Hawaii Fishing Charter – Oahu Fishing Charter – Kuuloa Kai – The Quarry

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Indo-Pacific Blue Marlin
Makaira mazara
Blue Marlin
Common names: Pacific Blue Marlin, Blue Marlin

Maximum weight: 2,600 lbs

I.G.F.A. record: 1,400 lb lbs on 130 lb test

Pectoral Fins: Fins fold flat along body.

Identifying features: Back is a dark blue with light blue stripes. These stripes consist of small dots and bars. Belly is a silver white. Lateral line generally does not show in adults.

Temperature range: 70°F to 82°F

Typical location: Blue Marlin are considered to be amongst the apex predators, living at the top of the open ocean food chain. They travel the length and breadth of the oceans of the world. They are the world’s least studied pelagic fishes.

In Hawaii the fish remained in water that ranged on average from 78°F to 82°F, preferring the warmer temperatures.

They forage near the surface in warm mixed layers of temperate and tropical seas. They feed on an assortment of epipelagic organisms. Acoustic telemetry indicates Blue Marlin prefer the surface lens of the water column and remain above the thermo cline most of the time.

Blue Marlin are often caught along the continental shelf drop off, ocean mountains and canyons, current and weed lines. Gatherings of bait schools such as tuna, mahi-mahi and squid are likely Pacific Blue Marlin haunts.

Fighting characteristics: Very strong and exceptionally fast fish which can test not only the angler and tackle but the entire crew. The capture of a large Blue is definitely a team effort. Usually fights deeper than a Black or Striped Marlin. Large Blues will often spool large reels in a very short amount of time. Will continually reverse direction which makes capturing Blues more difficult for the boat driver than other billfish.

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Yellowfin Tuna
Thunnus Albacures
Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi)
Common names: Ahi (Hawaii), fin

Maximum weight: 420 lbs

I.G.F.A. record: 387 lbs on 80 lb test

Pectoral Fins: Fins fold flat along body and reaches the start of the second dorsal fin.

Identifying features: Upper body is black and lower body is silver white. In the mid-section the yellowfin has a destictive yellow stripe which begin at the gill case and continues to the caudal fin. Above this line the color is a purple-blue when the yellowfin is alive but fades in death. The second dorsal and anal fin are the longest of any tuna. These fins increase in length with age. Yellowfin have between 26-35 gill rakers on the first gill arch.

Temperature range: 62°F to 86°F

Breeding: Yellowfin sexually mature at appoxaimatly 40 lbs. They are appoximatly 40″ by this stage of their life cycle.

Typical location: Open ocean along the continental shelf and current lines, ocean mountains and canyons. Around schools of bait such as ballyhoo, pilchards and squid. They are found between 45°N and 40°S. They cover enormous distances around the globe, and all stocks mingle. It is a big fish, which can swim at very high speed, which may be one of the reasons why in some areas, dolphins and large full-grown yellowfin swim together. Will come close to shore if warm currents and bait are present.

Fighting characteristics: Very tough fighting fish with a fast recovery rate (faster than the anglers). Mixes deep dives with long fast runs that test angler and tackle.

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Wahoo
Acanthocybium solandri
Wahoo (Ono)
Common names: Ono (Hawaii), Jack Mackerel, Peto, Pacific Kingfish

Maximum weight: 200 lbs

I.G.F.A. record: 158 lbs

Identifying features: Dorsal spines (total): 23-27; Dorsal softrays (total): 12-16; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft-rays: 12-14; Vertebrae: 62-64. Mouth large with strong, triangular, compressed and finely serrate teeth. Snout about as long as the rest of head. Posterior part of maxilla completely concealed under preorbital bone. Gill rakers absent. Interpelvic process small and bifid. Swimbladder present. Body covered with small scales. No anterior corselet developed. The back is iridescent bluish green; the sides silvery with 24 to 30 cobalt blue vertical bars which extend to below the lateral line.

