Innholdsfortegnelse for April 1999 i Hawaii Fishing News

Current Line on the Web! ■ The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has a website under which you can find information on the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and all the current and back issues of Current Line. The web address for Current Line is www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dar/current_line.html. New and Improved Fish Catch Reports Commercial fishermen have been providing the DAR with fish catch information with the same monthly fish catch reports for almost 50 years. The DAR is now in the process of updating these forms to include more’ specific information on how much time and fishing gear were used to determine the fishermen’s efforts toward catching targeted fish species. The DAR is also revising some of the existing catch report forms and making new ones for some specific…

HFSA First State Record ■ On November 9, 1998, at 6:30 a.m., Alec Pascua and I started for our dive spot. When we arrived, we noticed that there was a currentline strip from point A to point B where the bait traveled, and we knew it was going to be a good day. We suited up and entered the water. As we drifted downcurrent, we saw a school of ‘opelu swim by and decided to drop down and wait. Nothing came, so we continued on. Then a school of malolo came whipping by. We held our positions, yet nothing. After we slowed our drift, out of nowhere a school of mahimahi appeared and headed straight for us. We got to see the beauty of mahimahi all dressed in blue (hunting…

One Last Gasp on Corrosion ■ Last month, we concentrated our discussion on galvanic corrosion and what can be done to prevent it. This month, we will focus our attention on stray current corrosion. We’ve discussed what galvanic corrosion can do, using just the electrical potential in the metals. Imagine now what would happen if you add more electricity. That’s exactly the basis for stray current corrosion. Stray current corrosion occurs when metal with an electrical current flowing into it is immersed in water that is grounded. This current can leave the metal and flow through the water to ground, This will cause rapid corrosion of the metal at the point where the current leaves. Stray direct current is very destructive. Stray current corrosion can cause rapid deterioration of the…

Atlantic Billfish Planning ■ While we continue to be able to fish for billfish here in Hawaii like there is no tomorrow, our fellow anglers on the East Coast and Gulf states are grappling with the allocation of their depleted billfish resources in an exhaustive series of meetings being held up and down the eastern seaboard of our country and across the Gulf of Mexico states. Perhaps we can learn something from their current state of affairs. Their issues affect us because the ongoing ban on the sale of all Atlantic billfish has undoubtedly increased the demand for Pacific billfish in the restaurants of America, and Hawaii is one of the sources of Pacific billfish for the American market. Regardless of what is or is not happening in our local…

WESPAC Meeting Wrap-Up ■ A Hawai‘i meeting of 27 countries from across the Central and Western Pacific made significant progress on a precedent-setting international fisheries management and enforcement regime that could include putting observers on all fishing vessels in the area and monitoring them with satellite fixing devices. These were two of several areas where significant progress was made during the recent February 10 to 19 meeting set up by a 1995 United Nations (UN) agreement to have countries cooperatively negotiate a system to manage fisheries across exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and international waters. The meeting was called the Multilateral High-Level Conference for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific, or MHLC4. It was led by Fiji Ambassador Satya Nandan. The group…

■ The ‘oama run of 1998 on the island of O‘ahu was very disappointing, probably the worst I can recall. I stopped at many of the popular spots in Ka‘a‘awa, Hale‘iwa, ‘Aina-Haina, Ala Moana and a few others, and everyone was telling me the same thing, “No mo’ ‘oama.” I visited the island of Hawai‘i in early September, and the ‘oama run was in full bloom along the-Kona Coast. There were thousands of ‘oama in the school that my brother-in-law and I were fishing. So, when I returned home to O‘ahu, I was confused as to why many of the best spots on 0‘ahu were empty. Where, during the previous year, there had been hundreds, perhaps thousands of ‘oama, there were none or maybe just a small school of 50…

