Bigeye Tuna

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Peak Peak Peak
February Peak Peak Peak
March Peak Peak Peak
April Peak Peak Fair
May Peak Peak Fair
June Good Good Fair
July Good Good Fair
August Good Good Fair
September Good Good Fair
October Peak Peak Fair
November Peak Peak Fair
December Peak Peak Fair
Bigeye Tuna Hawaii bigeye tuna

Hawaiian Name: 'Ahi po'onui
Avg. Weight: 40 lbs.
Best Time of Year: October-April
IGFA World Record: 435 lbs.
Place: Cabo Blanco, Peru
Year: 1957
State Record: 228 lbs.
Place: Island of Hawaii
Year: 1996

Bigeye Tuna

Bigeye Tuna are typically smaller than Yellowfin and have much bigger eyes. Bigeye are seldom targeted in Hawaiian waters because Marlin, Yellowfin, and other species are so readily available. They are often caught by accident with Yellowfin.

Black Marlin

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Good Fair
February Good Fair
March Fair Fair
April Fair Fair
May Fair Fair
June Fair Fair
July Fair Fair
August Fair Fair
September Fair Fair
October Fair Fair
November Fair Fair
December Fair Fair
Black Marlin Hawaii black marlin

Hawaiian Name: A'u
Avg. Weight: 200 lbs.
Best Time of Year: Year-round (seldom caught)
IGFA World Record: 1,560 lbs.
Place: Cabo Blanco, Peru
Year: 1953
State Record: 1,205 lbs.
Place: Island of O'ahu
Year: 1980

Black Marlin

Black Marlin are rare in Hawaii. Only half a dozen or so are caught each year. It's thought that Blacks in Hawaii may accidentally stray from Australia following schools of bait. Not much is known about the breeding or feeding habits of Blacks, and all are incidental catches while trolling for Blues.

Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Fair Good Good Peak
February Fair Peak Peak Peak
March Good Peak Peak Peak
April Peak Peak Good Fair
May Peak Peak Good Fair
June Good Good Peak Fair
July Good Good Peak Fair
August Good Good Good Fair
September Good Good Peak Fair
October Fair Good Peak Fair
November Fair Good Good Fair
December Fair Good Good Peak
Mahi Mahi Dolphin mahi mahi

Hawaiian Name: Mahimahi
Avg. Weight: 20 lbs.
Best Time of Year: September-May
IGFA World Record: 88 lbs.
Place: Exuma, Bahamas
Year: 1998
State Record: 82 lbs.
Place: Island of Hawaii
Year: 1987

Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)

Mahimahi is a smaller, colorful, plentiful fish, with a distinctive hump on its head. It's closely associated with Hawaiian cuisine because its taste blends well with native fruits. Mahimahi flesh is pink, has a mildly sweet flavor, and turns white when cooked.

Pacific Blue Marlin

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Fair Good Good Fair
February Fair Fair Peak Fair
March Fair Fair Peak Fair
April Good Good Peak Fair
May Good Peak Peak Fair
June Peak Peak Peak Peak
July Peak Peak Peak Peak
August Peak Peak Peak Peak
September Good Peak Peak Peak
October Fair Good Good Fair
November Fair Fair Good Fair
December Fair Good Good Fair
Pacific Blue Marlin Hawaii pacific blue marlin

Hawaiian Name: A'u
Avg. Weight: 200 lbs.
Best Time of Year: Year-round
IGFA World Record: 1,376 lbs.
Place: Island of Hawaii
Year: 1982
State Record: 1,805 lbs.
Place: Island of O'ahu
Year: 1970

Pacific Blue Marlin

The Pacific Blue Marlin is the grand prize for many offshore anglers. Its size and tremendous fight when hooked are a challenge to the most accomplished angler.

Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi)

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Fair Fair Good Fair
February Fair Fair Good Fair
March Fair Fair Good Fair
April Good Good Peak Fair
May Good Peak Peak Fair
June Peak Peak Peak Peak
July Peak Peak Peak Peak
August Peak Peak Peak Peak
September Good Good Peak Peak
October Good Fair Good Fair
November Good Fair Good Fair
December Fair Fair Peak Fair
Yellowfin Tuna Hawaii yellowfin tuna

Hawaiian Name: 'Ahi
Avg. Weight: 125 lbs.
Best Time of Year: May-September
IGFA World Record: 388 lbs.
Place: Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico
Year: 1977
State Record: 325 lbs.
Place: Island of Lanai
Year: 1990

Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi)

The Yellowfin Tuna is a highly sought gamefish due to its excellent taste and sporting battle. Yellowfin can be distinguished by their long and brilliant yellow fins. If you get one of these on your line, get set for a war!

