Innholdsfortegnelse for September 1997 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ Saving Big Fish and Little Fingers. If you bump the lever on a lever-drag reel while you are fighting a beast, you’ll probably say “sayonara” to the fish and maybe even to a finger. Throw a reel into free spool with the line under pressure and it will erupt into a tangle of whirling loops. The resulting backlash is usually accompanied by the rifle-shot report of breaking line. “Get your hands away so a loop can’t get your finger,” said Capt. Jerome Judd as he displayed a scarred finger tip that looks like it might have been attacked by a weed whacker. Safety first will save your errant digits, but quick action might save the fish, too, Jerome said as we talked about just such an experience on his…

■ Dr. Fatiaki frowned as he answered the question from his small, dark office in downtown Suva, Fiji. “Ciguatera? Often, people come to me feeling like they’ve got the flu: muscle aches, joint pains, and an upset stomach. But there’s usually a strange tingling feeling in the feet and hands.” “And,” added the doctor, “instead of getting better in a few days, they often stay sick for weeks or months. We had a case last year where nine men went to an outer island to work on a pier. One of the men caught a fish and made it into a stew for supper. Eight of the nine got sick, and two died before we could get them to a hospital. They didn’t know that the same fish that is…

■ On the first day of this year, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) established a new category of their world-record program, specifically targeted at kids. Nine months later, there are still numerous world-record categories readily available to Hawaii’s youth. The IGFA Junior World Record program has four categories, based on age group and sex. There are separate boys and girls categories for “small fry” (kids up to the age of 10) and boys and girls categories for “junior anglers” (ages 11 to 16). Hawai‘i is blessed with an abundance of many of the 50 saltwater fish that are eligible for the IGFA Junior World Record Program, and it is therefore likely that many of the program’s new records will eventually be set in island waters. At this writing, there…

■ Last month, I had the pleasure of traveling south of the equator to American Samoa. The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WESPAC) hosted the trip at the request of the American Samoa council members and the American Samoa Pelagics Advisory Panel. WESPAC staff included Executive Director Kitty Simonds, biologist Paul Dalzell, economist Don Schug and program officer Mark Mitsuyasu. WESPAC Native and Indigenous Advisory Rights Hawai‘i Panel Chair Isaac Harp and panel members James Keliipio Mawae and Bill Puleloa from Moloka‘i rounded out the Hawai‘i contingent. The Longline Fishery It seems that the Samoa Pelagics Advisory Panel is interested in protecting their domestic fishermen and fishing grounds from foreign fishermen and U.S. longliners. Currently, there are no U.S. longliners fishing in American Samoa’s EEZ, but there have recently…

■ The NALUKEA, a 41-foot custom-built haole sampan designed by the late Hisao Murakami and launched in 1989, is owned and operated out of Koko Marina by Hilo-born Murray Grune. The vessel has a fuel capacity of 375 gallons and water reservoir of 160 gallons, and is equipped with a full array of electronics including fish finders, depth recorders, a plotter and four radios. Additionally, a Northern Lights generator supplies 110 volts to a microwave, a range and a 12,000 Btu air conditioner that pipes cool air throughout the main cabin, head and forecabin. The NALU KEA sleeps four comfortably. This seaworthy sampan weighs 16 tons, which helps it cut through the channel seas. It trolls at 8½ knots and tops out at 12 knots. Its two 135-horsepower Ford-Leihman’s engines…

For letters, with photos, received during the month of September we’ll send you a HFN 20th Anniversary Koolzie, HFN Cap and two Official HFN RV or Boat Window Stickers…our way of Saying thanks for sharing your catch!…Hana pa‘a, Chuck Send to: P.O. Box 25040, Honolulu, HI 96825. Dear Chuck, Hello. My name is Michael Kahalehoe and I am 8 years old. I just started fishing this year and I think I’m hooked. I bug my Daddy every day to take me fishing. We started catching sardines on my new pole last month. I’m now learning how to use the sardines as live bait and would like to share my first catch of the year. I caught this 5-lb lai in the late afternoon by free lining a live sardine. The…

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.…

■ Saltwater fly fishing is the fastest growing aspect of sportfishing in America today, and a small but growing number of Hawai‘i fishermen are taking the challenge of fishing with fly tackle for Hawai‘i game fish both from the shoreline and offshore. The sport of saltwater flyfishing is challenging because it involves specialized casting techniques, relatively light line strength and some rather arcane rules regarding the tackle and its presentation; but it also offers a number of advantages, not the least of which is the opportunity to make multiple presentations in far less time than it takes to recast with conventional or spinning tackle. Fly tackle is perfectly suited for many of Hawaii’s near and offshore gamefish species, and several International Game Fish Association (IGFA) flyfishing world records have been…

