Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2020 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ On the Big Island, just up the road from Hilo’s boat harbor, is a place that many people come from all over the Hawaiian Islands and the world to visit. It is a place where four generations of families have been known to visit together, and where many lifelong memories originate. For many, it’s their first stop after the plane lands; and, for some, it’s the main reason they drive across the island. S. Tokunaga Store is iconic to fishermen and hunters as a “one-stop-shop that is stocked with all the right gear to make one’s fishing and diving expeditions a great experience.” This year marks a very special anniversary for S. Tokunaga Store: 100 years. As S. Tokunaga celebrates their 100th anniversary, I got to know a little…

■ Headed out early, I tried trolling for a few hours with no luck. I decided to head in to see if I could catch a few ‘opelu to live-bait on the inside. I managed to get a few, so I sent one back out on my 8500 Spinner. The bait was in the water for less than 15 minutes, then “Bango!” The fight was on! The battle lasted for 15 to 20 minutes, and I could tell it was a good-sized fish. I was thinking it was an ulua until I finally saw it and realized it was a huge uku. I literally screamed out loud! I quickly grabbed my gaff and sealed the deal. I was able to capture the battle on my GoPro, and the video is…

■ A long time ago, my copy of HAWAII FISHING NEWS had just arrived. On the cover was a picture of a guy holding a fly rod and a largemouth bass - two things near and dear to my heart. After reading the story, I just had to meet this Mike Sakamoto guy, because freshwater fishermen were few and far between in Hawai‘i. I called Chuck Johnston, founder of HFN, and asked him how I could contact Mike. Chuck said he couldn’t give me Mike’s phone number, but he would contact him and give him my number. (This was almost 40 years ago in the days before e-mail.) Soon Mike contacted me. I learned that he lived in Hilo near my wife’s parents. We would be visiting during Christmas and…

■ Rep. Ed Case and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard jointly introduced House Resolution (H.R.) 6603, a measure in the U.S. House of Representatives to study the potential designation of the Ka‘ena Point coastline wrapping around O‘ahu’s westernmost location as Hawai‘i’s first National Heritage Area. National Heritage Areas are locations throughout our country designated by Congress to recognize unique cultural and historic sites found nowhere else in the world. Though not part of the National Park System or otherwise federally owned or managed, the U.S.government, through the National Park Service, funds and participates in partnerships with state and local governments and communities to foster coordinated conservation, recreation, education and preservation efforts. From designation of the first National Heritage Area in 1984, there are now 55 nationally, but none in Hawai‘i. “Ka‘ena Point,…

■ Believe it or not, in the midst of COVID-19 craziness, we are inching closer and closer to summer, the busy season for a lot of folks in the outdoor sports world. Kona is home to a number of world-class marine events, and each is planning for summer in its own way. The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament was cancelled. The Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club’s Rock’n Reel Hawaiian Open was postponed, and a new date has not been set. Capt. Marlin Parker is waiting to announce plans for his Marlin Magic Lure Tournament. The largest tournament in Kona, in terms of boats on the water, is the Wee Guys Fishing Tournament. Organizers of this event are also waiting on some more guidance from the state, but their fallback position may…

■ The 45-day long 2020 Hawai‘i island Spring turkey hunting season concluded on April 15. Data acquired from the Island’s two public hunting areas, Mauna Kea and Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a, indicated a welcome reversal in prior annually diminishing measures of hunter harvest success. Mauna Kea had the greater hunter success. Forty-five birds were taken in 256 hunter trips, resulting in an inverse harvest success ratio of 5.7 hunter trips per bird. At Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a, 85 hunters took 10 birds, an average of 8.5 trips per bird taken. As indicated in the accompanying chart, the overall 2020 island hunter harvest success results surpassed the prior year by a solid 50 percent, with an average of 6.2 trips made to acquire a bird, whereas 2019 required twice that effort. In raw numbers, this…

