Hour Long Ahi Battle

Thanks Guys, we have FADs here put out by the state of Hawaii. Fish Aggregate Devices, buoys that have rope and chain to the bottom. They attract small baitfish and crabs and shrimp and squid. The larger predators take up residency and feast on the food source. Fishermen put out their own buoys, this one is a boat hull upside down with a transponder on it, very low profile. it has a cargo net stuck on it under the water that also provides habitat for small baitfish. It has been there for about 6 months and has been holding small ahi for just about as long. The 50-70lb ahi have taken up residency and have been hit pretty hard by the local fishermen. If you are there at first light you can get them on lures, but when the other boats show up they go down. Then you have to jig. I don't mind jigging, but it is work. On this boat we don't have a lot of freeboard or room on the rail, so it is tough to jig.
Chunk fly, I actually made a chum fly out of lai, queenfish skin and chenille, for Christmas Island. That would work when we are chunking. I always have my 12wt with me offshore and like to use it when the bite is wide open and I can have fun. Most times we are after meat and try to get fish in the box before I break out the fly rod. I have caught ahi up to 60lbs on the fly, but it is a long unfair fight. They own you and get to the boat and then take off again. You can't high stick, or the rod will blow up.
Alex, hate it when restaurants give you a small portion of fish. My cats eat more sashimi than most people. I have spicy poke made and some nice steaks for blackened ahi tonight and had some ahi belly and eggs for breakfast this morning, but the best way is just thin sliced and some wasabi and shoyu sashimi.
Next week is spring break so already have a number of trips planned, maybe an ono on the fly. Keep my fingers crossed, Don.

Depends, usually we get big ahi from July to August as primetime. Last year the big ahi, 100-250lbs, came in June and you could get them on the troll. Then they left. Year before that we had a steady run of 50-60lbers all summer long. Usually we have lots of shibi, small ahi in the 10-20lb range and are good targets on the fly. They should be around all spring and summer. Same with aku, skip jack tuna. Mahi will come and go and are always a great target on the fly.
The ono are here now and will be headed our way this next month. I have a bunch of trips lined up for next week, my spring break. My friend got three on sunday, and lost seven. He had a 50lber to the boat twice and it shook the hook when he was ready to gaff. He was a little bummed. Most guys here are not into catch and release. This will be the best shot at getting one on the fly. They will still be around when you get here, just not in the same numbers. You should be able to get some ahi when you are here. Don.

Aloha Kenneth, hand lining. We have a couple of different techniques we use with a hand line. Trolling is with sugi cord, line is tucked inside rubber tubing. We drag lures for ono and then when they hit the rubber acts like a shock absorber. Then you have to hand line in the fish. I was guiding on Palmyra for the Nature Conservancy and we had these billionaire guests who got to go offshore for ahi and ono with a handline. You had to get the fish in quickly or the sharks would get to them. It was fun to see these wealthy guys getting their asses kicked by 50lb ahi and ono only to have the tax collector show up and take their catch.
We also use palu ahi and drop a bag of chum down to the tuna who are suspended below the first thermoclyne. You have a man on man tug of war with these fish. It is a pretty basic way yo fish that the hawaiians developed. That is were the name ahi comes from. When a tuna hit the rope would burn your hands like fire, and you yelled "ahi". Of course the ropes were made out of coconut fibers and were pretty coarse. Now they use dacron.
Sorry you are stuck in Rome, I am sure there are some other attractions to look at. Forza! Don.

Mingo said:

it's not hard to do a chum fly, just take a baitfish fly, take some scissors and jagged-cut it right behind the hook to look like a fish bit it in half. Then color up the edge on both sides with a bright red sharpie to suggest blood. It works great in a chum slick or when they are close to the boat busting baitfish. Trust me.

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Chumdidlyumptious