Innholdsfortegnelse for March 1995 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ Spring is approaching according to the caiendar, but in Hawai‘i waters winter-type weather can still appear in March. But there will be more good weather days than bad weather days. There is always the possibility of the occurrence of any of the following severe weather events: cold front with strong Kona winds, upper trough with heavy rain, gusty trade winds and high northwest wave and surf. Trade winds should be present on more than half the days in March with the possibility of about eight to 14 days of gusty trades. Northwest swell activity should be noticeably less. There may be about five days of high surf greater than 10 feet along the north shores. There’s still a chance of surf greater than 25 feet high at Sunset Beach,…

■ I picked my dad up from Keahole Airport at around 6:20 a.m. one Wednesday morning. The night before we had discussed a possible ulua hunt and had realized that our chances of landing one were great. The swells were big, and the current was ripping. We arrived at our dive site at about 7 a.m. By the time I had finished cleaning my dive mask, my dad was about 100 yards offshore. The adrenalin was pumping; both of us were anxious. After swimming for about 20 minutes, we reached the 70- to 80-foot ledge. The current was pushing hard, and we seldom had to kick. We both dropped down on the first hole only to find that our excitement gave us minimal bottom time. Fortunately, none of the ulua…

■ It seems like I haven’t written in a while, partly due to the weather. This is the time of the year we on the North Shore of O‘ahu witness some of the largest waves in the world. For those of you who don’t know me, I regularly write articles on spearfishing and free-diving. For those who do know me, my position as a legislative aide might seem like a change, but that’s not really so. Having always been community-oriented, I’ve always had an interest in politics but was never at a point where I took it seriously. Up until now, the closest I ever got to politics was helping friends who ran for public office. Have you ever wondered who creates all of our laws? Where do they even…

■ “It is what it is, because it is what it is.”If I put in a couple of “party of the first parts” and tacked on a bill for some ridiculous dollar figure, it would look like I was doing a lawyer imitation. Actually, what I’m referring to is the sport of fishing, or at least what I choose to call a sport. I have also heard fishing referred to as an obsession, addiction, form of mental illness and a few other descriptive terms that aren’t nearly so kind. Whatever it’s called, there is an undeniable draw for those of us who are hooked; and, as strange as it may seem, just catching a fish isn’t necessarily the attraction. So, if catching the fish isn’t the big deal, what is?…

■ There’s a new fish cookbook in town! Jane Brody, whose books include her “Good Food Book” and “Nutrition Book,” has written the “Good Seafood Book,” a volume with more than 200 recipes for seafood lovers. Jane, health columnist for the New York Times, is best known for her sensible, health-conscious outlook on food. These recipes are low-fat, healthful versions that emphasize variety and creativity. Try one or all of them; the recipes are from both the “Nutrition Book” and her “Good Food Book.” … Shirley Sautéed Snapper With Onions and Golden Raisins 1¼ pounds red snapper fillets, skin on, cut into 4 portions½ cup golden raisins1 tablespoon olive oil Salt to taste (½ teaspoon suggested) Freshly ground black pepper to taste1½ cups sliced onion, ¼-inch slices¼ cup apple cider…

■ The tip of Hal Higuchi’s ulua pole twitched ever so slightly, and his stainless ulua bell didn’t even register a clank. His line suddenly went limp. Hal eagerly cranked in the slack line on the Penn JigMaster reel. Whatever was on his line was swimming in with it like a darting ‘o‘io. Suddenly the line got stuck, so Hal hauled back and began to mutter profanities. “What the heck? Stuck again?” Hal said like an angler in distress. Apparently Hal’s fish was swimming toward every rock and coral head it could find as it was being drawn closer to shore. Finally, after several minutes of cranking, pulling and slacking, Hal had his fish on shore. It was a nice kumu, and its body revealed many scratches and loose scales,…

■ Aloha, readers. This year is the North Shore Spearfisher’s10th anniversary. I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about the club and its members. Ten years ago, Albert Lagunte started the North Shore Spearfishers in his back yard. Most of us remember those primitive days diving with three-prong spears and Clorox bottle floaters. The club started with a few friends enjoying diving stories over fish on the hibachi and cold beer. Although the diving equipment has certainly changed with all the new high-tech gear and spearguns, the club has not. We are still the backyard divers telling tall tales of big sharks and stalking fish. The goal of our club is the perpetuation of the sport of diving and the bond of friendship and brotherhood that is…

