Innholdsfortegnelse for October 1998 i Hawaii Fishing News

■My friend Pat Owden awoke early in the morning to prepare for a night of ulua fishing. The first order of business was to assemble all the tools of the trade. The next step, because it was the middle of summer, was to head down the road to pick some limu that he would use as bait to catch nenue. After picking the limu, Pat headed back to his home to load the tools that he would need. With his gear loaded, the limu on board and the sun just beginning to make its presence known, Pat made his way to Kane’ohe Marine Corps Air Station (KMCAS). As Pat arrived at his favorite fishing spot, he noticed an unusually large number of fishermen. As he rounded the corner, he approached…

■Kenji Hatayama, the 10-year-old aku boy, did his job and caught an 8-lb aku. But it was too big. ‘Ahi like small aku live baits. But at Hilo’s Pepe‘ekeo-buoy at 1:45 p.m., Uncle Howard Hose said, “Big bait, big fish.” Besides, Howard had bet Kenji a quarter that they’d catch a big marlin. Sachi Hose, Howard’s son, was driving his 22-foot Islander, the VALERIE H, while most of the fleet was “busting bag.” Six ‘ahi had come up earlier. Boats were live-baiting north of the buoy, but in typical Hose style, Sachi left the crowd and cut tight to the buoy, heading south. The bait was just in the water when Howard looked back and said, “I see one big swirl. All of a sudden, SNAP! Already he was going……

Aloha, “Hawaiian Diving Adventures (HDA)” viewers! On behalf of Cal Hirai, producer/director of “HDA,” and the rest of the staff, I would like to take this time to thank all of you for your tremendous support! We are constantly working to quench the thirst of divers of all kinds and are very excited about this second season. At this time, we would like to welcome the viewers on the Big Island who were able to watch our show as of September 1. We hope to open on Maui and the other islands soon. If you cannot watch “HDA” yet, please call your local cable company and ask for our show. Your overwhelming interest will speed up the process. Thanks! We would like to give you a glimpse of what to…

■ The outrigger clip went off with a high-pitched “snap.” Instantly, my head whipped around and my searching eyes caught the image of the lazy coils of monofilament as they settled gently on the water. Somewhere a person yelled something like, “… took the aku!” Then there was a nervous second of silence. Quietly, above me on the bridge, Capt. Chris took a breath and said, almost in a whisper, “Take it! Take it!” The rest was garbled and far-off. Through the low, muffled rumblings of the twin diesels and the sounds of shuffling feet, my mind told me, “Get in the chair! NOW!” Before I knew it, I was in the chair and struggling to get the fighting bucket directly under me. Tim Bailey was there and helping. Betty…

Predatory Fishing Techniques ■ Whereas it seems only right that some groups in the community should be allowed to fish together as families, a disturbing tendency has developed. Everyone knows the two-catfish-per-angler rule; however, the way it is applied is another story. It seems certain segments of angling society apply the rule to mean that the group is entitled to two fish per member, regardless of who is catching the fish. This attitude has led to gross abuse of the fishing privileges. The most recent example cries to high heaven. A group of 10 anglers arrived and installed what can only be described as a “Bamboo Ridge” setup. At least 10 surf rods were installed, perhaps more. It was difficult to say. In the group, there were children and distaff…

■Over the past few years, I have been talking with Department of Conservation Resources/Enforce-ment (DOCARE) personnel about management’s proposals to change the image of their division. Admittedly, some of the proposals are well thought out and are desperately needed to improve the protection of our state’s resources. However, some are just plain frivolous and do not make sense considering the many other priorities we face in a time of severe budget cuts. For example, I was recently told by DOCARE officers that the chairman of the DLNR wants to change the image of DOCARE by changing their uniforms. The officers didn’t mind that a change of uniform was in the works, and, in fact, have often expressed their own concerns that their uniforms are in dire need of replacement. As…

