Innholdsfortegnelse for August 1987 i Hawaii Fishing News

Enjoy summer in Hawai‘i waters. August is the warmest month over land and in the water. No Kona storms or cold fronts are expected. Replacing these two wintertime storms could be storms born over the warm tropical waters—tropical storms and hurricanes. August is the favored month for these storms. Over the past years these storms have appeared in Hawai‘i waters, so it will be prudent to listen to the National Weather Service marine forecasts before venturing into the water. Weather satellite pictures spot these storms. Trade winds will be the common feature; they persist through the month. Expect about five to 10 days of gusty trade winds that can make the waters too rough. Northwest swell-and-surf activity is at the minimum, but southerly surf could be higher than normal at…

Warm Up ■ Three weeks prior to the Hilo Casting Club’s 12th Annual Fishing Tournament Joel Santo and I decided to see what spots would be worthwhile to fish during the tournament. Due to the heavy south winds we ended up at South Point. We talked to a couple of scuba divers, and they told us there weren’t many fish around except for a small school of uku and a couple of kahala. So Joe and I headed for “Suicide Rock.” This one-nighter turned out to be fairly productive. Within four hours after our arrival we caught one uku apiece. That evening during a cast Joe slammed his lucky pole on the rocks and broke the tip right off. This unfortunate accident didn’t stop him from recasting that same pole.…

■ On Sunday, March 22, a women’s day was organized by the Bora Bora Fishing Club. Six boats with vahine anglers on board were out in the open ocean at early daybreak. The weather was ideal but in the morning only a few bonito were caught, which were soon used for live bait. Later, in the afternoon, on the AQUAHOLICS IV the crew tried running a softhead lure, which supposedly is more enticing to marlin because it has a softer, more lifelike head. At 3 p.m. one of the reels loaded with 80-lb test screamed and Loana Maueau got into the fighting chair with the rod. The marlin started to jump above the water from the beginning of the fight, and the extraordinary maneuvering of the boat by Capt. Leo…

■ 1. Hold it! Don’t throw that rod overboard. There is a better way. Awhile back we told the story of an angler who was in danger of getting slipped by an ‘ahi so he hooked the swivel of a second rod to the harness lugs of the first reel and tossed the entire first rig overboard. Then he fought the ‘ahi with the second outfit until he could retrieve the first. The technique worked fine for him. He got all of his tackle back and even boated the fish. But he risked losing a very expensive rod and reel—he’d have to say aloha to those if the second line broke. At the minimum, the reel was flooded and needed to be taken apart completed and cleaned thoroughly. California angler…

■ Did your mother always tell you to eat your vegetables? If she did, chances are she was talking about tomatoes, lima beans, peas, or carrots. Whether you choked those down or not, I don’t know, but can you imagine how you would have felt if she’d been talking about eggplant, fennel, leeks, or Swiss chard? These vegetables range from familiar to strange for most people, but they’re all tasty items to pair with fish for supper. Eggplant is the most common of these vegetables in Hawai‘i. It’s often used in Asian dishes, but it is also used in Italian and Greek cooking. Fennel looks a bit like several bunches of celery put together, but the tall stalks have needlelike leaves growing from them. The leaves look like dill leaves,…

■ We sent copies of Sylvia Rodgers’ article “Hawaii to Lose Weather Buoys” (HFN June ’87) to U.S Rip Daniel K. Akaka and U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye. We also wrote letters urging for their support of the buoy program. We’ve reprinted their responses here. Congress of the United States House of Representatives Washington, 20515 June 23, 1987 Dear Mr. Johnston: This is in response to your correspondence concerning the NOMAD deep ocean weather data buoys in Hawaii. I share your concern about continued funding for this vital program. The four buoys have been operational for more than two years and have been providing up-to-the-minute information on atmospheric and sea conditions to our state’s coastal residents and our commercial and recreational boaters. I cannot emphasize enough how important these advanced…