Dear Chuck and the people of the Hawaiian islands who own boats, love to fish, dive or otherwise enjoy our beautiful ocean waters as free and responsible people: It’s whale season again, and most of the whale research businesses are again playing their same old scam games on the people of Hawai‘i. Every year, boats with whale research flags hover around pods of whales like swarms of angry bees. A vast majority of the whale harassment I’ve seen over the years has been from whale research boats. Instead of performing valid research, the majority of whale research vessels are nothing more than unlicensed charterboats carrying passengers for hire without commercial registration, licensed captains or liability insurance. Professional photographers come to Hawai‘i from all over the world to pay big money…

■ The Big Island Casting Club recently wrapped up 1994 with an awards banquet held at the Keauhou Beach Hotel on Saturday, January 21, 1995. At this event, the club recognized individuals for their hard work and dedication to their club and to the sport of shorecasting. By their efforts these individuals have been rewarded with bountiful catches and memories that will last a lifetime. The gathering also gave participants an opportunity to meet some of the new members and to get reacquainted with the old. A conference room was set up just for us, and a seafood buffet dinner, paid for by the club, was enjoyed by members and their spouses. The feast consisted of a multitude of “all-you-can-eat” entrées, salads and desserts too numerous to list. For dinner…

■ On the Kona Coast of the Big Island there is a little discussed problem similar in many respects to a major dilemma facing communities across the state. The dilemma is how do we dispose of our sewage without seriously impacting the ocean? The Kona problem is simmering quietly in the midst of a dispute between the Hawai‘i County government and a Japanese developer who was supposed to build a municipal golf course, which would also serve as a leach field for Kona’s municipal sewage effluent. Unfortunately, the developer has been unable to live up to his end of the deal, despite a $10 million prepayment to the county, so as a “temporary” measure, a large open hole was excavated on the golf course site and Kona’s sewage effluent is…

Fuel Dock 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 and (B) = Black marlin. Tag and Release Report Old Lahaina Town 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 and (B) = Black marlin and (T) = Tagged and release, weight estimated.…

■ When the fish finally decided to show up, they arrived in schools of striped marlin and spearfish unlike Lahaina Town has ever experienced. The blue marlin were still almost nonexistent; only three small fish between 49 and 120 lbs were boated, and one 25-pounder was tagged and released. The highest total of striped marlin and spearfish to ever be landed by the 15 Lahaina charterboats during any month’s time was recorded. Eighty striped marlin were brought to the scales, and another 44 were tagged and released. These stripers ranged from 25 to 50 lbs, with one just topping 100 lbs and a few in the 80-lb range. The 41 spearfish that were weighed in were of an average size, and several weighed 45 to 50 lbs. Ten were tagged…

Aloha Chuck, We just wanted to send a photo of this 60- to 70-lb ‘ahi, which we caught on a Hawaiian bone hook. I design hooks mostly from pearl shell. My friends said we needed to send this photo to you folks because you might enjoy the fact that these Hawaiian bone hooks that everyone wears around their necks really do work-even though most people probably won’t ever try one out for size under their boat. As for the ancestors of the modern Hawaiian people, they have probably affected (more than people realize) the design of most modern-day hooks used here in the Pacific. In ancient times, necessity became the mother of invention of the beautifully designed Hawaiian hooks. Mahalo, good luck and good fishing, Yosi Johnson Kapa’a, Kaua’i P.S.…

Inside Big Game Fishing March Programs KHNL Channel 13 Saturdays at 4 p.m. March 4 - Lure to Bait Switch We’ll be fishing with Capt. Mike Fairfield on the SEA GENIE. Mike will be showing us what’s been working for him over the years when it comes to bait and switch. You’ll see a good mix of fish from billfish to toothy critters. March 11 - Big Marlin On March 11, Capt. McGrew Rice aboard the IHU NUI along with angler Bo Prichard tangles with big fish, a IHU NUI specialty. This episode features live bait and leadering techniques, along with a look at some recent developments in tackle. March 18 - Start ’Em Young March 18 finds us back on the IHU NUI mixing billfish and little leaguers. Sparse…

