Innholdsfortegnelse for April 1997 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ One of the best ways to hook ‘opelu is with a bamboo handpole. It’s simple, brings back a ton of memories, is low maintenance, and is just plain fun. So, on one recent trip, John Matsunaga, Dr. Daryl Wong and I went ‘opelu fishing outside of o‘ahu. After we had chummed the water with oily bits of ‘ahi for about an hour, fish started to come around, following the slick. Fish like ballyhoo and lai were first on the scene. Being easy to please, I tried for them without hesitation. I’ve done quite a bit of flyfishing for lai while using plastic strip baits. This time, I was using a tiny piece of aku belly on a hook, and the lai just couldn’t resist it. I removed the split…

■ Fiji presents a challenge for first-time visitors, anglers and divers alike. Fiji is such a great dive destination that two-time HAWAII FISHING NEWS 100 Plus Club member Steve Roush has returned to the atoll of Tavarua six times and is no stranger to the grounds. Steve, who is from Kaua‘i, made the HFN 100 Plus Club twice-both times with ulua he speared in the waters off his home island. He is also experienced in blue-water game fish, being previously featured in HFN with two Hawai‘i ono-a 38-pounder and a 48-pounder. Although the grounds off Kaua‘i have an abundance of game, Steve enjoys the variety that Fiji has to offer. Besides the well-known giant trevally, or GT (as ulua are called by the Australians), or sanga (by the Fijians), the…

Dear Hawai‘i Fishermen: On February 24, the Honolulu Advertiser editorialized about the sanctuary (“Whale Sanctuary-Latest Proposal Much Better”), casting it in a positive light, reversing the cautionary editorial position they had taken earlier. Apparently, the Advertiser editors wrote that editorial without reading the sanctuary final environmental impact statement (FEIS) and management plan, because they merely parroted the “spin” put out by a few sanctuary advocates, that the new document is an improvement over the previous document. It clearly is not. For the record, let us clearly state the FEIS and management plan is more onerous than the draft EIS, it ignores many of the comments provided by concerned citizens, and it seeks to expand the boundaries of the sanctuary to include waters around each of the main Hawaiian islands in…

First Grander of 1997 ■ The weather eased up a bit this month, and big things started happening. Buddy Kaialau and his son Isaac returned to the harbor on February 16 with a 1,230-lb Pacific blue marlin in tow behind their 22-foot Force, the PATRICIA K. This massive marlin earned the Wai‘anae Coast the bragging rights for the first grander in the state for 1997. Isaac had talked his dad into going fishing that day, and the plan was to head out about 15 miles off of Ma‘ili Point to see what was happening out there. They were a couple of miles outside of S-buoy when the brawling billfish decided to swallow a 12-inch Lock Nut lure dragging off the starboard corner. The original Lock Nut lure was designed by…

■ Thursday, March 13, 1997, was an unlucky day for Hawai‘i’s recreational saltwater fishermen. While everyone was waiting for Mike Wilson, chairman of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), to put forward the department’s saltwater fishing license bill, the clock on introducing new legislation ran out. On March 13, during a hearing before the Committee on Ocean Recreation and Marine Resources chaired by Rep. Dave Tamas (Kona), Mike Wilson reiterated his request for legislative authority to license saltwater fishermen. On the agenda was SB1599 SD-1, relating to a commercial marine dealers’ license, and SB1598 SD-1, relating to Aquatic Resources. During the discussion on SB1599 SD-1, Chairman Wilson was informed that this bill would not be a proper vehicle to amend. SB1598 SD-1, which came up next, became that…

Bank Fishing At Ho‘omaluhia ■ Misty swirls of wind posed cat’s paws on the surface of the pond, the sky was overcast, but the clouds did not break. About 250 anglers and their hopeful prodigies made it to the pond, and the action was good. Bamboo poles were definitely in; K-Mart must be making a killing. The floats that come with the poles from K-Mart do leave a lot to be desired, though, because they make it difficult to balance the baits properly. Many could have used different hooks and floats, that’s for sure! In spite of the handicap, the anglers did catch some fish and were happy. In the meantime, I shall leave my recommendations for a total outfit at Nanko’s in Kane‘ohe for those who need to buy…

■ The Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT) was founded in 1959 by Peter S. Fithian. It is considered the “granddaddy” of amateur fishing tournaments in the Pacific. Throughout the years, the tournament has drawn celebrities, royalty, movie stars and record-holding international anglers to Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i, the Pacific blue marlin capital of the Pacific. In 1986, the first serious effort at a conservation-oriented Hawai‘i big-game fishing tournament was initiated, and the five days of HIBT marlin fishing competition now emphasizes tag-and-release marlin fishing with 90 percent of all marlin being tagged and released. The tag-and-release rule is a step toward knowledge and preservation, two of the major goals of the Pacific Ocean Research Foundation (PORF). The PORF laboratory in Kailua-Kona is subsidized by the Hawaiian International Billfish Association (HIBA). Minimum…

