Fire Hatt Sportfishing Awarded Certificate of Excellence Award

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FIRE HATT SPORTFISHING CHARTERS EARNS 2013 TRIP ADVISOR

CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE 

Honored as the Top Performing SPORTFISHING CHARTER BOAT IN Kailua Kona, Hawaii as Reviewed by Travelers on the World’s Largest Travel Site

 

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII – JUNE 25, 2013 – FIRE HATT SPORTFISHING CHARTERS today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honors hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Only the top-performing 10 percent of businesses listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award.

 

To qualify for a Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travelers on TripAdvisor, and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months.

 

“FIRE HATT SPORTFISHING CHARTERS is pleased to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence,” said Captain Chuck Wilson/Owner and Operator of FIRE HATT SPORTFISHING. “We strive to offer our customers a memorable experience, and this accolade is evidence that our hard work is translating into positive reviews on TripAdvisor.  We are very proud for Fire Hatt Sportfishing to be  Awarded this Certificate of Excellence Award.”

 

“TripAdvisor is delighted to celebrate the success of businesses around the globe, from Sydney to Chicago, Sao Paulo to Rome, which are consistently offering TripAdvisor travelers a great customer experience,” said Alison Copus, Vice President of Marketing for TripAdvisor for Business. “The Certificate of Excellence award provides top performing establishments around the world the recognition they deserve, based on feedback from those who matter most – their customers.”

 

Tenatious Fight by 9 Year Old Aidan Hunter Lands Blue Marlin

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Justin and Lenora Hunter are completing a full year of traveling around the world with their two sons.  Fishing in Kona Hawaii is one of their last trips before heading to Alaska.   9 year old Aidan and 12 year old Zach are experiencing opportunities of a life time while getting to fish in places like South Africa and various other destinations in the South Pacific.  Having caught some impressive fish along the way, they could only dream about hooking a Pacific Blue Marlin.  They Did!  We left the harbor at 7:00 am for a 3/4 day charter and headed South towards Captain Cook.  They enjoyed a beautiful snorkel in the bay and anxiously got back to the boat to continue the quest.  So far we did not even get a bite.  The boys are begining to look at Me and Adam and Mom and Dad giving the “Where’s the fish?” look. No pressure there… On our way back up the line just after noon, the long rigger line is bit and line is screaming!  The Ice Blue Lucky Linda Lure comes through for us again, we are Hooked Up!  It is a Blue Marlin and 9 year old Aidan is in the chair.  With lines cleared and Adam at his side, the battle begins.  I was so amazed at the tenacity of this young man!  He fought sooo hard.  After about fifteen minutes Aidan gave his older brother Zach an opportunity in the chair.  Knowing this was Aidan’s fish, Zach lets Aidan back in the chair to finish the fight.  This fish was to the boat quickly, we had it to leader two times and had to let go. On the third try we were able to successfully get the hook out and release a nice healthy fiesty Pacific Blue Marlin.  We estimated Aidan’s fish to be about 400 pounds.  This crushes the family record Marlin held by Aidan’s Grandfather, a 300+ pounder.  I think the bar has been set quite high for Zach now!

Featured in photo above is Adam Ludwig with Aidan’s Pacific Blue Marlin to leader wearing AFTCO Release Gloves.  The Lucky Linda Lure is by Bomboy Lures.

The Dream Career

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This is a message from Justin Hunter regarding his trip with me recently.  It has become something I reflect on quite often now and wanted to share it with you:
Captain Chuck,
Thanks again for your amazing hospitality.  We’ll have happy memories from our day with you and Adam for years to come.
Incidentally, it occurs to me that you’ve pulled off quite a feat.  Namely:
By becoming a Fire Chief, you succeeded at rising to the pinnacle of most 5 year old boys’ dream career.
Not satisfied with that, you’ve become the successful captain of a marlin fishing boat in what is arguably the best marlin fishing spot on the globe, thereby rising to the pinnacle of most 50 year old boys’ dream career.
Well done!
– Justin 

