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Pygmy Sperm Whale Sighting and First Mahi Mahi for Alaska Couple

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Pygmy Sperm Whale Sighting and First Mahi Mahi for Alaska Couple.  Considered a rarity in Kona waters, a pair of Pygmy Sperm Whales were sited just off  Kaiwi Point at about the 400fa ledge by Neal and Lauren Labrie visiting from King Salmon, Alaska.  We slowed the boat and cautiously circled and observed the whales while our guests were able to capture many delightful photos.  The one featured above was provided by the Labrie’s.  Our goal was to capture what would be the largest fish Lauren had ever caught.  Midway through the adventure, the stinger went off.  (It was not the whale)  A fighting, jumping Mahi Mahi ate what we call the “Easter Special Lure”.  Lauren was in the chair and brought in the fish weighing in at 22 lbs.  We did it!  Lauren’s biggest fish.  We filleted the Mahi and sent them to a local restaurant who prepared their fish for them.  Neil, the Public Safety Dir of Katmai National Park enjoyed an anti-tundra day on Kona’s warm beautiful waters.  Lauren also works for the Park Service too.

 

Mahi Mahi Fishing in Kona Hawaii

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Mahi Mahi Fishing in Kona Hawaii is every bit as exciting as hooking into a Spearfish or Marlin especially if it is a big one! This one was!  For Roy Small of Lancaster, PA  this Mahi Mahi was one of the largest fish he had ever caught.   A short while later we had a Blue Marlin strike that did not stick.  Then about an hour later, another Marlin strike, again  it did not stick.  We intend to release them anyway, but it is still fun to walk them around first.  Today, Mahi Mahi fishing in Kona Hawaii proves to be luckier than Marlin Fishing In Kona.  We start fishing the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament this week and knowing where these Marlin are gives us a starting place for the tournament.

Fishing in Kona Yields First Flag Fish for Max Hunt

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Fishing in Kona Yields First Flag Fish for Max Hunt.  While aboard the Fire Hatt, Max landed his first flag fish, a 10 lb Mahi Mahi!  Pictured with crewman Tobin Hudgens, Max waited patiently for his chance to reel one in.  Finally, a line was bit.  Max and his dad, Ken have fished with us before, that time Max caught his first Skipjack Tuna.    Oh, his Mom?  She was preparing for the Iron Man Competition starting tomorrow.  Good Luck! I feel the long awaited Blue Marlin for Ken will come soon…

The Ono are here!

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Peter and his family,  including his young Grandson Scout, boarded the Fire Hatt with such enthusiasm.  We were bound to hook up something today.  Fishing had been a little slow, a few Mahi Mahi and a few Ono being reported along with a few nice Marlin in the past week.  We put out our Ono rigs and headed out to “Ono Lane” (40 fa) and hoped for a strike.  Nothing!  Not even a knockdown.  We changed out rigs and headed to deeper water.  Hoping for a Spearfish or Marlin.  Nothing.  Young  Scout waited beside a rod that was designated as his.  Again nothing.  Finally we headed back to Ono Lane, changed the rigs back and we are bit!  Peter brought the fish to the boat in just minutes.  Sometimes when you want a fish so bad for a guest it seems impossible to get one.  This time it payed off.   After packaging fish for them to take back to their condo, Peter’s wife Jenny prepared the Ono 3-ways.  Battered, baked, and sashimi style. It was delicious.

Beginners Luck! FIRE HATT Shines in Episode of Hawai’i Goes Fishing

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Last Sunday FIRE HATT appeared in the TV show “Hawai’i Goes Fishing” in a segment called Beginners Luck on the Oceanic Time Warner Cable network. We don’t want to spoil the content of the videos, but they didn’t title the segment Beginner’s Luck for nothing! Be sure to watch both videos to get a real taste of what fishing on FIRE HATT is really like!

Beginner’s Luck Part 1:

Beginner’s Luck Part 2:

Lucky Linda Lure Lights up Another Marlin

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Jim Williams brought his family back for a second fishing adventure aboard FIRE HATT.  Zachery Williams, Jim’s son,  caught and released a Striped Marlin after a short battle that he caught on the new weapon in the arsenal, the Lucky Linda Lure, that was made for her by Bomboy.  Jim also brought along Marty Raphael and his wife Susan.  Marty is a career U.S. Forest service man who is involved protecting endangered species in the state of Washington.  Marty  caught dinner for them all with a nice Mahi that was brought home.  It was one of those early spring days in Kona with 84 degree air temp and the water was 79.

Instant Mahi Mahi for Gandhi

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Gandhi Balakrishnan and his family anxiously boarded Fire Hatt with the anticipation of getting something larger than the family record Salmon caught by Gandhi in WA where they live.  We had just finished setting the lines and the long corner was bit!  We had not even given the “Chair Talk”  to Gandhi yet.  Gandhi jumped in the chair and had the Mahi to the boat in a matter of seconds.  After putting the lines back in the water we joked with Gandhi about the fish patterns on his shirt,  Mahi, Tuna, Marlin and Sailfish.  We joked about getting the Mahi and now we can concentrate on the others, when the line went off again.  This time a nice Blue Marlin about 300 pounds was screaming across the water.  Again Gandhi jumps in the chair to begin his fight for the trophy he really wanted only to have the fish come undone!  What a thrill it was for him and his family.  At the end of the day, one Mahi and one Marlin strike.  We encouraged him to keep the shirt and we will work on the rest of the species next time.

Mahi Mahi Fishing Explosion!

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These are some photo’s of our day fishing for mahi mahi  yesterday when we came across a “Floater” (big cargo rope with growth on it) with dozens of Mahi Mahi under it. We caught 18 mahi mahi with the smallest being 14 pounds and the largest 22 pounds. We broke off or just plain lost another 20 or so mahi mahi. The “vacu seal” is going to get some work from this.

fishing in kona hawaii

mahi mahi fishing

Come join us Mahi Mahi fishing in Kona!!!