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Fishing From One Extreme to Another

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Fishing From One Extreme to Another is not a challenge for Mark and his family from Fairbanks Alaska.  It is an adventure.  Mark, his wife and daughters are on a return trip to fish Kona Hawaii on Fire Hatt.  Last time around Mark brought in a few small Tunas.  This time around it was a nice Shortbill Spearfish…. next time he is wanting a nice Big Blue Marlin.  Mark and his family are avid fishermen/ladies in their home state with numerous Salmon over 20 lbs and many, many Halibut.  The largest Halibut weighing in at over 50lbs on light tackle… As I looked at the photos proudly presented on their camera I couldn’t help but comment on how many layers of clothing they were wearing and how happy they looked fishing in the bitter cold!  As they are putting aloe on this weeks sunburns they are thinking how much they don’t want to leave the beautiful tropical sun behind.  Actually, they have another day booked to fish before they head home. Mark really wants a Blue Marlin, I Hope the Fish Gods are listening.

Local Lady Angler Lands Shortbill Spearfish

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Local Lady Angler Lands Shortbill Spearfish.  Kay Kolt, a passionate angler that resides on the Big Island brought along several friends for a day of fishing.  Kay managed to land a nice 30 lb Shortbill Spearfish while being jolted awake from a short snooze.  It was late in the afternoon, sandwiches had been eaten and there had been a lull in activity since two small Big Eye tuna were caught earlier by Steve Landis.  Everyone had their turn at “Being Up” when the short rigger line went off.  We are Hooked Up!  Kay was out of the salon and in the chair fighting the fish as if she had been sitting there all along….She appeared out of knowhere!  With her expert knowledge of the local fishing techniques, she had the Shortbill Spearfish to the boat in minutes.  Crewman Adam Ludwig gaffed the prize and immediately was able to control the fish and let everyone get photos.   See that smile,  for Kay  it is the same one if she brings in a Blue Marlin, Mahi Mahi, Spearfish or any species!  She is considered our good luck charm.  Having been out on the Fire Hatt several times and having fished many of the local tournaments with us, and other boats over the years,  she is very lucky, that Lady Luck thing…. Kay has fished all over the world and has several “Trophy” fish to be proud of.  Though this is not her largest spearfish, it was just as trilling!

New Family Record Mahi Mahi for Tucson Couple

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New Family Record Mahi Mahi for Tucson Couple.  Steven and Catherine from Tucson, AZ  returned to the Big Island for another day of fishing in Kona Hawaii. Last year, Steven caught a Mahi Mahi and Catherine did not get a chance on the rod….well, things changed!  After an early morning triple strike of Striped Marlin and Shortbill Spearfish that eluded our razor sharp hooks and created ten minutes of  sheer excitement, I headed for the top corner of the grounds where I heard there had been a few fish caught.  Within about fifteen minutes of arriving to the area, the short rigger rod is bit, we are hooked up.  Catherine is in the chair and after a swift 10 minute fight, her 28 pound Mahi Mahi is in the boat!  Catherine has established the new family record…. Steve was quite proud of her.

Catherine featured in photo with Adam Ludwig and her 28lb Mahi Mahi March 2012

Trucker’s Chucker aka Shortbill Spearfish

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Trucker’s Chucker aka Shortbill Spearfish.  Trucker and his buddies, fellow horticulturists from Northern California just wanted to do some fishing in Kona Hawaii.  The group boarded Fire Hatt and we headed for the “Grounds”.  What started out to be a three quarter day quickly turned into a full day as the bites started coming.  Final count two Shortbill Spearfish and four bites. Not a bad day on the water.  Credit being given to a small lure from Adam’s collection by an unknown maker…. we could not keep the fish off of it!  I’m thinking it could be the follow-up for the lost Lucky Linda Lure.  We are now on the hunt to try to find more of the hot little number before we loose it! Having had such good luck, the group will be returning later this week for another chance at what they hope will be a Blue Marlin.  Once back to the dock, Crewman Adam Ludwig cleaned and packaged the fish for the group to take home with them.  If you have never tasted our local Spearfish, you are missing out.  Commonly seen on local menus as Hebe, the flaky white meat is almost sweet to the taste.  Prepared on a cedar plank, grilled or pan seared you should try it while you are here.

Four Blue Marlin Bites and a Shortbill Spearfish

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Four Blue Marlin Bites and a Shortbill Spearfish for Waunakee WI Family.  Mike, Kate, Parker, Brandt and Evan Dietry boarded the Fire Hatt expecting a fishing adventure. They got one!  An idyllic day with plenty of sunshine and calm blue water, what fishing in Kona Hawaii is known for. We headed north out of the harbor to an area known as the grounds where we had a fish the day before and another strike. There was still plenty of bait and birds in the area, the conditions were perfect.  We patrolled the area for a short time before our first strike.  It was a marlin that did not stick. This was enough to get the excitement going. With three more blue marlin bites that did not stick, Mike ended up with a prize 44 pound Shortbill Spearfish at the end of the day. Considered one of the best tasting fish in Hawaii, they are only found in the Central Pacific Ocean. Four Blue Marlin Bites and a Shortbill Spearfish along with great memories made for a terrific trip and a new family record.

