Capt. JJ
02-22-2013, 04:16 PM
Bones, as in bone fish!
So heres the deal:
Ive been visiting and fishing the Hawaiian islands for at least the past ten years....stayed on every one of them that can be visited. I had the joy of staying on Molokai for the first time just this past week, and I have to say I do believe its time to put together some NJ Fishing trips for 2013, and I'd gladly volunteer to throw some info together and maybe set up some possible trips if anyone is interested to both the islands of Hawaii, as well as Cabo San Lucas.
Cabo has the potential for simply insane yellowfin tuna fishing around Halloween each year. While the bite does vary slightly from year to year, this past season saw an almost record number of fish well over 250 pounds brought back to the docks each day. Put it this way: a 200 pounder barely registered a "nice fish" by the anglers at the marina. 250 got a handshake. 300 got the cameras going, but the real praise was reserved for the 350+ fish that showed up virtually every day for many weeks. All of this fishing was primarily on the sea of cortez side, by virtue of Gordo and Iman banks, but we also ran into huge schools of tuna virtually right off the beach, just past the wash. No joke!
You dont have to pay $3-4 grand for a long range boat with basic amenities and boat grub; stay in a suite at an all inclusive with five bars and 7 restaurants....five minute cab ride to the dock....jump in a 26' parker or panga that costs about $290 a day divided between 3 guys...figure another $50 a head for bait, tips, and a license....and youre into tuna 30 minutes or less from the dock.....with solid chances for blue, striped, and black marlin as well. Wanna fly fish? Do it right from the panga...or right from your beach.....MY guess is you could pull off a 7 day trip for about $1600-1700 a person including charters, air, resort...all food and drinks...and fishing on at least 2 days....maybe 3.
Molokai?????
I stayed at the Hotel Molokai (only hotel on the island).....its rustic....nice....comfortable rooms and a great bar and management...but its located DIRECTLY on one of the most amazing flats Ive ever seen....just miles and miles of lagoon thats got school after school of bones on patrol (as well as other fish)....like...literally 10 feet from my lanai....10 FEET!!!!!
Heres the kicker: NO ONE FISHES FOR THEM!!!!!!!!!! ZERO pressure. Freaking ZERO!
You can wade for miles and be the only person fishing. Let me repeat: have it all to yourself!
Its a gorgeous, relaxing, sleepy little island...nothing like Maui or Oahu....and has excellent offshore fishing for all our popular pelagics about...oh...5 minutes from the dock.....but DA BONES is there for the taking.
Figure $750-900 for RT air to Oahu or Maui....another $75 to fly the 16 minutes to Molokai....I grabbed great rates at the Hotel Molokai directly through management ( I paid $89.00 a night for direct oceanfront).....so ya gotta figure $1500 for 7 days- 6 nights, plus your food and drink. Bring your own gear cause only really one tackle shop on the island, but I could see a week here with fishing every day running about $2000, maybe $2200 a person, with all meals and a drunken stupor each night.
This is NOT an exclusive, regal, high-rise, fancy, crazy island....you can read my reviews of my trips on Tripadvisor under "Kona Joe 14" for more details, but if you go this time of year you have whales breaching everywhere...great snorkeling and hiking, and all the fishing you can deal with......
I say we put together some trips this/next year and show da Pacific boys and West Coast tuna pros how da Monger nation puts a hurting on the wet stuff!
Capt. JJ
So heres the deal:
Ive been visiting and fishing the Hawaiian islands for at least the past ten years....stayed on every one of them that can be visited. I had the joy of staying on Molokai for the first time just this past week, and I have to say I do believe its time to put together some NJ Fishing trips for 2013, and I'd gladly volunteer to throw some info together and maybe set up some possible trips if anyone is interested to both the islands of Hawaii, as well as Cabo San Lucas.
Cabo has the potential for simply insane yellowfin tuna fishing around Halloween each year. While the bite does vary slightly from year to year, this past season saw an almost record number of fish well over 250 pounds brought back to the docks each day. Put it this way: a 200 pounder barely registered a "nice fish" by the anglers at the marina. 250 got a handshake. 300 got the cameras going, but the real praise was reserved for the 350+ fish that showed up virtually every day for many weeks. All of this fishing was primarily on the sea of cortez side, by virtue of Gordo and Iman banks, but we also ran into huge schools of tuna virtually right off the beach, just past the wash. No joke!
You dont have to pay $3-4 grand for a long range boat with basic amenities and boat grub; stay in a suite at an all inclusive with five bars and 7 restaurants....five minute cab ride to the dock....jump in a 26' parker or panga that costs about $290 a day divided between 3 guys...figure another $50 a head for bait, tips, and a license....and youre into tuna 30 minutes or less from the dock.....with solid chances for blue, striped, and black marlin as well. Wanna fly fish? Do it right from the panga...or right from your beach.....MY guess is you could pull off a 7 day trip for about $1600-1700 a person including charters, air, resort...all food and drinks...and fishing on at least 2 days....maybe 3.
Molokai?????
I stayed at the Hotel Molokai (only hotel on the island).....its rustic....nice....comfortable rooms and a great bar and management...but its located DIRECTLY on one of the most amazing flats Ive ever seen....just miles and miles of lagoon thats got school after school of bones on patrol (as well as other fish)....like...literally 10 feet from my lanai....10 FEET!!!!!
Heres the kicker: NO ONE FISHES FOR THEM!!!!!!!!!! ZERO pressure. Freaking ZERO!
You can wade for miles and be the only person fishing. Let me repeat: have it all to yourself!
Its a gorgeous, relaxing, sleepy little island...nothing like Maui or Oahu....and has excellent offshore fishing for all our popular pelagics about...oh...5 minutes from the dock.....but DA BONES is there for the taking.
Figure $750-900 for RT air to Oahu or Maui....another $75 to fly the 16 minutes to Molokai....I grabbed great rates at the Hotel Molokai directly through management ( I paid $89.00 a night for direct oceanfront).....so ya gotta figure $1500 for 7 days- 6 nights, plus your food and drink. Bring your own gear cause only really one tackle shop on the island, but I could see a week here with fishing every day running about $2000, maybe $2200 a person, with all meals and a drunken stupor each night.
This is NOT an exclusive, regal, high-rise, fancy, crazy island....you can read my reviews of my trips on Tripadvisor under "Kona Joe 14" for more details, but if you go this time of year you have whales breaching everywhere...great snorkeling and hiking, and all the fishing you can deal with......
I say we put together some trips this/next year and show da Pacific boys and West Coast tuna pros how da Monger nation puts a hurting on the wet stuff!
Capt. JJ