Innholdsfortegnelse for January 1997 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ Hawaii Marine Boat Mobile Repair Service has been in business for 13 years. I received my training from OMC, Volvo Penta gas and diesel, Force Outboards and Mercruiser. I also work on Suzuki outboards. My main goal is to keep my customers happy with my service. I enjoy saving customers money by answering their questions about motor or boat problems. Sometimes, a problem can be fixed right over the phone or FAX with me telling the owner step-by-step how to solve it. Keeping your boat and motor well-tuned and serviced will let you spend more time in the water and less on the pier watching your friends going fishing. Here are some helpful tips that will keep your motors running. 1. Change the motor’s water pump every year regardless…

■ Sometimes some of the ugliest fish are the most sought after. This is the case with the lae nihi, more commonly known as the nabeta. A wrasse, the nabeta lives in sandy areas, and when in danger will actually dive into the sand to hide. Regardless of how the small fish behaves, it’s superior eating and you’ll hardly ever find it in the supermarket because most fishermen take the fish home for their families. I don’t blame them in the least. One of the best ways to hook a nabeta is to use small chunks of aku or ‘ahi belly on a double-hook leader. The aku or ‘ahi belly should be liberally salted with rock salt and left overnight so that the salt can leach out the moisture and…

■ The water erupted with a thunderous splash! The line on my spinning reel sang as a big rainbow trout made a run for the deep end of the pool. I set the drag and enjoyed the fun as this magnificent, colorful fish leapt clear out of the water, twisting and turning every which way to throw out my hook. I could see this beauty would go about 4 lbs if it went an ounce, and I wanted it for dinner! Sounds like I was in the Rockies of Colorado or the Adirondacks of New York, eh? Well, guess again. I was on the island of Kaua‘i at the headwaters of the Koai‘e Stream. Still lost? Well, it’s near the base of Mount Wai‘ale‘ale in the Alaka‘i Swamp, which is…

■ The Board of Land and Natural Resources has postponed the opening of the feral pig hunting season in Unit A on the island of Kaua‘i until March 1, 1997, and established a public drawing to assign hunter applicants to one of the first four weekends of that season. The postponement only affects the 1997 hunting season, but the public drawing procedure will be in effect for the first month of all subsequent Unit A general open hunting seasons for feral pigs. The postponement was necessary because of the expected heavy hunter pressure, and the need to limit the number of hunters for safety reasons. In recent years, over 1,000 hunter trips were made within the first month in the relatively small hunting unit. The decision to postpone the season…

WHALE SANCTUARY Final EIS Due This Month ■ The long-awaited Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is due to be delivered to Gov. Ben Cayetano this month. The FEIS delivery triggers the final clock for the governor’s decision as to whether Hawai‘i will retain the present sanctuary or reject a federal whale sanctuary in Hawai‘i’s waters. The governor has 45 days to render his final decision. Opposition to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS) has been based on the premises that it is an unwarranted intrusion of the federal government into the management of state waters, that it will create a burdensome, unnecessary and expensive new layer of bureaucracy, that it is a duplication of existing federal and state…

■ Happy New Year! Are you ready for some winter bottom fishing, or how does ika-shibi fishing sound to you? As always, the weather plays the most important part when it comes to fishing out of Kane’ ohe. Lately it has been “smoking,” with lots of wind and rain. Overall, the fishing has been slow, with just a few mahimahi and marlin catches. The bright spot has been the shibi, or small ‘ahi. Quite a few of them have been caught around the FADs, especially the U-buoy, which sadly broke off during the heavy winds of December. Hopefully, the other FADs will produce fish for the rest of the winter and remain on station for a long time. George Sakamoto and Elden Fry aboard the PISCES TWO got into a…

■ The month was slow for tourism, and that directly affected the amount of charterboat crews who were lucky enough to find a willing angler. Still, the harbor had a decent catch. Blue marlin were captured in greater numbers than any other fish, and blues still topped the list of the most sought after game fish here in Kona. One hundred twenty blue marlin were boated. Fifteen striped marlin also made their way to the dock. Only five ‘ahi over 100 lbs were reported, and only five shortbill spearfish got to “pose” for the camera. As for the tagged billfish, seven were blues, 10 were stripers and one was a spearfish. The SEA GENIE II had an excellent month with eight tag and releases and two 400-plus-lb fish! In fact,…

■ The new sport fishery at Midway Atoll quickly established itself as an ulua hot spot. The big bruiser trevally so revered by Hawaii’s anglers are everywhere. The first outside anglers, skippers and mates to fish Midway this summer were not familiar with Hawaii’s rough, tough nearshore game fish, but they quickly became enamored of the blunt-headed, slab-sided brawlers, which they call G.T. (the abbreviation for giant trevally), just as the Australians and Japanese do. In October, George Handgis and I traveled from Kona to Midway to check out the possibilities opened up by Midway Sport Fishing Inc. on the historic atoll located at the far end of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. George had caught just one ulua in his life, while I had previously experienced some…