Not a Bad Day of Fishing In Kona Hawaii

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Not a Bad Day of Fishing In Kona Hawaii with this group visiting from across the country attending a Medical Conference.  Coincidently, the Wives won this trip and the guys got to catch the fish.  Marriages made in heaven!   The group boarded at 7:00 am with so much energy and excitement I knew this was going to be a great day.  Once we cleared the harbor and lines were set, Linda gave the chair talk.  Everyone was just settling in when the stinger line was bit.  The fish did not stick, I made a turn and worked the area for a while and then moved on.  Linda spotted a bird pile in the distance about five miles out so I turned and headed that way.  As we approached there was still a lot of bait and birds in the area.  I had a lot of activity the last few days out deep so we stayed outside and headed south.  Then the action started and kept going all day!  First, the stinger is bit, Jeff Jackson is in the chair and I am helping to clear lines and now the short rigger line is bit.  Double Hook Up!  Kurt Andresen was designated as the second angler and  is fighting his fish from the gunnell.  Talk about exciting!  And we got both fish.  Two Shortbill Spearfish about 35 to 40 lbs each.  With lines back out I stay deep and follow a current line.  After just a short distance, the Stinger line is bit….again.  Line is screaming and I can tell this one is NOT a Spearfish.   Mike Agema is in the chair and the fight begins.  Mike brings his fish to the boat in just under 15 minutes and has officially caught and released his first Pacific Blue Marlin estimated at about 125 pounds!  Nice Job!  Linda no sooner has lines back in the water and the stinger line is down again!  A nice Shortbill Spearfish is caught this time by Brad Browder, this one we tagged and released.  All the guys got to fight a fish today.  Now the ladies enter the rotation.  Erin Browder is first up and she is ready!  Reluctant at the start of the day, the ladies did not want to pull on any fish.  Now…. after seeing the unbeleivable action all day, they want their time in the chair!  Unfortunately the day ended with not more action and they are talking about coming back next year and getting their shot!  These Guests are part of a larger group and wondered if they could have some of the Spearfish to take back to their Hotel to have prepared for everyone?  I delivered the two Spearfish to the Hotel and was told by these guests that the Chef’s did a fabulous job preparing the fish a couple of different ways and it fed everyone.  It was the hit of the trip for them! They all agreed that is was”Not a Bad Day of Fishing In Kona Hawaii.”

I have been seeing large schools of bait, hundreds of acres, and a lot of birds in the past week mostly off shore to the southwest where our Pelagic fish migrate in to the Kona shores.  This is typical of the start of the season.  Bait arrives followed by the large predators.  While always watching for signs on the water,  and studying tides, currents and water temps,  there are signs that give you a better chance of finding fish such as, that Spearfish are a favorite food for big Blue Marlin and when you find them in numbers as we did today….hang on folks as this could get interesting in a hurry!

Featured in the photo above is Erin Browder “Tending the Bat”,  Jeff Jackson (boated Spearfish), Brad Browder (tagged Spearfish), Mike Agema (tagged Blue Marlin),  Amy Agema (with gaff ready) and  Kurt Andresen (first boated Spearfish)

