Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2005 i Hawaii Fishing News

About the Author ■ Louie the Fish lived in Hawaii for a decade in the 1960s, and moved to the South Pacific in 1973. In 1980 he began living and fly guiding for trout in Turangi, New Zealand. He now lives in Hawaii with his lovely Samoan wife, Sasa, and son, Joaquin. ■ I only moved back to Hawai‘i a bit over a year ago, after living over 30 years in the South Pacific. My home was Fiji, then Pago Pago, then Lake Taupo, New Zealand, and then back for the past eight years to Pago. I fished madly in all those places and many more. In fact, I was a flyfishing guide in New Zealand for 15 years. About three years ago I caught my first bonefish in Hawai‘i,…

Fishing: My Meditation ■ I have been fishing Hawai‘i for several years now and have my share of stories. Being a dedicated charterboat captain, I can’t help but feel a certain amount of pressure to produce fish for my customers. After all, it’s just a fair return for the big money they spend on the charter. But, as we all know, we invariably have to make excuses and rely on the classic: “Well, that’s why they call it fishing, not catching!” In the early days of my career, when fishing was slow I’d try to force the issue. With obstinate perseverance and extended trolling hours-often at no extra charge-I’d explore the outer limits of frustration, desperately trying to catch a fish, which would of course satisfy my customers but also…

Dear Chuck: I usually don’t write to complain about others but I think in this case it is appropriate. It seems that Ko ‘Olina Resort has reneged on their commitment to provide public access to their harbor. The alternative new ramp at Barber’s Point Harbor is unusable. It has no pier to tie up to or get off your boat. I also heard that it will cost $125 per year to use this unusable ramp. The current small-boat ramp at Ko ‘Olina is used by many people in the Leeward area. It is the obligation of Ko ‘Olina to provide us with a usable ramp at their harbor. Best regards and aloha,Don Caserio Don, In speaking with William Aila, the Wai‘anae harbormaster, we heard the following: Ko ‘Olina has transferred…

Two Hot-Button Topics Addressed at the National Fisheries Conference ■ More than 600 of the nation’s foremost fisheries experts gathered in Washington, D. C., March 24 to 26, 2005, to address some of the most difficult challenges associated with marine resource conservation today. Policy makers, scientists, fishing industry members and environmentalists attending the “Managing Our Nation’s Fisheries II: Focus on the Future” conference explored a wide range of innovative solutions to outstanding issues, including the following: • Integrating ecosystem-based approaches into fisheries management; • Strengthening the scientific advice on which management decisions are based; and • Devising more effective mechanisms that promote sustainable fish harvesting. Other hot-button topics were the subject of several workshops-the use of marine protected areas (MPAs) and protection of cold-water corals, improving fisheries governance, addressing overfishing…

■ The whales are starting to head back to cold water, which means that the small boater can be a little less wary of what is swimming around. These behemoths of the sea seemed to be a lot more numerous than in years past. They also seemed a lot less sensitive to the presence of nearby boats of any size and would surface anywhere. It took some real maneuvering to avoid getting too close to them during the past several months. They are beautiful creatures, though, like huge, graceful dinosaurs of the deep. Trollers caught a fair amount of mahimahi in the blind and at the not-too-nearby FADs. The closest FAD for the fisherman departing Kaunakakai is about 15 miles away across the channel, south of Lana‘i. It would sure…

OFFSHORE TOURNAMENTS BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS 3-1 FISHING TOURNAMENT May 6 & 7,2005 Sybil Dunnam (808) 336-1587 P.O. Box 852, Kaunakakai, HI 96748 E-mail <hanalei808@wave.hicv.net> THE KONA OFFSHORE CHALLENGE May 14, 2005 Peter Luchsinger (808) 329-4858 E-mail <peterl@turquoise.net> AHI FEVER FISHING TOURNAMENT June 18 & 19,2005 Norman Swift (808) 696-3399 Waianae Boat Fishing Club, P.O. Box 821, Waianae, HI 96792 <www.wbfc.net> 9TH ANNUAL KONA CLASSIC TOURNAMENT June 25 & 26, 2005 Tropidilla-Kona (808) 327-1440 P.O. Box 2158, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 <info@konatournaments.com> FIRECRACKER OPEN July 2 & 3, 2005 Tropidilla-Kona (808) 327-1440 P.O. Box2158, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 <lnfo@konatournaments.com> WORLD CUP BLUE MARLIN TOURNAMENT July 4,2005 Jim Hardie-Miami (305) 551-0320 P.O. Box 2476. Miami, FL 33159 E-mail <scribemla@aol.com> SKINS MARUN DERBY July 8,9, & 10,2005 Tropidilla-Kona (808) 327-1440 P.O. Box 2158, Kailua-Kona,…