■ It is often easy to point a finger at others when it comes to the question of who should be held accountable for polluting the ocean. “It’s the big oil companies,” say some people. “It’s the government’s fault,” say others. Some kama‘aina claim that the tourists are the cause of the ocean degradation that too often rears its ugly head around our fair islands. While there certainly is some truth to the other guy being at fault (hey, less than a million of us live here; 6 million visitors flush their wastes into our ocean every year), there is also a lot to be said for starting your environmental preservation campaign with your own personal approach to protecting the deep-blue sea. There are many obvious things, that are too…

■ Gov. Ben Cayetano has come up with a simple plan to fix the many woes in Hawaii’s small-boat harbors. He wants to sell them-all of the small boating facilities in Hawai‘i-to a private developer. In response to a question called in to a radio talk show he was doing on Maui recently, Gov. Cayetano surprised many in Hawaii’s boating community when he indicated that he was still interested in privatizing Hawaii’s small-boat harbors. Now it appears that Gov. Cayetano’s boating boss, Mike Wilson, has set the wheels into motion at the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) to fulfill the privatization plan. Coming on the heels of the United Public Workers (UPW) union’s successful court fight to stop the privatization of the Big island landfill operation, most boaters…

■ Spear fishing is a dangerous sport, which includes many variables. Wind, waves, currents, sharks and eels are just some of the things we as spear fishers deal with. Once the free diver enters the water, he literally puts his life on the line; but the dangers of the ocean don’t stop after you exit the water. Alligator Rock was our destination on Kamehameha Day. My friend and I were blessed with a nice-sized catch of kumu and papio. We suggested cleaning our fish before leaving so we could give back to the ocean. We proceeded to clean our fish and continued talking and having a good time. I warned my friend to watch out for the eels because his feet were in the water. He finished cleaning his fish…

■ The Third Annual Hanapa‘a ‘Ohana Shoreline Fishing Tournament was, for the greater part, a success. One not-so-positive thing to come out of the tournament was a belated dispute heard through the fishing community grapevine. No formal complaint was received by the tournament officials, but because the tournament hosts felt they needed to investigate the problem, meetings were held and clearer rules have been drafted and will be incorporated into next year’s tournament rules. The rumored dispute involved whether a placing fish should have counted because it was hooked 15 minutes before the start time, but landed after the tournament started. After much discussion, the official committee ruled that according to the rules the dispute period had passed before officials were aware that there may have been a problem. So,…

Journey to the Reservoir ■ It was recess time, and Clarence, my sixth-grade classmate, and I met to complete our plans. We sat in the shade of the huge monkeypod tree that stood in the center of the outdoor stage on the playground. ‘Twas Friday, and the details were being finalized for our trip to the restricted reservoir in Nu‘uanu in search of the exotic “striped barb” (a non-native carplike fish that was probably introduced into the reservoir by fishermen or hobbyists). My hobby was collecting tropical fish, and my collection consisted of wild guppies and swordtails, which were easily caught from nearby streams. I was anxious to add these special fish to my collection. Our trap was made from the wire screen material that was used to keep the…

■ One year ago. the Easter Seals Shoreline Fishing Tournament appeared to be over after 19 years. Because of the slow economy, BHP Petroleum-The Gas Company could no longer provide sole sponsorship. Early in the year, the fishermen calling were disappointed to learn that no tournament was being planned. Three months ago, Denny Polosky, assistant vice president of Kaua‘i Electric, and Jim Yates, vice president of Gas Services for The Gas Company, joined forces to provide the sponsorship needed. Dennis Fujimoto quickly recruited Judi Murakami, manager of the Rice Shopping Center for the weigh-in, and the Easter Seals 20th Annual Shoreline Fishing Tournament became a reality. On the day of the weigh-in, volunteers rushed about setting up tables and displays while the Hyatt Regency was busy preparing food for the…

■ When you bag that mouflon ram of a lifetime this season on Lana‘i, your work is just starting. You still have to field dress it, pack the “big boy” out of the hunting area, and then butcher it. If you plan on mounting your trophy, you have an additional chore. Caping (skinning the forward portion of a big-game animal for mounting) is not hard, but there is a procedure to follow that will make it much easier for your taxidermist to produce a quality mount. The first rule is: don’t cut the sheep’s throat. Do that and the cape is ruined. Rule number 2 is to take pictures. Collecting a big ram is a “Kodak moment”! Have your buddy take pictures of your ram and yourself out there on…

