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The Bucket List

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Richard BattoBatton 1n and his wife Joy from
Macon, Georgia came to Kona late in the season to try their luck at catching a Pacific Blue Marlin and to enjoy a family fishing trip.   They had never caught a fish larger than 20 pounds.   They baitfish in Georgia and I believe it was their wedding anniversary.   They are a very cute and very gracious Southern couple.  When they met, Joy was 15 he Richard was 16.  (She said no,  you were 17.)  Not to mention this was on their “Bucket List”.  We left the harbor and had been fishing for about 2 1/2 hours and got our first bite!  The fish was on and taking line for about five minutes and then shook the hook.  As the day was coming to an end and the thrill of the first fish was merely a memory, we were headed back towards town when the long rigger line came down.  We are Hooked Up!  Richard is in the chair and the battle begins.  It is such a thrill for me to look at an angler make their way to the chair, get locked in and hear the screaming reel and feel the weight of the fish!  As we clear the deck and start backing down we are at a standoff. Richard gets into rhythm and we start collecting line back.  After a half hour fight, we have the fish beside the boat and Brett holds it until Richard can get out of the chair and touch the beautiful estimated 225 lb Pacific Blue Marlin before we release it.   Check this off the Bucket List!

 
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 Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team.  You can go to AFTCO.com and read their amazing story.

Another Lucky Frank

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnother Lucky Frank, also known as Frankie Lopez has just fought and released his very first Marlin.  A nice 200+ pound Pacific Blue Marlin.  Not bad for an eleven year old!  Frank Lopez brought his family to Kona for a Family Fishing Vacation from Fallbrook, CA where Frank and Frankie spent three days fishing with us aboard Fire Hatt.  On the first two days we did not get a fish,  We had some missed shots where the fish did not stick and we saw Tuna that would not go.  Having to face the fact that we did not get Frankie his first Marlin was not a happy moment for me and the crew on Fire Hatt.  About midway through the second day still not having a bite, I received a call from the guest that would be fishing with us the following day stating he had to cancel his trip and hoped it would not be a problem.  Frank heard this and jumped at the opportunity to give it another try and booked a third day to try to capture the elusive Marlin for Frankie.  DAY THREE, we are all anxious about the day and want a fish real bad.  As we head out,  Brett and Linda select today’s arsenal.  We have a bright sunny sky and fairly calm water.  We head out and south.  It is early afternoon and we do not have a bite….arrgh!  As the afternoon clouds start to build and the water gets a little huffled, Brett and Linda change out the lures for larger dark ones.  We are headed back up the line and just about the time we are second guessing our lure pattern, wham…we are Hooked Up!  The fish took the lightest line in the pattern, on 80lb test Frankie worked on landing his Pacific Blue Marlin for about 35 minutes.  He was awesome!  As the fish ran, jumped, charged the boat and sulked it never shook Frankie.  He was determined to land this one. Once the fish was released, you should have seen the the proud Dad beaming over his son that I think now holds the family record for the largest Blue Marlin in the family.  Frank Lopez is no stranger to Marlin fishing.  Having fished the waters of Southern California and Mexico he has several Billfish species under his belt including a Swordfish.  Frank does not have the flag yet for a Shortbill Spearfish which are commonly caught in the Kona waters.  I’m thinking he will be back to tag one of those soon.

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Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team.  You can go to AFTCO.com and read their amazing story.

The Mighty Mellinger’s

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Release Flag 02 The Mighty Mellinger’s in particular we are referring to John Mellinger.  Colin Mellinger and his two sons John and Bert boarded Fire Hatt for an afternoon of family fishing in Kona Hawaii having hopes of breaking the family big fish record.  After my crew,  Linda and Brett got the lines out and the deck ready, we had the guys gather for the “Chair Talk”.  As they were determining who the first angler would be, the Short Rigger line starts screaming!  We are hooked up!  After we got John in the chair and got him strapped in the fish was off… we looked at him and stated “And that’s how we do the chair talk!”    We worked the area for a while then headed south.  As the afternoon started to wind down we were hoping for another chance at what would be John’s first Marlin.  Then our wishes were answered with the same Short Rigger line getting hit.  John fought the fish for about 30 minutes before successfully tagging and releasing his first Pacific Blue Marlin estimated at about 200 lbs.    At age 16, from Houston, TX.   John Mellinger is the 2014 Texas Cycling Champion for his age group.  Now he is adding the  largest fish of the Mellinger Family to his list of accomplishments.

