Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2005 i Hawaii Fishing News

A Five Star Fishing Adventure ■ Fishing, like most sports, has its share of superstitions. I added a new one to the list in the form of a song. On the way to meet the charter at Honokohau Harbor on the morning of May 20, 2005, the song “Lucky Charms” was playing on the radio. With phrases like “angels on my shoulder,” “pennies in my pocket” and “four-leaf clover in my locket,” it gave me the feeling that it might be a lucky day. Then we had the beginner’s luck factor going: angler Jeff Van Hove from Michigan had mentioned that it was his first time ever fishing on an ocean. Jeff and his friend Jeff O’Neill were looking forward to a good half-day of fishing. We left the harbor…

■ The underlying principle of this unique type of tournament is to educate novice spear fishermen in becoming good sportsmen and conservationists. If you are a free-dive spear fishermen and you weren’t there, you probably missed out on one the most popular, fun tournaments of the year. The words “chop suey” are locally defined as “mixed.” Dayne Fujiwara, the official scorekeeper, said, “At times, even I was mixed up and confused in figuring out who the winners were.” The group was made up of 24 participants, some called “Ukus” and some called “Uhus.” Each team had an experienced and novice diver, each trying to spear the same species of fish and both having to come close in weight to the catch of the other. The minimum amount of fish you…

■ Fishermen love telling their many stories to anyone who will listen. It seems as if everywhere I go, I meet new people who get excited at the mere mention of fishing. Here are just three of the stories I’ve heard recently while going about my everyday activities. Maui Shorecasting I needed to go to the orthodontist to get more braces. I trudged in, wanting to get it over with, not at all happy. My orthodontist, Dr. Jim Powers, was talking to me as he worked in my mouth. Upon hearing that I was going to Hawai‘i again for summer break, he began an animated description of one of his favorite fishing trips. He got so excited, he was spitting on my face as he talked. He and his wife,…

109th Congress First Session IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Case introduced the following bill. A bill to designate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Marine Refuge, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This act may be cited as the “Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Marine Refuge Act of 2005.” SECTION 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) and their associated waters encompass the most isolated coral reefs in the world, with the highest proportion of marine endemic species and a plethora of valuable and unique natural and cultural resources, most of which are highly vulnerable. (2) These 1,200 miles of coral islands, seamounts, banks…

The Story Continues… ■ In previous months I wrote extensively about issues surrounding the closure of Ko Olina’s public boat ramp and the wrongful redirection of fishermen and other users to The Phoenician ramp in Campbell Industrial Park. After being turned away from Ko Olina, with the permission of the city and county of Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), the boating community was forced to use the boat ramp operated by The Phoenician LLC. This ramp is virtually unusable. Not only is it unsafe and difficult to use, but also it is dangerous due to its close proximity to chemicals. Its initial setup was for the purpose of industrial use. As a result of their concerns over safety and access issues, the fishermen and other concerned citizens are…

■ The trolling has really picked up, and the fishing is good with lots of shibi, marlin, ono and, of course, ‘ahi. It has been very windy on the North Shore. Believe It or Not On June 14, Capt. Perry of the LOVISA K went holoholo with Neil Hina. They started to head toward X-buoy but before they got to the buoy they had a double-mahimahi strike. After bringing in the fish and setting up again they had another double strike. Amid so much excitement, the two gaffs flew into the water. Perry and crew were looking for their gaffs when they came up to a cargo net. From then on they brought more ono and mahimahi into the boat. Before they could catch all the mahimahi by the net,…

■ Aloha from the Friendly Isle. Where did all the fish go? Offshore fishing has been superslow with very few catch reports coming in. Even the charterboats have been getting skunked lately. We sure hope the action picks up soon. The only action has seen by the near-shore fishermen. One noteworthy catch was a 42-lb ulua taken by Robert “Bojo” Morris, who was fishing with his nephew Ricky Jr. Bojo caught this fish while whipping in 3 feet of water. Luckily the fish ran outside to deeper water where the battle continued. Due to some expert maneuvering of the boat, Bojo was able to land this nice-sized fish with spinning gear. We now have a new boat owner on Moloka’i. Moses Luczon just couldn’t take it any longer, so he…

■ The Nawiliwili Yacht Club (NYC) held their Keiki Fishing Tournament on Father’s Day, June 19, marking the sixth year of this treasured event. Ranging in age from 3 to 12, as many as 30 Kaua‘i keiki and their ‘ohana braved gray skies and frequent passing showers to participate. Keiki lined the docks and shores of the Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor, casting for “the big one” that would assure their early pick of the huge assortment of prize’s that had been generously contributed. When the 1 p.m. horn sounded and fishing was pau, the judges went to work while the young crowd anxiously inspected the prize table and enjoyed hot dogs and, sodas while they waited. When the judges finished their tough job, the winners were announced. The top anglers…

