Kona Fishing Report – May 2013

Fishing in Kona during the month of May got a whole lot better for some of the other popular species Kona is known for.  With the return of the trade winds and the arrival of the full moon in May, the Ono (Wahoo) fishing turned predictably good.  Roughly 50 ono have been weighed in at the fuel dock and we still have a few days left to go in the month.  More impressive than the Ono count is that during a 12 day period this month, 44 Ahi tuna were weighed in with the largest tipping the scales at 171 pounds.  In addition to the Ahi and Ono showing up, by mid month, 15 mahi mahi had been weighed as well

The fishing for Blue Marlin this year so far has been certainly better than average.  As noted in one of our earlier Kona Fishing Reports, two world records have already been set in Kona this year and more than the average number of big marlin over 500 pounds have weighed in or tagged by the Kona Fishing fleet.  The Humdinger has tagged and release several fish this spring over 500 pounds and we have also had a couple of charters in the past few months where anglers caught multiple marlin in a single day.

If the month of May is any indication of how the fishing in Kona will be the rest of the summer, we are certainly in for a year of big fish and big numbers.  While the total number of blue marlin caught thus far in Kona this year is about average, the size of the fish showing up appear to be on the larger size.

The Kona Tournament season kicks off in just a few weeks, and anglers from around the world will converge on Kona fro the next four months to try their luck at fishing in Kona for giant blue marlin and tuna.  June through September is the peak season for fishing in Kona, so if you are considering booking a trip this summer or possibly fishing in a tournament here in Kona, be sure to call early as our calendar fills up very quickly.

 

Meet the Captains

Jeff Fay, Captain Owner and Operator, Captain Jeff Fay, has been fishing in Kona, Hawaii for giant blue marlin for over 40 years. In addition to his numerous decades of knowledge and experience he has collected in Kona, Captain Jeff has operated several sportfishing charter boats for owners worldwide.

Captain Jeff began his fishing career in Kona crewing for Terry Truman aboard the Kua Lua in 1966. Shortly thereafter he moved to the Malia where he crewed for West Vannetta. In 1975, he partnered with Captain Peter B. Wright and purchased the Humdinger, a 37′ Rybovich located in Tampa, Florida. After moving the boat from Florida, Captain Jeff and Peter chartered the Humdinger out of Kona until the mid 1980′s when Capt. Jeff bought out partner Peter B. Wright and then briefly partnered with globetrotting big game angler Jerry Dunaway. Shortly thereafter, Captain Jeff purchased Jerry’s remaining interest in the Humdinger and has been operating sportfishing charters on the Big Island of Hawaii in Kona from this classic Rybovich ever since.

Captain Jeff has enjoyed a rich and successful career in the big game sportfishing community. After capturing his first “Grander” in 1972, Captain Jeff has gone on to assist anglers on eleven marlin over 1,000 pounds worldwide. Additionally he has captained anglers to numerous world records, the two most recently in Kona when he captained Debra Dunaway to her last two world records to complete her bid to be the first angler in history, man or woman, to hold a world record for every species of billfish in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Captain Jeff is the only Four Time Winner of the prestigious Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament’s “Henry Chee Award” presented to the top-scoring Hawaii charter fishing captain in the tournament. He now shares his passion for big game sportfishing in Hawaii with his son Brett who now Co-Captains the Humdinger along side his father.

Brett Fay, Co-Captain Co-Captain Brett Fay is a native of Hawaii; born on the Big Island and raised in Kona. Brett grew up fishing in Kona with his father, Captain Jeff Fay, on the 37’ Rybovich “Humdinger”. He enjoys surfing, hunting, and fishing and just about anything that involves being outdoors. At age five, Brett caught his first Blue Marlin, and has been “Hooked” ever since.

Brett literally grew up on the Humdinger, learning the trade of Big Game Sportfishing in Hawaii and boat handling from his father Captain Jeff and mentor, Captain Henry “Butch” Chee Jr. Brett received his U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License at age 20 and began assisting his dad chartering guests on the Humdinger. Brett is an accomplished Captain and boat handler and works hard to share his passion for Hawaii, the Outdoors and Sportfishing in Kona with his guests and clients.