 

 

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Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team.  You can go to AFTCO.com and read their amazing story.

Big Blue Marlin Fishing In Kona Hawaii

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Bailey Release 600lb 2Big Blue Marlin Fishing In Kona Hawaii.  We probably should report this as Big Blue Marlin Catching in Kona Hawaii!  This has been a phenomenal month here in Kona with at least 11 Tag and Releases for Fire Hatt.  We only kept one Marlin as we could not revive him.  To top our scorecard, Brett Bailey from Saskatoon, has our boat record so far this year with an estimated 600+lb Pacific Blue Marlin release.  Bret and his co-workers chartered Fire Hatt while the other group chartered another boat.  They had a friendly wager on which group would produce the largest fish.  We started out with a Shortbill Spearfish bite that put them ahead of the game with angler Garry Fawcett landing the 50 pounder!  About an hour later we hooked the 600+ pounder.  Brett was the angler and after 45 minute fight we had the fish to the boat with a clean and healthy tag and release. I hear the wager was Infinity Drinks at the Four Seasons?

 

 

DSCN9817 Honeymoon couple John and Erica Heckathorn from Kansas City, MO had a banner day releasing two Pacific Blue Marlin.  Erica was “first up” bringing in an estimated 275lb trophy.  Now the competition is on!  We needed to get John a fish too.  We stayed true to the area as there were reports of more fish.  We worked for about two hours when finally we were hooked up with a fish for John.  John’s Blue Marlin was estimated at about 175lbs and was successfully tagged and released after a short 20 minute fight.  Nice going you guys!

 

 

 

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

A Family Affair

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DSCN9796 1A Family Affair.  When Howard and Deb Tieden from Wasilla, AK booked their Charter they stated that they only wanted food fish.  Any food fish.  They see many trophies in their business and cater to guests in the same manner we do.  The couple own and operate Arrowhead Outfitters in both Alaska and Texas.  Howard is a Brush Pilot and Air Taxi, transporting guests to hunting and fishing camps in the two states.  You name it, Moose, Texas Deer Wild Boar,Caribou, Bear, Sheep Fish and more.  This trip was a Family Affair.  Their Daughter Stephanie was getting married.  As a wedding gift they booked the charter.  Deb shared a story with me about carrying Stephanie in a backpack while hunting and fishing….so fishing is in Stephanie’s genes.   With over a dozen family members wanting to fish, we had to have two boats available.  Fire Hatt had the privilege of taking the Bride and Groom, the Tiedens along with the Grooms Father Leo Gunderson and Grandson Jason Gunderson.   Captain Bill Casey aboard Pacific Blue took half of the group including Deb’s parents, Snooks and Kenny Moore .  We had a mini tournament between the two boats to make it interesting.  Game On! We started out in what we refer to as “Ono Lane” hoping to bag a food fish.  After several hours of no bites, birds or life we decided to move offshore to the pens and see if we could catch a few tunas.  As we approached, we could see the Steno Dolphin there and knew our efforts would be wasted.  So we moved off to “F Buoy”.   Bingo,  the first line in the water is bit.  Jason Gunderson is on the rod and pulls in the first fish!  Nice!  We stayed for several more passes and the Stenos found us.  We couldn’t get any more fish to the boat without having them bit off.  We head further offshore and put out the lures and hope for a tuna.  After about an hour of trolling, the group decided they wanted to go back and take their chances with the Stenos and try for a few more small tunas.  This paid off!  The Stenos had moved on and we were able to pull in several more small tunas.  With time running out, we had to leave and head back to the harbor.  With lures back in the water we head in.  About half way there, the long rigger line is bit!  The line comes down and the fish comes off.  We are able to tease the fish and keep it interested.  He takes a few more strikes at the long rigger bait and then switches to the stinger line.  We are hooked up!  Larry Gunderson  (AKA “The Groom”) is in the chair and makes for a short fight bringing in this 40 pound Short Bill Spearfish.  Talk about a perfect finish for a day!  Oh…we won this little competition.  All in good fun!

