Innholdsfortegnelse for December 1996 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ It was one of my few days off, and I was fishing on a 17-foot Calai named the FISHCAKE. We were hoping to get lucky and be able to call the boat, more specifically, the ‘o‘io FISHCAKE. I was drifting off of O‘ahu with my good friends Ben Mori and Stanley Kitagawa. We’d fished together in Ketchikan, Alaska, for silver salmon, so I knew these guys were good anglers with light tackle. More importantly, they were a joy to fish with and wise beyond their years. On this day, we were looking for some feisty bottom fish. With ultralight spinning outfits, we were nailing our share of the banded moana and a couple of pink weke, which Ben called maru (which means round in Japanese) weke because of the…

1. Surfcasting: Shall be that part of the sport of casting of weights with double-handed rods. 2. Method of Casting: All surfcasting shall be executed with both hands. 3. Rods: There shall be no restriction upon length or material used in their construction. 4. Guides: There shall be not less than three guides plus tip ring on rods, and the running line shall be threaded through each guide when casting. 4b. Cyclops: The “Cyclops” has been approved by UKSF. 5. Reels: Any reel may be used, as long as it is possible to fish with that reel. 6. Lines and Leader: They must be of a general circular section and parallel throughout and be of basic monofilament construction. 6a. Running Line: To be a minimum of. 35 mm. 6b. Casting…

Maximum Gross Weight: 9,200 lbs Empty Mission Weight: 6,092 lbs Maximum Range: 400 nautical miles Fuel Capacity: 291 gallons Overall Length: 38 feet Cargo Sling Capacity: 2,000 lbs Overall Height: 13 feet Rescue Hoist Capacity: 600 lbs Rotor Diameter: 39 feet Maximum Speed: 165 knots Cruising Speed: 120 knots Max Endurance: 31/2 hours • Power Plants: Two Lycoming LTS-101-750B-2 engines rated at 742 Shaft HP each • Total number in service: 96 • Primary Mission: Short range recovery (SRR) helicopter twin-engine. • Replaced aging HH-52A fleet.…

(from tho ‘‘Hawaiian Dictionary’ by Mary K. Pukui and Samuei H. Elbert) Olelo hou: Alea-a fish, said to be short for hinalea or a kind of hinalea (wrasse). ‘Ale ‘akl-a swamping wave, as one striking a canoe broadside from prow to stern. ‘Ale’lhl-another word variation of the fish ‘ala‘ihi. ‘Alekohola-alcohol (just FYI). Alelo-meat of the sea egg or sea urchin (wana). Alla-salt bed, or salt-encrusted area. Aliali-crystal clear, white (as found in waters off of the Hawaiian islands). ‘Alihl-cords or fine ropes threaded through margins I meshes of upper and lower edges of nets, to which were attached floats and sinkers; loops at the top of a koko net holding a calabash. ‘Allhl kepau-lower cord in a net to which lead sinkers were attached. ‘Allhilele-dragnet, mullet net.…

■ Seven blue marlin weighing more than 500 lbs each were captured this month. That’s great, considering only 95 blue marlin were weighed in at the harbor. Five of those marlin weighed more than 600 lbs. The first big marlin was landed by the charterboat HUMDINGER. Capt. Jeff Fay found the 646-lb marlin for return angler Tom Feichtinger, who was actually in search of another shark like the tiger he had caught last year. The charterboat CHEERS landed a 631-pounder for Diane Bian. Capt. Chuck Wigzell and first mate Del Wheaton were proud to display their catch. Capt. Dan Harrigan boated a 691½-pounder for Daryl Ekroth on Dan’s charterboat, the STARS AND STRIKES. The charterboat INTREPID, captained by Richard Keith, landed a blue for John Logan. First mate Danny Camacho…

■ The 40 teams that made the start in this year’s 19th Annual Lahaina Yacht Club Wahine Jackpot Fishing Tournament were competing for $8,000 in total prize moneys. The team on the 43-foot Bertram PIPER from Ma‘alaea Harbor captured the winning marlin. Ida Putnam angled her 230-lb fish to the boat in less than six minutes, netting the team the $4,000 first-place purse. Boat owner Johnny Baldwin was at the helm as they trolled 5 miles outside Kaumalapau, Lana‘i. They found an aku school and hooked a couple to use as bait, Capt. Denny Putnam rigged one up and dropped it back to the short ‘rigger position along with a dead skip bait out long. Debbie Baldwin held the live aku as Johnny worked the area. The baits were in…

