Kona Hawaii fishing report - April wrap-up

[Cap Jeff Rogers]

Kona Hawaii fishing report – April wrap up –

The blue marlin bite remained pretty decent in April. Not as many big ones as last month and the overall total seemed to be less but it’s not even the start of peak blue marlin season yet. If the pre-season numbers and sizes are any indicator of what’s to come this summer, Kona again will prove to be the Pacific Blue Marlin capital of the world. There were even some straggler striped marlins caught this month. The spearfish bite should be at its peak right now but there aren’t many around. They came in early this year so I’m sure we’ll be seeing that bite going hot and cold for the next couple of months for spearfish. .

Mahi mahi tops this months report as the most common catch. We’re right in the middle of the peak spring run on those. Normally the fall season run produces the bigger mahi mahi and the spring season run is the smaller schoolie dolphin. The average size being caught this spring season is pretty big with most weighing over 15 lbs. and the average being close to 20. Ono season is starting off with a bang. We’re just at the beginning of the season for them now. Last year the ono bite started off real good at the beginning of the season but went to almost no ono being caught in the peak season. Because of what happened last year, you won’t be getting any predictions from me on how that bite is going to turn out this year. It’s just a “wait-n-see” on that one. .

The bottom bite has picked up pretty good. Lot’s of big sharks in the area also. After catching and releasing a 120 lb. amberjack earlier this week, we hooked up another close to the same size right after and it was eaten in one quick gulp by one of those big eating machines. Just the day before in the same area, we caught a giant trevally and a tiger shark followed it right up to the boat. All I could say is that it was HUGE! If you’re looking to catch something that’s a lot bigger than you are, Sharks (also known as tax collectors around here) are the guaranteed catch right now. Last month I mentioned jigging and the modifications I’ve made to the Penn 9500. I did get some emails about it so I made a page up on my web site showing the mods and added a really good knot for joining braided line to mono. The URL is FISHinKONA.com/jigging.htm and there will be more info being added as time permits. Because of the sharks in the area, I’ve had to put jigging on hold. As I said last month, those Shimano jigs are expensive. The tax collectors (sharks) cost me way too much this month. Anyone else feel that way in April? .

See ‘ya on the water,
Capt. Jeff Rogers ,
Kona Hawaii Sport Fishing

[magnum]

Thanks for the report Jeff!

I'll be there in about two and half weeks. Unfortunately can only afford to fish the tourneyment with you this year.

What Shimano jigs are you using? I'd like to bring a few with me. Right now I'm using my Trinidads for jigging, bait casting and throwing the iron. I have 1 Torsa but the lever drag just doesn't cast the same as the star drags, but it's got the stopping power that the star drags lack.

I'll bring a few of my own rigs with me and hopefully we'll be able to spend some time seeing what works in Kona.

Tight lines
Matthew

[Cap Jeff Rogers]

Hi Matthew, The only thing that we might possible jig for during the tournament is yellowfin tuna and only if we find a porpoise school and the shape of the school looks like a good jigging prospect.

Did you check out the jigging page?

Hmmm, this is interesting. I just went to the Melton tackle site to get weight/size of the Shimano jigs that I use and now see that they've dropped the Shimano jigs for the cheeper River2Sea jigs.

Those Shimanno jigs were sure hitting my pocket . The last time I jigged, I made one drop. About 4 strokes and a shark bites off the whole thing. With jig, hook, rings. About $30 gone in a gulp:Exploding

See 'ya,
Capt. Jeff

[Hirize]

Jeff,

I was there Wed and they had a whole display of the Shimano butterfly jigs, is that what your looking for??

It was behind the counter.

