Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2014 i Hawaii Fishing News

On August 29, 2013, Keola Vida, Steven Arrocena and I went on a fishing trip to Plenty Kiawe Point in Kaupo, located on the backside (east) of Maui. We were pumped ’cause our friend Dwayne had caught the night before. We cast our poles and waited for the sun to set before sliding some fresh tako. It was quite early in the night. As soon as the moon rose at 12:40 a.m., I took a big strike. Keola ran to the pole and noticed that my 4/0 reel filled with 60-lb test was almost spooled. As soon as I got there, the fish gave me a good 10-minute battle. Then, the fish came straight in toward the bay. My friend Steven had never gaffed a fish in his life. He…

Aloha Chuck, In July of 2013, my family (father, David, and sons Kaden, Cody and Kyler) and I took a very memorable trip to Christmas Island. It all began when we contacted David Elgas of Christmas Island Fishing Adventures about visiting the island for fishing. He helped us plan the entire trip and advised us on everything we would need for the journey. Our trip began with a three-hour flight from Honolulu International Airport on Fiji Airlines to Kiribati, also known as Christmas Island. As we approached the island, we got our first glimpse of a very flat, mountainless island covered with thousands of coconut trees. We landed on the lone runway and pulled up to the single homesized airport. We gathered our suitcases and fishing gear and walked outside…

Puako Ramp All Surfed Out Surfers called the monstrous surf that hit the Kawaihae-side of the Big Island the biggest they’d ever seen. If it could speak, the Puako boat ramp would say the same after those powerful ocean waves twisted concrete, making launching a dangerous proposition. On the morning of Friday, December 20, surf with 30-plus-foot faces flooded the coastal subdivision of Puako. Bill Jardine, who launches his Force 25’ flybridge KAKALINA from the Puako ramp, gave “Splash!” more details: “High tide at 6 a.m.combined with the great waves to spell destruction for the Puako harbor pier, a cement structure that usually enjoys quiet conditions. Shortly after sunrise just the seaward-most section of the pier jutted from the water like a sunken ship as waves broke on the boat…

It started out like any other land fishing session (LFS): a bunch of guys knocking back a few cold ones while some steaks burned and trying to outdo each other by inventing bigger and bigger lies that usually started with the phrase, “Remember that time?” As the night wore on, the stories got taller. The “Remember that time. . . ” stories, gave way to the “That’s nothing. You probably got that when you fell off your high chair. Now you see this scar right here. . . ” stories, to the “You wanna make a bet?” challenges. The last stage is, of course, the dreaded barbecue bet. Naturally, all barbecue bets are cast in stone. I made a bet that I could make our boats faster without spending any…

Subscribe and Save! HFN’s Free GUARANTEED Home or Office Delivery Subscription Rates: HAWAII RESIDENTS ❏ 1 year–12 issues plus Almanac ...................... $5900 ONLY $4.00 per issue (SAVE $25) ❏ 2 years–24 issues plus Almanacs ................... $9900 ONLY $3.25 per issue (SAVE $70) MAINLAND/ALASKA/GUAM/APO/ FPO/–Air Mail Includes Special Packaging and Air Mail Postage ❏ 1 year–12 issues plus Almanac ...................... $7900 ONLY $5.75 per issue CANADA–Air Mail Includes Special Packaging and Air Mail Postage ❏ 1 year–12 issues ............................................. $9000 INTERNATIONAL–AIR MAIL Special Packaging and International First Class Postage ❏ 1 year–12 issues .......................................... $12900 Special Packaging and International First Class Postage ❏ 1 year–12 issues .......................................... $12900 Please enclose full payment with order. Hand-written orders accepted. "The Voice of Hawaii's Fisherman" Send a HAWAII FISHING NEWS subscription to: HAWAII FISHING…

Lake Wilson’s Peacocks Are Bass of Another Color I keep getting questions similar to this one: “Stan, I’m stationed here in Hawai‘i, and I’ve fished Lake Wilson for several months. It was a pleasant surprise to find freshwater fishing here in Hawai‘i. I’ve been a largemouth bass fisherman all my life, but I just can’t catch these Hawai‘i peacock bass. What is the trick to catching peacock bass? What am I doing wrong?” My first piece of advice is for you to forget everything you’ve learned about largemouth bass. Peacock bass are totally different. At this point, let me say that I am talking about fishing from a boat and not trying to catch spawning peacock bass. For spawners, I use a minimum of 30-lb test braided line and heavy…

