LAHAINA – Trying to come up with the top captain statistics for billfish involves several variables. I look at all the variables in each category, give them a number and try to come up with a fair ranking. Released billfish were noted as both a total number and estimated weight, but all weights were “guesstimations.” These numbers do reflect into the ranking, since the top captain released more billfish than all the others and should get due credit.

The final statistics are my own and are open to opinion and interpretation.

Now, the rankings for the Top Lahaina Sportfishing Captains…

Capt. Jonny Keiley, fishing aboard the Top Sportfishing Boat, the 32-foot Blackfin Action, took top honors as the Top Sportfishing Charter Boat Captain for Lahaina Harbor in 2017, among the 26 captains that caught a billfish during the year.

Jonny weighed 11 blue marlin, third most, weighing 2,944.4 pounds, the second highest total blue marlin weight. His largest was a 595.4-pound blue, second largest of the year for a charter captain. He also released 17 blue marlin, most released, totaling 2,575 pounds and highest estimated total blue release weight.

This gave Jonny 28 blue marlin captured, most blue marlin captured among the captains, totaling 5,519.4 pounds, the highest total blue capture weight.

Jonny released one striped marlin estimated at 90 pounds. He also weighed eight spearfish, tied for most weighed, totaling 198 pounds, third highest total weight. Jonny also released seven spearfish, most released, totaling 165 pounds, highest estimated total release weight. This gave him 15 spearfish captured, most captured, totaling 363 pounds, the highest total capture weight.

This gave Jonny 44 billfish for the year, most billfish captured among the captains, totaling 5,972.4 pounds, and highest total billfish capture weight.

Jonny had a record year for big tuna, weighing 15 of the 28 over 100 pounds, most weighed, totaling 1,989.6 pounds, highest total tuna weight, with the largest of the year at 171.6 pounds. He also weighed 18 between 80-99-pounds, the most in that range weighed.

Congratulations to Capt. Jonny Keiley, Top Charter Sportfishing Captain for Lahaina Harbor in 2017.

Grabbing the second place spot was Capt. Fuzzy Alboro, fishing aboard the 35-foot Bertram Die Hard 2. Fuzzy weighed 17 blue marlin, most among the captains, weighing 2,996.7 pounds, the highest total blue marlin weight. His largest weighed 486.5 pounds. He also released two blue marlin, fifth most, totaling 375 pounds, the sixth highest estimated total blue release weight.

This gave Fuzzy 19 blue marlin captured, third most blue marlin captured, totaling 3,371.7 pounds, the third highest total blue capture weight.

Fuzzy weighed four striped marlin, second most, totaling 127.8 pounds, the second highest total weight. He also weighed eight spearfish, tied for most weighed, totaling 262.9 pounds, the highest total weight. This gave him eight spearfish captured, the second most, totaling 262.9 pounds, the second highest total capture weight.

This gave Fuzzy 31 billfish for the year, second most billfish captured, totaling 3,762.4 pounds, the third highest total billfish capture weight.

Fuzzy also had a good year for big tuna, weighing eight over 100 pounds, second most, totaling 924.9 pounds, the second highest total tuna weight. He also weighed four between 80-99 pounds.

In the third place spot was Capt. Terry Kellam. He accumulated his billfish while fishing aboard the Finest Kind and Exact II.

Terry weighed 16 blue marlin, second most, totaling 2,406.9 pounds, third highest total blue marlin weight. He also released four blue marlin, tied for fourth most, for an estimated total weight of 1,100 pounds, the third highest estimated total blue release weight.

This gave Terry 20 blue marlin captured, second most blue marlin captured, totaling 3,506.9 pounds and second highest total blue capture weight.

Terry weighed one striped marlin at 70 pounds and released two others totaling 145 pounds. This gave him three striped marlin captured, third most, totaling 215 pounds, the second highest total capture weight.

Terry also weighed six spearfish, in a three-way-tie, totaling 209.8 pounds, the second highest total weight. This gave him six spearfish captured, third most, totaling 209.8 pounds, the third highest total capture weight.

Terry released one sailfish estimated at 70 pounds.

This gave Terry 30 billfish for the year, third most billfish captured, totaling 4,001.7 pounds, the second highest total billfish capture weight.

Terry weighed one ahi at 108 pounds.