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Posts: 322
| I am going to Hawaii for my honeymoon for two weeks in December and wondered if anyone has ever done any marlin fishing there. We are going to Big Island if this matters. Does anyone know any outfitters to look at. This is a once in a lifetime deal and I want to do it right. I am wanting to do the marlin thing with me and the wife one day and maybe some mahi mahi one day also. Any input would be helpful.
Thanks
Daniel
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Posts: 2015
| never been but want to and have researched... you are on the right island (at least for finding a charter) Kona is world renowned - more grander blues have been weighed there than anywhere in the world. www.fishinkona.com or Google Kona Marlin Fishing Charters and call for availability - GOOD LUCK!
http://www.seageniesportfishing.com/
Let us know how much it is to charter a top captain. 
Edited by IAJustin 1/28/2012 10:52 AM
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Posts: 114
| I was just in Maui last week and did some charter fishing for a half-day. It was my first experience like it ever. I really enjoyed it even though we only had two bites, one was a small yellow-fin tuna and the other fish got off almost right away. I could easily be wrong (because like I said this was my only experience) but we didn't target only marlin or only mahi mahi per say. Instead we used the outriggers to run a lot of baits, both artificial and live, and all of the lures could catch any type of fish. The captain explained that he had actually caught his biggest marlin ever 950 lbs on the smallest rod and reel setup we were running, even though they typically will hit bigger baits (and we ran some of those too). He also described them kinda like a musky, they will follow the baits to the boat because they are territorial and want to see what the boat and baits are, and if it is something they should eat/kill or kick the crap out of to get it out of their area.
Another thing to keep in mind is it is nothing like our fishing around here. There really is no structure so speak of, besides bait and flotsam, and all of the fish are pelagic-they spend their entire lives in the deep ocean. Here one day, gone the next kind of thing. So incredible fishing yesterday doesn't mean it will be that way today (that's actually kinda what happened to us, our boat got 4 yellow fins and 2 mahis the day before us).
Another awesome perk is the whale watching you get to do as you are fishing, I don't know why you would ever pay to just go on a charter boat to watch them when you can get just as close and be fishing at the same time. Also the sunrise over the ocean is spectacular.
Hope that helps, you should definitely go for it, it's a blast!
Edited by WallyGator12000 1/28/2012 11:48 AM
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Posts: 322
| Hey thanks for the info. On another note if I picked up a surf rod and slapped my Calcutta 700 on it would there be any opportunities to get a line wet from a beach? I heard that most beaches might be no fishing???
thanks
Daniel |
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Posts: 617
Location: Clintonville, WI | You are correct that surfcasting is not a matter of just finding a beach and casting away. Not every beach is good for fishing, not every beach allows surfcasting and many of the ones that can, might be dominated by locals.......not necessarily by #s of locals, but by territorial attitude (much like the surfing). There are a couple on the Kona side that come to mind.
As with many things on vacations, check with your hotel concierge/managment or the on site condo manager for tips and suggestions ahead of time to see if it is worth it.
Are you staying on the Big Island the whole honeymoon?
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Posts: 31
| Went to Big Island 6yrs. ago and went on private 1/2 day marlin only charter (Private so wife would go) and the trip was good considering no fish. Captain got off radio and said boat about 2 mi. behind us had one on. When we got back to the dock they had a 650# hung up on the dock. Didn't really notice much shore fishing on the big island but wasn't really looking.Two yrs. ago on Maui and there was a lot of shore fishing both at beach areas and lava shore lines. Waikoloa Beach Marriot is a fantastic place on the big island and on the best bay and beach, you can snorkle, swim with the turtles at the hotel beach. |
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| http://www.firehattsportfishing.com/
We fished with them in January and it was a perfect trip. Linda, the captain's wife and first mate, served chocolate and blueberry muffins and fresh fruit for snacks. They video the trip for you, also. I caught a short billed spearfish! Our trip was short because we were on a one day stop on a cruise ship and only had 6 hours. They include snorkeling at Capt. Cook's monument in the trip if you want. The water was a little cool at first, but just for a minute. We were surprised that when we got out of the water we weren't cold. You're right - you absolutely must fish in Kona! |
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Posts: 1
| I just got back from Kona a couple weeks ago. We did a 3/4 day trip and were blanked. We did have 5 good bites but nothing would stay hooked. My advice for choosing a captain is to look at their websites first, then give the a call. I chose a captain that, although he worked really hard for us and we didn't have a bad day, my personality didn't exactly mesh with his. This is really no different from getting a muskie guide.
You will have a couple of options. 1) You can do a share charter for less money but risk not getting to hold a rod, or 2) charter the whole boat for yourself. Since you said it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing for you I'd do the whole boat (and I'd go for a full day). Keep in mind that the fish are somewhat seasonal and it sounds like no two days are ever the same.
As far as shore fishing, the few people I asked (including the captain) said the Big Island is not the place for casting from shore. I did see a few people trying but didn't see much luck. Oahu looked to have more of that going on.
Have fun! Hopefully you are more successful than I was. |
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Posts: 322
| I am going to do a full day just me and the old lady. I am trying to find a hat cam at a descent price. I have no clue what brand of camera I should look for but if anything gets hooked up I want to get it on video! I appreciate the info but I wonder how many people that go out actually hook into a marlin? I'm still looking for any suggestions.
Thanks again
Daniel |
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Posts: 2015
| The Ocean is amazing! I've caught several dozen striped marlin and sailfish fishing Mexico and Costa Rica over the years ...but you can't catch whats not there and pelagics (billfish are for sure) are always on the move. I've blanked on billfish in Costa Rica before and the numbers of sailfish CAN be ridiculous there.....when they are there.
I found this excerpt on one of the Kona, Hawaii Captains website, this is the reality of billfishing anywhere in the world:
Kona is the Pacific blue marlin capital of the world. At times (not determined by the calendar) marlin are the most common daily catch here. The "daily average" of a good charter boat that goes trolling all day (most boats only troll) will "average" just under 1 marlin in every 4 days of fishing. The way this "daily average" works is misleading. The average is based on the number of marlin caught in a year divided by the number of days fished in a year. Multiple marlin caught in a single day brings that "daily average" up but in reality, is it a "daily" average? When the Kona marlin bite is "on", you might catch more than one marlin in a day. The bite is considered "on" when 50% of the boats going out are catching marlin. When the marlin bite is "off", you might not see a marlin for several weeks. A good blue marlin run can happen for a short period of time in any month of the year. The Striped marlin are here in the winter (not always) and are a rare catch in the summer months but not unheard of. Black marlin are rare with less than a dozen caught a year here. Sailfish are rare too but do show up from time to time. Spearfish show up in big numbers here and are one of the best eating fish there is. In general, if you plan on trolling for billfish all day, unless the bite is "on", also plan on not catching any. The statistics are not in your favor. Some alnglers have tried for years and haven't caught a billfish yet. It is a gamble though so first time winners happen all the time.
Edited by IAJustin 3/3/2012 9:52 AM
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Posts: 576
Location: nappanee IN | hey daniel, take it from a guy who's been married for 33 1/2 years. she's not your "old lady" she's your wife. treat her that way and you'll last a long time-haa haa. have fun with your personel best of you life. sounds like a keeper . if your not too busy when you get home let's go get some skie sometime..karol 
Edited by karol 3/4/2012 7:03 PM
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