Catfish Bait Cocktails ■ A while back we explored the combination of soft and hard baits to attenuate the onslaught of the “undesirable” species such as the convict tangs and cichlids (tilapia). Yet only a few people experiment with combinations of baits on the same offering. Most anglers stubbornly offer only one type, even when they have several baits available. In addition, a lot of anglers overload the capacity of their particular hook, which creates failure to set the hook simply because the entire setup is yanked from the fish. The best method for attaching strips of aku belly is to hook just a fingerling the size of your pinkie from the meat side through the skin to expose the point of the hook. The same rule is applicable to…

July 15, 2005 Mr. George Young, P.E. Department of the Army U.S. Army Engineering District, Honolulu Regulatory Branch Building 230 Fort Shafter, Hawai’i 96858-5440 Dear Mr. Young, I am writing in regard to an Application for Permit for Maintenance Dredging in Hawai’i Kai Marina, Reference No. POH 2002-74. The Hawaii Audubon Society has been monitoring this project since 2003, when Phillip Brunner, a board member of the society and a wetland and shorebird ornithologist, wrote to your command concerning the importance of Rim Island No. 2 to the endangered Hawaiian stilt and the questionable conclusions of Reggie David based on his one-day survey of the area. The biggest impediments to the recovery of the endangered Hawaiian stilt are the loss of wetland habitat and predation by alien mammals. We note…

■ Two dozen Hawai‘i fishermen met for nearly four hours on May 17, 2005, to discuss marine protected areas (MPAs), marine recreational fishing licenses and depleting fish stocks and to consider organizing Hawaii’s fishermen to address these and other important issues. The meeting, organized and facilitated by Mike Sakamoto, was held at Pier 38 in Honolulu. Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Director Peter Young began the evening with a presentation on MPAs. Peter said the DLNR has been opposed to the Marine Reserve Network bills that have been introduced the past two years in the Hawai‘i Legislature, but it supports a process to discuss a Marine Reserve Network. “There will be another bill next session on MPAs,” Peter told the fishermen. “You can expect it. Let’s find a…

3. Should Marine Preservation Areas (MPAs) replace the current Public Fishing Areas (PFAs)? 121 Yes 675 No Public fishing contributes to the wholesome entertainment for the community. All that can be done to preserve this right should be done. • With the military and the Northern Hawaiian Islands isn’t that enough? • People need more places to fish, not less places. • Enforce existing regulations and do selective closures when needed. • Absolutely not! Fishing is part of island culture. I grew up fishing and till this day continue to do so. I am 40 years old and fish three to four times a month. • If stock of some fish are low, close down that type of fish till they reach sustainable yield! • Go after gill netters: Ban…

Nearshore Small Game Tournament Gains Popularity With Hawaii’s Fishina Families ■ The Haleiwa Joe’s Charity Fishing Tournament was held recently at He‘eia-Kea Boat Harbor. The annual event put on by the restaurant of the same name has been growing in participants and is especially popular with children. This year’s event was limited to nearshore activities because the offshore conditions were too rough for safe fishing. Managing General Partner and Tournament Chairman Tim York was temporarily disabled by recent knee surgery, so Rick White from the charterboat MAZEL TOV assumed the duties of weighmaster and judge. The weigh-in for all participants and their fish was most entertaining, especially with the camera crew from “Hawaii Goes Fishing” filming each catch. Sasha agreed to be the tournament hostess and add beauty to the…

For letters, with photos, received during August we’ll send you HFN’s New 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 Dear Chuck, Here’s a picture of my dad’s first ulua. He caught it on 3/8/05 while fishing at Hana-ka’o’o Beach Park (Stone Crusher Beach for you old-timers). It weighed 15 lbs. He sent in this picture of me holding the fish because my dad’s a very big guy and he said the fish looks bigger with me holding it. A special thanks to Norman Kawamura (Masco) for passing on his knowledge of ulua fishing. Also, thanks to the gang, Rick, Terrance and Blair for the Tuesday night fishing trips. Much mahalos, Kody Kahaialii Lahaina,…

Aloha Chuck! Here are some pictures of my 102-lb ulua that I caught on June 1, 2005, with my friends Owen Ching and Cy Nakamura. This is how the story began. It was a beautiful morning on the north side of the Big Island. Things started off as any other fishing day would. I double-checked my fishing gear and headed out to meet my friends Owen and Cy. After a last-minute stop at Arakaki Store, we decided to head to one of our favorite ulua fishing spots. We were excited to see what the day had in store for us. At about 9:30 we arrived at our destination. A nice breeze was blowing, and sunshine brightened the sky. We quickly got our poles set up, tied the lines and cast…

■ On June 25 and 26, the 25th Annual Wee Guys Fishing Tournament was held in Kona. There were 127 boats in the tournament. My friends Mikey, Gavin and Ross, who share ownership of a 21’ Alii Kai named the JOI RIDE, have participated in this tournament for the past four or five years; however, this was my first time. We awoke in our condo at 5 a.m. to the smell of bacon Spam frying on the stove. Ross’ girlfriend Tiffany was preparing our bento lunches. We wore our red DaKine T-shirts with ‘ahi design in hopes that they might bring us some luck. It was our way of signifying we were a team. Sleepy-eyed yet excited, we loaded the truck with rods and reels, lures and our bento lunches…