Featured in the photo above is Howard Tieden. Stephanie Gunderson, Deb Tieden, Jason Gunderson and Larry Gunderson.  www.arrowheadoutfitters.com

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

On the Fly

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Hawaii Jan.2014 027 1On The Fly.  This is a review we received from a group we took out on January 31, 2014  We are always humbled and appreciate the wonderful notes we get from our Charter Guests fishing in Kona Hawaii.

“We took Fire Hatt out on a full day charter Jan 31. It was a Trip I bought that Chuck had donated to the IGFA auction.Three of us headed out Todd, Tom & Jack (Tom’s 81 yr old dad). All of us had a great day on the water. Fire Hatt is an excellent operation. The boat and equip is top notch & very well maintained. Chuck is very personable and knows what he is doing. He was able to get me hooked up to a tuna fairly early. A pod of porpoise took it though.I was on a fly rod and just couldn’t wind fast enough. We saw 3 kinds of whales & the beauty of a Volcano topped in snow from quite calm seas. First mate’s can make or break a day. Brett and Rob are some of the best. They took care of everyone. Both are entertaining and genuinely excited to get you on a fish. The Crew used all their resources and found a current line. This led to finding a Log that held a small school of Mahi Mahi. We got 3 in amazing colors off of this log. Another Mahi Mahi hit on the troll closer to the harbor. It was a great day on the water. I would recommend Fire Hatt to everyone.”

Thank You Todd, Tom and Jack

Featured in the above photo is 81 year old Tom

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

First Spearfish for Ken Shaw from Edmonton Alberta

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DSCN4694First Spearfish for Ken Shaw from Edmonton Alberta.  Ken Shaw from Edmonton Alberta along with close friend Steve Dahl and their families enjoyed a day fishing the silky calm waters of Kona Hawaii with myself and crewman Brett Lasenby.  We were on a half day afternoon charter and did not waste any time getting lines in the water as we are leaving the harbor mouth.  These guys want a fish!  Their wishes were answered with this impressive 35+ pound Shortbill Spearfish.  FYI,  Short-billed spearfish are a pelagic tropical species found offshore or near volcanic islands surrounded by deep water along current lines, drop-offs and ledges. Hawaii offers unquestionably the best shot at productive short-bill spearfishing because of the combination of underwater structures and cold currents. Hawaii consistently produces more short-nosed spearfish than any other known area, with them returning to Hawaii’s waters each spring to spawn. The best months for a shot at this species are February through June. Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

When a Woman Loves her Man, She Takes Him Fishing in Kona Hawaii

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20140109_124322 1 When a Woman Loves her Man, She Takes Him Fishing in Kona Hawaii.  That is what Lisa Yellowlees from Victoria, BC did for her sweetheart, Rod Bieller.  Rod loves to fish, especially in Kona Hawaii, so for a “milestone birthday”, Lisa called us months in advance and arranged the surprise fishing trip for him.  There was a good prpbability that he would be calling to book a trip anyway, so we had to steer him to the date already planned for him.  This was so much fun to be a part of.  Rod and Lisa have fished with us several times in the past and we were looking forward to going again.  Rod is a retired Fire Battalion Chief  from Victoria so we have a lot in common.  So now we have a surprise charter for Rod, we are out almost all day before we finally get a bite.  This nice Ono (Wahoo) was just what we needed.  You don’t want to get skunked on your birthday.

