While September is the slowest time of the year for tourism, it can be the best time of the year for blue marlin and that happened again this year. The few boats that were going out this month were seeing marlin on almost a daily basis. So what are the odds of getting one? First of course, the more marlin that are around, the more bites, the better the odds. Of the marlin that hit your lures, on average, only 1 out of 3 will stay on the hook long enough to even get the rod to the fighting chair. Of the ones that stay on the hook long enough to fight, only 1 out of 3 will make it all the way to the boat. Angling technique does either increase or decrease your odds. If the fish is hooked good, you can make about every mistake in the book and still get your fish but in many cases, one mistake such as slack line or jerking on the fish will end your fight. With those odds it’s a wonder how so many are caught here in Kona but there are first time winners all the time! One hit, one marlin to the boat. On a good day you might even catch more than one as was done by several boats this month.
The yellowfin tuna bite is pretty good too right now. Not so much of a “blind strike” bite but the porpoise schools have been producing a steady number of fish for the commercial fishermen. There are a few spearfish, mahi mahi and ono being caught too but not in any kind of frequency.
The bottom bite is still HOT! Catching small tuna for live bait has been pretty easy and my “honey hole” has supplied quick action on almost all my trips this month. I get bit almost every time in there, usually by sharks, giant trevally and amberjacks but sometimes there’s bottlenose dolphin hanging out in the area too. They are smart and excellent at stealing the bait off the hook. It’s no use even trying to bait fish when they’re around. Time to move on but sometimes they will follow me to other areas looking for an easy meal. It becomes a game for them and me also. If I can get them to follow me away from my honey hole, I can quickly double back to my honey hole and get a bait dropped before they get a chance to catch back up to me. Sometimes it works, sometimes not but it always adds a challenge and some excitement to the fishing day.