Bubble Sticker Collector’s POG LED Mini Light Send to: P.O. Box 25488, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96825 or e-mail: <fishnews@hawaii.rr.com> I was diving off the north shore of Maui with my friends Ryan Eagan, Ian Warner and Brody Santiago on the morning of July 4. About 15 minutes into my dive in some shallow water, this shiny-looking ulua (I had never seen a kagami before) came over a ledge. I took a shot and hit it right below the spine. The fish took lots of line and was still swimming strongly. Luckily, Brody was there to come in with a second stone shot. I felt blessed with this fish and the opportunity to even see one of these! Cheeeeee! Diego FemeniasPaia, Maui This is Tyler Kitaoka and the 9-lb ehu he caught…

MISSING FADS HAWAII A- SOUTH PT. HK- HILO TT- KANEWAA PT. UU- AUAU PT. VV- KAHALUU MAUI FF- PUKAULUA PT. M- HANA BAY HO-HOOLAWA PT. OAHU MM- MOKAPU PT. BO-BARBERS PT. LL-HAULA MM-MOKAPU PT. P-PENGUIN BANK R-MAKAHA KAUAI AA- PORT ALLEN PP- KOLOA WK- WAIALUA 01/15/14 ALL OTHER FADS ON STATION FOR UPDATES OR TO REPORT A MISSING FAD CALL: OAHU 848-2939 KAHO‘OLAWE TROLLING - FEB. 08-09, 22-23 RESTRICTIONS APPLY-243-5889 CIGUATERA DATE NO. FISH ISLAND 01/31/12 2 UKU.................OAHU 08/19/12 1 ULUA...............KAUAI 09/01/12 1 KOLE..............KAUAI MAUI 09/10/12 2 KUMU..............OAHU NO NEW CASES REPORTED SINCE 09/10/12 Department of Health (808) 586-4586 TIDE VARIATIONS FROM HONOLULU TIMES LISTED TO DETERMINE THE TIME OF THE HIGH AND LOW TIDES FOR THE FOLLOWING PLACES, (+) ADD OR (-) SUBTRACT HOURS AND MINUTES FROM HONOLULU TIME…

There is no better way to bring in the new year than an early morning fishing trip on the open ocean off of the beautiful island of Moloka‘i. With only a few hours sleep, I headed to the wharf before sunrise. My fishing buddy Uncle David was standing at the ramp ready to go as usual. It seemed that everyone else was getting a late start after bringing in the new year. The weather conditions were calling for a perfect day of fishing with calm waters and a sunrise time of 7:05 a.m. We had our lures out and were trolling as the sun began to rise. After a few pictures of the first sunrise of 2014, we were happy to be on the water with not another boat in…

The key to success in many remarkable end-of-the year Kona catches was simply this: first catch some ‘opelu. On the charterboat LAST CHANCE, skipper Tracey Epstein and crew Ian Keinath prepared for their December 10 charter by catching a live-well full of ‘opelu in the early-morning hours before their fishing day was due to begin. They hoped to use the ‘opelu to catch mahimahi around the FADs and to have them ready if they ran into an offshore tuna school. Live ‘opelu can be magic when tuna won’t hit lures and only the greenstick boats are scoring. A mile or so outside of C-buoy, they found the tuna school they were looking for. A handful of other boats were trying it with a variety of methods, and none seemed to…

You’re probably wondering what my birthday has to do with chit-chatting with my fishing buddy and honey. Well, long story short, I told her, in spite of lousy fishing reports the past week, that I wanted to go out fishing on the morning of my birthday. After all, it was my birthday, and usually on one’s birthday, one should have the option to do his or her favorite thing. However, my long-time fishing partner flat out said, “No, I don’t want to go fishing today.” Years ago–many, many years ago–this wouldn’t have stopped me from going fishing. But over these past 50 years or so, my buddy has wiggled herself into my favorite sport. She has become to me what the “joy of fishing” is all about. She yells and…