January and February into March are excellent months for Shortbill Spearfish, Ono and Striped Marlin.  There are some nice Ahi Tuna around too.  These months transition into the famed Pacific Blue Marlin months ahead.  Although Pacific Blue Marlin are caught here year around, they show up in numbers in the summer months.

Featured in the photo above is Rod Bieler and Lisa Yellowlees proudly showing off the nice Ono.

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

Fish Of A Lifetime for Alberta Canada Family

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Fish Of A Lifetime for Alberta Canada Family.  On January 14 Kyle Moodie, his wife Sue, along with his Father Doug and Mother, Verna spent a full day on a family fishing trip aboard Fire Hatt. The waters were dead, silky calm and the sun was hot. We ran lines from 7 am to noon with no action, but knew “it” could happen at any time. As we worked our way south to Captain Cook Bay for a little afternoon snorkel we were pleasantly surprised the spinner dolphin were there.  I put our guests in the water and let them swim with the dolphin.  Turns out this was definitely on their bucket list.  Let’s check that one off.  Once they were back in the boat, we put lines in the water and headed out.  After finding a pod of dolphins offshore we cruised through them with no luck. Then on our way out of the pod it happened. Wham! We are Hooked Up!  Kyle is in the chair and let me tell you, as a fly fisherman from southern Alberta, Canada I’m sure he had never experienced anything like this. With over 1500 feet of line off the reel, he cranked and cranked.  We thought it was a Blue Marlin at first.  The fish tracked the lure and exploded on it.  After an intense 40 minute fight, Kyle has the fish to the boat only to have the hook pop out within in a few feet from landing it. Ouch!   A nice Yellowfin Tuna estimated at about 180 pounds… Kyle has landed hundreds of fish in his days but had never experienced a fight like this.  Truly a Fish Of A Lifetime.  As a catch and release fisherman he had no problem with the popped hook. It was a landed fish in his books.  As Captain, it is just deflating to see a trophy come undone.  Brett and I appreciated the understanding from Kyle and he knows “That’s Fishing.”  There is one way fish get hooked and a thousand ways they come off.  We hope Kyle and his family leave our beautiful Island with a lifetime of memories and come back again to claim their trophy.  That fish is only getting bigger.

Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team

Family Fishing in Kona Hawaii at its Best

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DSC_0262Family Fishing in Kona Hawaii at its Best. The Dean Family from Eldorado Hills and Clear Lake California should purchase Lotto Tickets when they return home. Thats the kind of luck they had fishing the beautiful silky calm waters of Kona.  As we left the harbor we headed south.  The day started with the first bite, a nice Mahi Mahi just fifteen minutes out of the harbor.  Mike Dean is in the chair and although the fish came undone, it set the mood and pace for the rest of the day.  About forty five minutes later as we are headed farther south, we  have two lines come down, we are hooked up!  A double on Ono!  This time Mike Dean and Mike Dean Sr. are on the mark.  They each landed their fish.  Dinner for the family! Now just off Keahou Bay, we are patroling the area  and twenty minutes later the stinger line comes down,  and then wham, the long rigger line comes down.   We are hooked up again! A double on what turned out to be Blue Marlin.  Once again Mike and Mike Sr.  were the anglers.  The blue marlin were estimated at about 100 lbs and 40 lbs.  We are not done yet… as we were leaving the Captain Cook area we had anoher bite.  This one escaped, we think it was a Shortbill Spearfish.  And finally, after a two hour lull in activity, the stinger line is ripped down again, we are hooked up!  With Gina in the chair, she lands a Striped Marlin!  We sucessfully release it and we are now on our way back to the harbor. This is a banner day of fishing in Kona!  Going to need taller outriggers to hang this many flags.  A good problem to have.

Featured in the top photo is Fire Hatt First Mate Brett Lasenby with Gina Dean and her Shortbill Spearfish along with her husband Mike Dean and Mike Dean Sr. after landing their 20+ lb Onos.  The photo above is one of the Marlin that were sucessfully released.
Fire Hatt is a member of the AFTCO Pro Fishing Team