■ Thirteen is an unlucky number if you are fishing for big marlin. As a matter of fact, so are eight, nine, 17 and 22. Why? The reason will take a little explaining, so bear with us for a brief discussion of lunar cycles and their relationship to fishing. Each year, tournament planners compete for the best fishing days. They search previous catch records, ancient fishing beliefs and perhaps even a crystal ball or two in the effort to predict when fish will bite most readily. Picking the right week means action, excitement, happy faces and a full list of entrants for future tournaments. The wrong week means boredom, the endless raking of empty water, and the reputation of a cursed contest. The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament was among the…

■ It’s summer, and once again the Windward Coast is alive with activity both on shore, where the casters and reef walkers are en masse for papio, and off shore, prowling for the big yellowfin heavyweights. As expected, this season trolling is fantastic with lots of fish and lots of stories of the “one that got away.” The ‘ahi have come a little early for the Windward Coast, and they seem to be here in large numbers. This year’s catch rate is unusually high in comparison with the last four years. The prevalence of the “green stick” method of fishing may have increased the fish catch, but the ‘ahi have also taken lures trolled in the standard fashion. However, the green stick has taken over as the predominant ‘ahi catching…

The Big Ones Out There ■ On the morning of the 21st the skies were sunny and the seas 4 to 6 feet—not a bad day for a trip. Capt. Ron and the Phelps family left Pearl Harbor and headed out from the channel. At about 10 miles out the seas became 10 to 12 feet, and most of the family felt ill. Kevin and Jack Phelps, however, felt good and ready for the marlin they hoped to catch. Capt. Ron, thinking about his passengers’ well-being, was going to head for calmer waters when the fish hit. It hit like a bomb and never fought on the surface. Jack and Kevin battled the fish for two hours. It took off 150 feet of line, and when it was brought close,…

■ How can you top a 1,062½-pounder on 50-lb test? That catch was last year’s winner in the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, and no doubt some of the anglers heading out on the first day of fishing this year will be pondering that same question. Last year’s catch was a stunning, storybook ending to the tournament. Gil Kraemer of the Laguna Niguel team from California reeled in the phenomenal catch for the team’s second straight HIBT win. Can the team do it again this year? No one in HIBT history has ever had three consecutive wins. That fact might make the 79 other teams feel a bit better about their chances at bringing in the next eye-popping catch during the 29th annual HIBT. The tournament, to be held August 22…

■ The 1986 Hawaii Legislature looked into the problem of used oil disposal and came to a startling conclusion. In a committee report attached to a bill the Legislature noted that 5 million gallons of lubricating oil was brought into the state in 1986, but only 400,000 gallons, less than one tenth of the product imported, was reprocessed. That startling figure indicated to the Legislature that oil consumers in Hawaii illegally disposed of literally millions of gallons of used oil each year. Those facts lead the Legislature to pass a bill setting strict new rules for the handling of used oil in Hawaii. In late June Gov. John Waihee signed that bill into law. The new law sets up specific record-keeping requirements and disposal rules. It allows fines from $5,000…

■ The Eighth Annual Kailua Bay Papio Trolling Tournament will be held September 19, 1987, starting at 7:30 a.m. at the Lanikai Boat Ramp. Fishing grounds are from Mokapu Point to the Makapu‘u lighthouse. Boats must return by 2 p.m. to the boat ramp for qualifying catches. Entry fee is $75 per team; each team may have a maximum of three members. Entry fee includes T-shirts, reception, dinner and tournament prizes. Only 75 teams will be allowed to enter this year. Deadline for entry fee and application is September 1, 1987. Entries and payment are being accepted at Windward Boats and Outboards, 789 Kailua Road. For more information contact David at 259-5789.…

■ There we were, boarding the Boeing 747 jumbo jet. Destination: Lake Mead, located in the town where America plays—exciting Las Vegas, Nevada. The event that we would participate in was the third annual Hari Kojima Fishing Tournament, held June 4, 1987. This one-day tournament drew an enthusiastic group of approximately 250 participants, mostly from Hawai‘i. Those of us who registered for the tournament dreamed of what we were going to do with the $5,000 grand prize which would be awarded in casino chips from the California Hotel. This prize would be awarded to the angler who caught the biggest fish of the tournament. A second prize of $1,000 in casino chips would be awarded to the angler who caught the most fish of any species. When the tournament day…

