Big Game Fish of Kona Hawaii
Makana Lani Charters
                                                         
                                         
       






Pacific blue marlin  The blue marlin is the ultimate challenge in big game  fishing.  Kona  holds the
official all-tackle world record at 1,376 pounds. Kona boats also hold the men's 30 pound and 50 pound
class world records, as well as the women's 30 and 80 pound class world records. Kona is the only place
in the world where blue marlin are caught daily, all year long. Kona has also produced more blue
marlin over 1,000 pounds than any other game fishing destination in the world.                                       
                 
                                                                                       
                              
                                         






Black marlin Caught occasionally off the  Kona coast, normally in the winter months. They grow to
approximately the same size as the blue marlin. World record is 1,560 pounds. Kona is the only place in
the world where both blue and black marlin over 1,000 pounds have been caught by sportfishermen.        
                                                
                                          
                    








Striped marlin Caught year around off the Kona coast. The striped marlin is much smaller than its
cousins, the blue and black marlin.  The average size of striped marlin in Kona is less than 120 pounds.
These fish travel in groups of three to ten fish, and at times will strike all of the lures in a pattern. This is
extremely exciting to experience three or four marlin performing behind your boat.                                  
                    
                                      
                                         






Shortbill spearfish Caught year around off the Kona coast. Kona is one of the few areas that the
acrobatic spearfish is consistently caught. Anglers trying to catch every billfish that swims eventually
come to Kona to catch the spearfish. Virtually all of the light tackle and fly fishing records for spearfish
have been caught off the Kona coast. The average weight of the spearfish caught off Kona is 40 pounds.  
                                                      
                                        







                                       
Broadbill swordfish Caught occasionally off the Kona coast in the spring and summer months and
usually at night. The broadbill grows to more than 1,000 pounds; however most of the broadbill caught
or tagged and released off the Kona coast average 250 pounds.                                                         
                                     






                                        
Pacific sailfish Caught occasionally off the Kona coast, primarily in the summer months. These exciting
acrobatic fish are fun to catch. The average weight of sailfish in Kona is under 100 pounds. The existing
world record is 221 pounds.                                                        
                                         







                                     
Mahimahi (dorado) Caught year around off the Kona coast. Found worldwide in tropical and warm
temperate seas. The mahimahi is pelagic, schooling and migratory. This is one of the most colorful fish
in the ocean, displaying bright blue, green and yellows. They are very acrobatic when hooked. They are
exciting fish to catch and great to eat . World record is 87 pounds, average weight in Kona is 20 to 25
pounds.                                                        
                                         
                                         
                                         





Wahoo (Ono) Caught off the Kona coast year around. Found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate
seas. The ono is one of the fastest of fish, said to reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. The ono is
usually caught in 40 to 60 fathoms of water, trolling some type of "jet" lure. Fun to catch, great to eat.    
                                                  
                                        
                                         









Tuna There are many different types of tuna caught off the Kona coast. The yellowfin tuna (ahi), the
tuna of choice for sportfishermen, grows to more than 250 pounds. The average yellowfin caught off the
Kona coast is 150 pounds. Skipjack tuna (aku) are the smallest of the Kona tunas. They grow to about 35
pounds, average size around 10 pounds. The albacore, big eye and bluefin tuna are caught primarily by
commercial fishermen at night during the spring and summer months, although occasionally they are
caught by sportfishermen fishing at night or near one of the Kona Fish Aggregation Devices (FAD).        
                                                 
                                         
                                         








Shark Kona waters are inhabited by many species of sharks. The mako shark is the shark of choice for
the big game enthusiast. Kona's largest mako to date weighed in at 1,207 pounds. In addition to the
mako, the Kona fleet also catches tiger sharks up to 1,250 pounds, hammerhead sharks over 500 pounds,
thresher sharks over 500 pounds, white tip sharks over 200 pounds and an occasional blue shark over
200 pounds.                                                        
                                                                               








Amberjack (Kahala) Caught year around off the Kona coast. Found in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Frequent offshore reefs, wrecks and buoys. 155 pounds is the world record, average size caught off Kona
is 75 pounds. Can be caught with live bait, dead bait, deep jigging or with lures trolled slowly.                  
                                 
                              
                                 






Barracuda Caught year around off the Kona coast. Inhabit the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Found near
reefs, wrecks, buoys and occasionally in open waters. The world record is 84 pounds. Average size
caught off Kona is 30 pounds. Can be caught on shiny trolled lures, dead or live baits and by plug
casting.                                              
        





              
                                 
Giant trevally (Ulua) Caught year around off the Kona coast. The ulua is normally caught from the
shoreline; however, it can be caught from a boat by plug casting, deep jigging, drifting baits or slowly
trolled lures close to shore. These fish reach weights well over 100 pounds.