Innholdsfortegnelse for May 1997 i Hawaii Fishing News

Dear Chuck, On December 22, 1996,1 gave myself a well-deserved Christmas present, a 34-lb ulua! I was out diving with my gang of free diving friends looking for that special fish; and, as usual, I was all by myself in about 40 feet of water while all the guys were farther out, scouting the blue water. After about an hour of swimming around, I decided to check a hole that I knew held ‘omilu. Imagine my astonishment when I looked down and saw not ‘omilu, but several ulua swimming around. My heart was racing like mad, and I had to tell myself to calm down! I took several breaths, dove down to a ledge just above the hole and waited for the larger ulua to circle around. 1 took my…

To: Honorable Chairperson David A. Tamas Honorable Vice Chairperson Eric G. Hamakawa Committee on Ocean Recreation and Marine Resources Subject: Support of HCR No. 277 I am a boat owner and member of the Ala Wai Marina Committee. I am testifying in support of the passage of HCR 277. My boat, the RENDEZVOUS, a documented vessel, is now berthed in the Ala Wai Harbor in a temporary berth. Kenneth D. Crow and I, Mary J. Johnson, owned this boat in joint tenancy with full right of survivorship. Kenneth D. Crow and I, Mary J. Johnson, are listed on the U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation (Official Number: 537062) as co-owners (joint tenancy). Kenneth D. Crow and I, Mary J. Johnson, entered into a common-law relationship March 13, 1983, and thereafter…

■ I almost hate to write this article because I don’t really want to give away one of my favorite freshwater spots, but this story has to be told. It all started about three years ago when Brian Suyeoka, his brother Dean Suyeoka and I got a crazy notion to go freshwater fishing here in Hawai‘i. I say it was crazy because we all had grown up fishing in the ocean where all self-respecting kama‘aina fish. Dean had a 17-foot Whaler, and it seemed perfect for Lake Wilson. We enjoyed not having to fight the crowd at the ramp, and the water was as flat as, well, you guessed it, a lake. Dean and I had just gotten into flyfishing and were having fun catching cichlid by the dozen, Brian,…

■ In the summer of 1992, when the National Marine Sanctuaries Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 1992 was being considered by the Congress, Rep. Neil Abercrombie and Rep. Patsy Mink spoke out in favor of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Act. According to “The Congressional Record” (August 3, 1992), Rep. Abercrombie said, “I would also like to thank the members of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries for including language in the committee amendment which will establish, as noted by the gentleman from Alaska (Congressman Young), the national humpback whale marine sanctuary in Hawaiian waters. This provision will permit us to reverse a century of destruction and neglect.” His comments go on to emphasize to his congressional colleagues that the sanctuary includes “the breeding, calving and…

■ For years, recreational fishermen have done their part to preserve America’s fisheries and fish stocks. They’ve released more fish, accepted shorter seasons, restricted bag limits and more. But it hasn’t been enough to save fish. That’s because, while they’ve tried to conserve, industrial fishing interests have embarked on a wholesale “search-and-destroy” mission to maintain their catch levels at a time when fish stocks are declining. Trawlers are dumping more “by-catch” dead and dying fish back in the ocean. Commercial draggers are targeting wintering grounds and keeping smaller fish. They’re using more advanced technologies to target more and more species-especially those that have traditionally been reserved for recreational anglers. And in Congress, in the federal bureaucracy and in the coastal state legislatures, the industrial fishing lobby is demanding even more…

• The RFA is supported by these leading saltwater fishing organizations, publications, businesses and individuals (partial listing): • Bertram • BOAT PIX • Blackfin Yacht • The Edge Big Game Fishing Journal • Egg Harbor Yacht Company • The Fisherman magazine • Freddy’s School of Fish Education Fishing Video • Steve T Goione, fishing artist • Grady-White Boats • Logic Boats • Lowrance Electronics • Mako Marino • Maritel Marine Communications Systems • Murray Products • Ocean Yachts • Penn Fishing Tackle • Phoenix Marine • Post Marine Company Inc. • Pro-Line • Pursuit Fishing Boats • ROFFS (Roffor’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service Inc) • Salt Water Sportsman magazine • Shnnano American Corporation • Stamas Yacht Company • Sportfishing magazine • Tiara Yachts • Viking Yachts…

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 latest news on the ‘Ahi Fever in Waianae Fishing Tournament is that 1,800 color brochure/entry blanks were distributed to fishing and marine stores on all islands by enthusiastic Waianae Boat Club members. Response was tremendous; many stores ran out in a matter of three days. We have already been forced to print another 500. It seems that no fisherman can resist the beautifully drawn ‘ahi that Les Hata put on the front cover. If any of you fishermen have trouble finding an entry blank, you can always call (808) 696-3399 and we will gladly mail one to you. As of March 11, 39 teams have already submitted their entries. Looks like the tournament will be full well before the June 2 deadline. For boats hoping to find a…

