LAHAINA – Trying to come up with the Top Lahaina Harbor Charter Sportfishing captain statistics for billfish involves several variables. Just looking at total numbers doesn’t reflect all the variables in the final rankings.

Obviously, everyone looks at the number of blue marlin caught and total weight as an indicator of the top ranking. The blue marlin numbers totaled 271 (102 weighed and 169 released).

Released billfish (191) were noted as a total number, but all weights were “guesstimations,” and you know how fishermen are. These numbers do reflect into the ranking, since the top captains released more billfish than 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 Harbor Charter Sportfishing captains

Capt. Jonny Keiley took top honors as the 2019 Top Charter Sportfishing captain among the 24 captains that caught a billfish during the year. This is a three-peat for him, taking the top spot in both 2017 and 2018 aboard the 33-foot Blackfin Action.

He weighed seven blue marlin in a three-way tie for third most, totaling 1,371.0 pounds, the third highest total weight. He also weighed the largest blue marlin of the year at 728 pounds.

Jonny also released another 24 blue marlin, most released among the captains, totaling 4,765 pounds, the highest estimated total weight. This gave him a total of 31 blue marlin captured, tied for most among the captains, totaling 6,136.0 pounds, the highest total capture weight.

Jonny weighed one striped marlin, largest of the year, weighing 105.3 pounds, the second highest total weight. He also released one fish estimated at 50 pounds. This gave him a total of two striped marlin captured totaling 155.3 pounds, the highest total capture weight.

Jonny weighed two spearfish totaling 60 pounds while also releasing five others, the most released, totaling 110 pounds, the highest estimated weight. This gave him seven spearfish captured, the highest total captured, totaling 170 pounds, the second highest total capture weight.

This gave Jonny a total of 40-billfish captured, most among the captains, for a grand total of 6,461.3 pounds, the highest total capture weight.

To round things out, Jonny weighed three yellowfin ahi, the most weighed, totaling 333.8 pounds, the highest total weight, among the seven captains that weighed a 100-pound ahi.

Taking the second place spot was Capt. Chris Cole, fishing aboard the 41-foot Hatteras Hinatea. He weighed eight blue marlin, second most, totaling 1,088.0 pounds, the fifth highest total weight.

Chris also released 23 blue marlin, second most, totaling 3,420 pounds, the second highest estimated total weight. This gave him a total of 31 blue marlin captured, tied for most, totaling 4,508.0 pounds, the second highest total capture weight.

Chris weighed one striped marlin weighing 84 pounds while releasing another estimated at 50 pounds.This gave him a total of two striped marlin captured, estimated at 134 pounds, and the second highest estimated capture weight.

Chris weighed four spearfish, second most, weighing 120 pounds, the second highest total weight. He also released another two, second most, totaling 40 pounds, the second highest estimated total weight. This gave him a total of six spearfish captured, tied for second most captured, totaling 160 pounds, the third highest total capture weight.

This gave Chris a total of 39 billfish captured, second most, for a grand total of 4,802.0 pounds, the second highest total capture weight.

The third place spot goes to Capt. Fuzzy Alboro aboard the 35-foot Bertram Die Hard 2. He weighed seven blue marlin in a three-way tie for third most, weighing 1,270.0 pounds, the fourth highest total weight.

Fuzzy also released 11 blue marlin totaling 1,865 pounds, the fourth highest total capture weight. This gave him a total of 18 blue marlin captured, fourth most, totaling 3,135.4 pounds, the third highest total capture weight.

Fuzzy weighed three spearfish totaling 93.8 pounds while releasing another estimated at 25 pounds.

This gave Fuzzy a total of 22 billfish captured, fifth most, for a grand total of 3,254.2 pounds, the third highest total capture weight.

Fuzzy also weighed one yellowfin ahi at 135.2 pounds, the second largest of the year.

Fourth place went to Capt. Dave Hudson, fishing aboard the 37-foot Merritt Finest Kind.