Maui Sport Fishing

We won the new tag & release catagory $1,000 for Wahine Jackpot Tournament

2011-11-08T17:15:00.002-10:00

We're in the Money $$!
The water balloon fight was half the fun, the fishing boats met outside of Lahaina Harbor for the early morning balloon fight. I think we had close to 100 balloons on our boat. 1 of the boats cheated and had 2 men in wigs and bikini tops doing all of the balloon throwing, they got us good a couple of times, the 2nd time we turned the water hose on them :-)

22 boats entered this years 34th annual Lahaina Wahine Jackpot Tournament. We were supposed to go out on Talewalker, however that fell through & we ended up chartering 1 of Start Me Ups (7) boats: the Das it with Captains Denny Putnam & Randy. We had our ti leaves ready, and our Captain knew just where to go. 1 of their other boats had caught a Marlin the day before, so we headed out to that area off Lana'i. The crew really cared about getting the winning fish, they knew the rules and what to target and what not to bring on board. Rona Rittner pulled in a 33# Ono off the lighthouse; while on the "radio" we heard 1 of the other fishing boats caught a 150# Marlin (we later found out it was actually 246.1 pounds!!) and about an hour later Juanita Linal pulled in our 125# Blue Marlin!

Keep in mind we now think that there was a 150 pounder caught, in order to win we think we either need to bring in a larger Marlin or we need to tag & release a smaller Marlin.

1 of the reasons I was so impressed with our crew is that Randy was ready to either tag & release our Marlin if he thought it was going to be less than 150# or bring it onboard if it was over the 150#. As soon as it got close to the boat Randy knew it was less. We got our our "official" waterproof camera to get the photo of the Marlin being tagged. I think it took about 10 minutes to bring it in. Juanita had never been fishing before, you see those nails in the photo? I told her at 1 point that if she broke a nail, I would pay to have it fixed. Juanita replied "F...that I'll buy a new set if I have to, this fish is coming in!" Needless to say I think she's now hooked on sportfishing :-)

We got 2 more Marlin strikes that afternoon, mine was next and of course it was about 250#, we thought that might be the $ fish, however it came off my line within the first minute. Bummer, it's "the fish that got away story".

I have to say again I was very impressed with the crew; after Randy set the lines and we we're on our way out, Captain Denny Putnam came downstairs and had each 1 of us ladies sit in the fighting chair, so we could get comfortable with everything. He showed us how to use the real, move the line, how to use our legs instead of our backs and shoulders etc. Each of us spent 5-10 minutes in the chair, even Rona who goes fishing all the time (her boat caught the 795# Marlin last year) wanted to practice. As Captain Denny said...he wants to catch that big fish just as much as we do, so he likes to improve all of our chances by giving us hands on learning instruction first. (something I am told he does on all of his charters, If you are thinking of fishing from Lahaina, I would highly recommend Start Me Ups ~Das it and it's crew)

I Have to say, i had not really planned on getting in the chair and bringing in a fish, i simply wanted the experience and photos, not to mention the fun of it all.*including dinner at the Lahaina Yacht Club the next night. However because Captain Denny spent so much time with me, i felt comfortable enough to get in the chair when we got that 250# Marlin strike...for an exciting 60 seconds or so! I won't say it was the best 60 seconds of my life...but it was damn close :-)

For you fishing buffs out there..we used 80-100# test line~stacked.

2011 Lahaina Wahine Jackpot Tournament Photos aboard Das it

2011-11-08T16:53:00.003-10:00

Lots of Mahi Mahi

2011-10-18T10:50:00.000-10:00

All the boats are reporting an abundance of Mahi Mahi this week. I know Kevin at Rascal said he had caught 7 by 11am, and he was out for a few more hours after I talked to him.
The staff over at Start Me Up in Lahaina sent me some photos of happy fishermen with their catch of the day.....

Up coming Fishing Tournements inlcuding the Lahaina Wahine Jackpot Tourney

2011-10-18T10:37:00.000-10:00

I was invited by 1 of my girlfriends.... to join some other girlfriends to go Fishing in the upcoming Lahaina Wahine (ladies) Jackpot Tourney. OH YEA ! We are departing from Mala Wharf aboard the Tale Walker with "legendary" Captain Terry "Killer" Kelam. Looking forward to it! The last time I did the Lahaina Jackpot Tourney on Rascal out of Maalaea in 2008. We only caught a small tuna while I was down in the head, go figure. I have much higher hopes this year!