■ The quarterly Lahaina Harbor update showed a terrible winter bite among the charter fleet. Continued storms plus a lack of blue marlin and nonexistent showing of striped marlin produced a dramatic decline in the billfish numbers. January saw only 40 billfish, with seven blue marlin, 22 striped marlin and seven spearfish weighed, and one blue and three striped marlin released. February saw a slight improvement with 66 billfish. There were 10 blue marlin, 28 striped marlin and 15 spearfish weighed, and one blue marlin, nine striped marlin and three spearfish released. March was almost identical with 70 billfish. During that month, Lahaina’s first black marlin in two years was caught along with five blue marlin, 30 striped marlin and 17 spearfish, and two blue marlin, eight striped marlin and…

OFFSHORE TOURNAMENTS KONA GOLD’N BLUE TOURNAMENT May 1, 2, 3 & 4, 1997 HIBA-Kona (808) 329-6155 P. O. Box 4800, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 HBGFC WAHINE TOURNAMENT May 11, 1997 Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club-Kona (808) 325-7362 P.O. Box 3106, Kailua-Kona, Hi 96745 KONA CLASSIC TOURNAMENT May 17 & 18, 1997 Tropidilla-Kona (808) 325-7300 P.O. Box 2158, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 MTBC OVER-NIGHTER FISHING TOURNAMENT May 24, 1997 Maui Trailer Boat Club-Sid Medeiros (808) 243-9409 P.O. Box 672, Wailuku, HI 96793 MEMORIAL DAY TOURNAMENT May 24, 25 & 26, 1997 Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club-Kona (808) 325-7362 P.O. Box 3106, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 KING KAM TOURNAMENT May 31, 1997 Hawaii Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 949-4622 1739-C Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96815 BIG ISLAND INVITATIONAL MARLIN TOURNAMENT June 4, 5, 6, 7 &…

■ Over the years, a couple of rules have served me well for life in general. Number one is “don’t sweat the small stuff,” and number two is “it’s all small stuff.” As we all know, there is very little in this world that is 100 percent, and my two rules are no exception. When it comes to rigging fishing tackle, if you don’t sweat the seemingly small stuff, you’ll probably not have any big stuff get close enough to the boat to worry about. A friend that investigated aircraft accidents for the FAA once told me after an investigation that the crash was due to takeoff. The weather was bad, the pilot was drunk, and the plane wasn’t in air-worthy condition, so as soon as the plane left the…

■ In bottomfish fishing, it seems that the bottom hook on the string of a four-or five-hook rig is the one that usually gets bitten. 1 always thought that the movement and sound of the sinker bouncing on the bottom would scare the fish and for that reason the next higher up hook would be the one that got taken most often. But that’s not the case. Almost all the time, the bottom hook gets the first attack and the next strike comes on the next hook above. It’s obvious that the lead doesn’t scare the fish but attracts them. This is easily proven. Toss a small pebble into the water, and watch what happens when it settles on the bottom. Every fish in the immediate area comes to investigate,…

Reprinted from “The NACO Report” ■ Congress will soon be proposing a major change to the Jones Act that will allow charterboat operators to use foreign-built vessels rebuilt outside the United States in their businesses. The bill, introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, allows for the use of a foreign-built or rebuilt vessel in commercial coastwise trade when the vessel is over 3 years old and is used as a small or uninspected passenger vessel. The purpose of the bill is to ease the restrictions on small businesses as well as eliminate the need for owners of foreign-built vessels to apply through Congress for a documentation waiver. The bill allows the commercial use of foreign-built vessels when the vessel is over…

Every one of the following saltwater species has been listed as “fully exploited” or “overexploited” by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Yet every one of these species and many others have already been targeted by the commercial “search-and-destroy” fishing industry: • Albacore • Pink salmon • Atlantic cod • Pollock • Atlantic halibut • Red drum • Atlantic salmon • Red snapper • Bigeye tuna • Redfish • Black sea bass • Shark • Blue marlin • Skipjack tuna • Bluefin tuna • Sockeye salmon • Bluefish • Striped bass • Chinook salmon • Summer flounder • Coho salmon • Swordfish • Haddock •Tautog • King mackerel • Weakfish (sea trout) • Nassau grouper • White marlin • Pacific ling cod • Yellowfin tuna Note: The destruction of our fishing…

