Innholdsfortegnelse for September 1991 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ Owners of boats berthed throughout the state are facing harbor fee increases. For boats in Hawaii’s small boat harbors the increase is expected to be about 24 percent, according to Dave Parsons, state boating manager. Public hearings on the proposal probably will occur before the end of 1991, as the state is shooting for an effective date of Jan. 1, 1992. For boats in Hawaii’s 10 commercial harbors (Honolulu, Barber’s Point, Kewalo, Kahului, Hilo, Kawaihae, Kailua-Kona, Kaunakakai, Port Allen and Nawiliwili), the proposed increase is 50 percent over the next six years. And, if you own a fishing vessel, you also may have to start purchasing mandatory liability insurance. “One of the concerns that the Department [of Transportation] has had [is] that [with] all these commercial boating activities there…

■ Hold on to your money. The Recreational Vessel Fee, commonly referred to as the “boat user fee,” which went into effect nationwide on July 31, may be repealed by mid September. The fee requires owners of recreational vessels over 16 feet in length to dish out as much as $100 annually for five years to help reduce the federal deficit. Those who have not paid the 1991 fee by September I could face violations with a civil penalty of up to $5,000. After the fee went into effect, both the House of Representatives and the Senate Commerce Committee voted to repeal it. A final decision could be forthcoming mid September after Congress reconvenes. The repeal is attached as an amendment to both the House and Senate versions of the…

■ Public informational meetings concerning the draft copy of the “State Planning And Evaluation Guidelines For Private Marina Development” concluded in late July. Strong public input came from Kona on the Big Island, where three private marinas have been proposed. The meeting in ‘Ewa, where a 400-slip private marina has been approved for West Beach (Ko Olina), was not as emotionally charged, and in Lahaina (where one marina has been proposed but is not being actively considered) the gathering was subdued. Richard Poirier, from the Office of State Planning, said a revised draft is in the process of being formulated, based on the comments that were received. If changes are extensive, there may be more public meetings, he said. Input suggests that the guidelines should cover all marina development and…

■ The MAUI CANOE SAILING ASSOCIATION won its fourth Na Holo Kai, O‘ahu to Kaua‘i canoe race, on Saturday, Aug. 10, in a record time of 7 hours and 7 minutes. “It was the best conditions we’ve sailed in,” said Cappy Sheeley, captain and steersman of the Maui canoe. Winds were 20 to 22 knots, with 4-foot seas. The winning crew consisted of veteran paddlers Mike Spalding of Maui, and Nick Beck, David Beck, Hobie Beck and Gaylord Wilcox, all of Hanalei. Nick Beck steered the winning boat in the first Na Holo Kai race, and the Maui club with Sheeley steering has won each of the subsequent races. The seven canoes left Poka‘i Bay, O‘ahu, at 7 a.m. and came in between 2 and 3 p.m. at Kalapaki Bay.…

■ The number-one question on everyone’s mind this summer was, “Where are the ‘ahi?” Oh, sure, if you look at the catch report you’ll see that some very lucky fishermen caught a few. The catch report may impress some people, but when you put things into perspective, it just shows how dismal fishing has become. ‘ Consider that on an average weekday at Wai’anae there are over 80 trailers in the parking lot. Then consider that on the weekends the average increases to around 200 trailers. This doesn’t include the boats that are moored in the harbor or the boats that come around from Hale’iwa and Sand Island, including the Kewalo charterboats. On the very best day of fishing this summer, and this was the exception rather than the rule,…

■ The first ‘ahi Gilbert Chun and his father, Stanley, caught off Kane’ohe was a beauty. They had invited Al Tokunaga aboard their boat, the KATSU, to do some fishing and have some fun. The 129-lb ‘ahi and a 25-1b ono made their day because both fish were caught on somewhat light tackle and both gave them a lot of action. Big marlin hits were taken by many fishermen. The big marlin must have been feeding on the big schools of aku and mahimahi that have been hanging around the 35-mile line outside the island. The KIANA M with Wayne Masuda and Jerome Muramoto landed one of those brutes about 45 miles out. Their 550-lb marlin was in great shape and tasted wonderful smoked. Dave Larsen and his son Dave…

Honokohau Catch Due to the limited space available and the large number of fish caught, catch reports are limited to tuna over 10 lbs Report and billfish of any size, any species. (S) = Striped marlin, (B) = Black marlin any species. (S) =: A WB} =and (7) = Tag and release, weight estimated. Honokohau…