Dear Chuck, Enclosed is a photo of an old friend of mine, Jack Ackerman, who I dove with in the early 50s on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. After I noticed all the spear fishing articles in Hawai‘i on ulua over 100 lbs, I thought you would be interested. A little nostalgia never hurts. Thank you, Walter Hoffman, Mission Viejo, California…

Gov. Ben Cayetano Executive Chambers Hawai‘i State Capitol Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96815 Dear Gov. Cayetano: Please do not allow Hawai‘i’s waters to be included in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. My reasons for making this request are as follow: The humpback whale is already very well-protected by federal and state laws. The sanctuary will divert time, money and attention away from the more critical problems facing our marine ecosystem. We cannot afford the additional expenditure of federal and state tax dollars for an unnecessary marine sanctuary. I am concerned about the likelihood of having to pay “user fees,” to pay for the management of this unneeded sanctuary. I don’t want any additional federal jurisdiction imposed over state waters. We should manage our ocean resources at the state level.…

■ One of the best things about Alaska fishing is going back “in.” All of us who have visited the 49th state more than once begin to look for the “new Alaska” experience. We have fished for reds, kings, rainbows and halibut. Our search for beauty has taken us to Denali Park, Lake Iliamna and the Kenai Peninsula. We have all met new friends and shared stories of bears and beers. The next time you go, you might try a place that has all of the experience and more. This past August, I had the opportunity to visit Silver Salmon Beach Retreat at Silver Salmon Creek. Just a halfhour flight from Soldotna or an hour from Anchorage, you can land on a beach and step back into the glory days…

■ The 20th Anniversary Lahaina Jackpot Fishing Tournament fielded the smallest number of teams since 1987. Teams aboard 119 boats vied for $70,000 in prize money, with special awards of Fenwick and Kimura rods, Penn reels and lures by Area Rule and Seaducer. The Lahaina Harbor-based 47-foot Buddy Davis MARLIN MISCHIEF grabbed the $30,000 first-place purse. Capt. Rick Medenwald headed south on the second day of the event and raised the team’s 437-lb marlin 10 miles off Kaka Point, Kaho‘olawe. Rick and Co-capt. Allen Abdill were in the tower as they trolled past La Perouse Bay. It was graveyard dead with no signs of life as Rick worked the area. Allen spotted the dorsal fin of a marlin as it tracked an Original Sonoda lure on the short ‘rigger position.…

■ Happy New Year to all of you, and I hope you had a very Merry Christmas. I’ve been missing in action for the last two months, but now I’m tanned, rested and ready to write. There really hasn’t been too much action on the North Shore with the heavy rains and muddy waters. In fact, the dirty water extended all the way out to the II-buoy, which is 10.6 miles out. I think Mother Nature could use a good talking to. Maybe even a little slap on the wrist. Even though the weather has been less than ducky, some fish have been coming up. Marlin have been spotted hanging from the hoist, and some mahimahi have been finding their way into some fishboxes. The FADs have been holding some…

Boardings and Inspections ■ In October, Chuck Johnston published a notice on boardings and inspections of Hawai‘i’s charter fleet on the high seas. Since then, it has come to my attention that several other boardings have taken place off of Hana, Maui, Port Allen, Kaua‘i, and Penguin Banks. A inquiry into the matter was undertaken to investigate the justifications for such boardings. I called the U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Office for answers, and they contacted the appropriate departments. A copy of the HFN article was also sent to clarify recent and ongoing events. The Public Affairs Office sent an answer into the matter of boardings and inspections. The following information was provided by U.S. Coast Guard staff and is meant to be informative and not a comprehensive article on…

Lawai‘a Honu Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! Ua mana‘olana au ia ‘oukou e loa‘a ai na makana a nui. A i ‘ole, hanapa‘a paha ‘oukou i na men kani koha i ka makahiki hou. Eia no ho‘i, ke pomaika‘i ia ‘oukou i ka makahiki maika‘i a me lawai‘a pono. Ika mahina hope, i kekahi nupepa Honolulue kakau i ka hana maika‘i i ka moku ‘o Tern. ‘A ‘ole ‘ike i ka inoa Hawai‘i. Aka, ina ‘ike ‘oukou, e kakau. ‘Oia ho‘i, ulu ka’u mo‘olelo e pili ana i ka lawai‘a honu mai ka mo‘olelo o ka honu ‘o Tern. ■ Happy New Year! I hope you folks got a lot of gifts. Or perhaps you popped fireworks for the New Year. Anyway, I wish you an awesome year and good fishing in…

