Kona Fishing best tagging report ever

Latest Kona report by Jim Rizzuto features stories from the best tagging year ever and some eye-opening catches of big tuna.

Because Carol Hinkle-Herren has her own personal tag-and-release tournament going on, the current run of smaller blue marlin fits her fishing style perfectly. So far this year, Carol has tagged and released 40 blue marlin. (Make that 41 — she just tagged another while I was writing this.) If she keeps up her present pace, and the blue marlin keep cooperating, she should surpass 80 releases for the year.  Maybe even 100.  Either number would be way beyond any mark set by any woman in Hawaii history.  Maybe even any man. (continued Amazing Tagging Run)

CarolDouble
Carol works one of an early morning double while her crew keeps the line tight until the first one is tagged and released. http://raptorsportfishingkona.com

Beasts of the week (marlin weighing 500 pounds or more):

July 5: Blue marlin (616.5) James Coston, Capt. Jason Holtz, Pursuit

July 5: Blue marlin (582) Pierre Mulacek, Capt. Jeff Kahl, Piper

July 9: Blue marlin (571) Mike Kehoe, Capt. Gene Vanderhoek, Sea Genie II

July 11: Blue marlin (536) Michael Gay, Capt. Jay Lighty, Mariah

Tag and Release

July 5: Blue marlin (180) Steve Spina, Capt. Kerwin Masunaga, Rod Bender

July 5: Blue marlin (250) Phillip Henderson, Capt. Shane O’Brien, Strong Perusader

July 5: Blue marlin (150) Sean Weaver, Capt. John Bagwell, Silky

July 5: Blue marlin (150 and 150) Craig Lindner, Capt. Teddy Hoogs, Bwana

July 5: Blue marlin (120) Unknown, Capt. Tracy Epstein, Last Chance

July 5: Blue marlin (180) Kurt Fujimoto, Capt. Gene Vanderhoek, Sea Genie II

July 5: Blue marlin (250) Scott Blake, Capt. Russ Nitta, Lepika

July 5: Blue marlin (110) Reese Asakura, Capt. Tim Hicks, Illusions

July 6: Blue marlin (200) Christopher Green, Capt. Kenny Fogarty, Hula Girl

July 6: Blue marlin (200) Michael Vik, Capt. James Dean, Blue Hawaii

July 7: Blue marlin (150) Tim Wurster, Capt. Marlin Parker, Marlin Magic II

July 7: Blue marlin (120 and 150) Robert Newton, Capt. Brian Wargo, Bite Me 2

July 7: Blue marlin (170) Ed Mueller, Capt. McGrew Rice, Ihu Nui

July 7: Blue marlin (120 and 170) Mike Kehoe, Capt. Gene Vanderhoek, Sea Genie II

July 7: Blue marlin (225) Warren Keinath, Capt. Carlton Taniyama, Five Star

July 7: Blue marlin (100) Steve Spina, (150) Heather Masunaga, Capt. Kerwin Masunaga, Rod Bender

July 7: Blue marlin (150) Tim Wurster, Capt. Marlin Parker, Marlin Magic II

July 7: Blue marlin (150) Jack Sampson, Capt. David Unger, Nasty Habit

July 8: Blue marlin (200) James Davis, Capt. Robert Hudson, Camelot

July 8: Blue marlin (200) Phil DeBaecke, Capt. Mike O’Toole, Hula Girl

July 8: Blue marlin (150), spearfish (30) Molly Palmer, Capt. Kevin Hiney, Ku’uipo

July 8: Blue marlin (150) Bridget Hurlbut, Capt. Tim Hicks, Illusions

July 8: Blue marlin (120) Randall Bloom, Capt. Jeff Watson, Linda Sue III

July 8: Blue marlin (150) Nic Corbat, Capt. Kai Hoover, Game Plan

July 8: Blue marlin (150) Jada Holt, Capt. Chip Van Mols, Luna

July 8: Blue marlin (140) Jody Krinker, (140) Simon Snyder, Capt. Al Gustavson, Topshape

July 8: Blue marlin (175) Devin Sampson, Capt. David Unger, Nasty Habit

July 8: Blue marlin (125) Heather Masunaga, Capt. Kerwin Masunaga, Rod Bender

July 9: Blue marlin (100) Mike Reitz, Capt. Rob Ellyn, Lightspeed

July 9: Blue marlin (100 and 175) Mike Kehoe, Capt. Gene Vanderhoek, Sea Genie II

July 9: Blue marlin (150 and 300) Brady Wild, Capt. James Dean, Blue Hawaii

July 9: Blue marlin (400) Cory Beck, (400) Scott Hallock, Capt. Tim Hicks, Illusions

