Innholdsfortegnelse for August 1999 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ As of July 5, 26 Invitational Tournament of Champions (ITOC) qualifying events had taken place and 26 tournaments remained to be fished before the end of 1999. Winning teams–or in some cases, runners up-are organizing their teammates to compete in the Rolex/IGFA Championship Tournament during March 4 through 12, 2000, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The King Kamehameha Hotel on the beach in the picturesque village of Kailua is looking forward to hosting the ITOC, and it should be one of the premier fishing events on the Big Island in 2000. The steering committee is currently finalizing the rules for the championship. Anglers will fish from a different charterboat each of the four fishing days, with the possible exception of local teams fishing from their private boats. All billfish will be…

■ Weather conditions were a great factor in the Casting Club International Inc. Open Casting Championships, held in Corpus Christi, Texas. Scattered showers accompanied by 10 O-percent humidity and winds blowing 5 to 15 mph in all directions made casting very difficult. This event was sanctioned by Sportcast USA, which allows different classes in which casters qualify. These classes pertain only to events in the United States. In the world/international tournaments, I haven’t come across this forum. The rules require five contestants to form a team no matter what country they represent. The following are the different classes in the Sportcast USA events: Men’s (5¼ oz) AAA Class-Average cast 650 feet and over. AA Class-Average cast 550 feet to 650 feet. A Class-Average cast 450 feet to 550 feet. B…

■ One of the largest naval fleets ever assembled entered the waters off Wai‘anae on Saturday, July 3 in search of large game fish during the Pearl Harbor Fishing Tournament (PHFT). For 10 hours, 65 fishing vessels trolled the Leeward Coast but failed to capture a giant marlin. The ‘ahi were there; the aku, mahimahi and ono were there, too; but the “big boys” just did not show. The shipyard’s commanding officer, Navy Capt. Jeff Conners, stationed himself on the tuna tower of the tournament flagship NALANI KAI II. From his vantage point, he could see much of the fleet and witness engagements as they occurred. He searched all day with no contacts. As he strained his eyes on the horizon, he wondered whether the big marlin had decoded naval…

Nu‘uanu Reservoir Park Update-A Call for Action ■ The question of dam safety and operation is still not resolved. Apparently, the Phase II inspection of the dam has been completed. Little other information is available. One does not have to be an engineer to see that the dam is in dire need of care. For an example, the vegetation is growing wild all over the dam and that is not in accordance with safety standards for dams in general. Something else to look at is the problem of leaking and seepage. A few areas at the toe of the dam are leaking. While this is not necessarily threatening, a monitoring system should be in place to determine whether the seepage is increasing or decreasing. We are not engineers, but when…

Islands Sunk? ■ A report out of Tarawa, Kiribati, stated that two islands have sunk. These are the first victims of global warming’s rising sea levels. The islands of Tebuatarawa and Avanuea are now below sea level. The South Pacific Environment Program reported the sinking and reported that other islands are in immediate danger of also disappearing. Fishing Derby Contacts Do you or your fishing club want to run a fishing derby in 2000? If you do, the Kids All-American Fishing Derby program will help you. They are in all 50 states and over the last 13 years have helped 5 million children and their families enjoy fishing. The fishing derby program is the largest nationwide family special event. Most derbies are held the first week of June to coordinate…

■ More than half a million aviation passengers and crew members weren’t the only people potentially endangered in recent years by the work of Life Support Systems Hawai‘i (LSSH). Hawai‘i FISHING NEWS has learned that the safety equipment repair company, abandoned by owner Gary L. DiGirolamo in March, also had an extensive history of problems with its work on marine life rafts. A review of U.S. Coast Guard files early in May showed that LSSH serviced rafts belonging to many Hawai‘i maritime companies and performed faulty repairs on–irony of ironies-rafts belonging to the U.S. Coast Guard. The review covered correspondence and audits between July 1997 and February of this year that revealed that LSSH had a troublesome history of workplace deficiencies, absent or lapsed certifications, outdated service manuals, disclaimers of…

■ Brandon Llanes, 9 years old, the youngest angler participating in the World Billfish Challenge Light Tackle Shootout in Kona, landed a 150-lb Pacific blue marlin on 30-lb test line after a 1-hour, 28-minute fight. “Brandon’s family is well-known for their fishing expertise, and Brandon is a great example of his family’s next generation of big-game anglers,” said Mike Nelson of Ocean Sports Productions, producers of the World Billfish Challenge held in Kona in July. It came down to the final minutes as the leading team, Legends Sportfishing, was first to weigh in their array of ono caught on 20- and 30-lb test line in hopes of clinging to first. Their total score for the three days came to 251.5. Then, it was time for PUKA KAI to weigh in.…

