The Oahu Fishing Grounds

Oahu is a great place to fish for big Marlin, as well as Ahi, Mahi Mahi and Ono. As shown in the chart to the left, Kewalo Basin is the starting point for Oahu Chartered fishing adventures, and there are several places the boats can reach in the course of a normal trip. Boats travelling at an average of 9 knots can travel a distance of approximately 70 miles in 8 hours, meaning a specific destination of about 35 miles offshore can be reached by the turn-around point.

A more favorable approach, however, since the water gets very deep so close to shore, is to follow the depth curves such as the 1,000 fathom line, or head to offshore surface objects such as FADs "HH", "BO", or "S" which are all well within reach. Bottom structures such as the Penguin Banks and the Pinnacle are also local favorites, as the upwelling created by currents that hit these underwater plateaus tend to congregate bait into the general area, often leading to a food chain succession. Once you witness the Hawaiian Iwa bird hovering over a school of bait or a giant Pacific Blue Marlin, you’ll begin to understand why your skipper spends some time in the area.

Although the largest reported Marlin ever caught (an 1805lb Blue) was produced here off of Oahu and the chance of it happening again always exists, we think the focus for our fishing visitors should be on the sheer beauty of the scenery of this magnificent island which we think can only be experienced from sea.

At only ten miles offshore, the buildings of Waikiki and Downtown Honolulu begin to fade, leaving only the majestic hills and mountains within view. On a heading to the Southeast, for example, Diamond Head takes on a whole new look from sea, and its aura is shadowed by the mighty Koolau range looming in its wake. If your skipper takes you Southwest towards the "BO" buoy or around Barber’s Point towards "S", take a moment to look North and gaze at the unspoiled beauty of the Waianae mountains. The sight of these green, tree-covered mountains will make you ponder the plight of the ancient Polynesians who used those very landmarks instead of a GPS to calculate their positions and determine where the fish were.

Oahu is a special island, and the fishing we offer only adds to it. Treasure your time and memories at sea in this wonderland, no matter what you end up with back at the docks.