The Price includes dinner at the Lahaina Yacht Club on Saturday night, and access to the Lahaina Yacht club throughout the weekend. That's a good thing for me as I have 2 week "staycation" and I luv Halloween weekend in Lahiana :-) *watch out boys the ladies are coming to town!

Friday October 28, 2011 - LYC 34th Annual Lahaina Wahine Jackpot Fishing Tournament Tournament Date: October 28, 2011
Saturday October 29, 2011 - LYC 35th Annual Lahaina Jackpot Fishing Tournament Tournament Date: October 29, 2011
Monday October 31, 2011 - Halloween Shootout Tournament Date: October 31, 2011 Sponsored by Jimmy Baldwin, Sly Mongoose, Capiche and others

Rascal catches another Marlin

2011-09-26T11:01:00.000-10:00

I just got some new photos from Randy Sabino (Res Mgr @ Kihei Beach Resort) that he took on board Rascal Fishing Charters out of Maalaea Harbor.

I've seen a lot of Marlin photos and this is one of my favorites, you can tell he reached outside the boat to take the photo. John is taking out the hook and tagging the Marlin.

There's a lot of Marlin out there !!

2011-07-11T09:27:00.004-10:00

Captain Kevin from Rascal Fishing Charters called me this morning; he says they tagged another Pacific Blue Marlin before 8:00am! Yesterday he tagged 2 Marlin + brought in Mahi Mahi and a small Tuna (Ahi). The day before that he caught Mahi & Ono.
I haven't had a chance to call the other boats to see what they are catching. I am building a couple of more blogs: Maui Ziplines blog & Maui Restaurants.
UPDATE: 11:30AM Captain Kevin says he tagged 1 more Marlin + had 2 more bite; and they caught several small Tuna (Ahi). The Rascal is still out fishing; they are on a 6 hour "shared" charter due in at 12:30pm.

PS: Thanks for the Smoked Marlin ! I am eating it as I write this..... I happily accept fish bribes :-)

Sail fishing on the America II

2011-05-23T15:29:00.004-10:00

Captain John and his mate Jeff bring in a 20-25lb Ono (wahoo) on the way back from our extreme afternoon sail. *notice he is bringing in the line bare handed-no pole or real; jeff had the other end of the line and almost went off the back of the boat (not really).

The america II gets right on it's side-this time I chose the "wet side" of the vessel, and boy I was completely soaked within 5 minutes of our sailing portion. Thanks goodness our water is so warm and so is the Sun. We had a fabulous time and the fish- the iceing on the cake as it were.

Strike Zone sport fishing Maui has a very consistant record

2011-05-22T14:09:00.006-10:00

The guys at Strike Zone Sport fishing have been fishing off Maui for years. I see flags flying on a regular basis. I sent a couple out with strike zone fishing charters last week (and others too~ I am just waiting for PHOTOS people! ). Stephanie made a point to find us on facebook and wrote on our wall to say how much she enjoyed Fishing with Strike Zone sportfishing and she had caught a Mahi Mahi.

"Aloha ladies, I just wanted to drop a message and say thanks for getting my husband and I on a shared boat last Tuesday with StrikeZone. I really appreciate the extra work you put in finding us a shared boat. I caught my first Mahi Mahi and it was a good looking fish, as you can see in my profile pic! Mahalo" ~Stephanie Garton

Spring Wahine Fishing Tourney ( Sat-Sun May 14 & 15)

2011-05-21T17:06:00.007-10:00

I had an invite to be on this Boat ! "If I only knew then what I know now!" I work weekends so I had to pass on the invite.

Sponsored by the Lahaina Yacht Club the Wahine fishing tournament lasted 2 days and used spring time "Jungle Rules" as in they were only out to have fun. Start time was Midnight:01 Saturday morning and ended 5PM Sunday evening. First day out 1 boat caught a Blue Marlin around 400#; however my friend Rhona and the girls caught the biggest Pacific Blue Marlin @ 794lbs ! Next day another Blue Marlin about 600# was caught; however it was not big enough to win.(yea for my friends :-)

*The Boat: Tai Pan II 2 (the old Goodfellows boat) * The Vessel: 42' Bertram *The Captain: Nat * The Anglers: Jessica & Lisa (spring "Jungle rules) * The Prize: Dinner for 2 * However even better than that is the 2 Gold Marlins the ladies get to put on a necklace: for their huge Marlin they brought in~ courtesy of the Lahaina Yacht club!

