Jeffrey’s Fish of a Lifetime is Caught in Kona Hawaii

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Jeffrey’s Fish of a Lifetime is caught in Kona Hawaii. Jeffrey and Katie Fogel along with Katie’s parents, Greg and Bernadette Zemenick boarded Fire Hatt hoping for a fun trip and a wonderful experience. Since it was Jeffrey’s first fishing trip, the family all agreed that he would be first in the chair.  The water was flat and calm so we headed north to the “grounds”.   After trolling for about an hour we had our first strike. The long rigger line is screaming!  We are hooked up! Jeffrey quickly made his way down from the bridge and began reeling in his first fish, after a short fight, he has a 40lb Shortbill Spearfish to the boat!  By the way, the hit was on one of the boats favorite lures, the “Lucky Linda” on a Ken Matsuura reel spooled with 50lb test line.   This was Jeffrey’s first fish…ever!  How exciting.  Crewman Chet Chiara from Anchorage, AK was on board today and did an awesome job subduing the fish.  Jeffrey grew up in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, spent his undergrad years at Harvard and then pursued a PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Michigan. Now he is a management consultant at a firm in Princeton, NJ.  As you can imagine he didn’t have a great deal of free time for fishing while growing up.

Not long after Jeffrey landed the spearfish we had another strike.  This time it is Katie in the chair. The fish hit the short rigger line and then moved on to take the stinger line.  We are hooked up again!  This time it is a Pacific Blue Marlin.   Katie got in the chair, snapped herself in and began reeling.   Although Katie wanted to catch the Marlin she didn’t want to injure it.   She also began lamenting the fact that she didn’t want the fish to have a heart attack or be injured.  Sooo, not too long after she voiced her concerns the Marlin opted for self-preservation and spit the hook.  Needless to say she was disappointed but at the same time relieved that the fish did get away.  Katie, who is a Pediatric Orthopedic Physician Assistant in Neptune, NJ has been fishing since she was a child and has a special love of deep sea fishing.  It has always been Katie’s dream to catch a marlin and there it was.   As for Greg and Bernadette, they enjoyed the show, loved watching their daughter and son-inlaw fight fish and making lasting memories of their family fishing trip in Kona Hawaii.  I think we will see them again soon.

A Shining Star on Fire Hatt

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A Shining Star on Fire Hatt.  Meet Harrison, this was Harrison’s first fishing trip…ever!  Harrison’s Dad, Myles told me when he boarded Fire Hatt that morning “I just want Harrison to catch something.”  No pressure here.  I often tell our guests the toughest person to please are 5 to 14 year old boys.  Their parents tell them they are going fishing so they expect to catch a fish.  When it happens, it is the most thrilling event to watch unfold, remember your first fish?  This fish was caught on the grounds, just off the “pens”.   Harrison’s Barracuda weighed about 12 pounds.  After the photos were taken, the fish was released back into the beautiful Pacific Blue Ocean.  With a little help from his dad, he landed the fish in just a few minutes.  He has a great story to tell his friends back home about his family fishing adventure in Kona Hawaii.

These fish sometimes referred to as the “silver bullet” of the sea, the great barracuda deserves its reputation as a fierce predator. Long, lean and mean, it can strike without warning, reportedly at speeds approaching 40 feet per second. Also known by its Hawaiian name of Kaku, this largest of the barracudas in Hawaiian waters can weigh up to a maximum of 100 pounds and reach six feet in length. However, barracuda of such size are uncommon. If one that size were caught here, the incident probably would make news. You can learn more about the Great Baracudda by visiting this useful site:

 http://www.mauioceancenter.com/index.php?id=11&ss=0&page=marine&content=marine_detail&cat=1&CRid=73&limitstart=0

Big Island, Big Fish II

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Big Island, Big Fish II.  Russ and Debra Whitman from Redondo Beach, CA.  Avid fishermen and boat owners have been fishing in Kona for many years.  Over that time they have caught their share of nice fish here.  This year they invited their long time friends Howard and Dianne from the Oxnard, CA area to join them.  This is their first time to fish in Kona.  As they all boarded the Fire Hatt this day, they are joking about what they want to catch.  Of course a nice Pacific Blue Marlin is on order.  After leaving the harbor and heading straight offshore, we have our first bite.  The long rigger line is bit, we are Hooked Up!  Howard is in the chair first and proudly brings in a nice 8+ pound Ahi.  He is so proud and I think this is the largest fish he has ever caught.  The mood on the boat is quite festive and the lines are back in thw water now to try for another fish for Dianne.  As we approach “F Buoy” we notice a few birds on the outside of the buoy and go to take a look.  We made a pass through the are and saw good marks on the meter and in a matter of seconds the stinger line is bit and again line is screaming off the reel. We are Hooked Up Again!  Dianne is in the chair and this fight is a little different than the first one.  The line goes tight and she begins to struggle to bring in the fish.  We know this is a nice one.  After about a 20 minute battle, her fish is to the boat.  Russ Whitman was the Gaff Man, assisting our deckhand Adam who leadered the fish and held it for Russ to stick.  With the fish secured on board high fives were flying.  Nice teamwork!  We brought Diannes prize to the weigh dock and found the Yellowfin to weigh 126 pounds.  This is the biggest fish she has ever caught or seen.  I think this will be a Christmas she will not soon forget.