■This month’s featured chef, Margo Elliopoulos, is blessed with good business instincts. During a visit to the Big Island in the ’60s, she knew instantly she would eventually call it home and make her living as a caterer. She had studied food preparation at the Cordon Bleu in Paris, worked as a pastry chef at the Sun Valley Lodge, served as a catering consultant in San Francisco, and supervised food preparation aboard one of Aristotle Onassis’ yachts. Her background would serve her well. An akamai businesswoman, Margo started small by providing gourmet lunches to charterboat passengers. As the demand for her services increased, she met the challenge and expanded to include private parties aboard Kona-based yachts. As word of her culinary expertise spread, she was called upon to cater large…

■Bob, Robert and Darian Flores, father and two sons, aboard the family boat PO ‘OKELA, were just about to the MM-buoy when a fish hit their lure and the reel started to scream. It was a blind strike. The pole was really bent over, and the line was headed for the bottom-‘ahi! They were excited. It was Darian’s first ‘ahi, and they really wanted to get this fish. It was finally a nice day. The whole summer had seen 10-to 25-mph winds, but on this day the winds were light. They got the fish and managed to get Darian a gaff in the knee, which was bloody, but he survived to weigh in the 168-lb ‘ahi. Later, on the KRISTEN S, Dean Sakamoto and his dad hooked up to Dean’s…

■On the morning of July 21, 1998, Glen Downing, his girlfriend, Peggy Pacyao, and crew Bulla Labrador, Koa Marzo and Kakoa Pacyao left home at 6 a.m. Their destination was the South Kona district where Glen and the gang would spend four days of hardcore ulua fishing. Glen was going to participate in the Hilo Casting Club’s annual fishing tournament, an event he has participated in for the last 12 years. After a three-and-a-half-hour journey, the gang finally reached their destination. As expected, the weather at this spot was beautiful with not a cloud in the sky. The water conditions were ideal for some serious shorecasting. After setting up camp, Glen and the boys went out to gather firewood to burn his palu, which took a lot of work. Glen…

■ People who know me, know that fishing is a huge part of my life. I am always asked “How’s fishing?” or “What’s biting?” I try to answer without getting too involved because I know those asking are often just making small talk, and to me it’s so much more. I travel very little; but when I do, I almost always take a rod with me. I like to wet a line any chance I get, be it in salt water or fresh. I like to learn everything I can about fishing, whether it’s fishing with a handline or using the most sophisticated modern equipment. Over the years, I have learned many methods of fishing. I continue to learn all the time. In fact, I consider each trip a learning…

■ Off to faraway places with strange sounding names we go. So far, over the last four and a half years, we have been producing television shows entirely shot here in Hawai’i. Obviously it’s easier for us to film here because we live here and for a decade and a half we have owned and operated charterboats off the Kona Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Starting October 3, we will begin airing a new series called “Big Game Fishing the World.” As the name indicates, we will be getting out of our own back yard and checking out other hot spots for offshore fish. Some other countries have invited us to do some fishing in their areas, and we took some of them up on their offers. In the 13…

Judge Orders Critical Habitat Designation ■ In what could be a devastating blow to game mammals in Hawaii, federal District Judge Alan Kay ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW) to designate critical habitat for Hawaii’s 245 endangered or threatened plants. Barbara Maxfield of the USFW estimated that it would cost $20,000 per plant to do the necessary biological work. The federal judge was unconcerned about the high cost and evidently told the USFW to go to Congress for the money. Earthjustice brought the complaint to court. Critical habitat designation is a death certificate to game mammals because game is universally seen by Hawaii’s wildlife biologists as a main culprit in plant extinction. The biologist rule is that if you want plants, you must exterminate game. The political fight…

Aloha Chuck, I’ve been fishing the south side of O’ahu for more than 20 years and launching my boat at the Ala Wai boat ramp. Over the years, more and more people have been using this boat ramp, and with time everything needs to be repaired or replaced. So, after all this time, the state finally replaced the two piers on both sides of the ramp. [Now I] find out that the pier on the right of the ramp belongs to the Convention Center and will be removed and used at the center whenever needed. This is where the problem begins. The last two weeks in August, the right pier was taken to the Convention Center. Imagine Monday morning rush hour on the H-l Freeway with only one lane open…