An Amazing Fish ■ The salmon is a magnificent fish that provides us with delicious mystery along with delectable food. From day one, men have marveled at the sight of these flashing fish soaring over 10 feet in the air to clear cascading waterfalls in their upstream battle to spawn. In fact, the name salmon come salmo, which in Latin means “leaper.” But as breathtaking as these aerial acrobatics are, they’re just one of the wonders about this amazing fish. Scientists say the salmon is “anadromous” because it leads a double life, one in fresh water, one in salt water. A salmon is born in a freshwater mountain stream, then disappears into the salty ocean depths only to return years later to spawn in the waters of its birth. It…

Pagoda Ulua ■ Honolulu’s Pagoda Floating Restaurant at the Pagoda Hotel is Jerry Yuan’s work place. He’s the fish guy who raises, feeds and protects the famous Pagoda koi and ulua. Jerry said that the Pagoda raises their ulua from papio. There are 15 ulua, with the oldest being 20 years old and weighing 85 lbs. Harry, Jerry’s boss, swears that there are 30 fish. But Jerry said that Harry is mistaken. Harry’s counting wrong. The 30 fish are actually the same 15 fish swimming ’round and ’round. Jerry feeds the ulua table scraps from the restaurant. Tilapia are on the menu when ulua clubs or school groups request it. Live tilapia are the ulua’s favorite food. Water is from a brackish well with less than I percent salt. Saltwater…

■ I recently reviewed a document published by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) entitled, “Hawaii’s State of the Reefs 1998.” At first glance, I noted one very large flaw with the document—its cover. The front page consisted of a photo showing a large, diversified school of reef fish and a thriving coral reef, two things that are rapidly disappearing around the Hawaiian islands. After getting over the shock of the cover, I was pleasantly surprised at the direction of this report. For the first time, the state of Hawai‘i has taken a comprehensive look at the most important component of our ocean environment, Hawai‘i’s reefs. The message from the chairman of the DLNR, Tim Johns, summarized his department’s goals and objectives best in his chairman’s message; “As…

■ 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 TO to 15 feet high at Sunset Beach, O‘ahu.…

■ When I first learned of long-distance casting two years ago, I was eager to try my hand at this sport to see how far I could go. With some small changes in casting style and equipment, I found it easy to hit distances of 200-plus yards. I am excited by the thought of extending what I have learned to the Hawai‘i caster. My brother Brett and I watched Danny Moeskop set a new world record of 280.2 yards in Texas last September. I also got to see all of the world’s best make casts of an average 250-plus yards. I have seen and know many excellent Hawai‘i casters who are capable of doing this and maybe even better. Who knows? Maybe a Hawai‘i caster will set a new world…

Windward Surfcasting Club ■ The Windward Surfcasting Club was formed in 1948 by a group of fishermen who were primarily from the windward side of O‘ahu. Membership was established at a maximum of 26 and has been held at that for the last 50-plus years. The primary reason for this was to allow club members to host meetings at their homes and allow for a close-knit membership. Aside from holding several regular fishing outings throughout the year, our club has participated in public service activities, neighbor-island fishing expeditions and joint fishing outings with other clubs. Our club has also assisted in providing input into issues of public access, fishing regulations and fisheries research. Our members now come from all over, and they fish all over the island of O’ahu, contrary…

■ The Hawai‘i Tuna Tagging Project (HTTP) team was out in the field in March for a two-week cruise through the Northwest Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). I joined Capt. Joe Dettling on the DOUBLE D, fishing and tagging ail the way from Midway to Honolulu. The trip would be 1,250 miles “as the albatross flies,” but the cruise actually logged far more sea miles in a zigzag route that took us from Midway to the Ladd Seamount, Salmon Bank, Pearl and Hermes Atoll, Lisianski, Laysan, Raita Bank, Gardner Pinnacles, St. Rogatien Banks, French Frigate Shoals and both Necker and Nihoa Islands. This incredible fishing odyssey was made possible through the cooperation of the Midway Phoenix Corporation, Midway Sport Fishing Inc. and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Normally, fishing boats are…

