While it’s been said that the best time to go marlin fishing in Kona, Hawaii, is whenever you have the opportunity to do so, spring can be one of the best times to test those storied waters for a size XL blue marlin. It can be frustrating to troll along for hours without a bite, or only the occasional spearfish, but when the blues do show up, they tend to be bigger fish.
In this episode, Donato puts his charter client on a blue they estimated to weigh 800 pounds, releasing the fish after an epic tussle on 130-pound-test gear. Fishing the waters just off historic Honokohau Harbor, the marlin first erupted on an Aloha Sundowner before inhaling a Tantrum XL Bandit—the fight was on. Afterward, Donato explains his reasoning behind fishing in current and the importance of bait and structure in Hawaii’s marlin fishing.