■ It was just another typical beautiful day in paradise with the sun rising above Diamond Head amid blue skies with cumulus clouds. On the horizon was a boat full of visiting anglers from Japan and the mainland United States. At the helm was Russell Tanaka, veteran fisherman of 30 years and the captain of the MAGIC home-ported in Kewalo Basin, O‘ahu. Capt. Tanaka has had many fine catches in his long career and also captained the infamous MARY I before moving on to the MAGIC. At 8 a.m. on this beautiful morning of November 1, 1996, Capt. Tanaka was approximately 15 miles south of Diamond Head, traveling toward Penguin Banks when he spotted a huge shadow under the long outrigger bait. Just as Capt. Tanaka was about to inform…

■ Representatives of several groups in support of public hunting met November 22, 1996, to form the Hawaii Hunters Association (HHA). The purpose: to preserve hunting for our grandchildren. Representatives from the Pig Hunters of Hawaii, the Wildlife Conservation Association of Hawaii, Big Island Gun Club, Kahuku Gun Club, North Kohala Gun Club, Hawaii Rifle Association, and the National Rifle Association field representative for Hawai’ i, Dave Bundesen, from Sacramento, met in Hilo. Tom Lodge of Kea‘au was elected president of the HHA, Steven Lichter of Kurtistown was chosen as vice president, and David Hughes of Ocean View was elected secretary-treasurer. Max Cooper of O‘ahu was appointed legislative chair. Because of the social and political pressures on hunting, those in Hawai‘i who support public hunting must organize more effectively to…

Buoy Action and Debris ■ From the beginning through about the middle of the month, the S- and R-buoys were hot with marlin action. Both stripers and blues made themselves known. Some commercial fishermen came home with five or six of these “donkeys.” The Power Plant and Nanakuli Valley areas proved to be hot areas for trolling for marlin. Toward the end of the month, the marlin action subsided and was replaced by some 10- to 15-lb shibi-ko showing up at Rand CO-buoys. I even spotted a couple of 50- to 60-pounders iced down good for Thanksgiving Day sashimi. The new aku boat NISEI showed up at R-buoy one day and the crew pulled a decent load of shibi-ko from it. Many of the small-boat fishermen fishing at the buoy…

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 Charter Services Report BARKING SANDS KAUA’i Hazardous Military Operations are occasionally conducted in the areas shown on this chart. Notice concerning these operations is mailed to boaters on our mailing list. For further information, or to be placed on our mailing list call 471-6301 from O‘ahu or 335-4301 from Kaua‘i. If you are planning on entering these areas please call for the status of scheduled operations, or contact the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Coast Guard Channel 16, Channel 6 or CB22.…

■ Calm weather provided some classic trolling days recently, and everyone was overjoyed with the appearance of large numbers of mahimahi together with some steady ono activity. Even some small striped marlin were boated, as well as an occasional blue marlin. The action at the buoys picked up considerably. There were lots of small aku and shibi-ko providing both good live-baiting opportunities and/or great small tackle action by trolling tiny red-eyed king-kings. This kind of fishing seemed really fun after a long summer of getting baked and wind-blown while in search of those big ‘ahi and marlin. Don’t get me wrong; nothing compares with coming back to the harbor with a giant ‘ahi in the box. But a lot of times last summer we came in with nothing except bruises,…

■ Marine operators, beware. Congress has just passed new, more expensive fines for marine operators who are in noncompliance with federal rules, such as vessel documentation, drug testing and accident reporting. The new fines are part of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in October. The U.S. Coast Guard now has the legal authority to impose the following fines: • Drug Testing. The new law provides for a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for marine employers who violate the U.S. Coast Guard’s chemical testing regulations. The intent of this provision is to give the U.S. Coast Guard flexibility to impose a penalty when appropriate for failing to implement a drug-testing program. Coast Guard drug testing rules…

■ Judging from the response to the November 1996 “Fishwife” column, HFN readers care about foods that are good for us and already sneak “healthy” ingredients into daily meals. It seems the operative word is “sneak,” because several of you asked for more recipes! What a good sign! Don’t let the length of this month’s offerings fool you. The recipes may seem complicated, but they’re easy to prepare and will likely become favorites requested by your healthy family. …Shirley Mexican Sea Bass With Summer Squash (by Graham Kerr, Cooking Light, September 1996) 1 ½ pounds sea bass fillets, about 2 inches thick-substitute snapper, mahimahi, ono 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 cup finely chopped onion ¾ cup (2-inch) julienne-cut green bell pepper ¾ cup (2-inch) julienne-cut yellow bell pepper 1 tablespoon…