It took aprox. 45 minutes to get the fish to the boat with all 6 girls & the Captain helping out (remember Jungle rules apply) The just under 800# Pacific Blue Marlin caught off Maui was half dead when they got it to the boat; & get this...they killed the giant Marlin with Vodka, by pouring vodka over it's gills. (Rhona thinks she might have poured half the bottle down it's throat first! :-)
Now I heard someone say what a waste of Vodka; however 1 of the ladies brought vodka just for that reason-to kill the Blue Marlin before bringing it onto the boat. *You don't want a live active 800# marlin on your boat!

Captain John brings in a #275 Pacific Blue Marlin

2011-05-09T17:14:00.000-10:00

400 lb Blue Marlin caught on 50# line

2011-04-26T12:06:00.000-10:00

Rascal went out bottom fishing out of Maalaea yesterday on a private charter. They went out early to catch bait; then let their customers catch their own fish before putting out the lines from the boat (a 43 ft bertram) and doing some trolling (sport or big game fishing). When I called at 11:10 AM Captain Kevin couldn't talk as he had a Marlin on the line. An hour and a half later he called to say they caught a 300+lb. Blue Marlin. When it weighed in at the dock it was just under 400 lbs!!

Most boats are on a "tag & release" system; where they bring the Fish in to the boat; tag it on the fin and then let it go. This particular Blue Marlin came in dead, so they put it on the back deck and brought it in. While many have a favorite recipe for Marlin; my personal favorite is smoking it. So I hope whoever smokes this Marlin brings me some ...-:)

Tidal Surge from Tsunami makes for Great Fishin !

2011-04-05T12:16:00.003-10:00

Wow, I have always believed that the more 'inclement' the weather the better fishing it is (and whale watching!). I talked to several Captains the day after our Tsunami and they all caught a lot of fish. 200# Blue Marlin; 6 Stripe Marlin; 15 Mahi and several other fish caught just on 1 boat! (Rascal out of Maalaea with Captain/Owner Kevin Hogan & Captain John)

Photo courtesy Lucky Strike Charters

I have been selling a lot of fishing trips these last few months. On average the fishing has been really good this whole winter season; better I think than in previous years. All the boats seem to be doing well.

They are calling for some rain, I'm thinking of going out myself with one of the Fishing boats; now is the perfect time.

Shore Fishing (for Bait Fish)

2011-01-19T16:25:00.007-10:00

My girls can out fish any guy on the Island! I am joking but only barely, my daughter and her girlfriends have been fishing just as long as the boys~since they were old enough to follow daddy & hold a pole. (daddy also loved to free dive and catch lobsters, 7-11 Crab and other fish; however that's a whole different post; so is picking limu and Opihi).

When we go to the Island of Moloka'i my daughter has her favorite spots they like to fish (her & her boyfriend), she also knows just where to get the biggest Opihi. On the Island of Lana'i we love to camp at Hulopo'e Bay camp grounds and they can fish for bait during the day along the lava rocks with the smaller children, then set out their poles while we set up the BBQ & dinner. * the bait fish that do not pass Dustin's inspection get cooked for pupus (appetizers) on the BBQ.

Night fishing for Ulua; Giant Trevally

2011-01-19T15:37:00.012-10:00

The Locals love to fish every chance they get. Every weekend & holiday is an excuse to go fishing. When I ask my (adult) children if they are going camping this weekend, I am scolded and told they are going Fishing! not camping :-).
Ulua (Giant Trevally) fishing is done at night on large poles set in pvc pipes> into the lava rock or beach. Ulua can get to be about #200; however average is 20-50# .

They fish during the day for "bait fish" small 4-10 inch kine; used at night for their Ulua poles. (these poles are not cheap, nor the reals they use) The "boys" take their bait out on surfboards or Kayaks around sunset *when you really don't want to be in the water; drop the bait & leave; a plastic jug floats on top of the water. They attach big (cow) bells to the poles and then kick back and wait for the bell to ring. Then you never saw so many people getting excited when those bells start ringing! Me included......this post is from a mothers aspect; I watch, I listen and I eat the fish :-)

I spent the morning coming "my girls" facebook photos looking for "fish photos" i could post here. I know my sons have plenty! and so do the others however getting a hold of said pictures is another thing all together. I think you will like the ones I did find. My son Tim caught a #40 off Lana'i when we were camping 2 years ago.