‘Ahi Fever ■ Ahi fever continued to plague the Wai‘anae Coast. The incidents of this affliction increased on Saturdays and Sundays with the parking lot at the Wai‘anae Small Boat Harbor filled beyond capacity as fishermen sought the cure. For many, the cure was but temporary relief from the pressure that soon rebuilt and reinfected them, causing them to seek another ‘ahi for relief in this hopeless “Catch 22” situation. So far, this year has turned out to be a strange one. The ‘ahi have been spread out along the entire Wai‘anae Coast from Barber’s Point to Ka‘ena Point. The majority have been caught in the blind or near a single fish seen pushing water. A few have been taken in porpoise schools and a few in aku piles. ‘Ahi…

Dear Chuck, The Island Magic Fishing Team entered the Pearl Harbor Tournament on July 5, 1997, at the Wai‘anae Boat Harbor. Team members included Don Caserio (owner of the HAKUKAI, the boat we fished on), Ron Chun, Christa Otake and me. Little did we realize that this day’s fishing experience would most assuredly be forever etched in our memories. Here’s the story. After leaving the boat harbor at the 5 a.m. start, we headed for an area several miles past the R-buoy because we knew that the ‘ahi had been coming up there. We had scouted this area two days before, and several fish had been caught at this location. Just before 6 a.m., the portside outrigger line came crashing down. However, no line was being pulled from the 12/0…

■ Now you can upgrade your old-style 4/0 Senator® reels with Penn’s new lightweight, high strength, one-piece graphite frames for increased durability, added comfort and superior fish-fighting performance. One-piece graphite construction means that the redesigned frames are lighter stronger, and better able to handle the torque generated by powerful saltwater game fish. The new Penn Senator® frame also features a corrosion-resistant metal shield to protect against line chafe, brass screws for extra strength, a one-piece stainless steel stand riveted to the frame and extra long stand screws for rock-solid connections. There’s also a contoured cut-out that allows for increased thumb contact on the spool when casting or free spooling. Made in the U.S.A., Penn’s Frame Conversion Kits eliminate the need for more expensive after-market frame improvements. A graphite rod clamp…

■ “Fishing Tales®” airs every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on KITV-4. Here’s a preview of what host Mike Sakamoto has in store for you. Saturday, September 6-Marshall Islands Diving Mike teams up with guys from Ebeye, Marshall Islands, and goes scuba diving over the crystal-clear reefs of the Marshall Islands. The guys show Mike how they use a 16-foot three-prong with great precision. They just never seem to miss, and Mike is definitely impressed. This is a super show for the diving crowd. Saturday, September 13-Marshall Islands Marlin Fishing High Chief Imata Kabua and Mike hop on board Imata’s boat and head for the north side of the Marshall Island atoll to hunt for big blue marlin on trolling tackle. The plan is to catch an aku and bridle…

September 2, Docent-Guided Visits Open Teachers, begin making reservations for the 1997-98 school year for grades K-6 for these interactive presentations and guided exhibit tours. Topics include: Life on the Reef; Staying Alive on the Reef; People and the Reef; Coral Reef Food Web; Hawaiians and the Sea; Hawaiian Reef and Shoreline Habitats; Coral Reef Ecology, and the Working Aquarium. Contact Mary, Pickett for information on reservations and grade-level programs at (808) 923-9741, 2 to 5 p.m. September 6, Sunset Natural History Walk A sunset stroll along the shoreline is a fun way to experience the natural history of waves, beaches and Waikiki. Registration and fees. Call the Aquarium Education Department at (808) 923-9710 for more information. September 9-23, Waikiki Aquarium Volunteer Reef Interpreter Training After seven session conducted by…

■ In the wake of the governor’s acceptance of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS), it might be a useful exercise to assess why/how we lost the battle. The bottom line is that the governor and his advisers (chiefly Mike Wilson and Charles Toguchi, who is said to be one of us, a fisherman) decided that the fishermen and boaters of Hawai‘i were not a constituency worthy of their time or concern. Translation: we didn’t carry enough votes to matter. The most disappointing aspect of the entire fight was that the governor and Mike Wilson (whose job it is to work for and with fishermen and boaters of Hawai‘i) refused to provide us (POWS) the opportunity to engage in any kind of dialogue on the subject, while…

