the days they've been getting out Mahimahi have been cooperating quite well. Kai Bear and Grander are nice boats, and one other big fish they managed to attract for a day of fishing was actress Charlize Theron (Mighty Joe Young, Devil's Advocate). Kauai's good spots (when they were able to get out) last week were the FADS right out of Nawiliwili harbor and up the coast towards Anahola. See you next week. We now post this weekly report it on 8 websites around the world. More will be added soon, and we welcome our latest partner at Fish the World.com |
Week of 12/27 - 1/2
| The old Millennium never did get the big
smoker we were hoping for, but in addition to Wild Bunch of Oahu losing a monster at
leader the previous week, the 29th of December saw Sea Verse of Oahu get spooled. Captain
Lee described the fish as "massive" as he caught a glimpse of it while it struck
the lure. It ripped out line and continued to increase speed, never once slowing. Despite
Lee's best efforts to chase it down, in less than two minutes 900 yards of line was gone
along with the fish. So while we were pretty convinced the presence of bait was a great
sign of a giant coming home, two lunkers gone free confirmed the fish are out there. Also rounding out the old Millennium were some nice catches from Grand Slam of Kona, where they got a nice 320 lb Marlin on the 29th, and the Maka Hou II on Kauai found a nice Striped Marlin on the 31st. Start Me Up of Maui picked up a Sportfish Hawaii customer from Manele Bay on Lanai for their "Millennium Marlin Mission" on the 30th and managed to find a Striped Marlin pile that was good for several bites and one that was tagged and released. Later in the day by MC buoy they fought, tagged and released an approximately 375 pound Blue Marlin, giving the crew and anglers the thrill of the century. The new Millennium was brought in with a vengeance. Kona always has an informal New Year's day tournament to see who can catch the first Marlin of the year, and out of 50 boats entered this year, Captain Mike Rand on the Spellbound managed to win it with a 227 pound Blue. And since it was caught at about 7:45 in the morning, it was the first Marlin in Hawaii for the new Millennium, and as far as we know, it was the first Marlin in the world (we'll research that some more and see if we can confirm it). Maui Jim also got into the action early by heading to the Lighthouse just off Lanai. Captain Tom Casey and the crew managed to get into a nice Marlin at about 1:30 pm Hawaii time, and they released the estimated 275 Blue for good luck. For the coming week, plenty of Aku and Mahimahi are running (several skippers reported one or two big ones on most trips), and the Striped Marlin are definitely increasing in numbers on all islands (almost everyone reported at least one Stripey bite this past week). Big Spearfish up to Magic of Oahu's 47 pounder on the 30th confirm their presence, so the new year is off to a good start in Hawaii. |