Moi: Reasons for Regulations New regulations are now in effect to protect moi, a popular and much-sought-after shoreline game fish. Not only are adult moi avidly fished, but also the juveniles, or moi-li‘i. We asked Henry M. Sakuda of the Division of Aquatic Resources to comment on what prompted the new rules. “We have been concerned about the scarcity of moi with fishing believed to be one of the causes that we could do something about,” Sakuda said. A study has been going on for nearly 30 years. “We began to focus on moi in 1960 with a study of their reproductive behavior,” Sakuda said. This study produced very surprising results. As it turns out, moi are hermaphroditic, meaning they change sex as they grow. “Juveniles mature first as males…

Division of Aquatic Resources State of Hawaii ■ A problem often encountered while fishing with handlines and other gear that hang vertically in the water is how to keep the gear at a certain depth. Fish are often found at very specific depths, but currents and wind often push the boat and fishing line, thus creating an angle in the line and preventing gear from hanging straight down to the desired depth. The larger the angle, the more line must be added to keep the gear at the desired depth. The problem is, how much more line? You can calculate the length of the additional line needed with a little knowledge of trigonometry, a pocket calculator and the assumption that the fishing line is straight (often not true, but it…

Honokohau Catch Report Due to the limited space available and the large number of fish caught, catch reports are limited to tuna over 100 lbs and billfish of any size, any species. (S) = Striped marlin, (B) = Black marlin and (T) = Tag and release, weight estimated.…

■ It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and the bite was happening out around the backside of Lana’i at K-buoy. Blue Robinson, her husband, Gordon, and their nephew Pat Zarko decided to go fishing and try out their new boat. It was a secondhand 22’ Chris Craft inboard that they had just picked up. This was their maiden voyage, and everybody was excited about the trip. Everything was set. The cooler was full of beer and ice, and Gordon had borrowed his brother’s fishing rig. It was an old 4/0 reel, with even older 30-lb test line on it. It was so old that the name had been worn off years ago. Blue, Gordon and Pat headed out to fish the K-buoy off Lanai. They had never been out to…

SEND A PHOTO AND LETTER ABOUT YOUR CATCH, AND WE WILL MAIL YOU A FREE GIFT … OUR WAY OF SAYING THANKS FOR SHARING NOUR CATCH! …CHUCK SEND TO: P. O. BOX 25413. HONOLULU. HAWAII 96825 Dear Chuck I caught this monster 8 lb mu on one of Molokai’s west shore beaches last August. I was whipping with ika strips, using 6-lb mainline, 6-lb leader and a #10 AH hook. Kinda hard to believe I managed to bring it in. Much mahalo go to Neil Gervais for helping me land this whopper, and to my cousin Matt Lyum for putting up with me during my stay on Moloka‘i. Much aloha,Neil KanemotoHonoka‘a, Hawai‘i Hi Chuck, Just bought a Zodiac boat for the papio season. The first time out, on May 17,…

The Hilo Casting Club tournament produced two new 100 Plus Club members. Congratulations go to shore casters Duane Sugihara with a 115-lb ulua and Doug Paine with a 113-lb ulua. Complete tournament coverage is on page 4 and 5 in this issue. As we go to press, the Kona Coast Casting Club’s annual tournament is in progress, and full coverage will be in the September issue of HFN by Kahana Itozaki. As for me and the Atlapac members, it’s off to “Kipapa Island” to fish the club’s annual K-Bay outing. The Windward Casting Club will hold their annual Bamboo Ridge outing from 5 p.m. on November 21 to 8 a.m., November 22. They would appreciate the cooperation of other club members and free-lance shore casters in refraining from fishing at…