■ Planning for an epic birthday fishing trip for Justin Kotomori began months in advance. He was pretty much set on heading somewhere on the south side of the Big Island. After Justin narrowed the location to a couple of spots, his fishing partner Jason Vierra recommended an ideal spot, which had been untouched for a while. With Justin in agreement, the trip was set. As usual, Justin’s son Chase was part of the fishing crew. As they ventured to the fishing spot, they were all ecstatic to finally be there. As soon as they arrived, poles were cast and hang baits were set. Once done, they all waited on edge, hoping to hear that sweet sound every ulua fisherman loves to hear. Unfortunately, the night went by with no…

■ We had another blessed trip! I had been quite antsy to go fishing during the quarantine, so my friends Jeff and Ryan and I made a plan to fish for ‘opelu in the wee hours off Maui and then head to the buoy to get there at first light. Once light came, so did the winds; but they didn’t bother us too much. I rigged up a rubber ducky squid and tossed it over. I took two passes and on the third hooked a “cow” mahi weighing 23-lbs. After a few more passes with no luck, we whipped out the “liveys.” We had both live akule and ‘opelu, so I bridled a couple and out the back they went. I thought for sure I would get an instant hit,…

Hilo Trollers May 31 Tournament Cancelled ■ The Hilo Trollers’ Board of Directors has decided to cancel the June monthly tournament, which was scheduled for May 31. The board is looking at the possibility of running a July tournament, but is not making any promises. President C. J. Lewis is maintaining regular contact with Hilo Trollers’ captains. He will keep everyone posted as to whether it appears to be safe in terms of health and COVID-19 pandemic regulations to gather for a tournament. The safety of our club members and the public is paramount. The ocean and its wonderful fishing opportunities will continue to be there. Meanwhile, I will entertain you with bits and pieces of Hilo Trollers’ history and photos from the Trollers’ archive. Hopefully, that will keep you…

To help the nearly 12 million recreational boaters getting ready for the summer boating season, we’ve created a seasonal Commissioning Checklist and YouTube series, covering a range of tasks: changing outdrive oil, fixing broken trailer lights, replacing zincs, changing propellers, and more. The video playlist can be found at <https://youtu.be/hLbgmJAcGX8>. Before You Launch Inspect and replace hose clamps as necessary. Double clamp fuel lines and exhaust hoses with marine-rated stainless steel hose clamps. While not technically required, check the double clamp whenever possible on all hoses — especially those below the waterline. Inspect all hoses for stiffness, rot, leaks and cracking, and replace any that are faulty. Make sure they fit snugly. Inspect prop(s) for dings, pitting and distortion. Make sure cotter pins are secure. Grip the prop (on inboard…

■ With everything the COVID-19 virus has brought, I thought it would be nice to get away for a bit and head out west. Earlier in the week, I’d read reports of ono being caught off the south and east sides of O‘ahu. The west side did not have many catches reported, but it had the best conditions. So, after talking with some fishing buddies, I decided to head out west. This time of year, ‘opelu can be difficult to catch. In an effort to increase my odds of catching bait, I launched at 3 a.m. to target hahalalu, or juvenile akule. I paddled out until I hit the 100-foot ledge, and it didn’t take much time to locate the school. I made five drops with my homemade damashi rig…

Keep It Fresh on Land or Sea - Part 1 ■ With Hawai‘i’s year-round summer climate, fishing is a favorite pastime. Whether standing patiently on shore or shimming the ocean waves, Hawai‘i’s fishing enthusiasts never tire of trying to catch their favorite fish for dinner. But fish can spoil rapidly, especially if it isn’t properly cared for upon catching. Under the best circumstances, there are several steps to take to insure that your catch remains fresh until you get it home. 1. Kill the fish quickly. Letting it bang around on the rocks or aboard the boat can cause the easily damaged flesh to bruise, and this spoils the meat. Also during a prolonged dying process a chemical change takes place in the flesh that could change the texture and…

… Hana pa‘a, Carrie Send to: P.O. Box 25488, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96825 or E-mail: <hawaiifishingnews@gmail.com>   Aloha Carrie, Here is a picture of my son, Brian, and grandson, Ivan. I gave them three frozen opelu and they got this 6 lb. uku. The best part of this picture is Kanio, their dog. He loves fish. He likes to lick the fish when you take it out of the cooler (or even if you leave it in the cooler!) I think Kanaio is thinking "Sashimi!" Anthony Ventura Makawao, Maui Aloha, Caught em sneaking around the ledge bottom. It looked small, but definitely a good day out bottom fishing at Makaha. Kalani Kaai Makaha, O‘ahu   Hi Chuck, It’s good that spearfishing is still legal in this COVID-19 crisis. No one told…

