The new year hasn`t shown us anything too impressive yet. This years biggest blue marlin stands at 611 lbs. the biggest striped marlin at 157 lbs. The marlin bite has been slow but we did have a nice run on spearfish at the beginning of the month and the biggest so far is 62 lbs. With the exception of the spearfish, the billfish bite just hasn`t been very good. As I said last month the striped marlin should be biting but it`s still early in the season for them and I have confidence that they`ll eventually show up.
Other fish that are still around although they really shouldn`t be here are the big yellowfin tuna and Otaru. These are summer fish and I mentioned in my December wrap-up that they were biting. They're still here although the numbers are starting to decline. The mahi mahi are still around too.
The bottom bite has been the best bite going. The amberjack and almaco jack have made for some fast action. Live bait is the best to use but they've been in short supply. Dead bait just hasn`t been doing well for attracting the fish but the jigging has been HOT! Sharks moved in heavy in the middle of the month and made for some hard fights. They seem to be gone now. Another fish prized for it`s fighting ability is the Giant Trevally. Locally know as Ulua, these are one of the hardest fighting fish you can hook into. Early in the month we caught an 86.5 pounder on a jig. The fish swallowed the jig all the way down and the trapper hook (this is the only hook on the jig) barely stuck in just under it`s chin. That prevented the ulua from spitting out the jig. It's one of those once in a life time lucky catches. It made the local paper as the biggest of the new year and didn`t even last `til the end of the month because another was caught just a week later weighing in at 90 lbs. Every year I take 1 to 3 positions on "The Big Fish List" of the 21 species listed. The list is filling fast and it looks like the competition this year is going to be tough. Lucky catches are a lot of fun and I`ve always said I`d rather be lucky than good any time but it takes more than luck to stay at the top. This year it looks like I'm going to need both.
See ‘ya on the water,
Capt. Jeff Rogers ,
Kona Hawaii Sport Fishing