■ Would you like to learn about Hawaii’s, coral reefs, contribute to environmental education in Hawai i and help celebrate 1997 as International Year of the Reef? The Waikiki Aquarium is looking for adult volunteers to assist at its popular “Edge of the Reef” exhibit. “Edge of the Reef” volunteers share fascinating natural history information, answer questions about Hawaii’s waters and marine life, and guide visitors’ obser vations at this naturalistic outdoor exhibit. The free training begins Tuesday, January 14 and is open to adults 18 years and older. Taught by Aquarium Education staff, the course helps you gain a better under-. standing of Hawai‘i’s marine environment and prepares you to share information in. stimulating ways with visitors of all ages. The seven-session course meets on five Tuesday and Thursday…

Ted Teramoto pierced the lips of a live jumping jack, or blenny, with his Mustad #1 live bait hook. The jumping jack wiggled uncontrollably as Ted cast it out as far as he could without the use of any lead weight. The lead-free line would present the jumping jack in a most natural way. The blenny would be free to swim whichever way it chose: up; down; or straight through the churning white water. The dark, panic-ridden colors of the jumping jack stood out like a sore thumb, and it would be just a matter of time before a predator saw it. The blenny had no chance. The water was a murky bluish-green color, which was a combination of black sand mixing with the foamy white water. The sandy bottom…

Yellowfin and Albacore Blitz Aloha HFN, Chuck Johnston and the rest of the HFN staff: Here’s a catch from Kailua-Kona. From left to right are my cousin Capt. Jessie Amantiad, yours truly, Bobby Alipio, and my other two cousins Jansen Amantiad and Milton Gabato. On August 16, 1996, I was invited to the Big Island to do some night fishing for tombo ‘ahi (albacore tuna) or whatever else would take our baits. We left Honokohau Harbor at around 5 p.m. on August 18, 1996. Our trip was to take us south toward Miloli‘i. There, we would spend the night and do our fishing aboard Jessie’s boat, called the GEORGIE GIRL, a 25-foot Sea Ray. The night started off a little slow, but around 1 a.m. things started to pick up.…

Where Will the Area Closures Be? ■ The new DLNR bottomfishing regulations should be ready for final review soon. I hope there will be a legitimate public review and comment period that will accept valid changes prior to enactment. This new plan was driven by the onaga/ehu crisis and is based on establishing closed areas in 20 percent of the known onaga/ehu habitat for long periods of time (5-plus years). It has been nearly a year since this method was agreed upon at the bottomfish task force meetings. I have yet to hear that the closed areas have been identified. These 20 percent closed areas were to be distributed equitably throughout the state. The exact locations and identification of these areas are a critical part of the whole idea. The…

■ Application forms for the 1997 axis deer season on Lana’i are now available at Division of Forestry and Wildlife offices and license vendors statewide. The deer season will consist of three hunts: Archery Hunt (eight consecutive days): From February 15 to 22,1997 Muzzleloading Hunt (two consecutive Saturdays only): March 1,1997 and March 8,1997 General Rifle Hunt (nine consecutive Saturdays only): From March 15,1997 to May 10, 1997 Additional details and copies of the revised hunting rules are available at the Division of Forestry and Wildlife Offices listed below:…

■ My two boys and Penn’s new high-speed conventional series have something in common. They’re the new generation in sport fishing. Like my two sons, who zip about with a lot of spunk and kick, the new 535, 545 and 555 conventional reels from Penn will really keep you busy-busy fishing, that is. I recently had the opportunity to test one of the reels from Penn’s new line. The model I tested was the 545, which is a little smaller than the well-known Penn Jigmaster. I received a preproduction model to scrutinize so I could report any bugs I found with the reel before it was made available to the public. Being a heavy Penn user, I was more than happy to try out the reel. 1 had it filled…