■ At the last board of directors meeting of Boats Hawaii, the board unanimously approved a working relationship between Boats Hawaii and HAWAII FISHING NEWS. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Chuck Johnston and the gang at HFN for providing Boats Hawaii with this space to inform HFN readers of some of the actions taking place around the state and in the Legislature. As we promised in last month’s article about the activities of Boats Hawaii, the following is some information on the structure and organization of the boating industry according to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) as well as our organization. First and foremost, Boats Hawaii is an organization of individuals. We do not record the organizations that the individuals belong to…

■ Our summer vacation this year included a week of tent camping in Montana with our children (who are in early 30s and hate to be called children and newest grandchild, a rambunctious 1-year-old. It was everything a family vacation should be sightseeing, hiking, swimming, fishing, eating like kings and queens, and just plain enjoying each other. In our travels, we saw bears, wild goats, deer and birds, and we caught trout right in front of our tent sites on banks of the North Fork of the Flathead River. Fortunately, our coolers were well-stocked, including a few island-style ingredients (which would go on to New York with us), and a large supermarket was a mere 20 miles away in Columbia Falls in case a culinary emergency arose. One did, and…

Nu‘uanu Fishery Update ■ The water level keeps fluctuating. We have been advised that a decision has now been made to lower the level to the 30-foot mark. No one seems to know exactly why, but the lowering below the “normal” level of water has already had a significant impact on the success for angling for catfish. Going artificially from one extreme to the other does not make much sense, but perhaps I can stab at some plausible reason. There were two tropical cyclones “Dolores” and “Felicia,” headed our way as a result of El Nino, and they did dump quite a bit of rain on the islands. Maybe somebody in the “officialdom” was exercising prudence, and one must applaud that. On the other hand, why not inform us mere…

■ Where does a Northwest Airlines flight attendant who lives on a volcanic island and loves to fish, go for a holiday? Well, if your name is Kay Kolt, you jump on a long flight to New Zealand, hire a boat, fish the National Billfish Tournament in the Bay of Islands and win the Shimano rod and reel you’ve always wanted by bringing in the heaviest tuna caught by a lady angler. Then, you visit a volcano just for fun. Kay, accompanied by her good friend and fellow fisherwoman Dolly Gordon, recently took some rest and recreation fishing the waters of the two main big-game fishing areas in New Zealand: the Bay of Islands at the top of the North Island; and the eastern Bay of Plenty midway down the…

■ At the August Waianae Boat Fishing Club’s (WBFC) general meeting, a total of $4,100 in donation checks were given out to various charitable and community groups. This was money raised directly from the club’s highly successful ‘Ahi Fever in Wai‘anae Fishing Tournament, held on June 14 and 15. When the club first decided to stage this tournament, members decided to hold it not only for the island fishermen, but also to benefit the community. Raising money for community projects will be a part of this event every year. Most of the money raised this year went to groups that are directly involved in youth programs. The WBFC believes that the availability of these programs is important in the development of our Leeward Coast’s young people. A Marine Science Scholarship…

Scott’s Second 100-lb Ulua ■ Eight years ago at age 15, Scott Yamamoto captured his first 100-plus-lb ulua. Eight years later on July 6, Scott landed his second big ulua. On the eve of July 4, Scott and father, Rodney, with Mel and James Hirayama decided to go fishing for the weekend. They had lots of leftover bait from the Hilo Casting Club Tournament, which was held two weeks before. Arriving at their fishing spot, they wasted no time and “put it to the lead.” That night they encountered no strikes. Then, in the morning, their first strike came. It was on James’ pole. But due to a rusty leader, James lost the fish. That afternoon, Mel caught a 39-lb ulua and Scott caught a 25-lb ulua. That night was…

OFFSHORE TOURNAMENTS OKOE BAY RENDEZVOUS IX September 4, 5, 6 & 7, 1997 Tropidilla-Kona (808) 325-7300 P.O. Box 2158, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 COCKEYED MAYOR’S TOURNAMENT September 13 & 14,1997 Hawaii Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 949-4622 1739-C Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96815 WAHINE INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT September 27, 1997 Hawaii Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 949-4622 1739-0 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96815 KEEHI WAHINE FISHING TOURNAMENT September 27, 1997 Keehi Boat Club-Oahu (808) 841-7271 4 Sand Island Access Road, Honolulu, HI 96819 KEEHI JACKPOT FISHING TOURNAMENT October 4, 1997 Keehi Boat Club-Oahu (808) 841-7271 4 Sand Island Access Road, Honolulu, HI 96819 HBGFC JUNIORS TOURNAMENT October 12, 1997 Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club-Kona (808) P.O. Box 3106, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 LAHAINA WAHINE TOURNAMENT October 18 & 19, 1997 Lahaina Yacht Club-Maui (808) 661-0191…