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Kona Fishing Videos
Kona is one of the world's great big-game fisheries, where the bottom drops into thousands of feet of blue water within sight of the beach. These courses cover what that access produces: blue marlin with Kevin Hibbard aboard 2nd Offense, wahoo and yellowfin with Shawn Rotella, and the lure rigging and boat work that Kona's deep ledges and calm mornings reward. If you are fishing the Hawaiian Islands or planning a trip, this is the film to study first.
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2024, Vinyl vs. Rubber Trolling Lure Skirts for Fishing Blue Marlin
7:36 · Kevin HibbardTrolling lure skirt material affects blue marlin attraction through smoke trail production, swimming depth, and sea condition performance. Captain Kevin Hibbard's Kona expertise reveals when vinyl's lighter construction creates better surface disturbance for pusher lures in calm seas versus rubber's heavier build maintaining bullet lure depth and black smoke trails in rough water conditions.
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2024, Wahoo Fishing Lures and Rigging Concepts: Shawn Rotella
4:28 · Shawn RotellaCustom wahoo lure making provides advantages commercial offerings cannot replicate when targeting formidable predators at high speeds. Captain Shawn Rotella's process crafting lead bullet lures with strategic skirt colors, piano wire leaders, and non-IGFA hook rigs demonstrates how construction quality and rigging techniques affect both lure longevity and action during trolling sessions demanding constant performance.
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2023, Rigging Marlin Lures with Sta-Stuk Hooks
11:45 · Kevin HibbardSta-Stuk hooks from Fudo represent groundbreaking innovation for blue marlin lure rigging through design addressing traditional J hook weaknesses. Kris Ishibashi's step-by-step demonstration reveals proper crimping techniques and leader threading based on hook orientation, creating connections withstanding violent strikes and sustained battles while enhancing hookup ratios beyond what conventional designs provide for trolling big marlin.
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2023, Lure Spread Setup for Marlin Fishing: Kona Style
21:24 · Kevin HibbardCalm water marlin fishing demands lure spread configurations different from rough sea presentations, with principles applying beyond Hawaii to any flat-condition fishery. Kevin Hibbard and Kris Ishibashi reveal how Omni sonar technology transforms blind trolling into informed spread adjustments, plus optimal wave positioning for different lure types creating balanced coverage where each lure maintains proper action throughout the spread.
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2023, Fundamentals of Fishing Structure for Blue Marlin
29:51 · Kevin HibbardBlue marlin position predictably where ocean structure concentrates baitfish rather than roaming randomly. Captain Kevin Hibbard's insights reveal how currents and upwelling interact with bottom topography creating nutrient-rich zones that establish food chains, determining where marlin patrol and feed most actively rather than trolling aimlessly through surrounding waters appearing identical on the surface.
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2023, Hooks for Blue Marlin
23:17 · Kevin HibbardBlue marlin hook design diversity serves specific purposes based on lure type, tackle class, and technique rather than single styles fitting all scenarios. Captain Kevin Hibbard's expertise navigating Sta-Stuk, J-hooks, tuna bend, Kona cut, Conical cut, and Trokar cut varieties reveals how penetration characteristics and holding power differ, requiring tackle-based recommendations matching Fudo, Jobu, and other proven brands to fishing conditions.
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2023, Rigging Blue Marlin Lures with Vinyl Skirts and Sta-Stuk Hooks
1:03:36 · Kevin HibbardVinyl skirt material creates different action and durability than rubber for blue marlin lures, affecting swimming characteristics at trolling speeds and withstanding violent strikes. Captain Kevin Hibbard's Hawaiian-inspired expertise reveals how lure head shapes interact with skirt materials, why certain color combinations outproduce similar alternatives, and step-by-step Sta-Stuk Hook rigging ensuring secure connections under extreme marlin fishing pressures.
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2023, Bottom Fishing with Baits and Vertical Jigs
29:57 · Shawn RotellaDeep offshore structure at 75 to 80 fathoms concentrates monster fish around ledges, wrecks, and rock piles where drifting and vertical jigging provide thorough coverage. Captain Shawn Rotella's techniques for setting up systematic drifts, dropping baits and jigs simultaneously, and identifying bite depth in the water column unlock success on deepwater formations where understanding structure determines fish holding areas.
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2023, Lure Trolling for Yellowfin Tuna with Shawn Rotella
23:51 · Shawn RotellaYellowfin tuna trolling tactics shift dramatically when skipjack schools appear, demanding lure adjustments most anglers miss. Captain Shawn Rotella's Kona expertise reveals how predatory patterns, tide influences, and habitat structures determine which lure colors and trolling speeds trigger strikes from Thunnus albacares, plus post-catch gilling and cooling techniques preserving quality for premium table fare.