■ A few years ago, Sherman Viernes expressed his determination to hook and land his first ulua. He would tell me of his frustrations as trip after trip he would either go strikeless or a long-anticipated strike would occur only to have the fish cut him off on the reef. I encouraged him to keep trying and not to give up as his persistence would surely pay off. It soon did, and he landed his first fish while slide-baiting. I remember Sherman telling me he was a bit disappointed when he landed a 66-lb ‘ahi from shore while slide-baiting a live akule. He wanted an ulua, not an ‘ahi. Most shorecasters would be ecstatic to hook and land an ‘ahi from shore, which is a rarity especially if you are…

■ One clue to the reason for the success of kayak fishing may be sailfish. Few powerboat trailers have ever even seen one. Kayaker Cindy Heusser has caught two. Her husband, Stephen, was fishing in tandem with kayaker Reggie Pare when both hooked sailfish within minutes of each other. Ulua and uku are other clues, too. Motor boaters seldom catch them. Kayakers haul them up all of the time. The Heussers live in Waimea, on the Big Island, where they are only a short drive from the receptive kayak fishing waters along the Kohala Coast and only an hour away from other good kayak fishing areas from Honokohau to Keauhou. I spoke with Stephen to probe the secrets of the kayak fisherman’s art. Eager to share their enthusiasm and knowhow,…

Hang Bait ■ Paul Ordonez of Maui described catching his impressive 112.4-lb ulua using the “hang bait” method in the August 2004 issue of HFN. Scanning HFN’s 100 Plus Club records and stories, I found that many other 100-plus-lb ulua have been captured with this method. Some memorable ones include Doug Paine’s 113-lb fish that placed second in the 1987 Hilo Casting Club Tournament and a onetime IGFA record 137-lb fish caught by Roy Gushiken in 1983 at Hawaii’s McKenzie Park. In the Hawaiian culture, what we know today as the “hang bait” style of fishing is also called kau la‘au and many consider it to be a traditional way of fishing for ulua. Although its exact origins are unknown, the technique seems to have been practiced throughout the island…

■ Over the past few months, EnviroWatch Inc. received numerous calls from boaters and shoreline fishermen saying they were being turned away from the boat ramp at Ko Olina Resort where they normally go to fish or launch their boats. This caused us concern because it is our understanding that access to the shoreline is a public right. One boater also claimed Ko Olina told him the ramp was closed because they had started working on their new aquarium. We subsequently found a letter from Ko Olina Resort & Marina addressed to the general public, stating: “The Ko Olina boat ramp which has been a temporary private boat ramp with public use has closed. The ramp closure is required for our resort’s continued development and marina expansion.” The letter included…

The Best Bread Bait: Stale or Fresh? ■ Should you use stale or fresh bait? Frequently that question comes up, and there is no straightforward answer. It depends upon whether you are targeting a fish that normally feeds on fresh food or a scavenger that searches for leftovers from Mother Nature’s table. Bass like fresh bait, and some species of catfish will go for bait that is past its prime. How about the vegetarians and other freshwater fish that have been conditioned to eat something that would not be in their normal diet under wild conditions? Take the jewel banded cichlids that are plentiful at Ho‘omaluhia and which are normally piscivorous. They are still readily caught on bread baits, and there does not even seem to be any difficulty for…

Hilo Trollers’ First Tournament of 2005 ■ Aloha. The Hilo Trollers kicked off their tournament year with an event on April 10. Fifteen teams entered, and a good-sized marlin and lots of ono were landed. The tournament started at 5:30 a.m., and the teams headed out in all directions, hoping to catch the “big boys.” One of the highlights of the tournament was the catch taken aboard the EASY MONEY. Capt. Eric Baptiste and angler Pat Leslie came in with a 140½-lb marlin, one ‘ahi and three ono. This marlin eventually took the largest fish award and placed first in the largest marlin category. Another nice-sized catch was taken on the KALEILUHILANI by Capt. Fredo Desha and anglers Troy Toledo and Ricky Torres. They came in with nine ono (the…

Trolling ■ The trolling action in Haleiwa has been really slow. The big fish have not come around yet, and the weather has been really nasty. It has been raining, and the winds have been very strong almost every day during the last couple of months. Not even the larger boats have been going out that much. On the few nice fishing days, the buoys produced some aku and small shibi. Bottom Fishing The akule fishing is also slow. I guess no one wants to venture out during the windy and rainy nights. Normally, the winds die down at night and during the early morning, but they have not recently. That makes, it very dangerous for fishermen to go out at night. High School Student Spears a Whopper of an…