Senate Bill #1188 ■ I wrote about this bill in last month’s HFN. It was introduced by Sen. Buen and was designed to open fishing in and around the island of Kaho’olawe. It was heard in Sen. Lorraine R. Inouye’s Economic Development Committee. At the hearing, the Maalaea Boat and Fishing Club was represented by Terry Woodall, Mike Trotto and Keven Haga, while I represented the Maui Trailer Boat Club (MTBC). Each of us provided testimony in favor of the bill. Our testimony reviewed the many inequities that we believed the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) has imposed upon the boaters and fishermen of Maui. We also threw cold water upon the red herring of unexploded ordnance, which the KIRC constantly throws in our faces. The project manager for Kaho’olawe…

To Rick Gaffney: I’m writing about your one-sided mentality. First, about your shark story, if you believe there are no sharks in Hawai‘i, I fish out of Pohoiki, Hawai‘i, and would love you to put your life where your mouth is and come out with me any time. I catch sharks every night. My family friend was killed back in 1976 when his 30-foot Bertram went down 12 miles off of Kahuku. And what about all the surfers and swimmers over the years? We all know about you at Pohoiki. Get your head out from between your legs. Next is your one-sided view on who has access to the ocean resources. First, about the waters off Waikiki that was raped and put into a “no fish” zone by commercial fishermen.…

Grandpa Lobster ■ The water was flat and clear-very rare for Puna, Hawaii. I got two other divers, and we stopped at the 17-mile marker and walked into the ocean. It was that flat! We swam with the current to Kehena Beach at the 19-mile mark. It was only 2 miles in a line, but was about 372 miles following the rocky shoreline and cliffs. At around the 18-mile marker, I remember the cliffs breaking there-even in flat water. The lobsters were everywhere. We picked up only the biggest because there was such abundance that night. In about 20 feet of water, I came to a large crack in the lava and followed my light beam in. I knew it would lead me to lobsters, but not to what I…

■ February was host to two annual banquets, both held by freshwater clubs in Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU) held their banquet at the Hawaiian Regent hotel in Waikiki on February 6. Two weeks later on the 20th; the Hawaii Freshwater Fishing Association (HFFA) held their annual banquet. Both turned out to be chances to exchange stories and share experiences with fellow anglers. Events such as these are great opportunities to gain knowledge and cement friendships. TU’s banquet featured many great prizes in addition to the delicious food prepared by Hawaiian Regent chef and club member Mark Braz. Some of the many prizes were Orvis fly rods, guided fishing trips, fishing tackle and gift certificates from popular local restaurants. There was outdoor clothing, and HAWAII FISHING NEWS…

■ Four blue marlin weighed in at over 500 lbs here at the fish dock during the month. Topping Kona’s big fish of the year list was the HIGH FLIER’s 742-lb blue. On the 4th, Capt. Bill Enger of the 31-foot Bertram hooked the fish for veteran angler Bob Alexander of Donnelson, Illinois. The blue took Bob 40 minutes to bring to leader. Immediately after the HIGH FLIER weighed in their catch, the SEA STRIKE, another 31-foot Bertram, weighed in a 580-lb blue, which was angled by Ann White of Orlando, Florida. Fishing with Capt. Dale Leverone, Ann took 30 minutes to bring her first blue to leader. As you all know, you don’t need a big boat to catch a big fish. A 19-foot skiff called the SUNRAY entered…

■ I was just laughing to myself about how there is a long and short version of most stories. I have a recent fishing tale or two and can tell them in a flash or in a long-winded, more exciting version. First, I will tell you the quick and easy version so you can get the gist of my long-winded exciting story before I lose you with a lot of verbiage. The short story is, this is the time to catch striped marlin. I went out a few times in the past month and had a lot of strikes and caught a couple of fish. The long story starts like this. It was a cold winter evening as I prepared the boat and my gear for a day of jigging…

■ Long-distance casting competitor and HFN columnist Brock Fee paired his English-manufactured 13-foot Zziplex rod with a black Penn 525 conventional reel filled with 15-lb test monofilament in search of small game in the deep waters of East O’ahu. Brock had purchased two used Zziplex Quatra rods from world-class long-distance tournament competitor Hector Garcia with the intention of using them for fishing, not tournament casting. By using the techniques and down-sized tackle he uses in longdistance casting competition, Brock has been able to increase his catches because he now casts his baits farther out into unfished territory. In September 1998 at the World Casting Competition in Bay Town, Texas, just outside of Houston, Brock and his brother Brett met the world’s best tournament longdistance casters, who generously shared their knowledge…

