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Let’s Be Franck

DSCN9931 5Brother Firefighter Bob Franck, a retired Captain from Redondo Beach Fire Department in Southern California along with his wife Mary and son Alex were visiting from Huntington Beach, CA and spent the day with us aboard Fire Hatt.  Bob and Mary are longtime friends and we were thrilled to have them come for a visit.  Alex Franck was treated to a day of  family fishing in the silky blue waters of Kona Hawaii.  After a long day of hitting all the spots where we had gotten fish in the prior days leading up to their trip, we were already late in the afternoon without a bite.  I think Brett and Linda changed lures a dozen times hoping to put something out there that looked appetizing.  Then Finally!  We have our first bite.  We are Hooded Up!  Alex is in the fighting chair and has his largest Yellowfin Tuna to the boat in an impressive 10 minutes using Ken Matsuura 50 pound tackle.  Nice Work!  Brett placed a perfect gaff shot and the fish is on board.  The Tuna weighed in at a solid 100 pounds!  Sometimes when you want a fish sooo bad for someone…it just dosen’t happen.  Im glad Alex and his family have a story to take home with them.  Alex now lives in North Dakota, a Hawaii adventure is just what he needed.  Nice going Alex.

 

 

AFTCO Logo 2  

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

Blue Marlin Release for Romania Family

August Marlin

Blue Marlin Release for Romania Family fishing in Kona.  When Octavian Mardarasevici and his family boarded Fire Hatt today they had hopes of just catching anything.  What happened next turned into a true Family Fishing Adventure in Kona.  We went almost the whole day without a single bite.  Octavian being the angler today, paced the deck, got in and out of the fighting chair a few times and helped scan the horizon all day just looking for a sign.  Then finally, the Blue Marlin bite we had been waiting for came.  The fish came in on the long corner and devoured a Crampton lure.  We are Hooked Up!  The fish went straight down and did not surface until a lot of line was retrieved.  We thought maybe a tuna?  Then as the line started to come to the surface the marlin came exploding out of the water and put on quite a show!  Octavian fought the fish on a 50lb Matsuura reel for just under 40 minutes.  Once the fish was leadered, tagged and secured beside the boat, Mike Fir and Linda was able to get Octavian out of the fighting chair and encouraged him to take the Marlin by the bill and start to revive it.  In just a short time the fish was kicking and Octavian released it.  Just watching the expression on Octavian’s face when it was over reminds me of what we take for granted in this sport.  Having reeled in a fish and then putting your hands on it to revive and release it is the most satisfying experience a fisherman can participate in.  A true Kona Family Fishing Experience.

Octavian MardarasevicFeatured in the photo wearing AFTCO release gloves.

Family Fishing Adventure Aboard Fire Hatt

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.

Yellowfin Tuna Are Here In Numbers

Yellowfin Tuna Are Here In Numbers.  John Lewis and his Son, Tim visiting the Big Island from Pasadena, CA  just wanted to catch something bigger than the 4 pound Trout that currently holds the family record.  As avid fly fishermen, they know the trials of getting a fish.  Today, we are hearing of Tuna “boiling”  in several different areas.  We headed to an area where there was some action and were lucky enough to hook one.  This did not come early in the day.  After the father and son duo had a nice continental breakfast followed by a short nap and then a little lunch followed by another short nap, we were headed back from “F” Buoy in about 1100 fathoms when I saw two white birds circle and crash in front of us.  A sure sign that something is below the surface.  About that time, Tuna boiled up and as I was making a pass through them, I told John and Tim to get ready!  As they were getting off the bridge, the short rigger is bit!  We are Hooked Up!  Tim is in the chair and brings his 115.5 lb Yellowfin tuna to the boat.  The Yellowfin Tuna was caught on a Ken Matsuura 50# reel.  Did I mention it took the “Lucky Linda” lure by Bomboy Lures?  The 4 lb family record for Trout has been shattered!