■ The International Game Fish Association’s annual edition of “World Record Game Fishes” is the ultimate “wish book” for many anglers because most wish they could be in it. In fact, of hundreds of millions of recreational fishermen around the world, only a small percentage are aware of what it takes to fish for and apply for world records. Is that because the majority of anglers perceive world records as too far out of reach of the “average fisherman”? If so, they’re wrong. Every angler has the potential to catch a world-record fish. Phenomenal skill isn’t always needed. Sometimes luck will go a long way. Years ago, some anglers predicted that records would soon reach plateaus of unbeatable weights. The prediction has not come true. Bigger fish are out there…

■ The following angling rules have been formulated by the International Game Fish Association to promote ethical and sporting angling practices, to establish uniform regulations for the compilation of world game fish records, and to provide basic angling guidelines for use in fishing tournaments and any other group angling activities. The word “angling” is defined as catching or attempting to catch fish with a rod, reel, line and hook as outlined in the international angling rules. There are some aspects of angling that cannot be controlled through rulemaking, however. Angling regulations cannot insure an outstanding performance from each fish, and world records cannot indicate the amount of difficulty in catching the fish. Captures in which the fish has not fought or has not had a chance to fight do not…

■ Hawai‘i fishermen familiar with Elec-Tra-Mate’s electric fishing reel motors for Penn reels generally think of them only as bottomfishing tools. Elec-Tra-Mates work great for bottom fishing, but they have a number of other fishing uses, as well. Outside of Hawai‘i, one of the more common uses for Elec-Tra-Mate products is as teaser reels, and a few local skippers are now using them for that purpose here in the islands with some successful results. We recently had a chance to test such a setup in Kona on Capt. Dennis Harris’ 42-foot Merritt, the HUNTRESS. Teaser reels are used to retrieve teasers, which are basically lures without hooks in them used to attract fish. Why run a lure without a hook in it? One reason is to raise fish, get them…

■ The sanctuary would like to thank HAWAII FISHING NEWS and its readers for their continued interest in the Hawaiian Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is working closely with the state of Hawai‘i to resolve management issues associated with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan (DEIS/MP). NOAA anticipates the DEIS/MP will be available for public review and comment in the Spring of 1995. The Hawai‘i Sanctuary Congress designated the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary as part of the Oceans Act of 1992, recognizing the importance of Hawai‘i’s marine environment for humpback whales and the need for more comprehensive and coordinated management. Approximately two-thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population migrate to the Hawaiian islands to engage in…

■ What a slow month for fishing, even though the weather was nice! The fish were just not there. Maybe they just went south for the winter. Bottom fishing has been the only bright spot so far this season. We have seen some big ‘opakapaka and hapu’upu’u. However, when the weather got nasty, many of the bottom fishermen could not stay on their spots. The wind was blowing and gusting very hard at various times. Striped marlin, or natagi, are supposed to show up soon. Some were already caught by several fishermen just after the New Year. The fishing couple of He’eia Kea Harbor, Fred and Tran Patricio on the AIGLE DE MER, landed three natagi after five strikes. They were entertaining a friend from Texas, Matt Colin Smith, who…

■ As of Tuesday, January 31, here are the biggest Kona rod-and-reel catches so far this year (listed by species, weight, angler, skipper, boat and date): Pacific blue marlin 755½ lbs, Louise Sterling, Ron Freitas, the LIQUID GOLD, January 23; ‘ahi, 169 lbs, Yasuo Takahashi, Capt. David Beaudet, the BOOMERANG, January 7; striped marlin, 100 lbs, Peter Lindsey, Hugh Sapp, the H.S. BOUNTYII, January 28; spearfish, 56½ lbs, Larry Harmon, Capt. Bill Ross, the KUPANAHA, January 24; mahimahi, 39 lbs, Glen Hargrove, Capt. Jeff Parish, the LIl‘HOOKER, January 7; ono, 83 lbs, John Kauhaihao, NAI’O, January 7. To date, there have been no black marlin or sailfish caught. (Information courtesy of Amber Hudnall of Charter Services at the Fuel Dock.)…