Kona Hawaii fishing report - May wrap-up

[Capt. Jeff Rogers]

Kona Hawaii fishing report – May wrap-up .

In last months fishing report I focused in on “Grander” (over 1000 lb.) marlin. Just a couple of days ago another “close but no cigar” was weighed in. This one tipped the scale at 913 lbs. There have been other big ones both brought in and even more released recently. We have year round blue marlin but the summer months usually have more abundance. Last year it was the small male blue marlin that showed up first and the big females didn’t show up ‘til later in the summer. We’re not seeing the males yet but with the big gals around, I don’t think it will be too long before they show up. Striped marlin are more abundant in the winter months but we’ve had a run going on those. There have been almost as many striped marlin being caught as blues. The spearfish should have shown up months ago but we’re starting to see some around now. Better late than never.

The big yellowfin tuna (ahi) usually start showing up in May but we’re not seeing the numbers yet like we have the last two years for May. They can be found year round in the porpoise schools but in the summer months we get “blind strike” ahi. It’s not happening yet. Shibi are the small yellowfin tuna and that’s usually a winter bite but the shibi are still here being caught on the ledges and FAD’s. Otaru are the big skipjack tuna and are usually only around in the late summer but I’ve been catching these sporadically for months now. Hopefully that means that they will be in abundance later this summer.
The mahi mahi and ono bite is still good.

Sharks, sharks and more sharks! I’m one of only a few boats here that regularly targets sharks and I catch more than anyone here. They have been thick around the FAD’s and ledges and put on a real good fight. Boats that have been live baiting for marlin around the FAD’s are hooking sharks whether they like it or not. Most of the charter boats around here are trying NOT to hook them. In fact, if you don’t use a cable trace or wire you probably won’t get it all the way to the boat anyway. Shark teeth slice through monofilament line pretty easy. I’ve been taking the opposite approach by rigging for sharks with a cable trace and a circle hook knowing that the likelihood of hooking a shark is much higher than hooking a marlin. If a marlin takes the bait, fine. I had that happen recently but pulled hook on the marlin. You may not get the spectacular jumps from a shark (except a mako) like you do from a marlin but pound for pound fighting, sharks are just as tough a fight. At the boat, you can usually get the hook out of a marlin but I don’t even attempt that with the sharks. I cut the cable as close as I can (dare) and leave them with a fashionable lip ring to show all their shark buddies.

See ‘ya on the water ,
Capt. Jeff Rogers ,
FISHinKona.com