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2023, Mahi Mahi Trolling Tactics with Captain Shawn Rotella
40:36 · Shawn RotellaFloating debris creates mahi mahi concentrations in open ocean by establishing food chains attracting dolphin fish to structure. Captain Shawn Rotella's Kona expertise reveals trolling strategies around flotsam including approach angles preventing school dispersal, speed adjustments for lure action, and when to switch from trolling to live bait deployment based on fish response and feeding behavior.
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2023, Slow Trolling Live Bait for Wahoo with Shawn Rotella Part 2
20:13 · Shawn RotellaSlow trolling at 3 to 6 knots creates wahoo opportunities in Hawaii when high-speed presentations fail, requiring understanding of biological drivers affecting feeding behavior. Captain Shawn Rotella's legendary expertise reveals why speed ranges with live bait, dead bait, and lures trigger selective fish, plus gear and tackle differences between slow and high-speed trolling approaches matching ecological realities.
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2023, Slow Trolling Wahoo with Shawn Rotella Part 1
51:27 · Shawn RotellaSlow trolling live bait unlocks wahoo opportunities when fish won't chase high-speed presentations, requiring understanding of how weather, tides, and moon phases affect feeding patterns. Captain Shawn Rotella's expertise reveals when to switch from speed trolling, how structure and current relationships concentrate wahoo, and drag management techniques preventing common mistakes that cost fish during fights with powerful speedsters.
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Featured
2023, Rigging Bullet Lures for Wahoo Fishing
8:54 · Shawn RotellaWahoo bullet lures excel at high-speed trolling through streamlined cone design and heavy metal heads that dive and dance unlike other presentations. Arthur Bjontegard's rigging expertise covers wire leader changes, hook placement, and skirting techniques determining whether lures maintain proper action at velocities wahoo fishing demands, plus skirt color significance and trolling speed adjustments for triggering aggressive strikes.
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Featured
2021, Blue Marlin Fishing Tackle with Kevin Hibbard
29:16 · Kevin HibbardBlue marlin fishing unpredictability demands tackle capable of handling 1200-pound giants even when targeting average-sized fish. Premier destinations produce big marlin frequently enough that Captain Kevin Hibbard emphasizes reel capacity, drag systems, and mainline strength must handle sustained runs and extreme pressure rather than gambling on lighter setups adequate for smaller fish but inadequate when mama strikes without warning.
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2021, Blue Marlin Trolling Technique with Kevin Hibbard
14:58 · Kevin HibbardBlue marlin trolling effectiveness depends on using satellite data to locate temperature breaks and current convergences concentrating bait, then interpreting tuna and porpoise signals revealing real-time feeding activity. Kevin Hibbard's techniques for positioning lures relative to bait schools in open water versus around structures create systematic approaches rather than random trolling hoping to intersect marlin patrolling productive zones.
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2021, Blue Marlin Trolling Lures with Kevin Hibbard
37:56 · Kevin HibbardBlue marlin trolling lure effectiveness depends on understanding swimming cycles in varied sea conditions rather than random lure selection. Kevin Hibbard's Pacific-rooted rigging techniques emphasize how leader material natural bend and memory affect lure action, while his philosophy on size and color prioritizes angler confidence that allows committed fishing over constant second-guessing undermining presentation quality.
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2021, Fishing Kona with Kevin Hibbard for Blue Marlin
22:33 · Kevin HibbardKona blue marlin fishing requires understanding how feeding times, water conditions, currents, and structure interact rather than single-factor approaches. Kevin Hibbard's decades of experience reveal that consistent success depends on reading how these variables combine to create high-percentage zones, recognizing bite time patterns when marlin feed aggressively, and knowing when bait versus lure presentations produce better results in Kona's unique environment.
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2021, Boat Driving Skills for Blue Marlin with Kevin Hibbard
16:47 · Kevin HibbardBlue marlin boat driving determines fight outcomes through simple spread setup allowing quick line clearing, understanding fish behavior patterns that inform positioning decisions, and achieving superior position early. Kevin Hibbard's worldwide marlin experience reveals how drag settings, line angle management, and strategic use of current create control needed for landing trophy fish rather than reactive responses after marlin establish advantages.
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2018, Big Game Legends - George Parker Part 2
34:22 · George ParkerGeorge Parker shares his valuable insights on marlin fishing in Hawaii for the In The Spread prject Big Game Legends.
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2018, Big Game Legends - Marlin Parker Part 2
19:50 · Marlin ParkerMarlin Parker Interview In the Spread Big Game Legends Part II
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