The best day of fishin' ever!!!

2010-12-19T14:39:00.007-10:00

This one came in over the e-mails so I assume I can publish this on out Blog. This is not Maui! It's in Alaska.
Four young Sitka black-tailed bucks fell upon good luck Sunday as they were pulled from the icy waters of Stephens Passage, Alaska by a group of locals on Tom Satre's 62-foot charter vessel. Four juvenile Sitka black-tailed deer swam directly toward the boat. Once the deer reached the boat, the four began to circle the boat, looking directly at the humans on board. Clearly, the bucks were distressed. With help, the typically skittish and absolutely wild animals came willingly onto the boat. Once on board, they collapsed with exhaustion, shivering. Here the rescued bucks rest on the back of Tom Satre's boat, the Alaska Quest. All four deer were transported to Taku Harbour. Once the group reached the dock, the first buck that had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back, then leapt into the harbor, swam to shore, and disappeared into the forest. After a bit of prodding and assistance from the humans, two others followed suit, but one deer needed more help.
Here he is being transported by Tom Satre. Tom, Anna and Tim Satre help the last of the "button" bucks to its feet. They did not know how long the deer had been in the icy waters or if there had been others who did not survive. The good Samaritans (humans) describe their experience as "one of those defining moments in life." we are sure it was for the deer, as well.

Start me up goes fishin

2010-12-14T15:58:00.009-10:00

These photos are courtesy of Start Me Up sport fishing out of Lahaina harbor. Start Me Up sportfishing has 6 boats out fishing on any given day.

This is a large Mahi Mahi~very nice, I rarely see them this big.

2010-12-01T09:42:00.001-10:00

Private charters doing good

2010-11-30T17:28:00.001-10:00

I found out that all 6 of Start Me Ups fishing vessels went out fishing today and 3 of Finest Kinds. I'll let you know what they caught tomorrow...

Maui sport fishing rates & availability Dec. 1, 2010

2010-11-30T11:31:00.004-10:00

If you are looking to go fishing in the next few days, there is not a lot of availability for "shared" Maui fishing boats. ( a lot more than 2 days ago tho!)

Fishing out of Maalaea Harbor:

Strike Zone has room on their Wed Dec. 1 "combo" sportfishing & bottom fishing trip, nothing started for thurs; then they have 1 person so far for Fridays "combo" trip.
Marjorie Anne will confirm with only 2 people, so call us @ 1-888-841-9155 if you are interested,
Rascal has no "shared" boats started, and is available most days for a Private
Piper~Privates Only call 4 availability
Top Gun ~Privates Only call 4 availability

Fishing from Lahaina Harbor:

Die Hard has an 8 Hour ($199) confirmed for Thursday, room for 3 more fishermen
Start Me Up (owner of 6 Maui sport fishing vessels) has their most popular Maui big Game fishing excursion ~the 9 Hour ($199.) "extreme" that departs the dock at 3:30AM~available on both Wed & Thurs; they also have a 4 hour scheduled out at 7AM wed-thurs-Friday ($139)
Finest Kind (owner of 4 Maui Fishing Boats) has the Ikaika Kai in dry dock right now; they have a 8 Hour scheduled for both Thursday & Friday ($225.)
Lucky Strike (owns 2 boats) does not have any "shared" fishing boats available; call for availability on Privates
Aerial (owns 2 boats) does not have anything on the books at this time

The boats should be coming back from today's fishing excursions soon. I have someone on Start Me Ups 6 hour trip today, and I believe Rascal is out "just 4 fun" today. I will keep you updated on what was caught today and by whom.

Feast or Famine for Maui Fishermen

2010-11-29T13:34:00.010-10:00

The Island is full of Tourists that were here for the Thanksgiving holiday, actually most of them are leaving; however check ins are still high at the Condos on Maui, so we are looking at a busy December here on Maui. (especially over the Holidays~ activities like the Old Lahaina Luau are already sold out!) Anyway...I called around to all the boats this morning and the only boat that had room for tomorrow was Start Me Up. (mind you they have 6 fishing boats on Maui alone)

It's not that the Maui fishing boats are full; it's the opposite; People are here on Maui, they just aren't spending their precious $dollars on activities & tours on Maui.

Bottom line is if you want to go fishing on Maui, don't wait until the last minute! It is usually feast or famine for the fishermen. They will either be sold out around the holidays or totally available before & after. If you call direct you may not be told that they need 3 or 4 people to CONFIRM on a "shared" fishing boat and they only have 1 or 2 people scheduled.

