Photo Bryan Toney
Big Island Blues are Back
April 21, 2016 Kona, Hawaii – Big blue marlin are once again take center stage in the Jurassic Park of the fishing world. One of the world’s greatest fishing destinations is currently having an impressive blue marlin bite, and if it is any indication of what lies ahead for the summer tournament and charter season – then Kona is in for another epic year for giant blues. Remember, in 2015, five blue marlin weighing over 1,000 pounds were caught off Kona.
So far in 2016, the largest blue marlin landed in Kona is an 802 pound blue caught onboard the Go Get Them with Capt. Rocky Gauron on March 1st. Since then abnormal weather patterns produced unfavorable trade winds and currents that brought spotty blue marlin action and slowed down a red hot striped marlin and spearfish bite. But big game fishing took an about face last week shortly after the new moon and the past week has been an exciting one.
It all started when Capt. Bruce Herren onboard the Raptor hooked up to a blue estimated to go easily over 700 pounds. The hefty fish crushed the long corner smash bait. Both the captain and crew member KJ Robinson got a good look at the fish. His wife Carol, an excellent angler who caught a women’s record 124 blue marlin in a single season in 2015, gallantly fought the fish for 2 hours with the drag at sunset for an hour and a half. She got the fish all the way to the rigger mark and the hook pulled. After inspecting the lure and leader it was determined the fish may have been foul hooked in the head.
A couple days later Capt. Bryan Toney, along with Kevin Hibbard, onboard the Marlin Magic released a beautiful blue marlin estimated at 900 pounds after a 15 minute battle. The massive blue attacked a prototype spearfish lure (to be clear- the lure is the size of a spearfish with a hook in it), and then swam over and inhaled a XXL Ruckus. Peeling line, the red hot fish did a few lunging jumps and went down. Being an excellent photographer, Toney quickly zoomed in on an action shot he took with his camera and saw the fish was solidly hooked. Hence, they hammered the drag and charter angler got the fish to the boat in 15 minutes. The fish was perfectly heathy and released. Contrary to popular belief – a lot of big blues do get tagged and released off Kona.
The next day Captain Chip van Mols on the Luna put his daughter Jada Holt (who caught the Women’s Atlantic Record Blue Marlin 1,305 pounds on 130 with Capt. Bryan Toney last year in Ascension) on an enormous fish that may have broken the Women’s Pacific Record Blue Marlin (958 pounds on 130). The monster blue smashed the long corner smash bait, leaving a gigantic hole, and took off screaming line. After taking a few jumps it was determined the fish was over 900 pounds. An accomplished angler, Holt got the fish to the 40 fathom live bait mark and sadly the fish came off after a ten minute battle. Losing what might have been another new world record for her. The gaffs were out on this one.
Worth noting is Capt. Van Mols was the captain for Alex Nuttall’s Women’s World Record 958 pound blue marlin caught off Kona.
Last week is another prime example that Kona is a great place to fish. It’s worth a trip here. Fish a tournament or book a boat for a couple days. See for yourself. Aloha!
Leave a Reply