Aloha, Chuck, I have been an avid shorecaster for over a decade and a loyal HFN subscriber. After years of frustration and at times suffering agonizing disgust, I feel inescapably compelled to write and utilize your platform as, “The Voice of Hawaii’s Fisherman.” I have read through [Al] Lagunte’s inaugural spearfishing association article, which recently appeared in your publication. The well-presented document stated the bylaws and regulations of the newly formed organization. As the sport of spearfishing increases in popularity, organizations such as these are favorably served; however, I was deeply saddened to find no mention throughout the entire document regarding basic courtesy I term, “beach etiquette.” Every day of the week, at every fishing spot imaginable, you will find shorecasters (allow me to provide my extended definition of the…

For letters, with photos, received during the month of October we send you an HFN Holoholo Style 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 Aloha Chuck! I just wanted to send you a photo of my stoked 11-year-old brother-in-law with a nice ‘o’io that he caught on 20-lb test while visiting me in Lahaina. His name is Mika and he lives in Kona. Mika was fishing with a piece of ‘opelu when the fish slammed his bait. I thought that he hooked into an ‘omilu just from the initial strike. I was shocked to see this big ‘o’io swim up once it tired. Mika and…

■The ’ahi finally began biting. I’m more of a shoreline angler, but I really wanted to get some red sashimi and it looked like going out on a boat was the only solution. I love fishing but don’t have a boat, so I often think about charters. However, with most of them you end up taking home only memories of what you catch and a few photos, while the captain and crew sell the day’s catch to supplement their income. I wasn’t about to give up any sashimi I caught so easily, especially after paying good money. Then I found out about a charter out of Hickam Air Force Base that lets you keep all the fish you catch. By chance, one of my fishing buddies’ brother is a co-owner…

WITH CAPTAIN NORM ISAACS ■Be sure to look for our new series, “Big Game Fishing the World,” every Saturday morning on the ESPN Outdoor Block at 1 a.m. here in Hawai’i. That’s two hours earlier than “Inside Big Game Fishing” aired, so if you have your VCR set for the later time slot, don’t forget to change it. If you have any comments, please feel free to drop me a line at P.O. Box 5198, Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i 96 745. You can visit our website at www.BigGame.com and send E-mail to me at bigfish@aloha.net. Saturday, October 3, 1 a.m. MEXICAN SLAM Three different species of billfish are caught on light tackle with Capt. Norm as the angler fishing aboard the ROOKIE. See great billfish jumps and rigged bait techniques along with…

■ Watching the weigh-in of fish at the Sonny Tanabe Free-Dive Spearfish Tournament in Kona took me back to a summer day almost 40 years ago in the Midwest, a place 4,000 miles and light years away from Hawai’i. Sonny was then a poor, struggling student earning his master’s degree at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Because Sonny’s whole life is dedicated to “having fun,” he hitchhiked 200 miles north to a dive tournament he’d read about in a magazine. The event was held in a lake outside Michigan City, Indiana, not far from Chicago. About 50 contestants showed up in wet suits, armed to the teeth with the latest high-tech gear: Arbalete spearguns, daggers, Aqua-Lungs, Squalle face masks, bright flaglines, snorkels, underwater compasses, depth gauges and watches-macho guys strutting…

Friday, Day One ■It is a big lasso, 10-day fishing trip around the Big Island. We are circumnavigating the Big Island, a fishing voyage to the volcano and beyond to the 40th Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament. Leaving Wailoa River, the Hilo Yacht Club fishing team is underway. Hurricane Darby has just been downgraded to a tropical depression. Regardless, surf is cracking on the Hamakua Coast as we pass the Hilo breakwater. We are on the Force Marine 38-foot sportbridge sportfisher FORCE PLAY, traveling to Kona where we’ll anchor at Miloli’i. On board are Capt. Jim Patterson, Monty Brown and me. Off Puna’s Paradise Park, we troll past the QQ-buoy and see a mahimahi from the bridge. Monty strikes with a king-king and hooks up. I quickly reel a Panama strip…