Laysan Ducks Making Ducklings ■ Laysan ducks are having a good nesting season on Midway Atoll. Five of six females have nested, and three birds have hatched 13 ducklings. It’s likely that after this hatch the island’s duck population could double. Twenty of the endangered ducks known as Laysan teal were sent to Midway eight months ago. The Midway ducks are a backup population in case a disaster strikes Laysan Island (also located in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands). The transplanted ducks were only 3 months old when they made the trip to Midway. Biologists were surprised that the Midway transplants nested in their first year. Normally they nest in their second year. The Midway ducks also had nine to 10 eggs versus the normal three to four eggs found in…

■ The CASITAS ran hard aground near North Island at Pearl and Hermes Atoll, about 90 miles from Midway Island, around midnight on Friday, July 1st. The reason for the grounding is unknown, and the U.S. Coast Guard is conducting its usual investigation for this type of incident. There is potential for adverse environmental impacts from the grounding, particularly if the vessel leaks a significant amount of fuel or breaks up on the reef. The Coast Guard, NOAA, and other agencies in the incident response team are cooperating in an effort to minimize such impacts.…

EZRA R. KANOHO Room 432 15th Representative District-Wailua Homesteads, Hanamaulu, Lihu’e, Puhi, portion of Old Koloa Town Phone (808) 586-6270 Fax 586-6271 From Kaua‘i, toll free 274-3141 + 66270 E-mail: <repkanoho@Capitol.hawaii.gov> Dear Chuck, Representative Ezra Kanoho got his resolution through in the waning hours of the 2005 Legislature in reference to future MPAs in Hawai‘i so now the DLNR/DAR is holding public meetings to hear from the fishermen. Rep. Kanoho and Rep. Brian Schatz have been going to the meetings and have said that the fishermen are not showing up and voicing their concerns or if they even care. Mike Sakamoto Hilo, Hawai‘i…

■ Fly fishing for billfish is undeniably the toughest challenge in lighttackle fishing for big game. Kona skipper Gene Vander Hoek calls it “ultimate madness” and “stunt fishing on its grandest scale.” Gene knows what he’s talking about because he has gotten very good at hooking his clients to blue marlin, striped marlin and shortbill spearfish. This past spring, veteran offshore fly fishermen Dave Linciewicz and Joe Dowdell added more fly-caught billfish to the log of Gene’s SEA GENIE II. Dave had taken blues, stripes and spearfish in the past with Gene and added a 200-lb blue on a fly this year. Joe Dowdell whipped a small spearfish last year and came back this year to notch a blue, striper and spearfish. Before examining Gene’s successful methods, clear your mind…

■ It was early Friday morning, May 27, 2005, and 1 just gotten off my Hawaiian Air flight from Honolulu to meet my friend Dean Hayashi on Maui. Dean is a 1983 member of the HAWAII FISHING NEWS 100 Plus Club and an employee of Hawaiian Airlines. I had our fresh bait from Hanapa‘a Hawaii on O‘ahu, and I was eager to get fishing. We made a quick stop at New Maui Fishing Supply to visit Jay and to pick up a third ulua pole and a dunking pole for me. Jay said he had heard that the ulua had been biting behind Haleakala. This further heightened my anticipation of us “hooking up.” We then went to Dean’s house and proceeded to pack the truck for the trip. Just before…

OFFSHORE TOURNAMENTS KO OLINA CHALLENGE August 5 & 6, 2005 Tropidilla—Kona (808) 960-0978 P.O. Box 2158, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 <info@konatournaments.com> 19TH ANNUAL BIG ISLAND MARLIN TOURNAMENT August 12,13 & 14,2005 Tropidilla—Kona (808) 960-0978 P.O. Box 2158, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 <info@konatournaments.com> KANEOHE YACHT CLUB FISHING FLEET OPEN TOURNAMENT August 13, 2005 Kaneohe Yacht Club 44-503 Kaneohe Bay Drive, Kane‘ohe, HI 96744 Eric Almeida (808) 330-1727 Bill Atherton (808) 234-7211 Dexter Wong (808) 261-6006 or 371-6090 LANAI RENDEZVOUS-MANELE HARBOR, LANA’1 August 19 & 20,2005 Maalaea Boat and Fishing Club-Maui Mike Trotto (808) 879-7041 19TH ANNUAL HO’OLE’A TOURNAMENT September 3 & 4,2005 Hawaii Yacht Club-Oahu (808) 955-4405 1599 Ala Moana Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96814 OFFSHORE TOURNAMENTS OKOE BAY RENDEZVOUS XVII September 9,10 & 11,2005 Tropidilla-Kona (808) 960-0978 P.O. Box 2158, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745…