While all Maui sportfishing boats do a good job; certain boats (or captains) are more requested than others. Like I have been told that Captain Fuzzy is 1 of the most requested Captain in Lahaina (he now owns his own Maui sportfishing vessel: Die Hard; instead of Captaining for someone else~go Fuzzy! ) the other is Captain Tad Luckey with Luckey Strike Charters~ Fishing on the 'Real Lucky' (same owner/captain for over 20 yrs! Captain Tad upgraded his boat a few years ago ) * he has a live bait well (the only 1 on Maui) and uses a down-rigger + he used to scuba dive a lot of the places he now fishes.

Call 1-888-841-9155 toll free for availability on all Maui sportfishing vessels or e-mail us at info@MauiVlaue.com or HawaiianSportFishing@gmail.com and we will reply promptly (open 8-5 Maui time)

Rascal Fishing Charters.MPG

2010-11-24T16:11:00.001-10:00

Rascal catches 2 Mahi Mahi

2010-05-04T11:22:00.003-10:00

Rascal had an 8 hour scheduled and there were 3 spots left, so I got to go out with them last Friday. Around 10:20 all of a sudden 2 lines went zinging, the sound every fisherman loves to hear! We caught a 16# and 20# Mahi Mahi (Dorado to you mainlanders). This time we went out to the HS buoy, then around the backside of Kahoolawe, going all the way around. We didn't catch the fish at the buoys however, we caught them on the way out, several miles south of Molokini.

Fishing can be quite exciting and while waiting for the Fish to bite, the views are incredible and you never know what you will see in terms of False Killer Whales, Dolphins etc.

OK, now check out the Video of the Escaping Mahi. It was in the fish bag, however not zipped up, as they were bringing in a 2nd Mahi. I chose not to put this one on our FaceBook page as it's a bit bloody.....

Rascal Fishing Charters

2010-03-09T15:30:00.003-10:00

211# Pacific Blue Marlin caught by Capt. Timster

2010-02-22T16:11:00.008-10:00

I was in Lahaina the other day when the fishing boats that went out that day started coming back in-all flying flags! Start Me Up had 2 boats out: Action with Captain Patrick does the "extreme" that departs @ 3:30A.M. so they are out at the fishing buoys by sunrise. Captain Patrick came in with several Mahi Mahi, while Captain Timster brought in a 211# Blue Marlin (if he caught anything else it got lost in the crowd and I forgot to ask...). I tried to get a video of the crew with the Marlin, however the one of the crew kept getting in my way. It is still a good short video, so I am putting it on here for you to watch.

Captain Fuzzy, Owner of Die Hard also brought in 5 Mahi Mahi (photo). Out of Maalaea Harbor Captain Kevin also brought in Mahi Mahi and hooked up to an Ono.

Fish policy for 'shared' charters

2010-01-20T15:53:00.007-10:00

A captain/crewmember with Rascal Fishing Charters, Jack fillets up a Mahi Mahi for a customer. Most fishing boats now days will cut at up at least 1 fish for customers to cook at their Condo, regardless of who caught the fish-everyone gets to take home part of the catch.

There is 1 fishing company that will give the angler who caught the fish, the actual whole fish, to keep. However if you would like to have a crew member fillet the fish for you, they charge a certain price per pound. (aprox. 2.50 #)
For some, like the locals who live on Maui, or those only interested in the Sport of Fishing only, this can be a good thing; others who really want fish to cook for dinner may choose a different fishing outfit instead. Call 1-888-841-9155 toll free for free information and tips for choosing the right fishing boat for you.

A Happy customer has 'plenty fish' to cook up for Dinner.

Quick n Easy Macadamia Nut crusted Mahi Mahi

2010-01-10T12:24:00.004-10:00

Mahi Mahi Fillets
optional seasoning such as S & P
softened cream cheese
Crushed Macadamia Nuts

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on the top of your fillet.
Bake 8-10 min. until the edges are flacky. Take out of the Oven and add crushed macadamia nuts on top. Broil for about 30 sec. or until nuts are browned.

