Kona, Hawaii, has long been one of the world’s most storied marlin fishing destinations. We join Capt. Chris Donato and Joe Byrum aboard Benchmark, a beautifully restored 37-foot Merritt, as they chase blues and other pelagic species in the flat-calm waters off Kona.

In this introduction to the Visions of Granders series, Donato and Byrum offer short introductions of themselves as well as share their thoughts on what it’s like to fish close to shore for some of the largest blue marlin on the planet, and also what it takes to pick up the pace when the action slows down.