Yellowfin Tuna Fishing in Hawaii 2025

Tuna is one of the most common fish consumed in Hawaii. Skipjack tuna weighing 5 kg or more is a local staple food that you can try at any restaurant. However, anglers from all over the world flock to Hawaii, hoping to catch a large yellowfin tuna or 'ahi' that has become rather rare. The best chance to catch tuna is during the summer months. The air might be very hot during these months, but the ocean is much calmer than in the winter.

As a rule, yellowfin tuna travel in large groups and are frequently followed by dolphins, so they are easier to be found in the deeper waters around the island. Once they are detected, bait them using anchovies, sardines, or even mackerel. When fished out, yellowfin tuna typically do not jump, but they are capable of making sudden sideways turns, which, considering their weight, can be a truly exhausting experience when trying to reel one in.

The flesh coloration of yellowfin tuna ranges from pink in small fish to deep red in large fish. Large fish are considered to have a higher content of fat than smaller fish, and this is a desirable characteristic for raw fish products, as well as for broiling and searing.

Yellowfin tuna is more common to be found in waters near Hale’iwa, Kona, Hilo, Wai’anae, Nawiliwili Harbor.