Big Island Big Fish

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Big Island Big Fish.  This month, Pacific Coast Fishing Magazine did a story on Linda and I and our succes here in Kona Hawaii.  We hope you enjoy the Magazine too.

Kona is the anglers Paradise.  It is on the lee of the largest of the Islands, twice the size of all the other Islands combined.  Our ocean water temp never goes below 75 degrees for a couple of months in the winter, and it is rare to go over 85 degrees at its warmest.  Air daytime temperatures stay between 83 to 87 degrees year round.  It is just plain Paradise.  There has been a thousand pound Blue Marlin caught every month of the year except November.  As is true in most of the giant Marlin hot spots in the world, you just have to be here to hook them up.  Please accept our invitation to come to Paradise and enjoy this magnificent part of our planet.  We will show you both the similarities and differences in your fishing experience and how we do it and why, in Kona.  Our 43 foot Hatteras is immaculate and we use the finest in reels and equipment.  All matched in size and manufacturer with different size capabilities from light tackle to the 130 Shimano Tiagra reels for the big girls.

You can read the article that is in Pacific Coast Sportfishing Magazine this month at  http://epagepub.com/publication/?i=134547

One of My favorite Family Fishing Stories

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One of My favorite Family Fishing Stories.  This family of six including two young Sons and their Grandmother from Canada wanted to snorkel and fish.  So, we headed out to do just that.  On the way down to Captain Cook Bay to Snorkel we saw Pilot Whales and Porpoise.  Everyone aboard marveled and took photos of the spectacular sight.  even though we are on our way to snorkel, we do have have five lines in the water hoping for a bite.  However, not a single nibble was had on the way down.  With all the guests in the water enjoying a mid morning snorkel and swim in the pristine bay, Adam and I are planning our strategy for the return trip back to the harbor.  I decide to head out to the 1000 fathom line and try our luck on the outside.  As I approached the area, I turned north and headed up the coast.  Then as anticipated, the long corner line is bit.  We are hooked up!  In the chair is Grandma, 63 year old Donna Stewart is now fighting her fish of a lifetime!  With help and encouragement from her son Eian, they sucessfully land the beautiful Pacific Blue Marlin.  I tagged the fish and as we are attempting to release it when we see that it is not going to live.   As we get the marlin secure in the cockpit of the boat,  Eian’s wife yells out SHARK!   With cameras snapping shots of the shark, we realize that would have been the Marlins fate in the end if we had released it injured.   We bring Donna’s fish to the scale and are pleased with the 444 pound weight.  What a memorable day.

 

Featured in the photo is the Stewart Family with Donna’s 444 Pound Pacific Blue Marlin

That’s Fishing in Kona Hawaii

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That’s Fishing in Kona Hawaii.  Dave Greathouse and his wife Barbara from Wisconsin enjoyed a leisurely morning aboard Fire Hatt waiting for a bite.  A real leisurely morning.  Nothing, not even a rubber band failure.  Originally, the couple intended to do a little snorkeling at Captain Cook Bay but someone forgot to pack their swimsuit.  Then it was discovered that their underwater camera was dead and they did not have the power cord to recharge it.  However, these slight misshaps gave them more time with hooks in the water.  This is their first time to fish in Kona Hawaii and the anticipation was contagious.  After several hours of no action, Dave broke out a prize cigar and ask if there was any way he could smoke it….. we closed up the Salon and let him light up on the back deck.  Once he finished the cigar and noted it had not brought him the luck he anticipated, he donated the remaining stub to mother ocean.  Within seconds the stinger line is bit and line is screaming off.  We are hooked up!  It’s a Marlin!  Dave did a wonderful job bringing in his first Pacific Blue Marlin.  It took him all of 25 minutes.  The Marlin was released unharmed and took off jumping and putting on a great show.  When our guests asks me if I ever get tired of this, I always tell them “Are you kidding?  Fishing here is like driving through a mine field…you never know when one of the lines are going to explode!”

Hawaiian Fishing Lures, Do They Make A Difference?

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Hawaiian Fishing Lures, Do They Make A Difference?.  Is there a difference in them and other lures used around the world?  I think so.  While keeping in mind, when a fish is ready to bite, it will bite what ever is drug in front of it.  However, I do think there is a science to consider when deciding your pattern for the day.  You want to pull lures that are going to atract a fish into your pattern.  What are the fish eating?  Where are the fish eating?  Local lure makers know this information.  They know what months certain bait fish are here and the depths they are hanging.  Local Hawaiian lure makers mimic these characteristics when making their lures.  They are not concerned with what is being bit in Mexico, Southern California or New Zealand.  They are interested in making lures that look like and swim like our local bait fish.  When I look back at our largest fish caught here in Hawaii, they have been caught on local lures.  We have caught our share on other favorites from our vast arsenal too.   Sometimes you just have to throw something out there to “mix things up”.  I also beleive that when new batches of fish show up in our waters, they have been eating baits we don’t have.  This is when putting out something a little different than the normal proves to be productive.  The fish then settle in and begin to look for the local bait.  Thus the reason for “local lures”.  Look back at your lures from the past twenty or so years and notice little has changed color wise.  Shapes change, size change and weight changes but the colors remain consistent.  The materials today are so much more advanced and the result is amazing.  Another thing to consider….look at the fishermen that are bringing in the trophy fish.  Many of whom are luremakers.  They are using their own lures.  You don’t really need more proof than that.  There have been many times that our guests will bring Lucky Lures from their own collections.  Their lures have won tournaments for them in their own waters and  are excited to give them a try here.  (Many times they prove to be productive…)  Who Knows! Just get out there and try them.