Compliments of Captain Kevin Owner/Captain of Rascal Fishing Charters

Bigeye tuna are often mistaken for yellowfin tuna

2009-10-11T15:42:00.014-10:00

Bigeye tuna is one of two species known in Hawaii simply as ahi. The Bigeye can be mistaken for a yellowfin as they both have yellow fins, however the bigeye is typically smaller averaging about 40 pounds; the fins are smaller and more fin like than the actual yellowfin tuna, which has a longer fin. The Bigeye can be recognized by its plump body & its larger head, with its unusually large eyes, hence the name: Bigeye.

Adult bigeye tuna are the deepest swimmers of all tuna species, with a depth range of 150 to 250 fathoms. Smaller bigeye tuna ( about 20-30 pounds) may be encountered in shallower waters, including fish aggregation buoys.

Tuna is caught year round in Hawaii, with the Bigeye tuna running October-April, which is the off-season for other tuna species.

Caught in deeper, cooler water, the Bigeye tuna caught in Hawaii range from 20 to over 200 pounds, Bigeye tuna of good quality is firm, with a reddish-pinkish flesh color, and is the preferred species for the preparation of sashimi, due to its higher fat content. Ahi steaks are also good for grilling and it’s mild flavor works good with many different recipes.

Aku are featured prominently in Hawaiian mythology

2009-10-11T11:43:00.013-10:00

Although there are many types of Tuna, here in Hawaii we see mainly:Big Eye Tuna: Ahi po`o nui, (Ahi) Yellow Fin Tuna: Ahi, and the favorite of most Hawaiians themselves is the Skip Jack Tuna: Aku, which features prominently in Hawaiian mythology.

While doing a bit more research for this article, I came across a great web site http://www.pacificworlds.com/kawaihae/sea/fishing.cfm
for anyone interested in old Hawaiian fishing practices. The Hawaiians knowledge of currents, fazes of the moon and how to fish for each individual type of fish is simply amazing.

Aku tend to feed in schools near the surface and the fishing can be fast and furious. Ahi are known for their strength and fighting prowess and present a challenge to even the most experienced fisherman.

Aku caught in Hawaii routinely range between 4 and 15 pounds in round weight, with larger fish (16 to 30 pounds in round weight), moving into Hawaiian waters during the summer season. (April-September).

Aku has a firm flesh that is deep red in color. The flesh color varies with the size of the fish, with smaller fish having a lighter red color; which is why the larger aku are preferred for raw fish preparations, such as sashimi, requiring a nice red meat.

For big time sport-fishing excitement, the Aku is best known for live-baiting Blue Marlin.

Mahi Mahi are as beautiful as they are exciting to catch

2009-10-04T14:08:00.011-10:00

Popular name: Dorado or Dolphin fish

Mahi Mahi are one of the most beautiful fish to catch as well as one of the most exciting, with lots of surface action! Make sure to grab your video camera or cell phone when you have one of these big boys hooked up. Mahi is one of the most abundant fish in Hawaiian waters, and while out trolling for Marlin, big game fishing boats often find nets in the water, surrounded by lots of Mahi Mahi. When you hear of a boat coming in with about 20 fish, chances are they found a cargo net. This can be some of the best fishing, as you are simply bringing in one after another; then call your friends for a fish fry or Hawaiian style BBQ.

Mahi Mahi means strong in Hawaiian. The best time to catch these fish is Sept.-May, usually peaking in March-May and Sept.-November. Mahi do not live long, only averaging about 4 years, however they propagate quite prolifically! The average size is 10-30 pounds, with the male/bull having a particularly large, bulbous forehead.

The meat is firm, light pink and has a mild sweet flavor. While alive its colors are a brilliant silvery blue, with golden yellow tones; these colors fade quickly when the fish dies.
*photo is Captain John of Rascal fishing charters 2-4-2010

Ancient Hawaiian Gods

2009-10-03T15:50:00.004-10:00

Geographically, Hawaii is the most isolated place on Earth! It is believed that the first Polynesian settlers were skilled ocean navigators and astronomers, and traveled to Hawaii in double-hulled canoes. They sailed from the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific in an age when Western boats rarely went out of sight of land.

Over the generations, Lawai'a (fishermen) honed their hunting skills with the help of tools such as the spear, net, trap, line and hook. Lawai'a used hooks (makau) to catch fish in the open ocean. They possessed knowledge of specific techniques such as which hook was needed to catch a particular type of fish.

The ancient Hawaiians were a deeply religious people, and the Gods played a big role in their daily life. Kanaloa was/is the god of the Ocean, however most fishermen appealed to one of the lesser gods: Ku'ula (the deity presiding over and controlling the fish in the Sea) for his benevolence, though a variety of deities might be worshiped. To insure a good catch, the early Hawaiians built a fishing heiau (religous site), called ko'a.

