Maui Kayak Fisherman Featured in Discovery Channel Series

By Wendy Osher

The Discovery Channel launches a new series in October highlighting the sport of kayak fishing, and the “rare breed” of sportsmen and women who “risk their lives to catch 100-plus pound fish” in the open ocean.

Among them is Maui’s own, Jon Jon Tabon, the founder, captain and pro guide at Local Fishing Knowledge.

According to a series bio, “Jon Jon inherited his passion for the ocean from his father, and while his ancestry traces back to the Philippines, his spirituality goes deep into the same Pacific.”

Jon Jon Tabon, file photo 2013 by Wendy Osher.

The Pacific Warriors series “heads to Hawaiʻi to reveal the adrenaline-fueled world of kayak fishing,” where producers say, “one fresh catch can reel in $1,500 or more.”

“Though these men and women survive and thrive by living off the ocean, kayak fishing is not for the faint of heart,” the series announcement states. “Even the slightest mistake can invite deadly consequences,” according series promotional material.

In fact, Maui Now spoke with Jon Jon following a fatal shark attack in waters off of Maui in 2013.  According to county officials, the victim was fishing in his kayak on Dec. 2, 2013 when he was bitten, and died before reaching shore. At the time, Jon Jon discussed safety measures and the growing popularity of the extreme sport.

Photo credit: Pacific Warriors/Discovery Channel.

According to the series announcement, the show follows seven teams that are “regularly taken on what they call ‘Hawaiian Sleigh Rides,’ which occur when they hook monster fish that drag them out to sea – sometimes as much as 10 miles or more.”

The Pacific Warriors six-part series premiers on Friday, Oct. 23, 2014, at 10 PM ET/PT on the Discovery Channel.

Pacific Warriors is produced for Discovery Channel by Original Media.