Oahu Marlin Fishing

Hawaii is not one of the top destinations in the world for nothing. Its attractions are limitless. The island state of the U.S. is known for so many things – its surfing, swimming, gorgeous landscapes and, of course, its unmatched fishing. Of all of the islands of Hawaii, Oahu is one of the most notable for its sport fishing.

Among all of the different Pacific Ocean sport fishing species, the Pacific Blue Marlin is the largest. This Marlin is the draw for numerous tournaments throughout the year. Although the main Marlin Tournament occurs during the summer months, members of the Marlin species are able to be caught year round. When fishing for the Blue Marlin, it is apparent that multiple lures are beneficial to the successful capture of the larger fish. The main lures are larger with smaller lures being placed on a longer string in order to tempt potential Marlins to bite should they be looking for a smaller meal. Therefore, charters such as Chupu Charters located in Oahu use a system comprised of four lures. This allows for fishermen to troll through larger amounts of water through areas in which the larger Pacific Blue Marlin dwell. A successful Marlin fishing trip can extend for a couple days as devoting large chunks of time is often necessary for a catch. The fish are most likely to congregate in areas of peaceful water and, depending upon the size of the school, live bait can be very effective. There are, however, some downsides to this style of Marlin fishing. With live bait, the number of lines which can be used is limited and the boat is required to move at a slower pace. In addition, lures are typically capable of catching larger fish than live bait although this is not necessarily always the case.

Although the Pacific Blue Marlin is one of the most popular gaming fish in Oahu, the Striped Marlin also provides a strong draw for avid fishermen despite its smaller size. While the Blue averages about 250 to 400 pounds, the “Stripey” rarely gets any larger than 100 pounds. Despite this, the Striped Marlin is known for its unparalleled aggression. It is known to attack the lures used by fishermen and to grab viciously at the lines and hooks. The excessive energy and anger of the fish can make the fight to bring the fish in an intense challenge. One way to tire the fish is to put out lines and lures without hooks. It has been shown that when grabbing at lures only to have them slip out of their mouth, the Marlin becomes frustrated thus burning up some of its energy before the fisherman wrestles it to the boat. After the fish has been worked up, a hook will be placed on a line and the fish will be caught usually within minutes. Although the Striped Marlin is smaller, its aggression will inevitably make the capture of the fish a challenge. Therefore, it is essential that a team of fishermen is available to work together.

The third species of Marlin which can be found in the waters around Oahu is the Short Bill Marlin, also known as the Spearfish. Unlike the Pacific Blue Marlin and the Striped Marlin, the Spearfish is not commonly sought out but is caught on lines intended for other fish such as yellowfin tuna. These fish can be about 60 pounds and four feet in length. Although fisherman catch these Marlin on smaller lures designed for species such as Mahi Mahi, their physical attributes clearly distinguish them as members of the Marlin family.