From left, deckman Sean Hudson, Capt. Sal Tarantino and Alex Paxton with their 197.8 yellowfin. PHOTOS BY DONNELL TATE.

LAHAINA – The anticipated arrival of the 100-plus-pound ahi finally made a showing at the end of June with 16 caught in just 14 days. This was the best run and month since 1995 (20 years).

The top tuna weighed 197.8, 181.0, 168.1 and 163.0 pounds. Several boats had multiple fish. The Action had four (136.4, 119.2, 115.1, 110.0). The Jun Ken Po also had four (163.0 and a triple 123.6/114.0/105.2). The No Problem had three in two days (181.0, 146.0, 130.0). The Kai Akua had a double day (144.1, 137.7).

The Reel Hooker boated a “toad”-sized yellowfin “Allison” tuna weighing 197.8 pounds by Alex Paxton. He was fishing with Capt. Sal Tarantino and deckman Sean Hudson.

They were heading out on a morning charter, before light, on their way toward Lanai. Sal mentioned that they were in 17 fathoms of water, a mile-and-a-half from the harbor entrance L-Buoy, when they got the strike on the short rigger position. They landed their fish in 40 minutes on 80-class gear and 100-test line.

This is the largest yellowfin tuna to date this year and the 17th largest ahi by a Lahaina Harbor Charter Sportfishing boat since 1977.

From left, Nicola Colombo, deckman Kenny Bauchman and Capt. Chad Leonillo caught this 568.8-pound blue marlin.

The Die Hard 2 pulled in a 168.1-pound yellowfin “Allison” tuna by Marcia Warren. She was fishing with Capt. Rich Lynch and deckman Jamie. They were in 1,000 fathoms of water between the MC and NASA buoys off the backside of Lanai. It was a 25-minute fight using 130-test line from the short rigger position.

The Jun Ken Po weighed a yellowfin “Allison” tuna at 163.0 pounds by Evan Matthews with Capt. Patrick Dorn and deckman Dyllon Smith.

They were on an afternoon four-hour trip, fishing for ono in the “Secret Spot” area in 24 fathoms off Launiupoko. It was a short rigger bite on 130-test gear, taking them only 12 minutes to boat the fish.

For it being July, the billfish bite came to a sudden stop. Only two blue marlin were weighed, with another four released. A couple of striped marlin and three spearfish brought the numbers up to 11 fish.

The Die Hard 2 joined the marlin stats with a 437.8-pound blue by William Lane. He was fishing with Captains Fuzzy Alboro and Sam Thies. They had been fishing the SO-Buoy off the southwest end of Kahoolawe and were heading in toward Olowalu. Just as they crossed the 200-fathom ledge behind the LA-Buoy marks, they had a strike on the long gone position.

Sam said that it was the easiest marlin he had ever caught – in just 22 minutes on 100-test line. Fuzzy mentioned, “Easiest fish ever.”

The Island Time brought in a 428.3-pound blue marlin by Mitch Shepley. He was fishing with Captain Rod Quam and Bill Forsyth.

They started off at the NASA-Buoy off the backside of Lanai. Rod headed south down the 500-fathom ledge in the direction of the MC-Buoy, turning in toward the K-Buoy.

About two miles from the buoy, they got a strike on the long gone position. It was an hour fight using 80-class gear and 100-test line.

The end of summer finished the way it started, with only five blue marlin weighed and another two released during August.

The Finest Kind added another 500-pound marlin to the top billfish stats – this one weighing 568.8 pounds by Nicola Colombo. He was fishing with Capt. Chad Leonillo and deckman Kenny Bauchman.

Chad was watching the pattern as he crossed the 500-fathom ledge off Kaumalapau Harbor on the backside of Lanai. Suddenly, he spotted the short corner lure fly out of the water. The marlin came back on the short corner lure real hard. The rigger line came down fast. “Nice going away bite,” said Chad. It took them an hour to boat their fish using 80-class gear and 100-test line.

The May through August billfish totals saw 18 blue marlin weighed and another nine released, totaling 27 fish. Four of the blues were in the 500-pound range (576.1, 568.8, 544.7, 500.0), with four in the 400-pound range (437.8, 428.3, 417.3, 412.6). There were five striped marlin and 15 spearfish also weighed, bringing the four-month billfish totals to 47 fish. There were 17 ahi over 100 pounds weighed.