At the 2012 Freshwater Championship banquet at Lake Powell, Utah, we received the announcement that the next bid was going to Las Vegas, Nevada. We anticipated clear water, lots of carp and great visibility–a big change from the previous freshwater championships where you couldn’t even see the end of your fins while sitting on the edge of the boat. We asked the president of the Rocky Mountain Spearfishing Club, Mike Ban, about any rule changes. In the past couple of years, the caps on the fish count were between 50 and 65 fish per diver, with one point per fish and one point per pound. Mike proposed an unlimited amount on carp, with one point per fish. My partner Hanalei Adric and I thought that was a great idea. We…

Ever since my son, Chris Wright, appeared on the Animal Planet’s reality fishing show, “Top Hooker,” he’s been getting calls from a mainland TV fishing show, asking him to take them fishing. Recently we had the pleasure of fishing with Carlton Wing, from Little Rock, Arkansas, host of “American Fly Guides,” which airs on the World Fishing Network. I wish the mainland folks could visit us in the spring when the big peacock bass are spawning, or in the summer and fall when the schooling fish provide nonstop action. But it’s always during the snow-covered winter months that mainland TV shows seeking warm climates visit us in Hawai‘i. Peacock bass like warm water and sunshine. When water temperatures drop below 78 degrees, the tropical fish shut down and go into…

ADD YOUR TOURNAMENT! Send your tournament dates and contact information to <fishnews@hawaii.rr.com> ONLINE TOURNAMENT UPDATES: <HawaiiFishingNews.com> 2014 OFFSHORE TOURNAMENTS HAWAII–REEL HOPE TOURNAMENT March 8, 2014 Shawna Haynes <info@charterdesk.com> WORLD CUP BLUE MARLIN TOURNAMENT July 4, 2014 Mike Leech (954) 561-9116 E-mail <mike@bluemarlinworldcup.com> Website <www.bluemarlinworldcup.com> HAWAII–HAWAIIAN INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT July 26 to August 2, 2014 HIBT (808) 836-0161 P.O. Box 29638, Honolulu, HI 96820 Website <www.hibtfishing.com> MAUI–HALLOWEEN SHOOTOUT October 31, 2013 Capt. Jeff Kahl (808) 242-8350 2014 SHORECASTING TOURNAMENTS OAHU–6TH ANNUAL GT MASTERS CUP SHORE-CASTING FISHING TOURNAMENT April 4, 5 & 6, 2014 Eastside Outkastaz Shane Watanabe (808) 492-4845 HAWAII–S. TOKUNAGA 2014 ULUA CHALLENGE June 5 to 8, 2014 S. Tokunaga Store (808) 935-6965 E-mail <tokunaga@hialoha.net> Website <tokunagastore.com> HAWAII–S. TOKUNAGA 2014 TA‘APE CONTEST Month of July, 2014 S. Tokunaga Store (808)…

Aloha Chuck, Would you believe me if I told you I caught a 45-lb ulua with a 10-foot throw net? Probably not. You’d wonder how in the world someone could pull that off without tearing up his net, or where this miracle could have taken place. This is my story. My name is Kepa Funn. I am a firefighter at the Pohakuloa Training Area. I grew up and currently reside in Waimea. I attended Honoka‘a High School. Throwing net is my passion. I’d been hearing rumors about ulua and ‘omilu coming close to shore and feeding on fish down in Waipio. A friend of mine told me that he and his buddy were trying to throw net on them but had no luck. I didn’t bother looking into it. It…

Is This Your Lure? A couple of months ago, we asked if anyone recognized this lure. Now, you get to read “the rest of the story...” … HFN Hey Chuck, Back in May, we were doing some deep-sea shark work off Kane‘ohe and pulled up a huge sixgill shark from a depth of 1,100 feet, only to discover that it had a trolling lure (picture above) hooked in its jaw. Now there is no way that shark hit the lure while it was being used, so there must be some interesting back-story. Perhaps someone hooked up a fish that escaped and then somehow transferred the lure to the sixgill. (Perhaps the hooked fish died and sank, or was eaten by something that went deep and was itself eaten by the…