First Billfish for Tommy Wells While Fishing in Kona Hawaii

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While Fishing in Kona Hawaii this week, Clayton “Tommy” Wells boarded the Fire Hatt on a 3/4 day afternoon charter in hopes of  catching a prize Blue Marlin.  After am hour into the trip, the short corner is bit.  A Shortbill Spearfish.  Tommy gets to the chair and after a short 5 minute fight, we landed his catch.  An avid Cutting Horse Owner and Competitor from Houston Texas, Tommy used his calm demeanor and precise maneuvers to calmly bring the fish to the boat. What a delightful afternoon.  Tommy and his Wife will try tomorrow for their ultimate prize…a Pacific Blue Marlin.  The Marlin are showing in numbers now just in time for the Kona Kickoff Tournament this weekend.  We will be fishing the tournament and hopefully will have a great success story to share with you.

Third Time is a charm for Tom Anderson while Marlin Fishing in Kona HI

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Marlin fishing in Kona HI is certainly exciting!  Just ask Tom Anderson from Sacramento, CA (center) and his Mom Joyce.  On the third day of fishing, an hour into the day, the stinger was hit.  Tom jumped in the chair and battled the Blue Marlin for forty minutes.  Once he got the line back to the rubber band he was just another 40 feet until leader and the fish was off.  Ouch!  Tom had intended to release the fish, no matter the size anyway.  The fish was estimated to be at least 400+ pounds.   With lines back in the water, we headed after another one.  Ten minutes later, the Short Rigger is bit.  After just seconds, the fish was off.  Just enough excitement to get the pulse racing.  Now without another bite, we are headed back to the harbor and we have a double!  One is off and the other turns out to be a Shortbill Spearfish.  Tom jumped back in the chair and finished what he originally wanted to to, land a trophy fish. Tom originally planned for two days of fishing.  When we went two days without a fish, he wanted to give it one last try.  Third time is indeed a charm.

3 Day Kona Marlin Fishing Adventure

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Peter Baio and his wife Patty boarded Fire Hatt on day one for the start of a three day Kona marlin fishing adventure. Targeting a big blue marlin, we set out. This was a beautiful flat day on the water. We encountered pilot whales, porpoise, birds and lots of flying fish but no marlin! However, the porpoise show today was the best I have seen to date. The water was crystal clear as you can see in the photo above. If you can’t swim with the Porpoise, cruising with them is the next best thing.

After the second day into his Kona marlin fishing adventure we are still on the water and no marlin bites, we are getting frustrated. A few marlin have been reported caught or released, so we feel that there is still hope for us, but by the end of the day, there were no fish for Peter.

On day three, after announcing to Peter we released a marlin the day before, we have renewed faith that today is his day. Clad in his lucky yellow shirt and Denver Nuggets cap, we head out. We are bit! A double, lines screaming, Peter grabs a rod and gets  into the chair. One fish comes undone and the other is a nice shortbill spearfish. Not the marlin we hoped for, but a prize anyway. Lines out again and now we have a marlin up in the pattern. He strikes the short rigger, takes a little line and is gone. We circled back to try to coax the fish in and we hook a nice skipjack instead.  (This explains why the marlin was there.)  To no avail, we head back out for the hunt.  Another marlin swims into the pattern slashing at the long corner bait, again does not take it? Who is teasing who? At the end of the day, Peter does have a nice spearfish and plans to return for another shot at a big blue marlin.

E J's First Billfish

First Billfish for Guest Fishing in Kona

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E J's First Billfish

E J and Johnny Vaughn, longtime Huntington Harbour, CA residents and fishermen spent the day aboard the Fire Hatt in Kona, Hawaii, for a day of fishing.  They entered the local “Dirty Dozen” tournament held the first Saturday of each month.  With much anticipation, we blasted off the starting line after Start Fishing was announced.  Johnny told us E J would be the first angler.  He wanted her to catch her first Marlin.  After the “chair talk”, E J was wide eyed and anxious as we waited for the line to scream.  During that time we listened to the radio as two boats hooked up.  Top Shape boated a 301 lb Blue Marlin and JR’s Hooker boated a 458 lb Blue Marlin to take the lead. Then the stinger line was hit!  E J hopped in the chair and brought in her catch, while not a prize Blue Marlin we were hoping for, it was still her first billfish.  Look at her smile, I think she was happy with her catch.  After getting back to the harbor and taking photos, we started cleaning and packaging her fish.  We always look in the stomach to see what the fish are eating…. we found a tiny Marlin!  E J quickly pointed out that she really had a double…. hard to argue.

Three Fish Day for Chet Chiara and The Hemler’s

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Three Fish Day for the Fire Hatt

Doug Hemler's 40+lb Shortbill Spearfish

The fish are here, they are biting and the fun has just begun!  Doug Hemler and his son Eric from Golden, CO.  enjoyed a morning of fishing along with Chet Chiara from Ankorage, AK.  The morning started with a nice rip on the long corner, a Joe Yee Super Plunger was devoured by a 20+lb Mahi Mahi.  Eric fought the fish to the boat in a matter of minutes.  Shortly after getting the lines back in the water, the long rigger zipped.  This time a nice Shortbill Spearfish for Doug.  The father and son duo did tell us they were lucky when it came to fishing…the proof was demonstrated today.   Then It was Chet’s turn in the chair.  First the long rigger bounced a couple of times with the rubber band not breaking.  Knowing there was a fish back there, we brought the stinger in a little closer.  Captain Chuck made a turn to stall the lines and Bam, it took it!  Then it came off, then it took it again.  Chet had teased the fish back by letting out the line then giving it several cranks.  Success!  Just another wonderful morning on the water in Kona Hawaii!