Aloha, Pete

[SAGE]

Originally Posted by Cap Jeff Rogers

Kona Hawaii fishing report – April wrap up –

The blue marlin bite remained pretty decent in April. Not as many big ones as last month and the overall total seemed to be less but it’s not even the start of peak blue marlin season yet. If the pre-season numbers and sizes are any indicator of what’s to come this summer, Kona again will prove to be the Pacific Blue Marlin capital of the world. There were even some straggler striped marlins caught this month. The spearfish bite should be at its peak right now but there aren’t many around. They came in early this year so I’m sure we’ll be seeing that bite going hot and cold for the next couple of months for spearfish. .

Mahi mahi tops this months report as the most common catch. We’re right in the middle of the peak spring run on those. Normally the fall season run produces the bigger mahi mahi and the spring season run is the smaller schoolie dolphin. The average size being caught this spring season is pretty big with most weighing over 15 lbs. and the average being close to 20. Ono season is starting off with a bang. We’re just at the beginning of the season for them now. Last year the ono bite started off real good at the beginning of the season but went to almost no ono being caught in the peak season. Because of what happened last year, you won’t be getting any predictions from me on how that bite is going to turn out this year. It’s just a “wait-n-see” on that one. .

The bottom bite has picked up pretty good. Lot’s of big sharks in the area also. After catching and releasing a 120 lb. amberjack earlier this week, we hooked up another close to the same size right after and it was eaten in one quick gulp by one of those big eating machines. Just the day before in the same area, we caught a giant trevally and a tiger shark followed it right up to the boat. All I could say is that it was HUGE! If you’re looking to catch something that’s a lot bigger than you are, Sharks (also known as tax collectors around here) are the guaranteed catch right now. Last month I mentioned jigging and the modifications I’ve made to the Penn 9500. I did get some emails about it so I made a page up on my web site showing the mods and added a really good knot for joining braided line to mono. The URL is FISHinKONA.com/jigging.htm and there will be more info being added as time permits. Because of the sharks in the area, I’ve had to put jigging on hold. As I said last month, those Shimano jigs are expensive. The tax collectors (sharks) cost me way too much this month. Anyone else feel that way in April? .

See ‘ya on the water,
Capt. Jeff Rogers ,
Kona Hawaii Sport Fishing

Thanks for the report Capt.
BTW, nice pic of your Ulua in the latest HFN issue ...wtg Jeff !

[Cap Jeff Rogers]

Yea, I caught that buggah on a jig with my modified 9500. Melton in town still has the Shimano jigs but they dropped them off of their web site. Ed at Pacific Rim Fishing Supplies still has some too. I always use the the heaviest short one. It's about 10 oz. Funny how all the colored/glitter ones flew off the shelves and nobody wanted to try the all white one. I bought the all white one just because I needed replacement jigs. The all white one turns out to be one of the hottest jigs!

Capt. Jeff

[SAGE]

Originally Posted by Cap Jeff Rogers

Yea, I caught that buggah on a jig with my modified 9500. Melton in town still has the Shimano jigs but they dropped them off of their web site. Ed at Pacific Rim Fishing Supplies still has some too. I always use the the heaviest short one. It's about 10 oz. Funny how all the colored/glitter ones flew off the shelves and nobody wanted to try the all white one. I bought the all white one just because I needed replacement jigs. The all white one turns out to be one of the hottest jigs!

Capt. Jeff

That seems to be true for allot of tackle ; white always seems to be a consistent color....especially deep.

[Tracym]

Jeff,

Just so we are clear, the Shimano Butterlfy Jigs are still on our website, in fact they are featured on the front page of our website, you can't miss them. We added River to Sea Knife Jigs and Rock jigs because they are hot and catch fish. Keep up the good work on the reports and I will see you in Kona soon.

Here they are in case you were wondering.

Shimano Butterfly Jig System

[Cap Jeff Rogers]

Yea Tracy, my bad. When you first put the River2Sea jigs on your site, you put those on the fist page for jigs and at the bottom was a link to get to the Butterfly jigs. I later found the link but the way you have it set up now is much better. The knife jigs work great for catching and slice through the water with very litttle resistance.

Capt. Jeff