Hawaii Deep Sea Fishing FAQ's Kona ( Big Island) "NEW Fishing Information For Kona Sportfishing June 2020"
Where do the Big Island fishing charter leave from?
Most Big Island fishing charters will depart from Honokohau Harbor (located between the Kona Airport and town of Kona) The drive from Waikoloa /Mauna Lani will take about 35 minutes.The water is 100 fathoms less than a mile and a half from the harbor entrance and 1000 fathoms only three and a half miles from shore.
Where do most fishing charters go on Big Island?
The "Mecca" for Sportfishing in Hawaii is the Big Island of Hawaii's Kona Coast. The Kona Coast lies immediately next to a huge ocean drop-off which descends thousands of feet to the ocean bottom.This provides easy access by Hawaii charter fishing boats to some of the world's largest game fish.
Kona's "Grander Alley"
Kona has the reputation of producing large marlin, mostly the Pacific blue variety. According to records, 63 marlin weighing 1,000 pounds or more have been caught off the Kona Coast, which has come to be known as "Grander Alley," a reference to the number of big fish that inhabit its waters. The largest "grander" ever, caught in 1984, weighed in at 1,649 pounds.
What types of fish are caught on The Big Island?
The Big Island offers the best fishing in Hawaii. There are many varieties of Big Game Fish caught in the deep waters near Kona. The Pacific Blue Marlin, Sailfish, Black Marlin and Striped Marlin are some of these "Bill Fish". Tuna, Ono and Mahi Mahi are a few of the smaller fish that are also caught daily. These are the same fish you'll find on the dinner menu at your favorite seafood restaurant.
Some of the more common fish that are caught in Hawaii are:
Ahi, also called Yellowfin Tuna. Highly prized for flavorful meat – excellent both in sashimi and cooked – as well as the fight when hooked and being landed by the angler, Yellowfin is often sought after by those on our charters. One can easily identify Ahi by the dual dorsal fins and bright yellow finlets along the spine of the fish.
Aku, also called Skipjack Tuna. Difficult to land because of the soft tissues that surround their jaws, Skipjack put up a moderate fight. Their flesh is oily and dark, appealing to those who like the taste of mackerel.
Blue Marlin. The Blue Marlin is highly prized by sport fishers as they put up a great fight when hooked, leading to a battle between human and fish to bring in the Marlin. Blue Marlin are challenging for even those most accomplished at offshore sport fishing and are avidly sought after when we head out.
Mahi Mahi, also called Dorado or Dolphin Fish. A colorful fish, easily identified by the hump on the head, Mahi Mahi is prized for its flesh, which makes for excellent eating. For many people, Mahi Mahi is the fish most closely associated with Hawaii, as it features prominently in the local cuisine.
Ono, also called Wahoo. Usually caught through trolling, Ono are related to mackerel but do not school, in contrast to other mackerel species. Wahoo are characterized by a slender and tube-like face and mouth, they also have a slender and long body shape.
Sailfish. An incredible fish, which is highly prized by anglers because of the fight it puts up once hooked, the Sailfish is characterized by the massive leaps and jumps it makes when being landed. Easily identified by a massive dorsal fin, sports fishers have long sought out this fish and landing a Sailfish leads to many, many stories told by the lucky angler.
Striped Marlin The Striped Marlin is occasionally caught in the Atlantic Ocean but is more often landed in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Striped Marlin is visually stunning, with vertical blue stripes on the sides which appear vibrant when it is excited or during the fight to land it. It also has a pointed, high dorsal fin, which makes it easy to identify.
BIG ISLAND SEA CONDITIONS
Water Depths (feet)
Sea Currents
FAD's (Fish Aggregation Devices)
The State of Hawaii has placed Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) in the waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands. These buoys attract schools of tuna and other important pelagic fishes, such as dolphinfish (Mahimahi), wahoo (Ono), and billfish. FADs allow fishermen to easily locate and catch these species.
Sea Surface Heights
Mahalo,
Hawaii Deep Sea Fishing