Best Fishing Times in Hawaii This Week
Near Kailua-Kona, Honolulu and Lihue: today on a 24 hour timeline and the next seven days rated Fair to Best.
Working out the moon and the sun for Kailua-Kona, HI, and reading the forecast.
Fishing somewhere else? Enter any ZIP for your own spot
Photo: “Fall fishing on the Madison River at sunrise”, Jacob W. Frank, Yellowstone National Park (NPS), Public domain
Hawaii at a glance
Solunar windows plus the agency calendarWhen fish bite in Hawaii
Hawaii's fishing year includes bonefish (oio) taken most from December through April, the Kokee rainbow trout season on Kauai from June to September, oama inshore in summer and young papio in fall.
Each entry below is from Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources or its published guides, quoted word for word and linked. Line the season up with the week above: a run in its prime and a Great day with a window at first light is the morning to take off.
- December to April
Bonefish (oio)
Bonefish, or oio, are taken most often from December through April.
“Seasonality: More taken December through April”
Fishing in Hawaii - A Student Manual, Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources, read October 9, 2026 - June 20 to September 30
Rainbow trout
On Kauai, the 2026 Kokee rainbow trout season ran daily from June 20 to September 30, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“Open season for rainbow trout will begin June 20, 2026 in the Kōke‘e Public Fishing Area (PFA) on Kaua‘i. Anglers may fish daily from June 20 to September 30, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.”
5/20/26 – ANNUAL RAINBOW TROUT SEASON AT KŌKEʻE, KAUAʻI – Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, read October 9, 2026 - June to September
Oama
Oama come inshore in large schools each year from June through September, and in some years into November.
“The oama are known to recruit annually inshore in large schools during the months of June through September and in some years recruitment will extend into November.”
Hawaii’s Ulua and Papio Tagging Project 2000 to 2004, Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources, read October 9, 2026 - August to November
White papio
Young white papio, 4 to 5 inches long, appear along the shoreline from August to November, peaking in September and October.
“Tag and release data indicate that the earliest recruits of the year are the 4” to 5” FL white papio that are first noticed along the shoreline between the months of August to November with peak recruitments occurring between September and October.”
Hawaii’s Ulua and Papio Tagging Project 2000 to 2004, Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources, read October 9, 2026
Reading the Hawaii timeline
Each day has two major solunar periods of about two hours, centered on the moon overhead and underfoot, and two minor periods of about an hour at moonrise and moonset. A window within an hour of sunrise or sunset is marked in gold. The rating adds the moon phase, the gold windows and a capped nudge from the National Weather Service forecast for each town. Every factor and its points.
Dawn and dusk are the reliable part; the moon windows are the old angler’s rule.