The back is electric blue while belly is silver white. The flanks are covered in wavy lines. Unlike other gamefish, the upper jaw moves and has 45-64 teeth. Lower jaw has 32-50 teeth.

Temperature range: 70°F to 86°F

Typical location: An oceanic, epipelagic species frequently solitary or forming small loose aggregations rather than compact schools. Feeds on fishes and squids.

Generally found along current lines and temperature changes in the open ocean. Floating debris and bait schools are also likely to be hot spots for the species.

Fighting characteristics: Possibly the quickest fish in the ocean that will test tackle to the utmost. Reel drags should be silky smooth due to the speed of the fish. Sometimes jumps but generally this species will make quick surface runs.

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Mahi Mahi
Coryphaena Hippurus – Coryphaena Equiselis
Dolphin Fish (Mahimahi)
Common names: Mahimahi (Hawaii), Dolphin fish, Dorado, pompano

Maximum weight: 100 lbs

I.G.F.A. record: 88 lbs

Identifying features: One of the most stunningly beautiful fish in the ocean. The long dorsal fin is generally black/bright blue with lavender/cobalt blue/green spots. Upper body is the brightest green with streaks of cobalt blue and lavender. Sides can be green or bright yellow. Lower body can be silver white or yellow. The color variations are endless.

Every Mahimahi (C. Hippurus) you catch you will find some color variation in some way. These colors fade in death. The male of the species has a large blunt head (the graphic above is a male) while the females head is rounder.

The Pampano (C. Equisetis) has a tongue which is covered in what could be called teeth. The Mahi-Mahi is void of this characteristic. The Pampano also has fewer dorsal rays; 48 – 55 where the Mahi-Mahi has 55 – 65.

Temperature range: 68°F to 86°F

Breeding: One of the quickest growing species in the ocean and lives for no more than 5 years. Sexual maturity is reached in 4-5 months. Spawns in the open sea and probably approximate to the coast when water temperature rises.

This makes it an ideal species for farming. The Japanese have had great success with this.

Aqua culture carried out at the Honolulu Aquarium in Hawaii has also been extremely successful.

Mahi-Mahi are highly efficient feeders and convert approximately 90% of what they eat into body growth. They can grow from matchstick size to over 6 lbs which is about 28″ in under 6 months! This growth rate may not be reflected in the natural world as the fish have to hunt and capture their food.

Typical location: Highly migratory species. An offshore species that rarely comes close to shore. Found in open waters but also near the coast Mahimahi form schools. They feed on almost all forms of fish and zooplankton. Mahi-Mahi also takes crustaceans and squid.

Is typically found on the continental shelf and well beyond. This species has a great affection for current lines that contain seaweed, flotsam and logs. Any garbage found floating may hold a school of varying size fish under it and is always worth a few passes using light tackle.

Fighting characteristics: A very fast surface runner that mixes high acrobatic jumps with rapid changes in direction.

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Skipjack Tuna
Katsuwonus Pelamis
Skipjack Tuna (Aku)
Common names: Aku (Hawaii), Striped tuna, stripey

Maximum weight: 80 lbs

Identifying features: Upper body black with cobalt blue/purple and/or lavender stripes and spots. Short pectrol fin. Lower body silver white with 4 to 6 black stripes along belly.

Temperature range: 59°F to 86°F

Typical location: Open ocean along the continental shelf and current lines, ocean mountains and canyons. It prefers to swim in the upper mixed layers of the ocean water, and mostly found between 45°N and 40°S. Around schools of bait such as ballyhoo, pilchards and squid. Will come close to shore if warm currents and bait are present.

Fighting characteristics: Fantasic fighter on light line. Will out-fight all of the other more rescepted members of the tuna family. If these fish grew to the size of a Northern Bluefin tuna NONE would ever be caught! Due to it’s strength and soft mouth a lot of anglers pull the hooks on these fish.

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