■ Fishermen are funny. I work in Kona’s Honokohau Harbor weighing and photographing the captains’ daily catches. While lots of their catches are being weighed, the captains stand politely and smile as the anglers bound all over the dock, so excited with their spearfish, mahimahi or small blue marlin. But when a big marlin is caught, there’s a role reversal. The angler, often numb with shock, fatigue and disbelief, stands mutely on the boat and sways in a trancelike state while the captain and crew members bound around the dock and flash the biggest smiles of all. There’s no mistaking the pride and joy on their faces, but their eyes hold the secret of the story. There’s a mysterious shine in them that comes from somewhere deep, rarely ever seen…

■ More than 100 Congressmen and Senators have taken the boat excise tax (a.k.a., “luxury tax”) repeal to heart based on arguments that the tax is a revenue loser and American job killer. The tax, which became effective on January 1,1991, imposes a 10-percent federal tax on recreational boat purchases exceeding $100,000. Although intended to tax affluent boat owners, it has had a negative impact on thousands of technicians, mechanics, craftspeople, salespersons, office workers and others whose livelihood go into building such craft. The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has estimated that 19,000 mostly blue collar workers are losing jobs due to the drop in sales of boats subject to the tax. In addition, revenues raised from the tax are expected to be dwarfed by the loss of corporate taxes…

■ 1. Lure Touring. What’s a jet lure? Had you asked that question 20 years ago, every offshore troller would conjure up the same picture. Jets were metal bullet heads with holes running through from nose to tail. What’s more, a single, classic pointy nose design made by Ferro was the standard. Just as fast as the jet became known as a fish catcher, variations were created by any home craftsman with a metal-working lathe. Soon, plastic crafters were pouring molded versions in resin. At first the plastic models kept the nose-cone shape, but now, you will see jet ports in every possible kind of trolling lure. Now, it is the set of front-to-back openings that defines a jet. Materials and shape are immaterial to the “jet” concept. Today when…

■ A big mahalo goes to Mark Michaelson and Mark Werkmeister for a great weekend on July 13 and 14. On Saturday, Michaelson gave a two-hour, on-the-beach seminar that was well attended and dealt with boat setup, boat handling, and racing tips and rules. It was intended to also have a seminar for Hobie 16 people, but time did not permit. Since HHCA has many new Hobie 16 people joining the fleet, we will schedule a seminar sometime in October. On Sunday, 20 boats appeared at Kailua Beach for the Small Craft Advisories Regatta. We had three great races conducted by Mark and Kellie Werkmeister, who overcame great difficulty with a small inflatable Avon to set some great courses. Marine McClain and Howard Kaohi did Beach Committee chores and discovered…

■ Recent fishing has been a study in contrasts: plenty one day, and nothing the next. Everywhere fishermen gathered, the talk was of big ‘ahi being seen. But seeing the elusive ‘ahi and finding one on your deck are two different fish stories. There seemed to be a lot of bait fish around, and following bird piles didn’t pay off. The fight for big ‘ahi was meant for only the stouthearted. And only a few tuna were captured. Pearl Harbor Submarine Base The MOKUNANIII had a good month for marlin, bringing in blues on six trips. Capt. George Morrison, the skipper of the MOKUNANI II, is among the best, trained under KAHOLI’s Capt. Walt Johnson and Capt. Ron Gates. Those two men have helped a lot of young men get…

The Winning Catch ■ On June 18 at 10:30 a.m., Esteban Rabang Jr. went to his favorite fishing spot along the Kohala Coast. He set up camp for the long-awaited 16th Annual Hilo Casting Club Fishing Tournament. This was the third time he entered the annual tournament, and he was hoping that the outing wasn’t going to be just another camping trip. At 5 p.m., Jerby Ayoso and Ichiro Ito joined Esteban. They got their ulua poles ready before the sun set and “put them to the lead.” With the tension building, the time flew by and before long it was midnight. Jerby and Esteban went to their poles and slid their baits down; then they relaxed and listened to the bells ringing softly in the wind. They heard the…

■ Editor’s Note: The following is a copy of a letter being circulated by The Billfish Foundation to known restaurants serving marlin on their menus. The letter has caused some concern among Hawai‘i’s fishermen and is published in HFN as a matter of interest to our readers. Your written comments can be addressed to The Billfish Foundation, 2051 N.S. 11th Street, Miami, Florida 33125. Dear Sir or Madam: It has been brought to our attention through members and other conservation organizations that your restaurant has marlin for sale. Billfish populations are under extreme pressure and are declining rapidly due to over-exploitation. In an effort to protect billfish from over-fishing, in 1988, the Federal government passed a law prohibiting the sale of any billfish taken from the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of…

