Kona Deep Sea Fishing and Big Game Marlin Fishing Charters off Hawaii Island's Kona Coast

Kona Fishing for Marlin with Sea Strike

The island of Hawaii is one of the world's best marlin and big-game fishing destinations. The Big Island's Kona Coast is uniquely situated on the sheltered, leeward side of the island. This coast is protected from heavy seas and Pacific trade winds by mountains nearly 14,000 feet tall. (Click here for a map.) 

Nowhere else in the world is such successful big-game fishing found in such calm waters. Sea conditions off the Kona coast are typically calm and sunny, and the island's steep bottom puts big-game fishing just 1/4-mile offshore. Most of Kona's 1,000-pound marlin have been caught only 2 to 5 miles from shore! 

While marlin fishing in Kona, you may catch up to six species of billfish that roam the Kona coast: blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, shortnose spearfish, Pacific sailfish, and broadbill swordfish. 

Kona fishing styles vary depending on target fish and season. Marlin are caught on trolled lures or on live bait -- typically using aku (skipjack tuna) between 2 and 20 pounds. Boat speed, rigging techniques, depth of bait, and skirt color are some of the variables that we employ.

The Pacific blue marlin is our most prized and abundant game fish. Marlin season runs all year -- summer is best, but striped marlin and spearfish make strong appearances throughout the year, along with black marlin and Pacific sailfish in other seasons.

Mr. Ray Hawkes, fishing aboard the Sea Strike with Captain Dale Leverone and first mate Durk Britton, still holds the IGFA world record that he caught during the 1995 Pro Am/ Hawaii International Billfish Tournament. The current world record, 1,166 pound pacific blue marlin caught on 50 pound test, took 2 hours and 15 minutes to fight. The fish, too big to get into the boat, was towed back to the Kona pier to be weighed.
The full-body marlin mount took several months to complete. The angler and HIBT directors worked together to get the world record marlin displayed at the King Kamehameha Hotel on the waterfront in Kona, where it still stands today.

A nice marlin is brought to the side of the Sea Strike for tagging and photos during a Kona fishing tournament.

This 400 pound pacific blue marlin was the angler's largest fish to date, and the winner of the Kona Dirty Dozen tournament.

KONA FISHING TOURNAMENTS

Anglers from all over the world flock to the Kona coast each year to compete in some of the best marlin fishing tournaments in the world. Pacific blue marlin run more abundantly in the summer, so most of our Kona fishing tournaments are scheduled between June and August each year. Points are compiled for fish tagged and released. Prizes are awarded for monster fish weighed, as well as most points awarded.
Kona fishing tournaments range from one day to five days. Winners may receive trophies and/or cash prizes.
Most big game tournaments feature the Pacific Blue Marlin and promote tag and release. However, there are several tournaments that target other species of fish including ono (wahoo), mahi mahi, ahi (yellowfin tuna) and spearfish.

NEW KONA TOURNAMENT KICKS OFF IN 2012

HFN Hawaii Petroleum presents, for 2012, its Fuel Dock Fishing Series. The 7-event series offers a guaranteed prize of $10,000 and free fuel based on entry fees of $350 per event. All events will be run by Jungle Rules, aimed to attract every skill level of fisherman. Following is the schedule of events for the new Kona fishing tournament series:

• Biggest Fish over 100 Pounds.............................January 28-29
• Biggest Fish over 100 Pounds.............................February 25-26
• Kona Classic........................................................March 23-24
• Ono-Only..............................................................April 21-22
• Ahi-Only...............................................................May 26-27
• Halloween Monster Mash...............................October 27-28 - $350
• Fuel Dock Series Tournament of Champions...November 17-18

2012 KONA FISHING TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

• Rock-n-Reel Fishing Tournament - June 15-17th - $500
• Kona Kick Off - June 22nd - 24th - $750
• Firecracker Open - June 30th - July 1st - $1,100
• World Cup - July 4th - $3,000
• Marlin Magic Lure Tournament - July 3 & 5 - $2,000
• Skins Marlin Derby - July 6th thru 8th - $3,000
• 2012 Maui Series Championship - July 13th - 15th - $2,500
• Huggos Wahine Tournament - July 28th - $400
• HIBT - August 12th - 18th -$5,200 (based on 4 anglers)
• Big Island Marlin Tournament- Aug. 18th - 20th - $2,700
• September Challenge- Sept 14th - 16th - $1,500

The Kona Charter Desk's Dirty Dozen tournaments are year around. In most cases, these tournaments run on the first Saturday of the month, but there are exceptions. The first Dirty Dozen fishing tournament of the year is always on January 1st, New Years Day. There is also a special couples fishing tournament in February, in honor of Valentine's Day. The prizes are pretty cool, and geared toward couples. The Dirty Dozen fishing tournaments are inexpensive, 4-flag jungle rule tournaments, and are just fun.

It's a good idea to book your 2012 Kona fishing tournament as early as possible. The dates are usually the first to get booked each year. Captain Dale and the Sea Strike has fished many tournaments and has a winning record. Contact Captain Dale now to reserve your 2012 Kona fishing tournament by calling him at 808-895-1972, or via email.

Please note - I do my best to have a full, comprehensive list of the upcoming Kona fishing tournament dates that have been set. Occasionally a date may change that I'm not aware of, or I might be missing one or two. Best thing to do is have Captain Dale confirm the dates and tournament for you. He will also get the tournament's entry form to you, and assist you in getting registered for the event of your choice.

KONA FISHING TALES

Chris Drummond from Pittsburgh fished aboard the Sea Strike in May 2011. After doing a banana search (bad luck), Captain Dale Leverone noticed a gold fish hook clipped on his hat. "I told Chris about a tournament here in Kona many years ago when similar gold hooks were given out to all the captains and crew. Fishing wasn't very good that day and someone on one of the Kona tournament boats decided that the hook might be bad luck, so they threw it in the ocean. They hooked up immediatly on a marlin. Well, word got out and everyone else threw their hooks in the ocean."
Chris's fishing trip was quiet throughout the day with no action. Enroute to the harbor at the end of the trip, suddenly the water erupted with a blue marlin strike. After boating the marlin Chris announced he had thrown the hook in the ocean only about 3 minutes before the strike. We are not superstitious or anything, we just don't take chances on Sea Strike. Chris decided to mount his special catch by Gray Taxidermy in S. Florida.