Hey HFN, Sounds like ya know your mountain territory of Wyoming. Kinda harsh here in the winters! (Politely put!) That is why I am working doubly hard to figure a way to get moved more your way! My girlfriend is native Hawai‘i, born and raised, and lives in Mililani. A wonderful lady from your paradise! She and her friends still tease me over my mountain “land” theory about salt water that says, “One never swims where one can be considered bait!” Works well for me! Beautiful country over there, and must say the friendliest people I have ever met! Fantastic history and customs! Then, ya got the big fishin’! No comparison to anywhere I have ever fished! I have chartered the MAGIC out of Kewalo Basin with Russell Tanaka a…

■ Enjoy summer in Hawai‘i waters. August is the warmest month over land and in the water. No Kona storms or cold fronts are expected. Replacing these two wintertime storms could be storms born over the warm tropical waters-tropical storms and hurricanes. August is the favored month for these storms. Over the past years, these storms have appeared in Hawai‘i waters so it will be prudent to listen to the National Weather Service marine forecasts before venturing into the water. Weather satellite pictures spot these storms. Trade winds will be the common feature as they persist through the month. Expect about five to 10 days of gusty trade winds that can make the waters too rough. Northwest swell and surf activity is at the minimum, but southerly surf could be…

■ The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) has announced the initial list of tournaments that they have approved as qualifying events for the Rolex/IGFA Invitational Tournament of Champions (ITOC) scheduled for the year 2000. The 53 tournaments selected represent over 12,000 anglers, 21 countries and eight U.S. states. The Rolex ITOC will consist of the winning teams from each of the qualifying events. It will take place in the fabled waters of the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawai‘i during March 4 through 12, 2000. Mike Leech, president of the IGFA, I said, “We selected Kona to hold our championship tournament because of the beautiful locale, year-round calm waters, great charterboats and crews, and the ability to catch large marlin year-round.” The tournament headquarters will be the beautiful…

Fine Tuning the Penn 525GS ■ We have received several letters asking questions about tuning the Penn 525GS reel, so we will try to provide some answers. First, make sure the centrifugal brake blocks are turned “on.” This will allow you to cast and not thumb the spool’. The instructions are in the box. The 525GS comes with four centrifugal brake blocks. If you turn on all four, it will slow down the spool quite a bit. Usually, you only have to install two. This will let you obtain maximum distances and still have control. If you are casting a light 2- or 3-oz weight, you may have to turn on all four brake blocks. Weights of 2 oz or less are not adequate to carry out casts of over…

■ Earlier in the year, I reported on a freshwater pond the Hawai‘i Freshwater Fishing Association (HFFA) was utilizing for the purpose of breeding bass. These bass will be stocked in Lake Wilson to help bolster the natural population of largemouth. In late May, club members went back to the pond in an attempt to net the last of the bass. It was a laborious effort, and it took the better part of an hour to drag the net from one end of the pond to the other. About a dozen of us, including me, strained as the net moved slowly across the pond: Finally reaching the end, we struggled to place the large amount of netted fish onto the bank. Trying to lift the heavy weight of the net…

Dear Chuck, It was a dark and cold overcast day on Sunday, the 13th of June. It seemed a little strange because it was in the middle of June and we were up against 3- to 5-foot surf, not good diving conditions at all. We set out at about 7:30 a.m. from Hale‘iwa Boat Harbor. Bernard Manding, captain of a new 24-foot Glass Pro called the RENEE ROSE, told us about a spot up by Sunset Point that he wanted to check out.’ Upon arriving, the water was green and the current was smokin’. Because we’d gotten this far, we all decided to jump in. Three hours passed, and all six of us had caught one papio, one uhu and a table boss. Shame. Bernard looked at us and said,…

Forest Classification…Again? ■ A controversial statewide forest classification plan has resurfaced, according to Bruce Ka‘imiloa Chrisman, hunting advocate on the Big Island. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) forest classification plan was floated late last year but tabled by Gov. Cayetano during the tight election season. Hunter activists are decidedly opposed to the classification management plan and see it as a step in the further erosion of the right to hunting lands. The forest plan has a Code “A,” which deals With animal management, and a Code “R,” which defines recreational management. The animal management is divided into four sections: sustained yield; managed yield; liberal hunting; and staff control. The recreational plan includes heavy use, medium use, light use and restricted use. “Sustained yield” areas would be areas…

