Innholdsfortegnelse for January 1995 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ A new trolling lure hook rig that could help Hawai‘i anglers snag a few more of those hard-to-hook striped marlin that are filling island waters at this time of year has been introduced. The rig should also prove to be productive for spearfish. once the “chuckers” make their annual presence known. J. D. Doughty, owner of J. D.’s Big Game Tackle in California, handled thousands of yards of monofilament leader material before he realized that the coiled mono’s natural tendency to curl might actually be used to some advantage when rigging a lure. The result of his observation is a very effective new lure rig that uses the natural lay of the coiled monofilament to spring its attached hooks outward on the strike. The results have been a reported…

■ This month I would like to talk about navigational devices that tell you where you are. These devices have had very rapid technological growth over the last 20 years. Prior to that, dead reckoning and the sextant were the only methods of navigation readily available to the general public. Probably the most important technological advancement to the small-boat fisherman was the large-scale integration (LSI) of electronic components, which reduced the size and cost of navigational equipment. In the past, Sat-Nav systems used polar orbiting defense satellites to calculate the position of a vessel. This method worked fairly well, but it could be up to eight hours between position fixes if the vessel were near the equator. Loran is a land-based method of calculating position. Loran-A was similar in its…

■ OK, I’m gonna have to come out of the closet. The fact is, I’ve gotten to the point where I’d almost rather tease an ulua than hook one. Hard to believe? Well, I’ve won some converts to trevally teasing. It is that much fun. Consider some of the reasons: 1. When you throw lures with hooks in them, you get one explosive hit (maybe a couple); then you hook up and, after a while, battle the fish to your feet, or lose it. When you throw a hookless lure, you get a series of explosive hits, often continuing until you pull the lure from the water and often drawing a number of fish close to you. The spectacle is incredible, and it doesn’t end with the hookup. 2. When…

■ Public hearings on the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) could take place as early as February. If you are concerned, keep alert for public announcements. When those hearings are held, the people of Hawai‘i will be faced with a much larger sanctuary than the one originally mandated. We have learned that the DEIS will embrace the inclusion of the waters surrounding all of the Hawaiian islands, not just the original boundaries: the waters surrounding Maui County; the Penguin Banks; and the tiny sliver off Kilauea on Kaua‘i. The expansively larger sanctuary takes into consideration the obvious biological fact that when humpback whales visit Hawai‘i each winter, they are found in all Hawai‘i waters, not just those originally designated for the sanctuary. The…

■ The pilot’s voice droned through the big jet as we neared our destination at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. I wasn’t really listening until he said, “The temperature at Prince Rupert today is 5°.” Suddenly, I was all ears. “Chuck!” I gasped. “I didn’t bring enough clothes for that kind of cold! We’re gonna freeze our ‘okoles off!” Uncomfortably, I felt the eyes of several rows of local Canadians turn in our direction. I ducked my head, feeling like a fool for not having packed the proper gear. When I looked up, Chuck’s face was turning red and his tightly crossed arms were starting to bounce as he tried to hold in his laughter. Other people’s eyes were beginning to light up as if they’d just remembered the punch line…

For letters, with photos, received during January, we’ll send you…our way of saying thanks for sharing your catch! Hana pM’a, Chuck xJ Send to: P.O. Box 25413, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825 Dear Chuck, Here’s a picture of my boyfriend (the one in the middle) and his family. This was their lucky day. On July 3, they launched at Waianae Boat Harbor at around 4:30 a.m. They then started to troll and, at 5:45 a.m., they got three strikes. At 6:15 a.m. they got another strike, and yet another at 6:30 a.m. By this time they had five ‘ahi weighing between 90 and 150 lbs. They almost had seven, but two got away. Congratulations go out to Buzzy, Eleu, Charlie, Norman and Ryan. Go get ‘em boyz, Suzette Sheldon Honolulu, O’ahu Hana…

■ one question we are getting a lot asks about the veracity of a statement made by the Kona Sportfishing Promotional Group (KSPG). In some of its literature and in a recent news release run in HFN, the KSPG claimed that marlin over a 1,000 lbs have been caught off Kona in every month of the year. Is this true? Probably yes, but maybe not. I checked through every resource I could find to come up with a list of verifiable granders boated anywhere in Hawai‘i over the past 25 years. I could find a Kona catch for each of the nine months of January through September for at least one year in the last quarter-century. The only Hawai‘i grander I could find for any October was the “Halloween” fish…