Earn Your Place in Spearfishing History ■ Well, it didn’t take long. Within four months of its establishment, the Hawaii Freedive Spearfishing Association (HFSA) documented its first record. It was November 9, 1998, when I received a call from Eddie Urpanil of Lana’i. He’d speared a large mahimahi (dorado) and wondered if his fish would qualify. After listening to Eddie’s story, I began to go over the rules to make sure he had gathered all the right information (date and time of catch, weight measured on a certified scale, length, girth and photos of the catch) before the fish was cleaned and consumed. This information was crucial, because an application form wasn’t readily available. Should you find yourself in the same situation, do not panic! And, don’t go looking for…

Dear Chuck, I am sure you have already heard that due to the compelling testimony presented by a large number of our boating advocates, the legislative bills that were designed to enable privatization of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor (and others) were defeated. Congratulations to all who testified before the House and Senate committees. However, despite the foregoing, there are strong indications that the administration is still going to pursue small-boat harbor privatization—and with vigor! I don’t know what means they are planning to use, so we are closely watching all possibilities, especially the “concurrent resolution” route. We must be prepared. In this regard, I came across recent testimony on privatization written by a Hawaiian International Billfish Association (HIBA) associate that presented the essential issues in a clear and…

■ We know that fly fishing started in fresh water, and while the birth of fly fishing may be lost in obscurity, the sport was pretty well-developed in England by the 15th century. Saltwater fly fishing, on which the bulk of this series has focused to date, is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Hawai‘i happens to have some unique freshwater flyfishing opportunities that are too good to be overlooked, and for some anglers they may even be more attractive, affordable and accessible than many of the saltwater fishing opportunities in the state. Hawai‘i waters are also home to several potential world-record freshwater fish on the fly. The list of Hawaii’s freshwater game fish includes several species that are of interest to fly fishermen across the country and around the world, including…

Ho’ omaluhia Open Days ■ On the open Saturday, it rained cats and dogs yet 137, most of them Boy Scouts, braved the elements. There was not a dry suit in the crowd, and some of those white sneakers will never be white again. Sunday was a little better with overcast skies, but no rain. Two hundred fourteen trooped the banks, and it seemed like everyone caught fish one way or the other. We demonstrated the “Styrofoam rig” and let the kids catch tilapia with it. A soft-shell turtle decided to snatch an offering, and the 10-lb beast caused quite a stir. These snapping turtles are definitely not the docile garden variety and must be handled with caution. The smallmouth bass were not really in the mood to do anything,…

■ Mahalo, Chuck, for asking us to write a column for your paper. The folks I’ve talked with seem to be glad HFN will once again have a report covering Hawai‘i-kai to Barber’s Point. Hopefully, we can give the folks “town-side” some good reports and information on upcoming events. February was an interesting month that produced some high winds and big seas, but there were still some goodsized fish found by our anglers. On February 8, Lee Severs, on his Pacifica 44 SEA VERSE III, took out a charter from Kewalo and landed a 280-lb blue marlin along with a 13-lb mahimahi and a bunch of small tuna. Unfortunately, Lee had a bittersweet day on Thursday the 11th. While he boated a 30-lb spearfish and 17 mahimahi ranging from 8…

For letters, with photos, received during the month of December we’ll 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 Dear Chuck, Here’s a picture of my first ‘o‘io. I caught this 6-pounder on January 11. Same day as my girlfriend’s birthday. Arigato Kazuyo. My trusty Daiwa BG-30 got me through this 12-minute battle. Mahalos to the boyz at Musashi Restaurant-Terry and Mats-for making some awesome fishcake. Aloha,Ty YeeHonolulu, O’ahu Aloha Chuck! My name is Ka’eo and I’m only 3 years old. Here’s a picture of my very first mahimahi caught on my dad’s boat the MIKALA. That’s all we caught…