Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2006 i Hawaii Fishing News

■ Better late than never. Just hold your breath and read through. Imagine: 120 free-dive spear fishermen, dragging safety floats with dive flags spread from Makai Pier to Pat’s at Punalu‘u, all participating in a two-man team competition, trying to win prizes that were generously donated. Mahalo to the Sponsors Mahalo to Maui Sporting Goods; Riffe International; Pinky’s Pupu Bar & Grill; AQA Watersports Equipment Hawaii; Evil Genius; Hawaii Skin Diver; Naoki-Catch of the Day; A Touch of Clay; Creation Station; Izuo Brothers; Nanko Fishing Supply; Lance Ohara Company; Jay Kuboyama-Aqua Tanks; Ku Productions; Andrea Kawabata; Island Hydrostatics; Riley Yogi-PrintYourFish.com; Ocean Club; Paradise Beverages; Maui Jim; Oahu Restaurant Supply; Island Style Cuts; Shane Hamamoto; Corrosion X; Pukoa Imports; Kawabunga Spears; John Dominis Restaurant; and Hammer Head Muzzles. Brief Recognition Congratulations…

■ A few months ago I walked into S. Tokunaga Store and saw a brown bottle of liquid on the counter that caught my attention. It was Mustad’s Ultrabite. I asked Eric Kuwana, “Does this stuff really work?” Eric went on to say that he used the liquid a few times and noticed an increase in fish bites. Still a little skeptical, I put the bottle back on the counter. I always tease Eric; I tell him that he is a good fisherman, but he is an even better fisherman for fishermen. For example, when I walk into the store, he knows exactly what product to pull off the shelf to show me. Before I leave the store, I’m hooked, my arms full of goodies, and Eric is reeling me…

HAWAII FISHING NEWS STATE SALTWATER RECORDS HAWAII FISHING NEWS STATE SALTWATER RECORDS HAWAII FISHING NEWS STATE FRESHWATER RECORDS…

Aloha Chuck, I would like to make a call to all fishermen to contact me regarding filing a class-action lawsuit against the state of Hawaii. The reason for this is that it is time for the truth. It is the state’s fault there is a lack of ‘opakapaka and onaga. Therefore, I propose that instead of MPAs we have the state remove the ta‘ape and roi they introduced into our waters, ruining our fishing grounds. While fishing at 500 feet, we pick up ta‘ape so the lie that these things are not inhabiting the same waters as the more desirable snappers just isn’t true. Let’s not give them one square inch of our ocean. I am willing to coordinate this effort, so please contact me at (808) 282-7746. I’m also…

■ It was a typical balmy Hawai‘ian afternoon. My family and I were helping our friends prepare for their wedding. They wanted to do everything the old, traditional way, so we began to pound poi for the wedding feast with stone pounders in wooden bowls. Amid an intimate sense of community, we started talking story with the others helping around us. One person who was particularly interesting was Uncle Billy, a community kupuna. He began to tell me about his days as a young man when he was a commercial turtle fisherman. This was a new, and slightly unpleasant, topic to me, but it was fascinating. He explained that it used to be accepted and a good way to make a living. He had been a fisherman all his life,…

For letters, with photos, received during February we’ll send you HFN’s 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 Aloha Chuck, I’d like to share these two photos of my fishing buddies, braddahs Kirk Togashi and Kaimi Cabanilla, on their awesome catches. Kirk and his 60-lb white ulua and Kaimi with his double strike 12- and 16-lb ‘omilu. Cannot forget braddah B. Mahuna in the picture. Lahaina ShorecastersLahaina, Maui Aloha Chuck and Da HFN Readaz, Boy, wuz I lucky to find dis shammoi. Who! Dis big nose moi took my wahine’s dunka pole 6-foot Quix Stix red with all different color reflecta tape. Colorful like her personality. T’anx, babe. Shammoi!Jessica and MikeSouthside SlidazKaupo, Maui Howzit…