■ One of the most important catches in billfishing history a 1,103½-lb Pacific blue marlin on Ande monofilament line, was boated by Kelley Everette on June 25,1987. The marlin is a pending world-record catch. Everette’s catch of one of Kona’s famous monster billfish on light line was not a chance encounter. The 30-year-old former Fairbanks, Alaska resident and his wife, Jocelyn, fish with light tackle almost exclusively. It was an encounter that was meant to happen. It was only a matter of time. It was also an encounter that he earned. Everette has been paying his dues, practicing, putting in the time, preparing for that fish since he bought a 22-footer, his first NORTHERN LIGHTS, seven years ago. Everette’s pert blond wife, Jocelyn, was scheduled to fish that day to…

■ On Monday morning, June 15, 1987,1 got a message from my mechanic that he had to attend a union meeting and would not arrive as scheduled to work on my boat, IHU NUI. Knowing that the boat would be serviced on Monday I had not booked a charter. The IHU NUI was free to do whatever I wanted. Being a fisherman first, last and always, I headed out of the harbor to do a little fishing on my own. I went up to the fishing grounds off Keahole Airport and caught a couple of bait fish, each about 5 lbs. I rigged the aku (skipjack tuna) on the long outrigger at about 40 fathoms behind the boat. I put out the other bait, a kawakawa (mackerel tuna or little…

■ The 1987 Hawaii Light Tackle Tournament drew 21 teams and better than 100 anglers including 14 world-record achievers. The two-day fish off allowed only 30-, 20-, 16- and 12-lb test lines. It featured catered parties, a slew of fishing and travel-oriented prizes and a variety of sponsors ranging from Pescevino (the Italian “fish bottle” wine) and Bollinger French Champagne to Berkley Big Game and Shimano fishing tackle products among many others. In the end, it was beginner’s luck that prevailed, as 14-year-old Reed Martic beat all comers with the largest qualifying fish of the competition. Milo Martic, Reed’s father, had looked forward to a Father’s Day holiday weekend of fishing with his son. He was somewhat concerned that he and Reed might not be up to the level of…

■ The state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced the opening of the annual rainbow trout fishing season in the Koke’e Public Fishing Area (PFA) on Kaua‘i. The season begins Saturday, August 1, 1987, and continues through Sunday, September 27, 1987. Anglers may fish between 5:30 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. for a period of 16 consecutive days from August 1 through August 16. Thereafter, tor the remainder of August and throughout September, trout fishing is permitted only on Saturdays. Sundays and state holidays. Ail anglers must have a valid 1987 88 Freshwater Game Fishing License before fishing in the Koke’e The bag limit is seven (7) rainbow trout per licensed angler, per day. Newcomers to the Koke’e PFA should consult with the attendant at the Koke’e Park Headquarters regarding…

Large Marlin Caught ■ Herb Duncan started off the month of June with an impressive catch. He returned to the harbor with a husky 365-lb marlin that he caught while trolling on board the NORA ANN. Two days later Art Vellocido returned to the harbor with the largest fish reported for the month. Here’s a recap of that event. Art decided to head out of the harbor and get some distance before he set his lines. Almost 3 miles outside of Makua he noticed a few birds circling over the water at about a quarter of a mile away. He slowed down his boat, the BRANDI ELUA, and set lines. It was 7:15 in the morning. When he was approximately 100 yards away from the bird pile; an outrigger cut…

Kailua-Kona Catch Report Due to the limited space available and the large number of fish caught, catch reports are limited to tuna over 100 lbs and billfish of any size, any species. (S) = Striped marlin, (B) = Black marlin and (T) = Tag and release, weight estimated. Largest Fish (500 lbs and up) January to June 1987…

■ Summer is usually a slow time for charters in Honolulu. For some inexplicable reason the heavy charter traffic starts the day after Christmas and stops the day after Easter. June to September, despite the good fishing and calm seas, is very slow for the charter business. This year has been different. Tourists have continued to book for a chance to catch the thrill of a lifetime, and they have not been disappointed. My planned article honoring the ladies behind the men—the unsung heroes of the dock, the “booth girls” (or dockside salespersons as I prefer to call them)—will wait until next month so that this month I can give you a rundown on the exceptional fishing at Kewalo Basin. There were so many good fish stories this month that…