These heiau were named in honor of the particular god, that each fisherman chose as his good luck deity. Before setting out to fish, offerings of bananas and baked pig would be made at the heiau. Small Ku'ula alters, smooth stones pointing toward heaven, also existed where offerings could be made. Ku'ula rocks can still be seen on promontories overlooking favorite fishing sites.

Ancient Hawaiian Fishing Practices

2009-09-27T14:05:00.005-10:00

Being a fisherman, a poe lawaia, in old Hawai'i was an honorable profession, one that grandparents handed down to the boys in the family.

With a working knowledge of fishing areas and seasons and an array of implements, a fisherman supplied his family or his ali'i (Royalty, King ) with fish and shellfish from streams, fishponds, reefs and the Ocean. Sometimes the catch was so huge, they gave the left over fish to the Pigs and dogs, and/or dried it for food and fuel for the fire.

Those fishermen that could supply large amounts of fish from ponds or ocean canoes were believed to possess much "mana" or supernatural power, to attract fish at will or make them multiply.

Successful fishing implements, such as hooks or cowry shell lures became famous and were prized, and passed down to the next generation.

For deep-sea fishing, many ingenious fishing methods were used. Sometimes the lures were made up of shiny puau shells and pigs hair, and were used to catch Aku from canoes, much like the modern fishermen of today. No compasses as we know them were available to the hawaiian fisherman, yet by reading the stars, watching the flying birds, the shape and color of clouds, the ancient hawaiian fisherman could guide his canoe or fleet through thousands of miles of open ocean.

Fishing was truly an art form, yet it was a necessity for survival.

Fishing and crabbing up in Washington and Oregon

2009-09-26T15:59:00.007-10:00

Aloha,
I just got back from 2 weeks on the coast of Washington and Oregon. The weather this September was "nice" for that time of year. This Maui girl was wearing shorts and a winter jacket everywhere. I could not not believe the difference in temperature from the shade, and 2 steps over in the Sun! There must have been a 15 degree difference!

My dad has a sail boat, an Islander 33, up in Blaine Wa. We took the boat out and went crabbing for Dungeness Crab, my favorite! (after buying an $18.00 -1 day- License) I was allowed to bring in 6 crab and they had to be bigger than 5.25 Inches accross the shell. (I just wish they had told me how to tell the females from the males, so I could throw them back. I realized after cooking them that 2 of the 6 were females with eggs). All said though I had a great time, going crabbing is one of my favorite things when I visit my dad.

My dad also has property in Waldport Or.; after a few days in Blaine, we headed down the coast to Oregon. I love Newport and the historical district with all the fishing boats and Crab! I usually like to walk the docks talking to the fishermen and buying my crab and fish direct, something we can not do here on Maui, rarely anyway.

The salmon fishing is really bad this year, the fishermen and the 'agents' all agreed, we could sign up for Salmon fishing and we were allowed to keep 2 Salmon, and then they would fish for "Rock fish" on the way back in to the harbor. I checked prices and availbilty in both Newport and Depoe Bay farther north (they advertise the smallest harbor in the world, I do not think they have seen Maalaea bay here on Maui!) Prices averaged about $85.00 + your fishing License.

The fish the boats were bringing were pretty small by our Hawaii standards. No wonder everyone wants to go Sport Fishing when they come to Hawaii! I had lunch & coctails at Dock One in Newport Or. and watched the fishing boats come in and filet up their fish & talk about small! The Commercial fishermen mostly had Tuna, which I was not interested in as we have Tuna-ahi in abundance off Hawaii, where as the boats taking customers were bringing in mostly Rock fish.

Here in Hawaii, you do not need a fishing license to go out and try your hand at catching a big Marlin or Mahi Mahi, and our smallest tunas are much bigger than anything I saw on the Mainland.

Ono are impressive predators with razor sharp teeth

2009-09-06T14:53:00.008-10:00

Popular Name: Wahoo

The Ono is a long, narrow and powerful fish that averages about 4-6 feet in length, and weighs about 15-60 pounds. With it's razor sharp teeth, the ono is an impressive predator that can swim up to 50 miles and hour and can attack both lures and bait with lightening fasts strikes, making them a favorite fish to hook up to. It's sharp teeth are perfectly designed for slashing, with the jaws working more like a pair of scissors.