■ The Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) has released for public review the Draft Kaho’olawe Ocean Management Plan. The plan establishes the framework for use of ocean resources, including fishing, in the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve (KIR). Public meetings will be held across the state to solicit comments. Copies are available for review at major public libraries. Dr. Noa Emmet Aluli, chairperson of the KIRC, said, “This plan takes a native Hawaiian approach to environmental stewardship. Kaho’olawe is of tremendous significance to native Hawaiians, and a resource for all of Hawai‘i’s people. As a crossroads of past and future generations, Kaho’olawe provides an opportunity to relearn the traditional Hawaiian values of caring for the ocean and its resources and to put these values into practice.” Michael Wilson, chairperson of the state…

■ The aku are still biting off our side of O‘ahu, and the water has been really nice for fishing. It seems that winter is taking its time in coming. It’s still hot and humid on the coast, and nearshore activities are very popular. Tako, or octopus, season is here, and lots of tako are being taken every day by those who know what to look for in eight-legged creatures. One 3-pounder was taken right off He‘eia Kea Pier; the tako was clinging to the wall and just begging to be poke. Late-season papio just keep showing up; one Saturday, Chris Mitobe caught a 2-lb white papio while fishing from the pier. Chris is a sixthgrader at Pu’ohala Elementary and has been fishing almost all of his life. At He‘eia…

with Norm Isaacs ■ There’s more offshore action coming up on Hawai‘i’s own “Inside Big Game Fishing, Hawaii with Capt. Norm Isaacs,” which airs every Sunday afternoon on KHNL Hawaii News 8 (Channel 13 on the Big Island) at 4 p.m. If you live on O‘ahu, the mainland or have a satellite dish, you can also catch us on ESPN 2 Outdoors, Sunday mornings from 6:30 to 10 a.m. EST (1:30 to 5 a.m. locally). If you have any comments, please feel free to drop me a line at P.O. Box 5198, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96745 or E-mail me at <http://www.cptnorm@aloha.net> Sunday, December 1-KIWI IN PARADISE An international angler takes to the fighting chair. A multiple-marlin day gives this New Zealander a busy trip aboard the SUNDOWNER. You’ll get a good…

■ Man! Oh, man! The North Shore of Maui really took a licking this past month due to the size of the waves that were hitting its beaches. Over the weekend of November 10, the swell came into the Kahului Harbor entrance, turned the corner and wiped out the Kahului Small Boat Harbor Ramp loading dock. These waves were so strong, they washed over the concrete ramp and deposited what was left of the dock up where the RAINBOW RUNNER and the DARK HORSE used to sell their fish along Harbor Drive. We hate to think about how much sand and coral is in the area that the club cleaned out this past summer. This reporter took a run down to the Maliko Ramp on November 11 to see if…

■ By now you should know that the first weekend of the month has been designated as the public fishing day for the Ho’omaluhia Reservoir. Also, every Wednesday of the month is set aside as a “seniors” fishing day. My experience to date has been that either the word did not get out or there are no seniors interested in dunking a line and drowning bait just for the fun of it. Why not call (808) 223-7323 for details? Talking to a couple of old-timers, my peers, I found that they seemed to be reluctant to go fishing because they did not want to sit under the blazing sun and fish for the fun of it. I explained that there is plenty of shade under the trees and when the…

OFFSHORE TOURNAMENTS JUNIOR FISHING TOURNAMENT January 19,1997 Hawaii Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 949-4622 and Waikiki Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 955-4405 1739-C Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96815 KONA MARLIN FISHING TOURNAMENT February 4,1997 Mike Nelson-Big island (808) 254-5944 PRESIDENTS DAY TOURNAMENT March 1 & 2,1997 Hawaii Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 949-4622 1739-0 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96815 APRIL FOOLS DAY TOURNAMENT March 29, 30 & April 1,1997 Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club-Kona (808) 325-7362 P.O. Box 3106, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 SPRING FISHING TOURNAMENT March 15 & 16,1997 Hawaii Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 949-4622 1739-0 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96815 LAHAINA SPRING WAHINE TOURNAMENT April 5 & 6,1997 Lahaina Yacht Club-Maui (808) 661-0191 835 Front Street, Lahaina, HI 96761 SENORITA’S TOURNAMENT April 19 & 20, 1997 Hawaii Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 949-4622 1739-0 Ala…

