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Living Right

The “Allii Brothers Marlin Hui” is alive and strong and living right!  Today, Buzz Colton and his brother Father Gary Colton fished an action filled day aboard Fire Hatt.  They are both avid fishermen and purchased this trip through a donation we made to the IGFA Foundations Silent Auction.  Buzz has snagged this trip several times over the years.  We thank him for supporting the IGFA (International Game Fish Association) .

Using light tackle (for here) Two Shimano 50’s and two Shimano 80’s were their choice.  The day started with a nice rip on the stinger, we are Hooked Up!  Buzz was in the chair and after a few minutes the fish came undone.  A short time later, the long corner was hit and this time Father Gary is in the chair.  Father Gary successfully brings a nice Striped Marlin to the boat and the Crew on Fire Hatt released the fish.  And then not to be undone, we have another bite, Buzz is back in the chair and the fish again comes undone!  We had one more mystery bite to complete the day.  I think God has a favorite here!  Buzz and Father Gary have been fishing waters of Kona, Hawaii for over 50 years.  They have fished numerous Tournaments, won their share of trophies and have stories of a lifetime.  We are proud to call them friends.

Father Gary Colton

Born in Van Nuys, Calif., Father Colton and his family moved to Maui in the early 1950s because his father, a dentist, loved Hawaii and wanted his family to live in the islands. Later, the family moved to Oahu for the elder Colton to set up a private dental practice in Waikiki.

On Friday, June 2nd , 50 years to the day, St. Theresa Church in Kihei hosted an anniversary celebration with Colton serving as the main celebrant during Mass.

Father Gary continues to serve as a chaplain for the Maui Police Department. He’s a member of the advisory board for Catholic Charities Hawaii, Maui; a member of the Diocesan Board of Education for Hawaii Catholic Schools; and he’s one of the founding members and an ongoing member of the board of directors for Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resources Centers.

Fire Hatt is a proud member of the AFTCO  Pro Fishing Team.  You can go to AFTCO.com and AFTCO Logo 2read their amazing story.

Living Right

How much does this fisherman weigh? An Instagram.

We have joined the masses and launched our very own Instagram account and can now be found as @firehattsportfishing. We thank you, our loyal fans and supporters for helping us follow our dreams and passion for fishing off the shores of Kona. If you are on instagram, please follow us and stay tuned for more photos from our fishing adventures.

Check out this gem of a drawing from our archives which was created to launch the ‘Firehatt Sportfishing Charters’ brand many moons ago.

That’s Fishing in Kona Hawaii

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!”

Sea Turtles Honokohau Harbor, Kona Hawaii

Sea Turtles Honokohau Harbor, Kona Hawaii. The turtles are waiting for the boats to come in every day looking for any discard of fish scraps.  It is always a treat for our guests to watch them.  The turtles are regulars to the harbor and we can actually recognize and identify each one.  The largest are about four feet across their back.  It is believed that they are herbivorous but actually they will eat any fish offered and fight over discarded fish carcasses.