Fishing for Mahimahi and Wahoo (Ono) on the island of Oahu
Another big game species the frequents the western shore of Oahu is the Mahimahi. Although not as large as the Ahi and Blue Marlin, Mahimahi are ferocious feeders and fun to catch. A large bull mahi (male) will weigh in at 60 to 70 pounds and a large female at 35 to 40 pounds. Mahi travel in harems with one or two big bulls and a group of females. The "Live Bait" has developed a system, using live mackerel (Opelu), that allows them to catch
most of the harem.
Wahoo are another big game fish that are frequently caught on the Waianae coast. They tend to congregate on deep water ledges and around floating debris. When the "Live Bait" locates a school of Wahoo (Ono) they will use wire line and downriggers to catch them.
Ahi Fever - Fishing for Yellowfin Tuna
On the Makaha coast of Oahu, Hawaii
Giant Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi) school in large numbers along the calm Makaha Coast of Oahu. Unlike the north shore of Oahu where the fish occasionally migrate along the coast, every summer large schools of Ahi stop offshore of the Waianae Boat Harbor, sometimes staying in the same area for months at a time.
While other charter fishing boats are traveling for hours from distant harbors like Haleiwa, Ko Olina, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor or Honolulu to reach these fish the "Live Bait" is just minutes away. Because this annual congregation of big Yellowfin Tuna, the Waianae Boat Harbor is home to Waianae Hawaii's
Ahi Fever Fishing Tournament.
Shannon and the crew of "Live Bait" missed a first place finish in the 2009 Ahi Fever Tournament by two pounds but were happy to go home with a second place in the
2009 "Ahi Fever" Hawaii's most prestigious fishing tournament.