When is bonefish season in Hawaii?

Hawaii keeps bonefish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Hawaii bag limit for bonefish?

The Hawaii daily bag limit for bonefish is No statewide daily bag limit (HAR §13-95-10 sets only the 14-in minimum); confirm current-year DAR notice — ʻōʻio rules are under periodic conservation review. The possession limit is No statewide possession limit (14-in minimum only). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size bonefish can you keep in Hawaii?

The Hawaii size rule for bonefish is 14 in minimum length (HAR §13-95-10). Trophy rule: Trophy ʻōʻio in HI commonly 8-12 lb on Oʻahu west side + Molokaʻi south shore flats; statewide record + IGFA records typically Christmas Island / Kiribati stock.

Do you need a license to fish for bonefish in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii requires a valid fishing license to fish for bonefish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Hawaii license — compare resident and non-resident Hawaii fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for bonefish in Hawaii?

Yes. In Hawaii, bonefish fishing carries these gear rules: Fly + light-tackle spinning + live + dead bait permitted; standard HAR Title 13 marine gear rules; Catch-and-release encouraged by Oʻahu + Maui flyfishing guide community given species' vulnerability to harvest pressure; NO recreational marine licence required (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model); MLCD waters (Hanauma Bay, Molokini, Kealakekua, Pupukea, Honolua-Mokuleʻia, Manele-Hulopoʻe, Lapakahi, Old Kona Airport, Waiʻōpae) closed to all marine-life take including ʻōʻio.

Do specific Hawaii waters have different bonefish rules?

Yes. 3 named Hawaii waters carry rules that override the statewide bonefish regulation, including Maunalua Bay, Kāneʻohe Bay, Hilo Bay. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Hawaii Bonefish (ʻōʻio) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Albula virgata + Albula glossodonta

Last updated June 3, 2026

Bonefish — universally called 'ʻōʻio' in Hawaiian — is the signature flats-stalking flyfishing species of the main Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi hosts two genetically distinct species (Albula virgata, the round-jaw bonefish endemic to the Hawaiian + Pacific archipelagos, and Albula glossodonta, the sharp-jaw bonefish shared with the Indo-Pacific and the famed Christmas Island / Kiribati trophy stock), making the islands the only US state with two sympatric bonefish species. The best ʻōʻio flats are on Oʻahu's south + west shores (Maunalua Bay + Kāneʻohe Bay + Mokulēʻia + Yokohama Bay), Molokaʻi's south shore reef flats, and Lānaʻi's south-shore reef benches — generally inside coral reef edges in 1-6 ft of clear sand-and-grass bottom. Hawaiʻi ʻōʻio average smaller than Christmas Island fish (typically 2-5 lb in HI, vs. 6-10 lb on Kiritimati) but trophy fish to 12+ lb are caught annually from Oʻahu west side and Molokaʻi. HAR §13-95-10 sets a 14-inch minimum length; there is NO statewide daily bag limit on ʻōʻio in the current rule (a daily bag has been periodically proposed as catch reports decline, and DAR keeps the species under conservation review). NO recreational marine licence is required for ʻōʻio fishing — Hawaiʻi's distinctive open-access marine recreational model. Catch-and-release is the dominant culture among Oʻahu and Maui flyfishing guides given the species' vulnerability to harvest; live-bait + fly + light-tackle spinning are all practiced. Confirm current-year DAR notices — ʻōʻio rules are under periodic review for conservation tightening.

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Season

Open year-round Year-round; ʻōʻio is the Hawaiian flats-flyfishing signature species. Tide-driven feeding windows on incoming + first-of-outgoing tides on reef-flat structure.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: No statewide daily bag limit (HAR §13-95-10 sets only the 14-in minimum); confirm current-year DAR notice — ʻōʻio rules are under periodic conservation review
Possession: No statewide possession limit (14-in minimum only)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 14 in minimum length (HAR §13-95-10)
Trophy rule: Trophy ʻōʻio in HI commonly 8-12 lb on Oʻahu west side + Molokaʻi south shore flats; statewide record + IGFA records typically Christmas Island / Kiribati stock

Gear restrictions

Fly + light-tackle spinning + live + dead bait permitted; standard HAR Title 13 marine gear rules
Catch-and-release encouraged by Oʻahu + Maui flyfishing guide community given species' vulnerability to harvest pressure
NO recreational marine licence required (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model)
MLCD waters (Hanauma Bay, Molokini, Kealakekua, Pupukea, Honolua-Mokuleʻia, Manele-Hulopoʻe, Lapakahi, Old Kona Airport, Waiʻōpae) closed to all marine-life take including ʻōʻio

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Hawaii waters:

Maunalua Bay
14 in min, no statewide bag limit; classic Oʻahu south-shore flats — Black Point + Niu + Paikō reef benches
Kāneʻohe Bay
14 in min, no statewide bag limit; protected windward bay flats + sandbar tier
Hilo Bay
14 in min, no statewide bag limit; Big Island east windward mixed reef + freshwater stream-mouth flats

Official source

Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) publishes the authoritative 2026 Hawaiifishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The bonefish rules on this page are sourced from Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR)'s official bonefish regulation page.

Visit official Hawaii fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Bonefish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Hawaii trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is bonefish season in Hawaii?: Hawaii keeps bonefish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Hawaii bag limit for bonefish?: The Hawaii daily bag limit for bonefish is No statewide daily bag limit (HAR §13-95-10 sets only the 14-in minimum); confirm current-year DAR notice — ʻōʻio rules are under periodic conservation review. The possession limit is No statewide possession limit (14-in minimum only). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size bonefish can you keep in Hawaii?: The Hawaii size rule for bonefish is 14 in minimum length (HAR §13-95-10). Trophy rule: Trophy ʻōʻio in HI commonly 8-12 lb on Oʻahu west side + Molokaʻi south shore flats; statewide record + IGFA records typically Christmas Island / Kiribati stock.
Do you need a license to fish for bonefish in Hawaii?: Yes. Hawaii requires a valid fishing license to fish for bonefish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Hawaii license — compare resident and non-resident Hawaii fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for bonefish in Hawaii?: Yes. In Hawaii, bonefish fishing carries these gear rules: Fly + light-tackle spinning + live + dead bait permitted; standard HAR Title 13 marine gear rules; Catch-and-release encouraged by Oʻahu + Maui flyfishing guide community given species' vulnerability to harvest pressure; NO recreational marine licence required (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model); MLCD waters (Hanauma Bay, Molokini, Kealakekua, Pupukea, Honolua-Mokuleʻia, Manele-Hulopoʻe, Lapakahi, Old Kona Airport, Waiʻōpae) closed to all marine-life take including ʻōʻio.
Do specific Hawaii waters have different bonefish rules?: Yes. 3 named Hawaii waters carry rules that override the statewide bonefish regulation, including Maunalua Bay, Kāneʻohe Bay, Hilo Bay. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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