■ You’ve probably heard the saying, “Gaffing is the part of the fight where most ulua are lost.” You can minimize your losses by being properly equipped and understanding your gaff. For the shorecaster, there are basically four types of gaffs: the pole gaff; the slide gaff; the barrel gaff; and the harpoon. When I first started ulua fishing, I was going after them by baitcasting. Surf conditions were an important consideration when it came to gaffing. Most pole gaffs are made by securing a stainless steel gaff hook onto a long, stout bamboo pole. A longer pole gaff, in the 12- to 14-foot length, is safer because you don’t need to go into a pounding shoreline break. If the fish is small, you may be able to “surf” it…

High-Tech Akule Casting ■ The humble sport of cane poling for akule has gone high-tech. Walk the wall fronting Kailua Bay, watch the anglers whipping for “bigeye scad,” and your own eyes may bug out at the ultralong, ultrasophisticated rods some folks are using. The most advanced of these are made from custom formulations of boron, graphite and other spaceage materials. These rods are unique to Hawai‘i and probably unique to Kona. That’s because they have been made here from scratch through the efforts of a high-tech Kona rod builder and a serious bunch of anglers who have strong opinions about what an akule rod should be able to do. Get that right: made from scratch. When you hear “rod building,” you think of assembling a rod from ready-made materials…

■ What can climb a tree, is as big as a basketball, looks like an overgrown tick but tastes delicious? The coconut crab, or robber crab, of the South Pacific, of course. Every year, an increasing number of Hawai‘i sportsmen venture south into Micronesia, Melanesia, or the rest of Polynesia for their dream fishing and diving vacation. While never native to Hawai‘i, the coconut crab (Birgus latro)has long been considered a special delicacy of the smaller islands of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans. With a little luck, the visiting angler may come across one of these fascinating creatures during his travels. This overgrown hermit crab is the largest land-dwelling crustacean in the world, having developed the ability to “breathe” air by absorbing oxygen through modified tissues in its gill…

■ The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently held informal public hearings on a proposed rule to ban the use of lead or zinc-containing fishing sinkers and fishing jigs that are 1 inch or under in any dimension. The proposed rule would effectively prohibit the manufacture and sale of most of the fishing sinkers used in Hawai‘i. The intention of the bill is noble: It seeks to protect the nation’s waterfowl from death caused by the ingestion of lead fishing sinkers. Apparently, the ingestion of just one small (split shot type) fishing sinker made of lead or zinc can lead to the agonizing death of a water bird. The EPA is apparently also concerned about exposure (due to lead fumes and dust when melting or pouring lead) to both adults…

Hawaii’s Fishing Community: Quite some time has passed since we last communicated with you. The attached information packet is designed to keep you informed about the following topics: 1. Status of the draft Environmental Impact Statement/Sanctuary Management Plan (DEIS/MP) 2. User Fees 3. Position Vacancy 4. Noteworthy anniversary If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Allen Tom at (808) 879-2818 or our 0‘ahu Office at (808) 541-3184, or from the neighbor islands 1-800-831-4888. Status of the draft Environmental Impact Statement/Sanctuary Management Plan (DEIS/MP) The DEIS/MP was originally scheduled for public release in November 1994, thus fulfilling the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the state of Hawai‘i. A number of outstanding management-related issues were resolved during discussions with the Sanctuary…

■ Kona Capt. Juan Waroquiers is taking an extended fishing trip across the Americas. No, I didn’t say across America. Juan is driving part of his family south from North America, across Central America and through much of South America-across the Americas. Why? Mostly because the Argentine native has long wanted to drive home and fish along the way, and much of his family is the right age to participate in and enjoy such an experience. After dreaming about it for years, Juan started planning the journey in earnest back in March of 1994; he then put his plan into action in September with the purchase of a vehicle capable of making the journey. To make the long trek, Juan chose a Ford F-350 Centurion model, diesel, four-by-four, crew-cab pickup…

■ Winter came to the Windward Coast at 25 to 30 miles an hour bringing 12 foot seas; otherwise, there was great fishing for those who could get out and find the schools of ‘ahi. Yes, ‘ahi. The summer run that never came to our side of the island finally arrived, and the fishing has been terrific. Most of the tuna brought in were small-from 2 lbs around the buoy to 180 lbs in the open schools. The larger fish had high quality oil content, which translated to higher prices at auction. Winter fishing requires having adequate foul weather gear aboard, or you may have a really uncomfortable day on the water. Skippers must use extra caution and watch out for rogue waves and extralarge wind-driven sets that can seriously…

Saltwater Records HAWAII FISHING NEWS FRESHWATER RECORDS Write or call us for a state record application or pick one up at your local tackle dealer.…

