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)
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