 

The Honeymooner’s Fishing in Kona Hawaii

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The Honeymooner’s Fishing in Kona Hawaii!  Yet another story about wedded bliss and the lucky Bride!  Linda thinks there is something about a newlywed couple and luck on the water.  I am beginning to agree with her… Rob and Kendra from Southern California boarded Fire Hatt with the anticipation of getting in a little snorkeling at Captain Cook Bay and a little fishing that hopefully will include some catching.  Adam had just completed the chair talk and they had settled in on the bridge when I was telling them how we “look with our brain” for any activity or floaters on the water.  I wasn’t even finished telling them when Kendra spotted a floater.  Turns out to be a nice net.  Perfect!  On our first pass, we are hooked up!  Rob is in the chair and he lands a nice 31 pound Bull Mahi Mahi.  Nice way to start the day.   A couple more boats showed up and after making several more passes without another bite, we moved on.  Off to Captain Cook to snorkel now.   The water was absolutely calm and clear while we were greeted by porpoise at the bay.  Having finished a wonderful swim, we are headed back out.  With lines back in the water we are about 10 minutes straight out from Cook when BAM!  The short rigger line is screaming!  We are hooked up again!  Did I mention it was the very Lucky Linda Lure….Kendra is in the chair fighting her fish of a lifetime!  She is a petite little thing and fights the Blue Marlin literally standing in the fighting chair.  After a  35 minute fight, we are able to release her approximately 225 pound Pacific Blue Marlin.  She did such a great job!  To summarize the event, I go back to Honeymooners, Lady Luck and the Lucky Linda Lure!

Fishing in KONA HAWAII – The Anglers Paradise

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Fishing in KONA HAWAII – The Anglers Paradise, I wonder which October will show up in 2012? We have not had our usual warm water yet in 2012 and just like the last two years, October may bring us the warmest water of the year, or not.  Funny about that Mother Nature thing, and the more you think you can predict future pattern, the more it seems you get fooled.  Today in mid-September, we had 81 degree Ocean water temps, almost two degrees cooler than last year at this time.  If our last two years pattern holds, we should see 83 degree water temps and an increase in big Blue Marlin hook-ups so come on over to Hawaii and get in on thelate season bite.  Several big Blue Marlin were caught over the last two days with a couple over 600 and three over 400 so the big ones are still here.  There are still Ono (Wahoo) around and even a 100 pound Striped Marlin was caught two days ago.  It is a mixed bag and I sure hope the numbers of bites rise with some warm water.   In October, we can expect, barring Mother Nature’s curve balls, to see great fishing since all this warmth and bait are here.  There should also be lot’s of 50 plus into 200 pound Ahi here.  There have been some Ono (Wahoo) also taken on the ledges.  You just gotta love the year round big game fishing in KONA – The Anglers Paradise.

Expect mid 80 degree highs and just plain wonderful weather in October.  Give us a call, we would look forward to taking you out on a great Hawaiian Ocean adventure.   See this story and many others in COASTAL ANGLER MAGAZINE

Good Luck for the Soon to Be Groom

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A guys day out before the Big Day proves to be very lucky for the groom and his soon to be brother in law.  Danny and Anthony along with their Dads  John and Tony boarded Fire Hatt for a day of family fishing just like every one of our guests…hoping for a little action!  Let me tell you about how much action…  Shortly after the chair talk while I was headed to an area where I had been seeing fish and had a few bites the day before, the long rigger is bit.  We are hooked up! Considered to be Good Luck for the Soon to Be Groom, Danny is in the chair first.  He should after all have the first fish.   The bite turns out to be an Ono.  A rouge Ono in the deep!  Danny brings the fish to the boat in just minutes and the lines are put back out.  We continue to scout the area until we are bit again.  This time the short corner is bit.  Hooked Up again!  This time it is the real thing!  A nice Blue Marlin took Linda’s favorite Hi-5 lure.  As Tony is getting in the chair the fish is screaming off line.  After a 30 minute fight, the fish is to the boat and is tail wrapped in the line.  We are able to quickly get the fish turned around and remove the hooks.  With determined effort, the 200 pound Marlin is revived and swims away healthy.  The Ono was Danny’s first and the Blue Marlin was Tony’s first.  The group were experienced fishermen from Florida and this was their first time fishing in Kona Hawaii.  I don’t think it will be their last…..   The Groom was able to bring fresh Ono to the family that evening.