North Shore Fishing Report: Mahi, Aku and Fall Bites Off Haleiwa

Fall is one of our favorite times to fish off Haleiwa. The summer crowds are gone, the trades ease up, and Oahu's North Shore comes alive with some of the best action of the year.

Mahi mahi are biting right now. We're finding them along the ledges and under floating debris — when a bull lights up green and gold boatside, there's nothing like it.

Aku (skipjack tuna) schools are moving through too, giving steady action on light tackle. Aku are the bread and butter of fall fishing out here: hard fighters, fast bites, and excellent on the grill.

Trolling the ledges has been our most productive pattern — running lures at 7 to 8 knots along the drop-offs in 500 to 1,000 feet of water keeps the spread right where mahi and aku hunt bait.

On calmer days we're bottom fishing the reef edges for snapper and grouper. It's a fun change of pace and puts fresh fish in the cooler.

Capt. Matt has 23 years on the North Shore and reads these waters like a book — the birds, the current lines, the color changes — to put you on fish, whether it's your first trip or your fiftieth.

Our private trips take up to 6 guests, from $650. Book your trip on our Book Your Charter page — or call 808-429-9580.

And here's the bonus: whale season is on! From October through April, humpback whales fill these same waters. Read our whale season kickoff post — and ask us about a hydrophone whale watching trip to hear them sing.