■ This month, I’m cheating-but in a good way! A friend of mine has been experimenting with vegetarian cooking and made dishes she had seen in the March 1996 issue of Cooking Light magazine. Tofu was the protein ingredient, and, in both recipes, it was soaked in flavorful marinades for several hours prior to being cooked. The recipes were easy to prepare and delicious. So, just for readers of HFN, I borrowed her recipes, altered them to better suit my taste preferences, and used fish in place of the tofu. The results were equally good. Try these recipes twice, once with fish and the next time with tofu, as Chef Steven Petusevsky originally created them. I’ll bet you’ll like them both. …Shirley Thai-Seared Snapper 1½ pounds mahimahi fillets, or other…

■ The shortbill spearfish were unavoidable during the month; their catches outnumbered those of blues and stripers combined! Almost all of the charterboats here at Honokohau Harbor weighed in at least one. The LAYLA with Capt. Bruce Evans and the LEGEND with Capt. Momi Bean are tied for the largest spearfish to date at 54 lbs. Both fish were caught on the same day in March. Many of the private boats that weigh their fish here had a great month. The RISE N SHINE, run by Fred Yeck and his wife, Pam, boasted the capture of the largest blue marlin this month. It weighed in at 652 lbs. In second place was the TERESA, run by Steve Fassbender. John Green angled that 540-pounder. The HAPPY HOUR, run by Norm Roberts,…

■ There are many issues confronting fishermen across our state. These issues are never simple and often get more complex the deeper you search. Many issues are about to reach critical deadlines, and decisions will have to be made. Issues such as the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, the state’s Bottom Fish Management Plan, the privatization of the small-boat harbors and the Kaho‘olawe Ocean Management Plan are all nearing decision-making stages. Whale Sanctuary One of the main issues is need. Do we really need a boundary, if all it does is adopt existing federal regulations? Do we want to give up more control of state waters to the federal government? A much more in-depth analysis can be found in Bill Mossman’s article written for the People Opposed to…

‘Ahi on the Rocks ■ No, this is not a new exotic Hawaiian drink that you might order at the nearest watering hole. But, read on and you still might want to visit that pub down the street. At about 5:30 one Friday evening, 1 received a call from Maui Trailer Boat Club (MTBC) Member Shawn Boneza, who was excited about something. He said he had a really good story about a big fish. Try as I may, 1 could not get anything more out of him. Shawn said, “You have to come to the house to get your story.” So, my son Guy and I piled into the car and headed up to Pukalani. When we arrived, there was a group standing around admiring a really huge ‘ahi, which…

Due to the large number of fish reported, 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. JANUARY 1997 FEBRUARY 1997 MARCH 1997 ■ The AERIAL ended its charterboat career on March 2 after many years of service in Hawai‘i. The 44-foot Pacemaker/Rybovich was built in Egg Harbor, New Jersey, in 1962, and fitted with a Rybovich flying bridge and tower. Jim Biggelow and Bruce Stevenson bought the boat, then named MAKO, in Florida, took it to New Orleans and shipped it to Honolulu. Capt. Jack Ross refitted the tower in Honolulu, moved the boat to Lahaina for a short while in 1966/1967 and named it…

■ May signals better weather for Hawaii waters-there is less chance of severe weather, like strong Kona winds, thunderstorms or heavy rain. There is still a small chance of bad weather in May, but normally it is a well-behaved month. Trade winds will blow about 86 percent of the time, and one should expect about four to 10 days of gusty trades. Northwest swell activity will continue to decrease. Surf at Sunset Beach, O‘ahu, will not rise above five feet on most days, but there is a chance that 10- to 15-foot surf can occur. Higher than normal swell and surf on the southern shores will be increasing through the month as storms in the Southern Hemisphere become stronger. Tropical cyclones do not normally occur in Hawaii waters in May.…

Kevin’s Dream ■ The all-aluminum HANAMANA gently heaved under my feet as I and six other guys drifted smoothly in 20 fathoms of blue water. The warm, salt-filled Kona air was familiar as was the feel of the cork handle on the Penn rod. I could see on the distant horizon five white specks that would translate into charterboats working the “grounds” outside of the Keahole Airport. It was a nice day for bottomfish fishing, and we were over some pretty good areas. A tug on my line brought me back to the moment, but it wasn’t a fish, more like my sinker snagging for a second on a rock. I snapped the rod back a foot or so and then lowered the rod and instantly felt the lead strike…

■ One of my favorite types of fishing is bottom fishing from a boat. When bottom fishing, you’re actually doing something with your fishing tackle; you’re not just sitting around waiting for something to happen. Also, you never know what’s going to bite your bait, so you have to be prepared for everything. It’s just plain good fun to be surprised. It’s kind of like Christmas. When bottom fishing, you can use lures like diamond jigs, Krocodile spoons, a string of flies or bucktail jigs that you can bounce on the bottom. Or you can sink some baits down deep and go for the big ulua and monster kahala that prowl in the dark depths of 60 to 90 fathoms. That’s deep, and, as I implied, there’s probably no light…