■ 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.…

■ The Hilo Casting Club is alive and well. Our fiscal year ended on September 30, 2004. Scott Inouye’s108½-lb ulua was last year’s largest. Howard Yoshida’s second entry into HFN’s 100 Plus Club tipped the scales at a 103¼ lbs and gave him second-place honors. He also won the Pole Benda Invitational with his trophy fish. Mel Hirayama’s 103-lb ulua was the third largest last year. It was his fifth 100-plus-lb ulua capture. What an accomplishment! Overall, it was a great year for our members. Several are involved in the DLNR’s ulua tag-and-release program. All members stayed safe, and no one got hurt as God blessed our organization with a great year. Hilo Casting Club 2003-2004 Fiscal Year Report (from October 1, 2003, through-September 30, 2004) In 2005 Sherman Viernes’…

Ko Olina Ramp Kapu Hu Hu ■ The Leeward o‘ahu, billion-dollar Ko Olina Development has shut access off to fishermen and boaters. Honolulu City zoning changes allowing the development stipulated that water access be provided to a marina boat ramp. Some fishermen think that the developers are backing out of the original agreement. (See full report in this issue on page 16-18.) Shark Victim Sues and Gets Bitten The strange shark death case brought to court by Manouchehr Monazzami Taghadomi was settled against him. Manouchehr and his wife, Nahid Davoodabadi, were honeymoon vacationing on Maui. They went kayaking out of Lahaina. The wind picked up. They were capsized. During the night and while they clung to the sides of the kayak, a shark approached. Nahid Davoodabadi was attacked and taken…

■ The free-diver of today is armed and dangerous. He is able to blend into the surroundings with a full-bodied camo wetsuit composed of a high-tech rubber compound combined with a hood, gloves and booties to hold in the warmth. A dry snorkel attached to a low-volume silicone mask minimizes the facial squeeze at depth, and a pair of composite, long-bladed fins snap back with very kick to return the diver to the surface for that much-needed breath of air. Finally, a well-balanced speargun, some of which are capable of propelling a 2-lb steel rod in excess of 30 feet, is linked to a double or triple float system. This is just a brief description of how some of us are equipped today. What happened to the days of old?…

■ It’s tournament time again, and everyone is getting ready! Grab your favorite tackle, your lucky hat, plenty of sun block and head for the water. NOAA Fisheries Service will be involved in at least two tournaments this summer: o‘ahu’s Atlapac Weighmaster’s Classic and the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament on the Big Island. Booths will be manned at each event to distribute information and answer questions about our recreational fisheries program. While we consider tournaments a good place to talk to anglers firsthand about gear alternatives, recreational data collection and ongoing cooperative research, tournaments are also being used to supplement (and sometimes gather) catch information. In Hawaii, data on recreational catch and effort were inconsistent until the Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishery Survey (HMRFS) was renewed in 2001 after a 20-year…

■ Aloha to all HFN readers. This month I’m going to feature kahala, or amberjack. The particular kahala that I suggest using are farm-raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. Kahala is one of those fish that when caught is thrown back because of ciguatera. Ciguatera fish poisoning is endemic wherever coral fish are a food source. The toxins first affect the small coral-grazing fish and are then passed up the food chain to you and me. To fishermen out there who are thinking of eating these fish: Cigua-check fish poison test kits are available at your local fishing supply stores. You fish lovers who can get your hands on the farm-raised kahala are in for a treat. These wonderful fish come in 2- to 3-lb sizes. They have a…

Athline Clark Special Projects Program Manager Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources Department of Land and Natural Resources 1151 Punchbowl St. Rm. 330 Honolulu, HI 96813 Hi Athline, Thanks for this and for the earlier draft Information Pamphlet on Marine Protected Areas. The next Council meeting (next week) will include a Fishers Forum focusing on MPAs. May we have copies (or a PDF that we could print) of the pamphlet, to distribute at the meeting? Hope you will be able to come to the Fishers Forum-Tuesday evening. Cheers,Tony BeechingNOAA Tony: A fishers forum on MPAs I can’t wait. This does not sound real productive…I hope it is facilitated. The PDF of the insert will be on our web site and comes out in the paper tomorrow. Athline Clark Summary of Categories,…

For letters, with photos, received during May we’ll send you HFN’sNew Ulua Hook® Embroidered cap logo design …our way of saying thanks for sharing your catch! …Hana pa‘a, Chuck Send to: P.O. Box 25488, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96825 Chuck, Uncle Stan invited my two kidsand me out for a day on Lake Wilson recently. The kids had a blast catching lots of red devils with bread. It was the first time I got to fish with him after all these years and we all had a great time. Sending my appreciation to Uncle Stan for helping Brandon and Shannon have so much fun. We’re so glad we were able to share some fishing time with him! Aloha,Brian F. FunaiHonolulu, o‘ahu Hi Chuck, My name is Wolfgang Hermann. I caught these lobster…