■ The mission was one that some people characterized as “impossible.” Some wags even dubbed it “the trip from hell,” but Larry Graf is an adventurer with an indomitable spirit and he wasn’t going to let nay-sayers and niggling details get in the way of his dream to make what is thought to be the longest ocean passage ever accomplished in a 26-foot outboard powered vessel. Larry’s “mission” was to run a pair of his Glacier Bay catamarans, powered by Honda outboards, from Honolulu to Midway Atoll, a distance of 1,328 miles. Larry is the president of Glacier Bay boats, and in 1996 he had set a record running one of his Honda-powered cats from Norfolk, Virginia, to Bermuda, an open-ocean distance of over 728 miles, in 37 hours. To…

Hi Chuck, The following are my comments in regard to Bob Endreson’s article in the June issue of HFN. Although I am covering’an area of science far beyond my training, this report covers jurisdiction from a layman’s viewpoint. I think this is a subject all fishermen should be aware of because of the way jurisdiction can affect our life style. To explain this difficult subject, I am including a number of examples. From 1976 to 1985, I was involved in conducting the state of Hawai‘i’s NWH1 inshore resource study. The study was conducted under a joint triparty agreement between the state of Hawai‘i and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Although there was disagreement as to who–the state or the “feds”–had jurisdiction…

■ The North Shore Hanapa‘a Tournament was a great success with 60 boats entered in this annual three-day tournament. Lots of ‘ahi, ono and mahimahi were caught, but only one big marlin came up. Rusty Spencer of the KUULOA KAI caught that marlin, which weighed in at 509 lbs. Rusty also got a clean sweep that day. There were no big ‘ahi piles. The tuna were just coming up in the blind. Winners were as follow: Many thanks to the sponsors of the tournament: Budweiser; Surf-N-Sea; Todd White; and David Anana. Also thanks to the community who came down to watch the weigh-in every day and the many volunteers who helped put this tournament together. MILLENNIUM 2000 Y2K Ken and Charlene Terukina own a beautiful, brand-new 28-foot Radon named the…

For letters, with photos, received during the month of August 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 an avid fisherwoman and HFN fan, Dena, and her first mahimahi, a nice 32-pounder. It gave a good fight, but was no match for her “big guns.” Shortly after “chumming” the water, Dena bagged the monster aboard her Uncle Billy’s boat, the KAPUNALAU. Dena’s usual fishing partner, Shelley’Monsta, was unable to make the trip, but needless to say, she was green with envy. And she’ll be even greener when she sees this picture in your mag. Hoo-ha!…

Department of Land and Natural Resources and Division of Aquatic Resources Commercial Marine Fisheries License and Permit Fee Hike ■ Effective September 1, 1999, the fees for all types of commercial marine fisheries licenses and permits will increase. This is the first major license fee increase since the mid-1980s when the Commercial Marine License fee increased from $ 10 to the current $25 state resident rate. License revenues generated by the fee increases will be placed into the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ (DLNR’s) Commercial Fisheries Special Fund. The funds then will become available to cover commercial fisheries expenditures, such as conducting resource monitoring programs and studies to determine sustainable use of aquatic life. Last year, $12,000 was expended from the special fund to purchase GPS equipment for DOCARE…

■ Every summer, when the days get longer and the northeast trades blanket our island waters, we rig the sailing/voyaging canoe MAKA KOA and travel the sea trails of Hawai‘i nei-a two-week expedition around Hawai‘i that starts in Hilo and continues around Cape Kumukahi, South Point, and up the Kona Coast to North Kohala. This summer, before the trip home across the ‘Alenuihaha Channel, we stopped at a favorite place, Kapa‘a Beach Park. We passed a restless night as the winds whistled through the kiawe trees at our campsite at Kapa‘a. We got up early and had a breakfast of pancakes and leftover fish from the night before. Loading took place off the rocks as the canoe was anchored offshore. The weather had remained unchanged for several days: channel winds…

■ The fishing news from Midway continues to be red hot. Plenty of big ulua are being hooked, and there has been some impressive gamefish action offshore. Check out the following for a single day of action. On July 12, Dave and Susan Crawford spent a day on the water with Capt. Pete Turcotte in the 26-foot power cat ATLANTA and caught five species of trevally (papio and ulua). Dave tagged and released an ulua that bottomed out the scale near 110 lbs and weighed, tagged and released another at 40½ lbs. He and his wife caught and released 14 butaguchi (thick-lipped trevally), two striped trevally, an ‘omilu, a blackjack and two uku (gray snapper) in one day! That same day, the 38-foot Bertram YORKTOWN with Capt. Chris Sheeder and…