The back is an iridescent bluish green; the sides are silvery with cobalt blue vertical stripes.

*Thank you to Tad and Cindy Lucky of Lucky Strike Charters for this photo taken on one of their fishing Charters.

Ono tend to be a solitary fish and their diet consists mostly of other fish (those teeth are good for bottom fishing) and squid. We do not see many Ono during the winter months.

Ono means 'Delicious' in Hawaiian and boy is it ever! Like Mahi Mahi, there are plenty of ways to prepare Ono. Ono has firm white meat and can even be cooked on the grill with just a little oil on it.

Striped marlin are fun to catch as they can hit all your lures at once

2009-09-06T14:29:00.005-10:00

Hawaiian Name: a'u

While you can catch striped marlin year round, the winter months are the best time in Hawaii to catch stripers, which are relatively small compared to Pacific Blues. Stripers are on average about 25-125 pounds, however they can get up to 200 pounds, and while the average striped marlins are smaller, they are also fun to catch and multiple strikes on your lines are common when trolling, as schools of striped marlin like to attack all at once! While stripers are essentially lone hunters like the Blues, stripers will travel in male/female pairs or even in schools.

Marlins have scales, fins on the belly, and a rounded spear which set them apart from swordfish which have no scales; stripers also have the most pronounced vertical line markings, hence their name. The spear of the marlin is sometimes used as a weapon for defense as well as for capturing food, usually by stunning its prey by slashing sideways with the spear, rather than impaling the fish like one might expect.

Striped marlins eat mostly fish, while rounding out their diet with crab, squid and shrimp; believed to spawn in the Pacific Northwest and migrate as juveniles, they have been known to travel up to 30 miles in a day.

Most striped marlins are caught trolling lures. When the conditions are conducive, (stripers usually need to be seen visually first) live baiting can be great fun. After setting your live bait: ahi (tuna) or aku (skipjack tuna) and letting it swim, most captains then troll the boat at slow speeds in order to create a conflict between the live bait and the marlin. The live bait starts getting anxious when the strike is impending. *This is where the experience of your Captain and crew comes in. Feel free to call us on our toll free # @ 1-888-841-9155 to get our recommendations.

Marlins open their mouths wide and can engulf the entire fish bait, so the hook needs to be set in 3-12 seconds. * Different Captains believe in different counts, some say 3-5 seconds or the fish and lure are history- the fights is less enjoyable, and the death rate goes up for the marlin; while other Captains contend you need to count to at least 10 seconds after the initial strike.

Pacific Blue Marlin: the Ultimate Trophy Fish

2009-09-06T12:32:00.019-10:00

Hawaiian Name: A'u

The Pacific Blue Marlin is at the top of it's food chain, and is the largest, most beautiful, and one of the most powerful fish in the Ocean!

The males rarely get over 300 pounds, while the female is your trophy fish, coming in at up to 1,800 pounds! They feed primarily on tunas and other palagic fish. Pacific Blue Marlin can be caught year round, however the summer months of June, July and August are the best fishing for Blue Marlin.

The thrill of hooking up to one of these huge beasts is the hope of every fisherman and is one of the things that keeps us all going out as often as we can. Pacific Blue Marlin can put up a great fight! Jumping in and out of the water, with lots of surface action, bringing in one of these monsters can take several hours. If you get a boat that likes to live bait, the Aku is a favorite with fishermen. They say where there’s Aku, there’s usually Marlin. Once you Rig your fresh caught Aku, the boats troll at slow speeds just outside the school creating the disturbance and fear that predators (Marlin) sense so well.

One 589 pound Marlin we know of took just over 6 hours to bring in! Since this particular Marlin was caught on Rascal Fishing charters during a tournament, that means she was a big money fish! Only the angler who hooked up to her was allowed to touch the pole and he had to bring her up and in, all alone. For 6 hours he fought to bring her in, knowing he couldn't just let go, because then the whole crew losses out on the tournament money, not to mention the fame and fun that goes with winning a big Fishing Tournament. (Good Job Dave!)

Blue Marlin are typically caught around Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii, trolling with artificial lures and live bait. Most fishing vessels encourage a catch and release program on Marlin if possible.

Captain Kevin, the owner of Rascal Fishing charters (out of Maalaea Harbor, Maui) sent me over this 90 second video of a Blue Marlin as they bring it up to the boat. Captain JJ is intent on bringing this big marlin close to the boat so he can release it.