When is ulua season in Hawaii?

Hawaii keeps ulua 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 ulua?

The Hawaii daily bag limit for ulua is 20 ulua / day for non-commercial anglers (HAR §13-95-22) — 'ulua' covers the whole Caranx + Carangoides complex (C. ignobilis, C. lugubris, C. melampygus / ʻōmilu, C. sexfasciatus, Carangoides equula / ferdau / orthogrammus; juveniles = papio); commercial-marine licensees are exempt from the 20-fish cap. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size ulua can you keep in Hawaii?

The Hawaii size rule for ulua is 10 in minimum to take or possess, 16 in to sell (HAR §13-95-22). Trophy rule: Trophy ulua 100+ lb come from Kaʻena Point + South Point + Mokuʻāuia + Kepuhi + Kalalau cliff + reef-point surfcast venues; Hawaiʻi state record ~191 lb disputed; IGFA all-tackle Caranx ignobilis world record 160 lb 7 oz.

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

Yes. Hawaii requires a valid fishing license to fish for ulua, 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 ulua in Hawaii?

Yes. In Hawaii, ulua fishing carries these gear rules: Heavy conventional surfcast + bottom-rig + live + dead bait standard; spearfishing permitted outside MLCDs and SCUBA-spearing restrictions; Pelagic charter trolling permitted year-round outside MLCDs; 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 ulua / papio; SCUBA + powerhead spearfishing of ulua restricted under HAR — confirm current rule.

Do specific Hawaii waters have different ulua rules?

Yes. 4 named Hawaii waters carry rules that override the statewide ulua regulation, including Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor, Kāneʻohe Bay, Maunalua Bay, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Hawaii Giant trevally (ulua / papio) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Caranx ignobilis + Carangoides + Caranx melampygus + Caranx sexfasciatus

Last updated June 3, 2026

Giant trevally and the broader trevally / jack complex — ulua (the adult Caranx ignobilis, white ulua, plus its blue-fin cousin Caranx melampygus, ulua-laʻuli, and Caranx sexfasciatus, ulua paʻopaʻo, the bigeye trevally) — anchor Hawaiʻi's most-celebrated nearshore sportfishing tradition: the cliff + reef-point heavy-tackle surfcast for trophy fish. Local nomenclature distinguishes 'papio' (juveniles under ~10 lb) from 'ulua' (adults over ~10 lb), but both share a single regulatory rule under HAR §13-95-22: a 10-inch minimum length (16 in to sell) applies to ALL Caranx + Carangoides species, alongside a 20-ulua daily bag for non-commercial anglers. Ulua tournaments — the All-Islands Slam, the Big Island Ulua Tournament, the Father-and-Son Ulua Tournament — are deeply embedded in Hawaiian fishing culture, with peak entries in the May – October summer pelagic window when adult ulua move inshore to spawn on shallow reef + cliff platforms. The Caranx ignobilis world-record is 160 lb 7 oz (IGFA all-tackle, caught off Tokara Islands Japan 2006); Hawaiʻi state record is ~191 lb (Charles Auld, 1991, Kuhio Park Terrace Beach Oʻahu — disputed under modern weighing). Standard tackle is heavy-conventional or surf-cast with whole live or dead bait (akule, oama, octopus, eel) drifted on bottom rigs from cliff perches — Kaʻena Point (Oʻahu), Ka Lae / South Point (Big Island), Mokuʻāuia / Goat Island (Oʻahu), Kepuhi (Molokaʻi), Kalalau (Kauaʻi) are the storied venues. NO recreational marine licence required.

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Season

Open year-round Year-round but practical peak May – October when adult ulua move inshore to spawn on shallow reef + cliff structure. Ulua tournaments concentrate in summer pelagic window.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 20 ulua / day for non-commercial anglers (HAR §13-95-22) — 'ulua' covers the whole Caranx + Carangoides complex (C. ignobilis, C. lugubris, C. melampygus / ʻōmilu, C. sexfasciatus, Carangoides equula / ferdau / orthogrammus; juveniles = papio); commercial-marine licensees are exempt from the 20-fish cap

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 10 in minimum to take or possess, 16 in to sell (HAR §13-95-22)
Trophy rule: Trophy ulua 100+ lb come from Kaʻena Point + South Point + Mokuʻāuia + Kepuhi + Kalalau cliff + reef-point surfcast venues; Hawaiʻi state record ~191 lb disputed; IGFA all-tackle Caranx ignobilis world record 160 lb 7 oz

Gear restrictions

Heavy conventional surfcast + bottom-rig + live + dead bait standard; spearfishing permitted outside MLCDs and SCUBA-spearing restrictions
Pelagic charter trolling permitted year-round outside MLCDs
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 ulua / papio
SCUBA + powerhead spearfishing of ulua restricted under HAR — confirm current rule

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Hawaii waters:

Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor
10 in fork min Caranx / Carangoides; offshore trolling + reef-edge live-bait
Kāneʻohe Bay
10 in fork min; papio (juvenile ulua) dominant in protected bay flats
Maunalua Bay
10 in fork min; mixed papio + occasional ulua on south-shore reef edges
Hilo Bay
10 in fork min; mixed papio + ulua on east-windward reef + harbour breakwater

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

Visit official Hawaii fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Ulua 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 ulua season in Hawaii?: Hawaii keeps ulua 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 ulua?: The Hawaii daily bag limit for ulua is 20 ulua / day for non-commercial anglers (HAR §13-95-22) — 'ulua' covers the whole Caranx + Carangoides complex (C. ignobilis, C. lugubris, C. melampygus / ʻōmilu, C. sexfasciatus, Carangoides equula / ferdau / orthogrammus; juveniles = papio); commercial-marine licensees are exempt from the 20-fish cap. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size ulua can you keep in Hawaii?: The Hawaii size rule for ulua is 10 in minimum to take or possess, 16 in to sell (HAR §13-95-22). Trophy rule: Trophy ulua 100+ lb come from Kaʻena Point + South Point + Mokuʻāuia + Kepuhi + Kalalau cliff + reef-point surfcast venues; Hawaiʻi state record ~191 lb disputed; IGFA all-tackle Caranx ignobilis world record 160 lb 7 oz.
Do you need a license to fish for ulua in Hawaii?: Yes. Hawaii requires a valid fishing license to fish for ulua, 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 ulua in Hawaii?: Yes. In Hawaii, ulua fishing carries these gear rules: Heavy conventional surfcast + bottom-rig + live + dead bait standard; spearfishing permitted outside MLCDs and SCUBA-spearing restrictions; Pelagic charter trolling permitted year-round outside MLCDs; 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 ulua / papio; SCUBA + powerhead spearfishing of ulua restricted under HAR — confirm current rule.
Do specific Hawaii waters have different ulua rules?: Yes. 4 named Hawaii waters carry rules that override the statewide ulua regulation, including Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor, Kāneʻohe Bay, Maunalua Bay, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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