Pacific Sailfish

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Fair Fair
February Fair Fair
March Fair Fair
April Fair Fair
May Fair Fair
June Good Fair
July Good Fair
August Fair Fair
September Fair Fair
October Fair Fair
November Fair Fair
December Fair Fair
Pacific Sailfish pacific sailfish

Hawaiian Name: A'u lepe
Avg. Weight: 45 lbs
Best Time of Year: Year-round (seldom caught)
IGFA World Record: 221 lbs.
Place: Santa Cruz Is., Ecuador
Year: 1947
State Record: 119 lbs.
Place: Island of Hawaii
Year: 1983

Pacific Sailfish

This beautiful species is rare in Hawaii, but is occasionally caught. Once hooked, the angler is likely to experience many thrilling jumps by the fish. The enormous dorsal fin makes the Sailfish easy to identify at any size.

Skipjack Tuna (Aku)

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Fair Good Good Fair
February Fair Good Good Fair
March Good Good Good Fair
April Good Good Good Good
May Good Peak Peak Good
June Good Peak Peak Peak
July Good Peak Peak Peak
August Good Peak Peak Peak
September Good Peak Peak Good
October Good Good Good Fair
November Good Good Good Fair
December Good Good Good Fair
Skipjack Tuna Aku skipjack tuna

Hawaiian Name: 'Aku
Avg. Weight: 5 lbs.
Best Time of Year: May-September
IGFA World Record: 45 lbs. 4 oz.
Place: Baja California, Mexico
Year: 1996
State Record: 37 lbs.
Place: Island of Hawaii
Year: 1964

Skipjack Tuna (Aku)

Known in Hawaii as Otado when they exceed 20 pounds, many anglers target Aku for their multi-hookup action-packed activity which makes for a fun time regardless of whatever else is caught on a trip.

Striped Marlin

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Peak Peak Good Peak
February Peak Peak Peak Peak
March Good Peak Peak Peak
April Fair Peak Peak Fair
May Fair Peak Peak Fair
June Fair Good Good Fair
July Fair Fair Good Fair
August Fair Fair Good Fair
September Fair Fair Good Fair
October Fair Fair Good Fair
November Fair Fair Good Fair
December Good Good Good Peak
Striped Marlin striped marlin

Hawaiian Name: A'u
Avg. Weight: 60 lbs
Best Time of Year: December-May
IGFA World Record: 494 lbs.
Place: Tutukaka, New Zealand
Year: 1986
State Record: 211 lbs.
Place: Island of O'ahu
Year: 1996

Striped Marlin

The Striped Marlin is a much more common catch in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but is occasionally caught off the East Coast.

Wahoo (Ono)

Fishing Season Oahu Maui Kauai Big Island
January Fair Fair Good Fair
February Fair Fair Good Fair
March Good Fair Good Fair
April Good Good Peak Peak
May Good Peak Peak Peak
June Peak Peak Peak Peak
July Peak Peak Peak Fair
August Peak Good Good Fair
September Good Good Good Fair
October Fair Fair Good Fair
November Fair Fair Good Fair
December Fair Fair Good Fair
Wahoo Ono Fishing wahoo

Hawaiian Name: 'Ono
Avg. Weight: 25 lbs.
Best Time of Year: April-October
IGFA World Record: 158 lbs. 8 oz.
Place: Baja California, Mexico
Year: 1996
State Record: 124 lbs.
Place: Island of O'ahu
Year: In the 1940's

Wahoo (Ono)

Wahoo have a long slender body, light-colored vertical stripes, blue-grey backs, a silver belly and a slender tube-like mouth. While Wahoo are in the mackerel family, they are not a schooling fish. Wahoo grow upwards of 75 lbs. and are an offshore gamefish generally caught by trolling artificial lures.