Two Mahimahi in One Lucky Trip! ■ A few of my buddies and I decided to go fishing at a spot we frequent on the west side of Maui. It was forecast to be a windy day, but we were fortunate enough that the weather report was wrong. As it turned out, the winds were calm and it was a great day for fishing. It was a slow day for me at first. I went six hours without catching anything but bait (‘opelu), and I was giving up hope. As I rigged up my last ‘opelu and made my way in, ready to call it a day, my fishing pole started to move, signaling something was chasing my bait. Suddenly my pole started going off. As I turned to grab…

I have been on the chase for a 100-plus-lb ulua since 2011 when I started ulua fishing. Fishing for ulua takes a toll on your body from the countless hours spent learning how to cast with a conventional reel. You also have to learn to tie the different types of knots used for this type of fishing. I’ve been through a lot of different types of reels, poles, lines and hooks. The first few months after getting into ulua fishing, I landed my first ulua estimated at 30 to 35 lbs. It was such a blessing and accomplishment! A few months later, I landed my first “big” ulua. It weighed 76 lbs on our rusty spring scale. My wife, Carrie and I spent years learning how to target ulua and…

Hawaii Fishing Industry Gets ‘Helicopter Money’ ■ The Hawai‘i fishing industry is getting $4.3 million dollars in COVID-19 economic stimulus. This federal money is known as “helicopter money.” A term coined by Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman, “helicopter money” is considered a last resort stimulus during an economic collapse. Printing and giving out large sums of money is akin to a helicopter dropping $100 bills from the sky. The U.S. Secretary of Commerce has $300 million in fisheries assistance funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This CARES money is given to state, tribe and territory marine fisheries affected by COVID–19. The Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) are drafting spending plans. The plans need to be approved…

■ For a few magical months each summer, every offshore fisherman’s focus turns to one thing: ‘ahi. From June to August, the seasonal migration of ‘ahi brings shoals of these tuna through the Hawaiian Islands as they complete their annual spawning cycle. To be an ‘ahi fisherman is to be obsessed with moon phases and the latest reports of where the fish might be. These fishermen launch hours before dawn and hammer seemingly empty water in search of elusive yellow sickles. However, when the outriggers come slamming down, all that preparation and lost sleep is worth it. ‘Ahi fishing is best described as a lifestyle, and few fishermen are more passionate about chasing them than Garrett Lee, owner of Tsutomu Lures. Growing up in a fishing ‘ohana, Garrett spent many…

■ Dick Peters has travelled the world in pursuit of game animals. I met him a decade or so ago, when he was a part-time Hawai‘i resident and we hunted game birds together at Parker Ranch. Now 92, he lives full-time in Waikoloa and no longer hunts, but that does not mean he has given up a lifetime interest in game birds. Dick and Darlene Peters’ lanai affords an unobstructed view of the Waikoloa Golf Course along with its avian inhabitants. They include species of the pheasants, francolins and turkeys that Dick hunted over many years. Concealed nearby are the wary animals that prey on them–mongooses and feral cats. Dick is committed to balance the scales in favor of the game birds. Cats, introduced by early European arrivals, have been…

■ Many in our family, including our sons Ty Tamaru and Nathan Seibert, have had to clean and fillet fish, both for work and play. Consumers of raw fish (e.g., sashimi) in Hawai‘i have expressed concerns about the occurrence of worms, which have the appearance of cooked spaghetti noodles that permeate the musculature of many species, most notablykahala. The larva in the plerocercoid stage of an aquatic tapeworm are known to infest the flesh of kahala caught from the wild and possibly other species of fish, particularly in the family Carangidae. While they do not pose a threat to human health, the worms clearly impact the aesthetics of fresh fillets and the presentation that consumers expect of sashimi dishes. It took a collaborative effort that covered many years to determine…