■ A new batch of U.S. Coast Guard proposed user fees is causing some present and future charter boat captains to panic. The Coast Guard is proposing fees for services related to merchant marine licenses, certificates of registry and merchant mariner documents. The proposal means that getting a Six-Pack or Master Near Coastal license to operate a small passenger vessel could cost $197 or more. The cost of obtaining larger tickets could run to $347 or more. According to the Houston Marine Training Services in Louisiana, people are rushing to obtain their license before the fees kick in. For the smaller license, the $197 cost breaks down into a $65 evaluation fee (plus a $17 charge for an FBI criminal record check fee if the application is for an original…

■ The Coast Guard has proposed the closure of the Central Pacific (CENPAC) LORAN-C chain at the end of calendar year 1992, two years earlier than the date initially set. Early closure of the chain would save the Coast Guard an estimated $6 million in operating expenses. According to the Coast Guard, continued support of the CENPAC LORAN-C chain is not economically or operationally justified. Due to the geometry of the CENPAC chain, coverage is centered to the northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands and groundwaves extend only to Kaua‘i. As a result, the principal air and sea routes into the Hawaiian Islands have very limited LORAN-C coverage. East and southeast of O‘ahu LORAN users receive only reflected skywaves and coverage is erratic and very unreliable. The CENPAC LORAN-C chain…

■ Lahaina’s summertime bite was hot and heavy, with 92 billfish and three ‘ahi hitting the scales. There were 62 blues, 12 stripers, 17 spearfish and one sailfish. Twenty-two fish were also tagged and released. Even though the big fish were captured around the buoys, the inside “Factory” area continued to be the productive spot. The 21-foot trailer boat CHELSEA II brought to the scales Lahaina Town’s largest marlin of the year to date. Capt. Anthony Badayos, Gilbert Neizman and Isaac Harp were making their fourth shakedown trip on the boat the day the fish hit. Even though Anthony’s Alii Kai boat is a year old, it had only 100 hours on the engine. After making a run out past the MC-buoy to look for the big ‘ahi that had…

■ Last month, I wrote about the new fish in town—remember the “scour fish”? Somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to test my recipes using that particular species. This month, I’m on safer ground. I discovered a new cookbook, one that concentrates on healthful fish cookery. “Fabulous Fish,” by Joel Rapp, offers 150 recipes that feature seafood in appetizers, soups, stews, salads, pasta and main dishes. Joel, a former vegetarian, added fish to his diet because it took much less time to prepare than vegetarian meals and because it was more healthful to eat than the high-fat vegetarian diet he had eaten for years (heavy in dairy products). The book includes fish we don’t generally use in Hawai‘i (catfish, scrod, trout, bass and halibut), but substitutions can easily be made. Reading…

June 30 was a day of excitement as the Hilo Trollers once again held their club tournament. At 5:30 a.m., 22 participating boats left the harbor, all anglers ready for the big catch. The highlight of the tournament was the winning fish, a 2707½-lb marlin landed on the CARLA H by Capt. James Hiraki and angler Rodney Nishiki. the boat MIDORI, with Capt. Melvin Tanaka, came in with a 182½-lb marlin. On the KAIMANA II, Capt. Neal Nakagawa had a marlin weighing 1817½ lbs. In this tournament six marlin, three ‘ahi, 19 ono and five mahimahi reached the scale. Hilo Troller’s Wahine Tournament Nineteen boats participated in the Hilo Troller’s Wahine Tournament held on July 14. The weather report indicated there would be morning showers that day and the trade…

Marina Seafood 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.…

For letters and photos received during the month of September we will send you the latest High-C Lure, proven for catching: aku, shibi-ko and papio…our way of saying thanks for sharing your catch! Hana pa‘a, Chuck Send to: P.O. Box 25413, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825 Dear Chuck, Check out this fish! I took the dynamic duo (David Ishikawa and Shane Yonemura) out to Wai’anae again. After making our way toward the power plant, we took a right and rode the following sea outward toward Australia. As we worked the area about five miles off Nanakuli with several other boats, you could just feel something was about to happen. Suddenly, the port rod with the jumper arched over, and the International began to scream against 12 lbs of drag. Of course, I…