Now that my makule friends and I have become a bit long in the tooth, boat fishing makes the most sense. For many years, I have been happily running a Force 25’ named KAKALINA here on the Big Island. Our adventures on the KAKALINA have been some of the most enjoyable things in our lives. The KAKALINA is pretty slow, but she makes a nice sound with twin diesel engines grumbling under the deck. The Big Island allows deep-water fishing close to shore, so we never have to go far from land to catch really big fish. The one thing we had never done was venture all the way to the NOAA tsunami buoy, anchored 34 miles straight out from Honokohau Harbor. It would take us half a day just…

Chuck, My copy of the December issue of HAWAII FISHING NEWS arrived last week. As usual, it has many interesting articles. I see on page 5 that Jack Randall suggested that I could identify the lanternfish in Scott Okamoto’s photographs. His photographs are very good. Although some of the characteristics needed for an identification aren’t visible in the photos, I can make a good guess for the species. I think this is probably a spinycheek lanternfish (Benthosema fibulatum). Spencer Tinker called this species Gilbert and Cramer’s lanternfish in his book “Fishes of Hawai‘i,” after the two scientists who first described it in 1897. The first known specimens were collected in the Kaiwi Channel between O‘ahu and Moloka‘i. The spinycheek lanternfish is probably the most abundant species in its family in…

After three straight years of second-place finishes, Calvin Lai and Hanalei Adric took a commanding win at the 2013 Freshwater Nationals, held at Lake Mead, Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament was conceived several years back at a Nationals tournament in the Lake Powell region. More and more Hawai‘i teams became interested in participating inland. Lake Mead, Las Vegas, was a natural pick for a dive sight because of its proximity to an airport and world-class accommodations, entertainment and restaurants. A local dive shop (Gr8 Diving) and the Hacienda Hotel Casino stepped up to help out the Hawai‘i contingent with great rates, support and nearby accommodations. The meet was restricted to the lower Boulder Basin, an area of roughly 100 square miles. The Hoover Dam and marinas were off-limits. The shorelines…

Pink, Red, Yellow and Gray Snapper The snappers are a colorful family with members that are red (ehu and onaga, or ‘ula ‘ula), pink (‘opakapaka and kalekale) and gray (uku). Snappers provide something for everyone; consumers, who love the moist, mild meat; chefs, who can prepare the fish with ease and create spectacular presentation; and fishermen who get pretty prices for them. SUBSTITUTIONS: Black Cod, Flounder, Halibut, Lingcod, Ocean Perch, Rock Cod, Rock Fish, Sole, Turbot, Whiting. Keo’s Thai Cuisine has been called “a place fit for the stars,” because of the visiting celebrities who eat there. Keo Sananikone, president and founder of Keo’s and the Mekong and Mekong II restaurants, moved to Hawai‘i after his college graduation in 1975. ‘Opakapaka with Thai Red Curry Sauce 1 whole ‘opakapaka (2…

Subscribe and Save! HAWAII RESIDENTS ❏ 1 year–12 issues plus Almanac .......... $5900 ONLY $4.00 per issue (SAVE $25) ❏ 2 years–24 issues plus Almanacs ....... $9900 ONLY $3.25 per issue (SAVE $70) MAINLAND/ALASKA/GUAM/APO/FPO/–Air Mail Includes Special Packaging and Air Mail Postage ❏ 1 year–12 issues plus Almanac .. $7900 CANADA–Air Mail Includes Special Packaging and Air Mail Postage ❏ 1 year–12 issues ......................... $9000 INTERNATIONAL–AIR MAIL Special Packaging and International First Class Postage ❏ 1 year–12 issues ...................... $12900 Subscribers receive HFN’s Tide • Moon and Fishing Almanac each year Send a HAWAII FISHING NEWS subscription to: Please enclose full payment with order. Hand-written orders accepted. HAWAII FISHING NEWS, P.O. Box 25488, Honolulu, HI 96825 Phone (808) 395-4499 • E-Mail <fishnews@hawaii.rr.com>…