Kona marlin fishing with a four line lure spread, set by Kris Ishibashi aboard Kevin Hibbard's Second Offense. Four lines, not five, because the boat turns hard off its sonar, a teaser on the second wave, the tube in the trough, and a heavier bullet because big blues have been pushing the light one away.
Lure Spread Setup for Marlin Fishing: Kona Style
Lure Spread Setup for Marlin Fishing: Kona Style
(00:21:24)
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Instructor:
Kevin Hibbard
11-29-2023
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How do Kona boats set a four lure marlin spread in calm water?
Kona marlin fishing runs a lure spread on the standard pattern, biggest lures close and smallest farthest back, each on its own wave, but with four lines instead of five. Aboard Second Offense, Kevin Hibbard's boat, Kris Ishibashi puts the longs out first and works in, "longest to shortest, because the shortest is always gonna be closest."
The teaser goes on the second wave and the lures fill the waves behind it. Kris sets his drags at 30 lb, "a little bit tighter than most people do," and keeps the spread simple on purpose. The lure for every position, and the wave it rides, are in the video.
Why do Kona boats run four lines and no shotgun?
Most marlin boats run five lines with a shotgun down the middle. With its Omni sonar, Second Offense takes turns differently than most boats when it's fishing, hard turns that would wrap a center line around the others. So the boat runs four, and rarely a dredge, because "more lines in the way gets more chaotic."
Where does each lure sit on the wave in a Kona spread?
Each head is placed where its action works best. Kris runs the short bait higher on the wave because it "likes to wiggle and dance," the long corner tube farther back in the trough because it is a straight runner that likes nicer water, and the bullet heavy enough to stay down, either dish ragging or throwing black smoke.
He went to a heavier bullet because bigger fish had been coming in hot and pushing the lighter one out of the way. A heavier bullet stays put for the bite.
Inside the video
- The Little Hibby, named for Kevin's son Fletcher, on the longest wave
- A mud flap tuna teaser with pink squids, and why "elephants do eat peanuts"
- Sta-Stuk hooks on everything, 9/0 on the small lure and 10/0 Kona cut on the rest
- Why the singles run a little floppy, and why doubles are out in a release fishery
- Keeping reel handles down so a hard turn can't pull line
Questions About the Kona Marlin Lure Spread
Why do Kona crews run aggressive cut face lures?
Kona fishes deep water close to the island in calm seas, so crews there can run more aggressive cut faces than boats in rougher fisheries. Kris notes that most lure makers also build a couple of cuts that work everywhere, and he suggests asking a local tackle shop which ones suit the water you fish.
Why is the bullet the all around lure?
A bullet holds in the water in rough or calm conditions, so it earns a place in almost any spread. Kris wants his dish ragging or throwing black smoke, just under the surface, and runs a heavier one when big fish are showing so the lure stays put when they come in hot.
What hooks does Second Offense run in the spread?
Everything on the boat carries a Sta-Stuk: a 9/0 Kona cut in the small lure and 10/0 Kona cuts in the rest. Kris runs single hooks, rigged stiff but not as stiff as they could be, because the crew's hookup ratio has been better that way. Doubles run only on a couple of lures fished flat.
How should you set a spread on a small boat?
Wakes differ from boat to boat, so the wave count on one hull won't match another. On his own boat Kris ran lines flat, with longer rods on the longs and shorter rods on the corners, and sometimes only two lines. "Each person is different. You don't need to follow what I do."
The Open Water Version of the Spread
Kona's four line spread is built for calm water and a boat that drives off the sonar. For the five lure version run in open water, with a shotgun and a wave for every position, watch David Brackmann's blue marlin lures and spread setup.
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There are no reviews yet.Kevin Hibbard
Captain Kevin Hibbard is a Kona-based marlin captain and wireman who runs the 2nd Offense out of Kona, Hawaii. He learned lure fishing from Kona's best, including Captain Marlin Parker, and has handled granders off Hawaii and Australia, including a reported 1,018-pound black marlin as the mate. He holds the shortbill spearfish world record on 16-pound tackle and is the first captain to win the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament's Henry Chee Memorial Trophy in back-to-back tournaments. A Pelagic Pro Team member, he teaches Kona lure spreads, hook rigging and reading structure for big marlin on In The Spread.
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