Aloha Chuck, I was wondering, do I send you the humuhumu petitions or do I send them to the Legislature? Our student government is making a trip to the Legislature and wondered if there is a person there we give these to. I got the petitions out with my science students as an extra-credit item, and many have returned with signatures. Many people they asked were surprised that the humu was not our state fish and we didn’t have one at the moment! Let me know. Mahalo, and keep up the good work! Aloha ke akua,Gail Kuba Gail, Aloha and a happy and healthy new year! That is fantastic! A big mahalo to you and your students. My first thought would be for you to contact your Senate and House…

1. Have fish weighed and measured in the presence of a witness who signs the official entry blank or other acceptable weight slip. 2. How to weigh: Fish must be weighed on an accurate scale which is subject to verification. 3. How to measure: Measure from the tip of the jaw to middle of fork of tail (this is length). Measure around the fish where it is thickest (this is girth). 4. Entry should include clear side-view photograph of your fish. 5. You will be notified upon acceptance and verification. For an application, contact HFN at P.O. Box 25488, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825, E-mail fishnews@hawaii.rr.com, call (808) 395-4499 or down load it at <www.hawaiifishingnews.com>.…

■ Micronesia (“small islands”) is a western Pacific group of some 2,000 islands comprising a land area of only a few hundred square miles. On a globe, the islands look as if an artist had squinted and dabbed here and there with a petite paintbrush. Micronesia covers an extensive piece of ocean real estate ranging in latitude from just south of the equator to 20 degrees north and in longitude from 175 degrees east (west of Honolulu) to 135 degrees east (600 miles east of the Philippines) and encompassing the Caroline, Mariana, Marshall and Gilbert (now called Kiribati) islands. After the United States liberated Micronesia from Japanese rule in World War II, the United Nations entrusted the United States as caretaker of Micronesia (1947). Known as the Trust Territory of…

■ Contributing writers, both fishers and marine scientists, have documented how, why and where we are in the fight to save Hawaii’s fishery from the “yellow plague.” Here are some ideas of how the local and federal agencies might join forces with commercial fishers to “right a wrong.” The goal of this collective effort would be to eliminate the vast population of the blue-line snapperan army of reef predators. This army gathers by the hundreds of thousands just before dusk and then disperses in a massive feeding frenzy across the reefs and sand banks to suck the life out of all that moves. The bestcase scenario? Catch them all! First, a market must be established to guarantee fishers a minimum price and unlimited quantities. A price of $2 per lb…

■ False killer whales have graced the cover of HAWAII FISHING NEWS on several occasions over the years. Fishermen in Hawai‘i are all too familiar with the black torpedo-shaped false killer whale, a species well-known for its tendency to steal caught fish off lines. Yet, despite observations of predation on ‘ahi, mahimahi, ono, squid and various billfish, relatively little is known about the biology of this species of toothed whale in Hawaii, or for that matter, anywhere in the world. They typically live in tropical and offshore waters far away from the prying eyes of researchers, and nowhere are they thought to be particularly abundant, or predictable enough, to warrant directed research projects. Despite the long history of their interactions with Hawaii fisheries, until recently there was no directed research…

■ It’s still winter but February’s weather is normally less severe than January’s. Good weather will prevail during the majority of the days in the month, but bad weather periods can cause problems: gusty trade winds, upper trough and Kona low with thunderstorms and heavy rain. The fast and sometimes unexpected appearance of these strong winds in local waters should be considered by those planning activities in the water. Wintertime high northwest swell and surf action is gradually winding down. At Sunset Beach, O‘ahu, expect about four days of surf higher than 10 feet but less than 20 feet and surf heights between 6 and 10 feet on about 12 days. Trade winds are expected on over half of the days in the month with gusty trades on about four…

Making Trolling Lures: Part I ■ This one is for all of you who have asked me for advice on how to get started making Kona-style plastic trolling lures. I have not written on the subject in a while for three excellent reasons. First, I haven’t had much to add to the information you can already find in the three volumes of the “Fishing Hawaii Style” series at least, not until now. Second, I am completely against the prevalent practice of plagiarism. You know what I mean. You take a lure somebody else has designed, developed and produced. You get some lure-molding rubber (in this case, you can call it lure-molding “robber”) and make a mold. Then you start making copies for yourself (worse yet, to sell) and advertise the…