■ The following are my opinions regarding the DLNR’s bottomfish management plan, which proposes to restrict the taking of certain bottom fish in the main Hawaiian islands (MHI) by establishing restricted fishing areas for the next five years or so. My name is Henry Okamoto, and I have fished off and on for bottom fish since 1947. I also conducted an ‘opakapaka study from 1989 to 1994 as a DLNR employee. Based on my fishing experience and study of Hawaii’s most economically important bottomfish species, I find the proposed management plan is not based on logical scientific rationale, but rather based on information that is flawed and without merit. The DLNR’s justification for the proposed area closures is based on the government’s (NMFS, WESPAC and DLNR) analysis of the MHI…

■ Pick a fish, any fish! If the waters off the Kona Coast were a restaurant, if all of our game fish made up a menu, and if the captains took orders as you boarded your chartered boat, you could have ordered almost any fish and had a very good chance at getting it! We had almost every fish available here in Hawai‘i caught during the month. The blue marlin numbers have decreased at little to make room for the spearfish and striped marlin. A total of 62 blue marlin, 60 striped marlin and 70 spearfish were recorded at the Fuel Dock in Honokohau Harbor. The yellowfin tuna made a definite comeback. At least 16 ‘ahi weighing more than 100 lbs each were brought to the scales, and many in…

K-Bay Fleet Shares In Early Season ‘Ahi Run ■ Rumors of ‘ahi this time of the year are very common because everybody wants to believe the yellowfin tuna are already here. Well, for once the rumors are true. “They’re baaack,” and although not in great numbers, the ‘ahi seem to have arrived in the islands much earlier than in previous years. The weather may have something to do with this because it has been stormy with many low-pressure systems coming through the islands causing water temperature changes. If this is the cause, no problem; the storms will eventually stop, and a few good fishing days have to raise a few fish. Miles Iwasaki on the KIANA I got his first ‘ahi of the year. It weighed just over 100 lbs…

■ Rifle hunters will find a different Lana‘i in 1997 The drought is over Lana‘i has seen an abundance of rain in the past few months and her fertile soils have responded. Tall grass areas and trees loaded with lull complements of leaves are providing excellent forage for game herds on the public side of the island Expect healthy stealthy game that is hard to find The deer will lose little time heading for patches of dense cover once the bullets start to fly. That’s no surprise, but what is new is that the deer won’t have to go far to find their hideaways. In years past, deer would run from the ocean to the pines looking for a place to hole up. Those deer stampedes made for some great…

What? Sierra Club a Friend in Hunter Land Rights Battle? ■ Hunter groups on the Big Island met with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Hilo to discuss alternatives for replacing Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) hunting lands to be lost as a result of a federal court decision requiring endangered species fencing. The February 25 meeting at the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) headquarters focused on ways for the federal wildlife officials, hunters and environmental groups to form a mutual interest coalition. The meeting’s surprising news, bursting from the table like a put-upon covey of quails, was that the environmental/hunter coalition is already in place. Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, an often perceived hunter predator, should be seen as a powerful ally in securing additional hunting rights…

■ After all these years, even as “the cuisine of the month” takes hold in restaurants, kitchens and via cookbooks all over the United States, basic Asian ingredients remain my favorite flavors, particularly with seafood. Ginger, sesame seeds and oils, shoyu, shiitake mushrooms, rice vinegar, curry powder, chili sauces, nori, oyster sauce, mirin- the list is endless. If forced to elaborate on why the mere mention of any Asian ingredient makes my mouth water instantly, I’d credit the subtle combination of the sugar and salt that is the predominant flavor in most dishes. I’m sure I’m not alone with this preference, particularly in Hawai‘i. I’d bet that your kitchen shelves and refrigerator are like mine, stocked with every ingredient you’d need to whip up an Asian dinner, so you won’t…

■ Weather-wise, this is a transitional month between our winter and summer. This means that the surface cold front of winter and the upper trough of summer can “meet” over the islands in April. The result is a few days of bad weather with heavy rain and gusty winds. Bad weather doesn’t occur every April over Hawaii waters, but it happens often enough, or the potential is there, to warrant being aware of its possibility. Trade wind days continue to increase-about 75 percent of the time we’ll have trades. Expect eight to 15 days of gusty trades. High northwest swell and surf action is tapering down. Expect only about two days of surf 10 to 15 feet high at Sunset Beach, o‘ahu. April 1—Sunrise: 6:24 am, Sunset: 6:46 pm @…