HH-65A Dolphin “Coast Guard 657, you’re clear for takeoff from Sand Island. Follow the H-l Freeway north to Hickam; contact Hickam Ground at the junction,” stated the air traffic controller. The HH-65A readying for takeoff relayed, “Roger, Coast Guard 657, follow H-l Freeway north, contact Hickam Ground.” This is the type of communication that is often forgotten in the hustle and bustle of a typical “Coastie” day. I happened upon this conversation while monitoring air traffic near the Honolulu Airport, and it got me thinking about the machines that enable the U.S. Coast Guard to complete its missions. This month, I’d like to focus on one of the workhorses of search-and-rescue (SAR) missions in the islands, the Aerospatiale HH-65A Dolphin. The U.S. Coast Guard has added 96 short-range HH-65A helicopters…

‘O’opu Hue ‘AnO‘ai me ke aloha. I ka wa i hala, ua nana i ka mea ‘ano ‘e i wahi pana o Ka Lae o Kupikipiki’o. ‘O keia mo’olelo ‘ill moa e pili ana i ka i‘a ‘o’opu hue. He mo’olelo pokole keia. Ua ‘ike ko‘u mau hoaloha i keia mea. He pu’iwa no makou i ka ahiahi, pela no, i keia manawa. ■ Greetings. Not long ago, 1 experienced a strange incident at Ka Lae o Kupikipiki’o (Point of Raging Sea, commonly referred to as Black Point, Diamond Head). (Also see October 1995 HFN.) This “chicken skin” short story is about the ‘o’opu hue, or puffer fish. We were very surprised on that evening, thus, even to this day. “Eh, Lance, wot you get? Yo’ pole stay bending,” I…

Decision Early Next Year ■ The latest word from the National Marine Sanctuary Office in Hawai‘i is that Gov. Cayetano will receive the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary sometime late this year. The timing of the governor’s receipt of that document is important because that triggers the final decision timing. According to the sanctuary office, there is a 30-day “cooling off period” after the governor receives the FEIS, and then the governor has an additional 45 days in which to render his final decision about the inclusion of anu Hawai‘i’s waters within the presently authorized, or within a possibly expanded national marine sanctuary. The date of the release of the FEIS has been gradually pushed back for months, leading to some…

Charter Services 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…

■ The billfish totals were on the positive side leading into the Lahaina Yacht Club Wahine Jackpot Fishing Tournament and the Lahaina Jackpot Fishing Tournament. Out of the 46 total billfish hooked, there were 34 blue marlin, six striped marlin and two spearfish. Another three blue marlin and a lone striped marlin were tagged and released. The K-buoy was the hot spot during the month, with 23 blue marlin coming from the area. Twenty-two of these fish ranged between 100 and 200 lbs, and one weighed 304 lbs. All but one of the blue marlin captured from the K-buoy area were taken on live baits. Weather Buoy Blue The HOKULOA raised a 514-lb marlin from waters off the North Shore of Moloka‘i. Capt. Kim Miyaki, crewman Kitty Kauhane and Max…

■ The November fishing session at Ho’omaluhia turned out to be a big hit again with both the younger and the older set. Saturday was sort of misty and sometimes outright rainy, and one would expect that this would dampen the spirits a bit. Au contraire, the participants endured and kept fishing come rain or shine. Yours truly got soaked to the skin just walking the bank and observing the individual pursuits of the aquarium fish and the tilapia. One could not help but notice the variety of baits that the hopefuls were offering the fish. 1 counted (among other things) pieces of apple, sausage, tortillas, hot dogs, pizza, shrimp, aku belly and liver. However, whereas bread was the most commonly used bait, pieces of squid definitely work better at…

■ Weather in Hawai‘i waters will play a more important role in any marine activity during winter. Mariners are advised that the change from good to bad weather can be fast. The severe weather events that can occur, in decreasing order of frequency, are: gusty trade winds, high northwest swell and surf, cold front with Kona winds, and Kona low. The strongest trade winds are the winter-type trades that can occur in December. The number of trade wind days will be low-only about half of the days of the month-but gusty trades can occur on about a fourth to a third of the days in December. High northwest swell and surf will be frequent along the exposed northern shores. Expect about 20 days with surf greater than 6 feet high,…