■ Free diver Kitt Hinhumpetch is just your average local guy. Put him in or near the ocean, and his eyes light up, giving you an instant fishing/dive companion! I first met Kitt on a recent trip to Fiji and had a great time fishing with him. Kitt’s goal was to shoot a little bit of everything while he was diving because the waters of Fiji offered many varieties of fish that are not found in Hawai‘i’s waters. Strange and unusual fish became prime targets for Kitt’s spear, and he had a blast trying to identify his catches. Also on Kitt’s hit list was his very first ulua. Kitt had already shot his share of big ‘omilu and a big ono. As lucky as Kitt was, though, he still hadn’t…

‘Statewide Web’ O.K. I’m guilty, too. or at least 1 used to be guilty. I know there weren’t any laws against it, but I think there should have been, and I know we should have now! What I’m talking about is netting, “moi-moi netting,” or “lay-netting,” where any one person can have as many nets as he can afford and set them in as many places as he wants and catch as many fish as he wants and usually more than he needs. I am a recreational fisherman, and have been all my life. Even when I fished commercially, I did so because I love to fish. I, like many other people, was taught to fish by my father, from using a bamboo hand pole to trolling for marlin, and…

Hi gang! Your March issue, page 11, “Affecting Hawaii’s Fishing Fleet” by NACO contained something near and dear to my heart, “tax on gasoline.” At my accountant’s recommendation, I deducted road taxes associated with gas sales for my Club Nautico rentals. State and federal road taxes amounted to around 60 Ȼ/gal. We used 20,000 to 30,000 gallons a year and the tax return helped us “winter over.” Early in the game, I dug around and found that Minnesota and Washington made provisions for these deductions so I consolidated the best of both, submitted them to Sen. Jimmie Aki as a suggestion to help all gas using boaters in Hawai‘i. Needless to say, it didn’t make committee. Upon my return to Ohio in late ‘95, waiting for me was a greeting…

■ Ho‘omaluhia had a busy time recently. On the first Friday of the month was a party of 130 students from Kalakaua Intermediate School, who were having their Sixth Annual Fishing Excursion and who did their best to entice the fish with quite decent results. A “monster” catfish was caught as their teacher demonstrated fishing techniques. Then a group of Girl Scouts followed with their parents, and I gather that it, too, was a pleasant experience. The subsequent “family” weekend brought in about 300 people for the experience, so the dam site saw almost 500 people in three days and was really none the worst for it. There were lots of parents with children in attendance. Mahalo! Our Editor-in-Chief Chuck Johnston did it again in his inimitable, quiet way. Without…

Dear Chuck, What are you going to tell your kids when all the fish are gone? No more tuna, no more billfish, no more stripers. No more blues, sea bass, dolphin, sea trout, flounder, albacore, redfish, grouper, shark, tautog, etc. Right now, every one of these species-in fact, every species of saltwater game fish-is threatened by the predatory tactics of the politically powerful commercial fishing industry. Yet, with our fish stocks on the verge of collapse, corporate fishing lobbyists are roaming the halls of Congress to make it even easier for commercial fishing boats to strip the sea of everything that swims. Pretty soon, there won’t be any fish left for recreational fishermen like you and me-and our kids and grandkids. RFA is the one organization in America that’s exclusively…

■ There are certain books that every fisherman in Hawai‘i should have. Jim Rizzuto’s “Fishing Hawai‘i Style” series, either Eddie Hosaka’s or Mike Sakamoto’s books on shore fishing, and Margaret Titcomb’s “Native Use of Fish in Hawaii” are among the most useful books available to fishermen in these islands. But there is a new “gotta have it” book available to island fishermen, “Shore Fishes of Hawaii” by John E. Randall (Natural World Press, P.O. Box 195, Kane‘ohe, Hawai‘i 96744, $14.95 plus $2 for shipping and handling). If you are a diver or a snorkeler, this book is an absolute must. Dr. “Jack” Randall is no stranger to the readers of HAWAII FISHING NEWS. His name has shown up on these pages many times because Jack is the foremost authority on…

• May 1, Kailua-Kona, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Kealakehe Elementary School Cafetorium. • May 2, Hilo, 5 to 7 p.m., Hilo State Office Building Conference Rooms A through C. • May 9, Lihu‘e, 5 to 7 p.m., Wilcox Elementary School Cafetorium. •May 16, Honolulu, 6 to 8 p.m., DLNR Board Room in the Kalanimoku Building, Room 132,1151 Punchbowl Street. For more information, call the Division of Aquatic Resources at (808) 587-0100 or (800) 468-4644.…