■ If there is one thing that all ulua fishermen share, it is the ultimate dream of catching the elusive 100-pounder. For some, the extremely lucky ones, it may happen. For others, it may not, but the continuous effort and high hopes will always be there. Every once in a while, this ultimate dream becomes a reality, and when it occurs, it inspires many. With that in mind, I feel compelled to share this experience with all of my ulua fishermen brothers. The 100-pounder dream became a reality for my son, three friends and me on September 18, 1994, at a place called “Small Fish Point” at Makena, Maui. Our fishing journey began on Saturday morning at about 6:30 a.m. when Blair Kitkowski arrived at my home to load up…

■ Early one morning, I stood at the edge of the rock wall looking down on Hanauma Bay, 0’ahu. Small clouds of mullet, looking like iron filings clustering around a magnet, swarmed at the edge of the rocks. Suddenly, the dark, almost black, outline of a bluefin trevally swirled among the bait fish and caused them to scatter over the shallower part of the reef. This predator was large-I would say close to 15 lbs. It paused not 10 feet from shore and then darted to deeper water and moved toward the surfline farther out. Hanauma Bay became a state park in 1975, and since that time has been closed to fishing. But bait fish in the bay have flourished. The daily handouts of food by beach-goers have produced a…

■ The sailing sportfishing catamaran TARA VANA left Kona in late November bound for the Marquesas Islands. She is on the final leg of her voyage of discovery, which started nearly a year ago in Chile and will have covered over 11,000 ocean miles before the unique vessel arrives at her home base in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, in March of 1995. On board for the crossing between Hawai‘i and the Marquesas, and for much of TARA VANA’s exploratory work in those islands and the adjacent Tuamotu atolls, is Bill Holt. Many people know Bill as one of the luckiest and most adept anglers on the Hawai‘i tournament fishing scene, where he has won or done very well in several major events over the years. Bill is on board for…

■ This column is intended to summarize the act named above by reviewing those provisions that have already been implemented, remind commercial fishermen of provisions already in regulation but yet to be phased in, and, finally, address provisions in the original law that have yet to be enacted into law, but may be in the future. This sounds like a lot of information. However, I will leave laundry lists out of this article and address only the broader issues. First some commentary on who the law does not affect. “Sport fishermen” do not have to meet the same safety regulations as “commercial fishermen.” Sport fishermen must meet requirements published by the Coast Guard for recreational vessels. But don’t tune out yet. Where the water gets muddy sometimes, is in attempting…

■ The gale-force winds blew relentlessly, the rain wouldn’t cease, and 4- to 6-foot swells pounded the shoreline. Every time I made my way toward the poles to recast or to slide a fresh bait, the waves crashed onto the rocks, sending a shower of water over the point. I shivered uncontrollably as I dried myself off and changed into some warm clothing. It was one of those nights on which the question just begged to be asked, “What am I doing here?” I noticed a fisherman baitcasting along the inside portion of the bay. I watched as he tended to his poles, diligently changing his bait every 30 minutes or so. I wondered what kept him going in the miserable weather. I didn’t get my answer until morning when…

■ A light, powdery dust rose in swirling clouds as Scott plunged the Ford pickup into a deep cattle wallow in the center of the dirt road. The truck sank instantly in the powdery pit and slammed hard on the stony bottom, rattling ail the hunting gear in the bed of the truck. I glanced back through the rear window and saw the bouncing bed of the truck almost totally enshrouded by a brown haze that seemed to cover John, Troy and Sean. Regardless of the swirling dirt cloud and the dwindling light of late afternoon, the guys continued to scan the sparse kiawe forest for any movement of feral goats or wild pigs. By this time, shadows were long and the darkness in the shadows was deep and seemingly…

Hilo casting uiuo Annual Awards ■ The Hilo Casting Club held its annual awards banquet on November 12, 1994, at Kow’s Restaurant. About 50 members, family members and guests attended. Incoming officers for fiscal 1995 are as follow: president-Albert Alejandro; vice president-Jason Hirae; secretary-Gary Ranne; treasurer-Joe Delima; board of directors-Kinney Louie, Mike Ignacio and Richard Okinaga. Awards were presented to the following club members in the following categories: Largest Fish This year the club had a Grand Champion recipient. To qualify for this award, an angler needs to catch the largest fish and capture the gross weight category in the same year. The last member to win this award was Rodney Benevides in 1990-91. The Grand Champion for 1993-94 was Todd Hayashi, who caught an ulua weighing 12772 lbs during…