Dear Readers of HAWAII FISHING NEWS, There’s been quite a ruckus recently about the status of bottom fish in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). We’d like to clear the record in terms of the scientific judgments from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In brief, the populations of snappers, groupers and jacks (a.k.a., bottom fish) in the NWHI are fine. Bottom fish in the NWHI are not overfished, and the level of fishing effort (fishing days) is within the established targets as determined by federal guidelines. Our scientists are confident that bottom fish in the NWHI remain in good condition based on over 25 years of monitoring, biological research and stock assessments. None of the indicators NOAA monitors suggests there is excessive fishing mortality (which in plain English means…

Jimmy Hall’s Great White Shark Swim ■ Hawai‘i Shark Encounters takes shark tours from Hale‘iwa. The company puts shark sightseers 3 miles off the North Shore for two hours in a cage. Maybe they’ll see a tiger shark or a hammerhead, but most likely they’ll spot a whitetip. In late December, Capt. Jimmy Hall sailed with seven would-be shark hunters. They were in the water for an hour when the caged shark divers started screaming. According to the Honolulu Advertiser, Jimmy said, “I thought it was a small humpback whale, that’s how big it was.” His eyeball stared into the eyeball of an 18- to 20-foot female great white shark-at least 2 tons of shark fun. Jimmy took action. He got out of the aluminum cage to swim and pet…

■ With the peak of Hawai‘i’s humpback whale season fast approaching, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) are urging boaters to keep an extra lookout for humpback whales in nearshore waters. “It’s important for boaters to be particularly cautious during whale season, for their own safety, as well for the whales’ protection.” “A collision with such a massive animal can have devastating consequences for all involved. The latest research by University of Hawai‘i Professor Dr. Joe Mobley, funded in part by NOAA, indicates that as many as 6,000 humpback whales will be in Hawai‘i this year. The serious consequences of vessel-whale collisions have been made apparent over the past few years. During the 2003-2004 season,…

The Biggest Name In Fishing. Included in all Big Game International Reels. Penn Fishing Tackle Mfg. Co.3028 West Hunting Park Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19132-1121www.pennreels.com DURA-BILITY Scientific tests prove that the new Penn Dura-Drag™ performance is unsurpassed. In laboratory testing, the new Dura-Drag sustained its original drag settings after 100-hours of drag "‘burn-time”, while competitors' materials dropped by more than 35%. Compare the charts, and you will see Penn Dura-Drag™ is the most consistent and long-lasting drag material on the market. SMOOTHNESS In terms of performance and smoothness, both light-tackle and big-game anglers will greatly appreciate the lack of an initial surge in drag-pressure, common in other drag materials. Smoother start-ups and more consistent drag pressures translate into fewer pulled hooks. Broken lines due to jerky drags are a thing of the…

■ The Waialua Boat Club wishes you good luck on all your fishing outings this year. The annual fishermen’s blessing was held on January 2 at the Hale‘iwa Boat Harbor. This event has been held every year for the past 15 years. It had a poignant origin as a memorial for three fisherman who lost their lives at sea that year. Since then the tradition has continued as a “blessing” by Rev. Akiyama of the Haleiwa Shingon Mission. Besides being blessed, which is quite a unique and inspiring ritual, we shared in some great food, sake and, best of all, nonstop laughter and story-telling. For all you fishermen out there who are frustrated and close to giving up- or even worse, blaming your fishing failures on bad luck, bananas, no…

Bonanza Special-Smallmouth Fishing at Ho‘omaluhia February 20! ■ At the present time the smallmouth bass population at Ho‘omaluhia is believed to be causing a disparity in the normal level of fish population at Ho‘omaluhia. It, therefore, has been determined that if some of the surplus smallmouth bass were removed as a conservation measure, a better balance of fish for freshwater fishing would be obtained for the purpose of preserving the public family fishing program. This special event is a catch-and-remove program. As a result, a few general rules have been changed for this event only. 1. Fishing hours are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on February 20, 2006, only. 2. Parking will only be allowed in the main parking lot. 3. All anglers must have a valid Hawai‘i Freshwater…