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Blue Marlin Release for Romania Family

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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 Mardarasevici Featured in the photo wearing AFTCO release gloves.

Summer Fun for Families and Kids Aboard Fire Hatt

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Summer Kids 2013Summer Fun for Families and Kids Aboard Fire Hatt.  I just can’t stress enough over the years how satisfying it is to see the face of a child fighting his or her first fish, biggest fish ever or seeing Porpoise and Whales for the first time in their lives!  We are witness to so many families experiencing what we may take for granted having done this for so many years.  When you see a proud Mom and Dad so delighted that their child has just landed their catch it brings what I do into perspective.  When you tell a child that “we are going fishing in Kona Hawaii”, they expect to catch a fish!  If this does not happen, the educating of the young ones (and old ones) begins.  I always tell the guests that I wish I could make the fish bite.  We want to catch a fish as bad as you do!  I tell our guests, sometimes the fish win.  We always encourage the child to keep trying, and tell them someday they will catch the fish of a lifetime, you just have to keep the faith.  I wanted to share the faces of the Kids so far this summer and just see the excitement and the anticipation in their eyes.

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.

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

 

Family Fishing In Kona

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Family Fishing In Kona.  I want you to meet the Hamilton family from MA.   I dare you find anyone in this family without a smile.  All day long the smiles were contagious.  From the time we met them on the dock until we brought them back to the harbor,  the enthusiasm and camaraderie in this family never faltered.  We started out inshore with the Ono lures in the pattern.  We are headed to Captain Cook to do a little snorkeling.  On the way down the coastline Linda spotted something floating off in the distance.  Knowing this family really wanted food fish, I quickly headed a little offshore to check it out.  There it was, a nice big coiled rope.  Not only that, we had no other boat in sight and it was holding Mahi Mahi.  One pass and we are hooked up!  Dad (Jim) is in the chair.  He lands the first Mahi Mahi effortlessly!  High fives all around and Adam and Linda get the lines back in for another pass at the floater.  Hooked up again!  Caitlin is in the chair fighting her Mahi Mahi.  She too brings her fish in with little effort.  At this point, Dad’s fish is biggest.  Lines back in again and we are making another pass to try for something for Sarah.  One pass, nothing.  Second pass, nothing.  We try several more passes without a bite and then decide to leave it and head back inshore to “Ono Lane” and on to Captain Cook.  When we arrived at Captain Cook, there were Spinner Dolphin in the bay entertaining several kayakers.  We approached with the family on the bow filming the action.  It was awesome!  Later after we finished our snorkel the Dolphin were still in the bay and I was able to put Caitlin and Sarah in the water to swim with them.   What a thrill.  The girls are both Rowers and are very strong swimmers, they had no trouble swimming with the graceful animals.  Now as we are headed back up the coast to the harbor, we have the Ono lures back in the water and as planned…..we are hooked up!  The Ono we have been waiting for.  Now Sarah is in the chair and this is a much stronger fish than the Mahi Mahi.  Sarah buckles down and starts cranking.  She has landed the largest fish of the day!  With that, we decided to head back offshore and try for a Pacific Blue Marlin for Jim.  This is just one of those days… we are hooked up again!  A Pacific Blue Marlin!  Jim is getting to the chair, the stinger line is screaming , the Marlin makes a few jumps and it is off.  AAARRRGG!  Still the excitement was thrilling.  This is one of those perfect Family Fishing in Kona days.  Something for everyone!