July 9: Blue marlin (125 and 150) Carol Herren, Capt. Bruce Herren, Raptor

July 9: Blue marlin (140) Craig Lindner, Capt. Teddy Hoogs, Bwana

July 9: Blue marlin (130) Tim Wurster, Capt. Marlin Parker, Marlin Magic II

July 10: Blue marlin (175) Carol Herren, Capt. Bruce Herren, Raptor

July 10: Blue marlin (80) Drake Wilhelm, Capt. Kenny Fogarty, Hula Girl

July 10: Blue marlin (100) Michael Amador, Capt. Tony Clark, Ihu Nui II

July 10: Blue marlin (150) Tom Goodman, Capt. Carlton Taniyama, Five Star

July 10: Blue marlin (275) Duane Bunch, (125) James Acee, Capt. Shawn Rotella, Night Runner

July 10: Blue marlin (120) Chip Collins, Capt. Boyd DeCoito, Foxy Lady

July 10: Blue marlin (150) Jada Holt, Capt. Chip Van Mols, Luna

July 10: Blue marlin (120) Jim Robinson, Capt. Kevin Hibbard, Jr’s Hooker

July 10: Blue marlin (150) Lance Patillo, Capt. Jason Holtz, Pursuit

July 10: Blue marlin (200) Ron Lesovski, Capt. Al Gustavson, Topshape

July 10: Blue marlin (125) Craig Chambes, Capt. McGrew Rice, Ihu Nui

July 10: Blue marlin (100 and 100) Stephanie Choate, Capt. Steve Epstein, Huntress

July 10: Blue marlin (200) Allen Stuart, Capt. Shane O’Brien, Strong Persuader

July 10: Blue marlin (160) Phil Lantagne, Capt. Mike Derego, Maggie Joe

July 11: Blue marlin (175) Carol Herren, Capt. Bruce Herren, Raptor

July 11: Blue marlin (175) Michelle Amador, Capt. Tony Clark, Ihu Nui II

July 11: Blue marlin (125) Kirk Dawson, Capt. Kevin Hibbard, Jr’s Hooker

July 11: Blue marlin (125 and 150) Chip Collins, Capt. Boyd DeCoito, Foxy Lady

July 11: Blue marlin (150 and 200) Jada Holt, Capt. Chip Van Mols, Luna

July 11: Blue marlin (200) John McVey, Capt. Kenny Llanes, Vixen

July 11: Blue marlin (150 and 175) Craig Lindner, Capt. Teddy Hoogs, Bwana

July 11: Blue marlin (75) Warren  Keinath, Capt. Carlton Taniyman, Five Star

July 11: Blue marlin (160) Bryan Balancio, Capt. Kevin Nakamaru, Northern Lights

July 11: Blue marlin (175) Stephanie Choate, Capt. Steve Epstein, Huntress

July 11: Blue marlin (150) Lee LeBlanc, Capt. Shane O’Brien, Strong Persuader

July 11: Blue marlin (200) Brad Pickings, Capt. Chuck Wigzell, EZ Pickens

July 11: Blue marlin (150) Sonya Wallick, Capt. Kenny Fogarty, Makana Lani

Notable

July 6: Aku (25) Arik White, Capt. Nate Figueroa, Ho’okele

July 8: Striped marlin (34) Doyle McMinn, Capt. Kent Mongreig, Sea Wife II

July 8: Spearfish (25) Oscar Romero, Capt. Chris Cawthon, Ohana

July 8: Blue marlin (471) Clark Hahne, Capt. Jeff Heintz, Linda Sue IV

July 8: Striped marlin (34.5) Tim/Brandon Favrot, Capt. Bill Casey, Marlin Grando

July 8: Kahala (44.5) Todd Shiraki, Treeny 2

July 9: Ahi (181) Wayne Ross, Capt. Paul Carlton, Go Big

July 9: Blue marlin (338.5) Pugi Liang, Capt. Reuben Rubio, Ichiban

July 9; Ahi (175) Stephanie Choate, Capt. Steve Epstein, Huntress

July 10: Ahi (189.5) Marshall McKinney, Capt. Kenny Llanes, Vixen

July 10: Blue marlin (308) Stephanie Seidel, Capt. Andrew Peterson, High Noon

July 10: Ahi (224.5) Bryan Balancio, Capt. Kevin Nakamaru, Northern Lights

July 10: Ahi (150) Dan DeLion, Capt. Bobby Cherry, Cherry Pit II

July 11: Blue marlin (210) Kyle Kelley, Larry Shodin, Pinch Me

July 11: Ahi (205) Lee LeBlanc, Capt. Shane O’Brien, Strong Persuader

July 11: Spearfish (24 and 25) Lion Deshong, Mark Andrews, Donna Mae