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 captains 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 Action and Start Me Up Again, took back-to-back honors as the Top Sportfishing Charter Boat Captain for Lahaina Harbor for 2018 and 2017, among the 24 captains who caught a billfish during the year.

Jonny weighed four blue marlin, tied for fifth most, totaling 1,026.0 pounds, the fifth highest total weight. His largest was 494.0 pounds. He also released 15 blue marlin, second most released, totaling 2,220 pounds, the second highest estimated total release weight.

This gave Jonny 19 blue marlin captured, the second highest total captured, totaling 3,246.0 pounds, the second highest total capture weight.

Jonny weighed one striped marlin at 85 pounds while releasing one estimated at 40 pounds. He also weighed six spearfish in a three-way tie for most weighed, totaling 167.2 pounds, the third highest total weight. His 60.2-pound fish was the largest spearfish of the year and the largest weighed since 2007.

Jonny also releasing four spearfish, the most released, estimated at 100 pounds, the highest estimated total weight. This gave Jonny ten spearfish captured, the most captured, totaling 267.2 pounds, the highest total capture weight.

Jonny had 31 billfish captured for the year, tied for most captured, totaling 3,638.2 pounds, the second highest total capture weight.

Jonny weighed six ahi over 100 pounds, the second most weighed, totaling 685.4 pounds, the second highest total ahi weight. He also weighed four between 90 and 99 pounds and six between 80 and 90 pounds.

Congratulations to Captain Jonny Keiley, Top Charter Sportfishing Captain for Lahaina Harbor in 2018.

Grabbing the second place spot was Capt. Jukka Hyytia, fishing aboard the Action, Start Me Up Again and Start Me Up La Dat.

Jukka weighed two blue marlin totaling 578.2 pounds (his largest at 462.4 pounds). He also released 19 blue marlin, the most released, totaling 2,945 pounds, the highest estimated release weight.

This gave Jukka 21 blue marlin captured, the highest total captured, totaling 3,523.2 pounds, the highest total capture weight.

Jukka weighed four striped marlin, the second most, totaling 157 pounds, the second highest total weighed. He also released two striped marlin, tied for most released, totaling 80 pounds, the second highest estimated total released.

This gave Jukka a total of six striped marlin captured, the most captured, totaling 237 pounds, the highest total capture weight. Jukka also weighed four spearfish totaling 125 pounds.

Jukka had 31 billfish captured for the year, tied for most captured, totaling 3,930.2 pounds, the highest total capture weight.

The third place spot went to Capt. Timster Putnam, fishing aboard the Start Me Up.

Timster weighed four blue marlin, tied for fifth most, totaling 789.6 pounds. His largest was 563.4 pounds, the third largest of the year. He also released 11 blue marlin, third most, totaling 1,605 pounds, the third highest estimated release weight.

This gave Timster 15 blue marlin captured, third highest total captured, totaling 2,394.6 pounds, the fourth highest total capture weight.

Timster released two striped marlin, tied for second most, totaling 130 pounds, the highest estimated total release weight. He also released one spearfish estimated at 45-pounds.

Timster had 18 billfish captured for the year, the third most captured, totaling 2,569.6 pounds, the third highest total capture weight.

In the fourth place spot was Capt. John Burke, fishing aboard the Start Me Up Too.

John weighed five blue marlin, fourth most, totaling 1,719.0 pounds, the second highest total weight. His largest was 582.4 pounds, the second largest for 2018. He also caught a 509.2-pounder, the fourth largest. John also released six blue marlin, sixth most, totaling 800 pounds.

This gave John 11 blue marlin captured, the fifth most captured, totaling 2,519.0 pounds, the third highest total capture weight.

John weighed one striped marlin at 32 pounds.

John had 12 billfish captured, the seventh most captured, totaling 2,551.0 pounds, the fourth highest total capture weight.