Kona Hawaii Fishing Report – September 2020 wrap-up.
The Hawaiian Islands had a huge surge of Covid 19 cases last month and shortly after my report last month, they shut down the charter fishing again. They didn't say we couldn't do any charters but the new ruling effectively did just that. The new rule limits us to no more than 2 people on a boat. For almost every operation here, that means captain and deckhand and no one else. I run single handed so the only way I can do a charter is if only one person wants to book the whole boat. I do a handful of trips just like that every year but they are far from the norm.
Several times our Hawaii governor has said that he would implement a pre-travel testing program so people could come here without having to do a 14 day quarantine but each time he sets a date, he backs off and extends the quarantine. Currently the pre-testing travel option is set to start November 1st but we've heard that song before.
No one in their right mind would make Hawaii vacation plans right now and who could blame them. We are getting some tourists but only the ones that take LONG vacations. Most tourist activities are shut down and you're not even allowed to sit on the beach.
I know this is supposed to be a fishing report but since China accidentally released a lab created virus on the world, everyone's life has now changed and new options need to be considered. I'm debating with myself if I should suspend doing my monthly reports or not. I'll let you know in about a month.
