Kona Hawaii fishing report - July wrap-up

[Cap Jeff Rogers]

Kona Hawaii fishing report – July wrap-up.

The marlin bite for the month was pretty good. If the number of charter boats going out were like they have been in recent years, there would be more caught and you could probably call it a really good bite but the lack of boats going out is keeping the marlin catch numbers down. Summer months are usually pretty busy with tourists here in Hawaii but there’s a definite slow down of tourists. Most likely the result of a slowing economy. As I said last month, the smaller male marlin showed up and are the biggest part of the Kona catch now. Nearly all the marlin are being released. Even many of the big ones. Yesterday there was a 967 pound blue marlin weighed in and another marlin about that same size released. Only about six years ago Kona was a kill all marlin fishery. Without a single regulation being made it became mostly a catch and release marlin fishery. Did we all of the sudden become fish huggers? Not really. The main reason for the change is that selling the marlin became a big hassle. It’s just not worth the frustration of trying to get rid of it when you get in at the end of the day. There was a time that when you pulled into Kona’s harbor and there was a fish truck waiting at the weigh-in scales ready to buy any fish you had. It was easy and profitable. The main fish wholesalers here now import more fish than they buy locally and the truck waiting at the scales is a thing of the past. There are a few boats here that still regularly kill their marlin and have created a network to get them sold but most of us have decided the hassle factor of getting marlin to market just isn’t worth the few bucks you get. Even with most marlin currently being released with no regulations, you can expect the sale of Marlin in Hawaii to be totally outlawed soon.

The yellowfin tuna bite slowed down but it’s still a decent bite. There’s been some mahi mahi around too. Spearfish are still making a good showing but the ono bite just isn’t happening this summer. Too bad. That’s one of the best eating fish we got here.

Normally the summer months aren’t considered a good season for bottom fishing. Most of the good eating bottom fish are illegal to keep right now because of Hawaii’s first ever closed season for certain offshore fish and typically, the bottom bite seems to slow down in the summer anyway. Fish are not always predictable though. Big amberjacks moved into the Kona coast and I got the biggest one of the year last week weighing it in at 122 lbs. I’ve also caught several others recently around the 100 lb. range. Big jacks are a lot of fight and fun.

I had the great opportunity to be the escort boat for nationally acclaimed kayak fisherman Jon Schwartz. www.bluewaterjon.com last week. I took Jon to my best amberjack spot and Jon caught and released several big jacks. You’ll see the story and photos soon in Sport Fishing Magazine. While it was great fun and good fishing, I feel just a little disappointed that I didn’t get to see the ultimate goal achieved. Jon has never caught a shark from his kayak. Jon and I talked over the scenario and risks at length and we both felt good about it. While Jon indeed did hook into a couple of sharks that took his yak for a good ride, he was unable to get them up. I’m looking forward to the rematch! Yes, I understand the potential for disaster there. That’s why I’m the one in the boat and not the one in the kayak

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

[Waiohinu Lawaia]

Nice Kahala on the yak, thanks for the update capt., keep em coming.

Also the Bottomfish closure is pretty interesting, many areas could have used it years (or more) ago, but better late than never I guess...

[MidwayJ]

"Even with most marlin currently being released with no regulations, you can expect the sale of Marlin in Hawaii to be totally outlawed soon."

I'm curious- what makes you think this will happen?

[jagerhunchback]

same here with the protection of marlin, i don't see them being outlawed when our fine state has enough problems trying to implement the few regs it already has.

[Addicted2fishin]

I question the outlaw also. If so then ban marlin poke from the stores first.

[Cap Jeff Rogers]

The Feds want fisheries in Hawaii regulated just like the mainland states. They even made laws that will eventually force that to happen. The Magnuson-Stevens act requires that ALL fisheries be regulated by 2011. If you haven't been following the regulations (State and Fed.) that are coming for tuna, you need to start getting educated. I'm actually on a comittee conected with DAR that is discussing billfish regulations. If we don't come up with something first, the Feds will make the regulations for us by 2011. That wouldn't be good! It seems that only the sale of marlin, not the fishing for or killing of is being targeted. There's a lot more do be discussed and we only meet once a month. It will be some time before any laws are put in place but you can bet that they will be before 2011. So using the word "soon" is relative. You'll see the tuna regs put in place before any marlin regs come out.

Capt. Jeff

[Addicted2fishin]

thanks for the info captain. I know the power of the federal gov't can be execercised to the point of no return as shown by turning the entire northern territory in one simple signing by Bush. It is sad but it needs to be done. The worse thing is that its not us but the rapers of the sea from other countries that are doing it. Oh well.

[MidwayJ]

I typed out a long post, but I guess I'll just paraphrase:

It would suck if the mosquito fleet got hammered with regs while longliners (inside the EEZ) and super seiners (on the border of the EEZ) continued to run it wild.

I'm sure the tuna feel the same way.

[Addicted2fishin]

don't worry midway. Its just a bandaid solution to make it seem like they're doing something. Stop the foreign seiners and liners before they attack their own. Since they Can't regulate them they figured gotta start somewhere even if it means destroying some peoples livelihood. Oh well... i'll keep on fishing until then.


Sorry for threadjacking but maybe another thread should start on this. It doesn't look like a bright future on this one.

[makojoe2004]

I need to go back fishing in hawaii Best place ever

[Cap Jeff Rogers]

Look at the history of fishing regulations. Isn't it almost always the recreational and sport fishing community that gets regulated first?

They're certainly the easiest to regulate without a fight.

How about this one....
DAR is now enforcing a little known interpretation of DAR law that ALL fishing charter catpains and their deckhands are required to have a CML (Commercial Marine License). Some captains are ALL sport, never sell their catch and don't want one. How many deckhands do you konw that have one? Looks like it will create be a big mess to me but it's being done.

Capt. Jeff

[grander007]

Our tax dollars at work...