■ Assembling a simple casting rig is a three-point slam dunk. You basketball fans may think you see a foul there, but just hold onto your whistle-there is no contradiction. Stay with this until the buzzer, and wait until the fat lady sings. “Dunking” is, of course, casting a baited line and letting it sit and soak until a fish finds it. The three-point part? The central link of any casting rig is the device, usually a swivel of some kind, that joins the line, leader and lead loop. See? Three-point dunk. What you choose for the link and how you tie the rig together are critical to whether your three-point rig scores or fouls. If you look in any classic East Coast guide to fishing rigs, you’ll see that…

To: Chuck Johnston, HAWAII FISHING NEWS, In response to the letter in the July issue of HAWAII FISHING NEWS submitted by “Concerned Conservation and Resources Enforcement Officers,” it is unfortunate that they have chosen your paper to publicly slander Gary Moniz, acting administrator of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE). The letter willfully misstates several facts to make their point. The first is that the “large majority” of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Officers (CREOs) are displeased with Moniz’s management of DOCARE. Having been a CREO for well over 10 years, I can honestly say that it is just a vocal handful of disgruntled employees that have sought to discredit Moniz. With regards to “tag quotas,” there has never been any pressure from the past or present administration to…

■Three anglers from the same family had their hands full for eight hours battling an extraordinary Pacific blue marlin at Midway Island. The fish was estimated to weigh well over 1,000 lbs by Midway Sport Fishing’s Capt. Chris Sheeder. Ed Lockwood of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, took his son, grandson and son-in-law on a family fishing trip to Midway, then watched his son-in-law, Gordon Hoehle, struggle to tame “a beast of a fish” for four hours, until his hands were blistered. Ed’s son, Curtis Lockwood, then put in two hours in the fighting chair, and then Ed’s grandson, Nathan Mullen, took over, thinking he might be able to finish the fight. After eight hours, with the fish having been as close as 25 feet from the transom of the 38-foot…

Dear Chuck, Saturday, August 15, 1998, was going to be the day 1 was waiting for. After a solid year of ulua fishing, it all began when my brother, Jeff Tagaca, called me from Honolulu saying he was coming home to the Big Island on the weekend of August 15 and wanted to go fishing. We decided to spend the night at a fishing spot on the Kohala coastline. Upon arriving at our fishing spot, we immediately started catching bait fish. I immediately caught a ½-lb nenue and decided to embed an 18/0 Mustad [hook] in its back and slide it down my new ulua pole, which was custom-made by Jeff Andrews. Then it happened. About noon on Saturday, as I was making a sandwich, my ulua bell started going…

The In-House Trolling and Keiki Fishing Tournaments ■The Maui Trailer Boat Club’s (MTBC) board of directors had met prior to the scheduled tournament date to establish the rules. But, we are a democratic club, so you might expect that at the club’s monthly meeting on September 1, the membership would suggest some changes, and that is exactly what happened. There were a few who asked to change the dates of the tournament, a suggestion that was voted down. The board had established a $200 first-place award for each of the largest eligible fish, and no second-or third-place awards. The membership didn’t buy that, and instead voted to give a $ 150 prize for the first-place fish and a $50 prize for the second-place largest fish. The five eligible fish were…

Dear Chuck, Here is my favorite fishing picture for the year. Kalana Hoover won the tournament with this 313-lb blue marlin during the Frank Costanzo Memorial Juniors Fishing Tournament last October. This year’s juniors tournament will be held on October 11. Anyone interested in entering or sponsoring a children’s team in this upcoming tournament can do so by calling me. Kay Kolt, on the Big Island at (808) 325-6432. Mahalo. Kay Kolt Aloha Chuck, All the bad fishing luck I’ve had since I took some lava back home to San Diego three years ago went away on Friday, August 7, the last day of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament off Kona. I didn’t even know the HIBT was going on until I read about it on my connecting flight down…