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

Newlywed Couple Enjoy Two Days of Fishing and Catching

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This Newlywed Couple Enjoyed Two Days of Fishing and Catching!  Sharon and Andrew Woodruff, both engineers from the Philadelphia, PA area spent a little over two weeks on the Islands.  First stop was Maui where they spent a week touring and enjoying a little down time.  Then here to Kona for more adventure and a little deep sea  fishing.  The first day out we found the jackpot.  We had heard of bait holding at C Buoy and headed there.  Not to be disappointed!  We picked up several on the troll and then changed over and did several deep drops. We had a wonderful day pulling in 11 small Tunas. The largest tuna was brought in by Sharon and was about 15 pounds.  Adam was happy to fillet the tunas and send them home with Sharon and Andrew to enjoy.  The next day they called back and having decided that was the most fun they’d had on their trip so far, they wanted to go out again.  Later in the week we went out on another trip.  Today we headed offshore to an area where we had some activity the previous day.   The first part of the day was a little slow and we commented that we just want a bite!  Soon after that the bite turned on!  Sharon is on the first fish of the day!  We have a nice Mahi Mahi to the boat .   With lines back in the water we stay in the area and make a few more passes and we soon have another bite!  Andrew is in the chair and lands the Mahi Mahi in just minutes.  His is not as big as Sharon’s….see a pattern here?  I go with Lady Luck every day of the week!   As we were leaving the area and heading back to the harbor we had yet another chance.  We are Hooked Up again!  Sharon brings in the last fish of the day and she holds the record for the largest fish each day!  Their hopes were to catch the prized pacific Blue Marlin. I’m thinking there may have been a challenge proposed for the next time they come to Kona.  They sent us a nice message before leaving the Island headed home to PA and told us they had a great time and it was definitely one of the highlights of their honeymoon.  We hope to see them for many Anniversaries to come…

Featured in the photo is Sharon and Andrew Woodruff along with our deckhand Adam Ludwig, Kona Family Fishing at its finest!

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

 

Fire Hatt Becomes Member of WORLD GRANDER CLUB

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Dear Team Fire Hatt,

We are so proud to welcome you into this very special “Billfishing Fraternity” known as the World Grander Club (“WGC”). For all Big Game Fishing enthusiasts, the ultimate prize is to catch a Grander. You should be very proud of this accomplishment, knowing you have joined other like-minded and dedicated anglers, captains and crew, who set out to achieve this ultimate goal.

Congratulations again on your tremendous catch!

Warmest Regards,

Hook Harmeling

Co-Founder,  World Grander Club

 

 

 

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

Big Sky Big Ocean

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Big Sky Big Ocean for this family from Big Sky, Montana.  John and Laura Michel were here on the Big island visiting our neighbors Bruce and Kathy Wilson.  The four of them, long tme friends and business partners were hoping for a little action and maybe a food fish to take home.  For John, his biggest fish until now had been a Trout.  Not just any trout, but a 22″ Rainbow caught in Yellowstone Lake.  There was not a lot of action early in the day.  Linda was in the glasses looking for a floater that was reported earlier that morning around the area where “F” Buoy used to be.  On the horizon, we could see about six boats in that area and assumed they got the same information.  On the way to check it out we came through an area with a little life and birds.  Jackpot!  The long rigger line is bit.  John takes position in the chair and the fight is on.  There is a little weight there and we are thinking small tuna?  Then the fish shows itself and we see it’s a nice Shortbill Spearfish!  John has the fish to the boat in just a few minutes and Adam skillfully gaffs it and in the boat it comes.  We have the food fish they wanted.  With lines back in the water we are on our way to check out the area we were headed to.  As we approach we can see porpoise.  We made several passes and did not get any action.  With that, we left the area and tried to find the reported floater.  As we headed back north towards the harbor, the short rigger is bit, we are hooked up again!  This time Bruce was supposed to be in the chair.  The line was screaming and Bruce was not in the chair yet.  Soooo, John jumps in the chair and begins to fight the fish thinking he will give up the rod when Bruce get there.  Not so much!  John lands the nice Mahi Mahi and now has two of the biggest fish of his life, his first two Flag Fish and alot of memories to take home.  There was some mention of a new nickname for John…something like “Rod Hog”.  It was all in good fun and it turns out, Bruce did not want to bring in a fish, he wanted his friend to enjoy the opportunity to fish the beautiful Kona waters.  Truly a Family Fishing experience.

Featured in the photos above are Bruce and Kathy Wilson from Kona, Hawaii and Laura and John Michel from Big Sky, Momtana

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

Fire Hatt joins AFTCO Pro Team

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Fire Hatt joins AFTCO Pro Team.  We are so very proud to accept the invitation from AFTCO to become one of their Pro Teams.  As a long supporter of AFTCO and their products, we are looking forward to a long and rewarding relationship while representing this organization here in Kona Hawaii. 

