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Random Quote: I don't lone out my boat or wife,one or the other would have a rod thrown in it!
I am thinking of places to go that I can use some of my FF miles. My wife has never been to Hawaii and I was thinking I could take her there as long as I could do some fishing. Oahu would probably be the easiest for me to get too, but would consider other places if I can find good "moderately" priced charters available. I would like to target, wahoo, dolphin, tuna, travally, and if one shows up... a blue. Does anyone have suggestions of a desination and a time of year (for fishing)that would be best to go?
Any information would be appreciated.
Aubrey
I have one word for you "KONA" I was there about 2 years ago. My wife and I did well 1 dorado, 7 bigeye, 3 yellowfin and 2 short nose spear fish in two days of fishing. The island is like being on Mars with all the old lava flows but the fishing was great!
You can get a direct flight to Kona,Hawaii on many airlines.
Might be better than going to Oahu,bigger island, less people and you can get away from crowds by driving around the island.
If you are on a budget,you can book a share charter for about $75.00.
Peak season for fishing in Kona is May-September,The Yellowfin Tuna run will be on and chasing the Tuna will be the Pacific Blue Marlin.
If you charter a boat, make sure you understand who gets the fish (including marlin). Not sure how it is now, but in the 90s a lot of the charter catch was sold in the markets. Good luck. chip.
chip - 1/28/2006 10:10 AM If you charter a boat, make sure you understand who gets the fish (including marlin). Not sure how it is now, but in the 90s a lot of the charter catch was sold in the markets. Good luck. chip.
This is easily determined before going out. For example: on this charter if a market fish is over about 70 lbs it is sold and if it is less that weight it is divided up for us.... which is not a problem for us because we aren't as interested in the meat as we are the fun and the experience. Every charter may be different.
The Big Island is wonderful, very diverse. From the dry, hot sunny Kona side, to the rainforests of Hilo on the east. Vocanoes NP is in the Southern end, while Waipia Valley is in the north. I highly recommend taking a day trip to Waipia Valley, the most beautiful black sand beach in the world, surrounded by cliffs and waterfalls that drop over 1000ft to the valley floor. This is the beach where Kevin Costner found "dry land" in the movie Waterworld.
With that said, my particular favorite spot in all of Hawaii is Hanalei, which is located on the northern island of Kuaia (the garden island). Simply spectacular. (hanalei bay, tunnels beach, kee'e beach, napali coast)
Even if you only get your ticket into Oahu, it is very easy to grab an inter island flight for a reasonable price. You can't go wrong with any spot in Hawaii, but when we visit we choose either the big island or kuaia. Enjoy your trip.
If you go in Jan/Feb/March time frame then you will be blessed by the humpback whale migration. Not uncommon to sit on a beach and watch the whales breach a couple hundred meters past the reef. An experience you will never forget.
Thanks for all the info. F_I, how is the fishing off Kuaia? I have been to Oahu a couple of times and would like to do something else. This is my wife's first trip so anything will be OK for her. Although expense is a big consideration, fishing is my prime reason for going.
Tightlines,
Aubrey
I can second the earlier call for the Big Island of Hawaii. Unique in diversity of landscape from snowcapped mountain Mauna Loa to world class angling within 1/2 mile of Honokahau Harbor. For a fair priced charter try Captain Jerry Allen of the SeaDancer. We fished with him several times and had a good time, landing a Pacific Blue for my wife Nancy and a small yellowfin for me. There are a variety of other charter options on the Big Island and IMHO much greater choice and less expensive than some of the more touristy Hawaii locales. Visit Lapakahi, a restored fishing village, the place of refuge (very cool representation of Hawaiian culture), Thurston lava tube (all free to visit) and have a cold one at the Kona Inn tiki bar overlooking the water. Have fun whatever you choose -- Hawaii is a very special place and well worth the time, effort and cost to get there.
The Big Island's Kona coast is more widely known for its big blue marlin and placid water. Oahu doesn't have the calm water, but it also has big marlin. Two of the three largest marlin ever caught in Hawaii were caught off Oahu, including the largest ever caught on rod'n'reel. Check out this list of granders and see where they were caught (even Kauai has 'em). The list also has a link on the left to charter boats listed by island. Here's another link about sportfishing in Hawaii with links on the left for charter boats on different islands. This second link offers more info on the charter boats on each island. I have no connection to any charter boat (even though I've fished on a couple) so you can browse through their sites and make your own choice. As others have said, be sure to understand the boat's policy on releasing/eating/selling fish beforehand to avoid spoiling a good trip at the end of the day. Good luck.
lawaia,
Thanks for the info. I read your post on the Pic thread. Great pictures. Kona sounds like a good option for me. Capt Jeff from Kona Fishing Charters sent some good info also. The thought of possibly hooking up on one of those big Blues is exciting.
Tightlines,
Aubrey
Fishing Hawaii? 