HAWAII’S FRESHWATER GAME FISH ■ At its January 25 meeting, Waikahe‘olu had the privilege of presenting Dennis Shinno, Division of Aquatic Resources aquatic biologist, and Wade Ishikawa, the division’s information and education specialist on Kaua‘i. By means of a slide presentation, which included some awesome images of trout, Dennis and Wade covered the background, present condition and immediate future of the state-sponsored trout program. The history of trout in Hawai‘i dates back to the 1870s when brook trout were first introduced to the island of Kaua‘i. The stocking of rainbow trout was begun in the 1920s on all islands with Kaua‘i showing the best results. In 1955, fingerlings and catchables were raised at the Territory of Hawai‘i hatchery at Koke‘e, Kaua‘i. Trout were then backpacked manually to streamside release points.…

■ The deep clear waters of Keahole Point offer any fisherman excellent grounds to fish. The area is prime grounds for slide-baiting, whipping and handpole fishing, mainly because of the easy access to the many lava fingers that protrude into deep water. A rigid thermocline is just offshore where the inshore reef disappears into a dark abyss creating a huge playground for big ono, ‘ahi and marlin. Trailers ply these grounds for some fast action, and many times they are rewarded. But, many forget the inshore fishing at Keahole Point also can be quite rewarding. Big, 100-lb ulua have been landed here through the years, and slide-baiters often frequent the grounds to try their luck. For the light-tackle enthusiast, whipping with plugs, spoons and grub tails are all excellent tactics…

■ As we near the finish line of the sanctuary odyssey, we feel that a simplified position might aid the POWS’ quest. The focus of our closing argument is the separation of the regulatory portion of the proposed sanctuary expansion (which includes half or more of the waters around each of the main Hawaiian islands) from the nonregulatory measures, all of which do not require a sanctuary area to be viable. The proposed sanctuary area includes portions of two existing bodies of water: Hawai‘i state waters (those waters that extend from the shoreline of each island out to 3 miles); and the Hawai‘i EEZ, or exclusive economic zone (those waters that adjoin the Hawai‘i state waters and extend out to 200 miles from shore). The EEZ is a federally regulated…

■ The current version of the draft bottomfishing rules are the result of 29 public meetings the DLNR has held since February 1995. At that time, the department formed a Fisherman’s Advisory Panel to aid in the development of an overall bottomfish management plan. The panel was made up of fishermen, fishing industry representatives, scientists and government agencies. This joint cooperative panel has been instrumental in developing the rules and educating the public about the need for these rules and urgency of the situation. “Though our islands are surrounded by ocean, we do not manage our resources as an ‘ocean state,” said DLNR Chairperson Michael Wilson. “Some of our bottomfish fisheries are on the verge of collapse,” Chairperson Wilson continued. “For example, two of Hawaii’s most valuable commercial fish species-ehu…

■ The second annual Hale-O-Lono Jackpot Rendezvous Tournament took place on Saturday, February 1, 1997, in fishing conditions that were almost too perfect. The winds were variable and blowing 5 to 10 knots; high surf warnings were posted; but the water around Penguin Banks and Moloka‘i was just beautiful. There were 12 boats entered in this very casual, almost no rules fishing tournament that ended with a potluck dinner on the dock at Moloka‘i’s Hale-o-Lono Harbor, which is located on its southwestern shore. The tournament started at daybreak from wherever a tournament boat was docked or launched. Boats came from Hawai‘i-kai and Kane‘ohe Bay, and one boat on its maiden voyage with new owner Paul Texeira came from Maui. There was constant radio chatter among the tournament boats as the…

Tag and Release 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 Charter Services Report…

■ The purpose of our journey was threefold: first, to get to the Big Island and fish ono ledges and buoys that we had never been to, mostly on the Hilo side; second, to catch a lot of fish, at least enough to pay for the trip; and third, to have a good time and get some sightseeing in. The crew consisted of me, my long-time deck hand Helynn Tumey and her boyfriend, Ben Tario. Ben is the yard foreman at Ke‘ehi Drydock and a handy person to have on board. We had the MOKULEA loaded with 1,800 lbs of ice, 420 gallons of fuel, three cases of bait, three mountain bikes, dive gear and food for five days. Sunday, October 13 We departed on the first leg of our…

■ Why don’t we tell you what lands you’ll have? The new stealers of Hawaiian lands are the scientists. The whale sanctuary is so scientists can harass the whales. I have seen them. You’re taking away the mystique of the forest. You have slapped our faces with barbed wire. You have this paddock. You have that paddock. We never did nothing to the birds. We live with birds. You tag the birds. Now you own the birds. You scientists are messing up our island with ugly fences. Even the palila use sheep hair for nests. Hawk waits for the hog to plow land and get insects for baby. You guys are going too fast for us. You guys work 24 hours a day. We love these animals. This is an…