No fishing tackle or clothing company has done more for the ocean and its creatures than AFTCO and the Shedd family.

Some of their ocean involvement includes:

• The co-founding of SeaWorld
• The founding of the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute
• Several million in cash contributions
• More than 10,000 hours of donated time to conservation issues by AFTCO’s president
• Playing a major role in the elimination of gillnets and longlines.

AFTCO stands for the American Fishing Tackle Company and was established in 1958 in Newport Beach, California by J.C. Axelson, a pioneer in big game tackle development.  In 1973, Milt Shedd (a legendary innovator, himself) and wife Peggie purchased AFTCO, and a new company evolved with a concern for both the fishing customer and marine resources. In 1974, son Bill Shedd joined the company, and in 1989 he started the AFTCO Clothing Division, with the introduction of what became the world’s finest fishing shorts. In 1999, AFTCO began a relationship with Guy Harvey by manufacturing and distributing “all over print” shirts incorporating Guy’s art. Then, in 2004, Guy officially partnered with AFTCO for the manufacture and distribution of all Guy Harvey sportswear, including the immensely popular Guy Harvey T-Shirts. In 2007, AFTCO partnered with world famous wildlife artist, Al Agnew, to produce and distribute a line of clothing for the fresh water angler and those who appreciate inland game and wildlife.

You can go to AFTCO.com and read the rest of their amazing story.

Family Fishing Adventure Aboard Fire Hatt

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Family Adventure Aboard Fire Hatt.  Mark Nikkel from Chicago, his father John and his father in law Wilber, both from Michigan joined us last week for a day of family fishing.  Mark has fished with us in the past and he landed a nice 450 pound Blue Marlin.  Now returning with his family, he wanted to give it another try…maybe something bigger?  With that said, we head out.  Reports from the few days prior told us that it was lumpy up north on the “grounds” so I headed south.  It was a pretty quiet morning with no action.  Then mid day, just off Captain Cook  about 1:30 in the afternoon one of the rigger lines came down.  Nothing forcefull, it acted like a rubber band failure.  While Adam was putting that line back up, the stinger came down pretty hard.  I could see a fish still tracking the lure and Adam immediately started to tease it.  We are Hooked Up!  The Marlin took the absolute smallest lure in the pattern.  A small slender bullet made by Al Bento.  The fish was fought on a Ken Matsuura 50 with 130 lb Amalon mono.   With lines cleared and his Father the chair, the battle is on!  John fought the fish for about 45 minutes and then turned the fight over to Wilber.  Wilber fought the fish to the end.  Total fight time was 1 hour 40 minutes.  Both of these fishermen are 75 years old!  Until now, the largest fish for these men was a 40 pound Salmon.  Once Adam got the fish to leader, we gave Mark the honor of setting the first gaff shot.  I placed the second gaff and the three of us pulled the trophy on board.

Grander 1058 lbs Marlin

A Grander (1000+ lbs.) for FIRE HATT

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Grander 1058 lbs Marlin

Something truly amazing happened for our little fishing charter company here in Kona. We landed a “Grander” which is a fish that most fisherman only dream of, weighing 1000+ pounds.

The 1,058 Pound Blue Marlin was caught by our guest and client, Salil Simon Kharat, on a black and Pink Moldcraft Softhead Lure. It took Salil only 2 hours and 35 minutes to land the Grander on a Ken Matsuura 50 Reel loaded with 650 yards of backing with a topshot of 130 lb Amilon Mono. Salil was visiting from Folsom, California with his wife and two little girls on an afternoon fishing charter and just wanted to enjoy a family adventure while vacationing in Hawaii. I’m thinking he has a lot memories to share with his family for a very long time.

This photo below was shared with us from Leigh Ann Stumfoll on the boat Sapo. Sapo was beside us when the Grander struck. This is an awesome action shot, showing the sheer size and magnitude of this giant fish.

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Check out this YouTube video below that Salil put together for us. Nice Work!

This catch also secured our entry into an exclusive and prestigious group called the World Grander Club.