■ There are a lot of myths out there involving ciguatera, especially regarding the detection of it. These can be dangerous, even fatal, if followed. To separate scientific and medically proven fact from fiction, we have compiled a list of myths about ciguatera. If you have any myths to add or are unsure of something you heard or read, please submit it to the Worldwide Ciguatera Database via telephone (808) 531-3017, FAX (808) 531-3177 or E-mail <oceanit@oceanit.com>. We will investigate and research the method and attempt to determine a scientific/medical basis/position/statement/grounds for its validity. Always consult your physician or a poison control center if you are unsure of anything. The only-positive way to identify the presence of ciguatoxin in fish flesh is to use the Cigua-Check ciguatera fish poison detection…

■ Just a few years ago, our state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DLNR-DBOR) spearheaded a state campaign to clear out large numbers of “derelict vessels” from Ke’ehi Lagoon. It was a necessary and difficult task that the DBOR performed well. The derelict vessels are gone now, but they have been replaced by “derelict piers.” The Ke’ehi piers are falling victim to the same cancerous process that caused the derelict vessels mess-terminal neglect. Just as the derelict vessels received no maintenance and only cheap Band-Aid fixes to keep them afloat a little longer, our piers also receive little maintenance and are attended to only on an ER triage basis, usually after a pier has finally given in to the elements. If there are…

■ The May issue of HA WAII FISHING NEWS (pages 16 and 17) featured the most common inshore species of Hawai’i sharks. These inshore sharks are generally found in state waters, 0 to 3 miles from shore. Sharks found in federal waters, 3 to 200 miles offshore, are generally pelagic species. One pelagic shark that has been the focus of interest to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WESPAC) is the blue shark (Prionace glauca), also known as the blue whaler, or great blue shark. This species is caught incidentally by Hawafi-based longline vessels targeting tuna and swordfish. The life history and fishery of the blue shark differ significantly from those of coastal sharks. These differences, however, often have been overlooked in recent discussions about shark fishery conservation and…

■ A new project to locate, remove and identify lost and discarded fishing nets and other gear was launched June 30 at the Kaneohe Bay Yacht Club. Derelict fishing gear that is lost or discarded into our oceans can become death traps for local endangered monk seals, sea turtles and humpback whales. This gear is made to last. It does not degrade. These nets continue to kill fish and damage valuable coral reefs. We at Sea Grant are proud that the Kaneohe Bay Yacht Club is hosting this unique project, and we invite interested boaters and fishermen to help identify any lost nets that they see floating at sea. Coordinated by the Sea Grant program at the University of Hawai‘i and the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Marine Conservation (CMC), the…

■ It was a beautiful Sunday morning as 15 teams participated in the Hilo Trollers June Tournament, held on June 13. The ono were-running off the Puna Coast, and the ‘ahi were slowly making their way to this side of the Big Island. Earlier in the month, some boats had landed nice-sized yellowfin. With this in mind, entrants’ blood pressures were running high as the 15 teams headed in all directions in the hopes of catching the big one. As the day went by, boats reported hookups and some lost their fish. By the end of the day, a total of 10 teams brought to the scales one ‘ahi,-33 ono and 10 mahimahi. One of the highlights of the tournament occurred when Capt. Hinano Matsu Jr. of the LAWAI’A and…

OFFSHORE TOURNAMENTS KANEOHE YACHT CLUB OPEN TOURNAMENT August 7, 1999 Kaneohe Yacht Club-Kaneohe (808) 247-4121 44-503 Kaneohe Bay Drive, Kaneohe HI 96744 HOOTERS BIG GAME FISHING TOURNAMENT August 13 & 14, 1999 Hooters-Oahu (808) 524 4668 1 Aloha Tower Drive Unit 1127, Honolulu HI 96813 LANAI RENDEZVOUS August 20 & 21, 1999 Martin Bandy-Maui (808) 242-4846 HO‘OLEA JACKPOT TOURNAMENT September 4 & 5, 1999 Hawai‘i & Waikiki Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 955-4405 1599 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96814 LABOR DAY TOURNAMENT September 4, 5 & 6, 1999 Hawai‘i Big Game Fishing Club-Kona (808) 325-7362 P.O. Box 3106, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 OKOE BAY RENDEZVOUS XI September 16, 17,18 & 19, 1999 Tropidilla-Kona (808) 325-7300 P.O. Box 2158, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 KEEHI WAHINE FISHING TOURNAMENT September 25, 1999 Keehi Boat Club-Oahu (808)…