Big Island Report 8-21-12

I had a great day on the water! Nice day to launch over here on the east side of the Big Island! The day didn't start off too great for me. As I was setting up to launch I grabbed the leader from my new pole I ordered from bass pro and the tip snaps for no good reason. Well I'm down to one rod now, and its one I just picked up two days ago, so i cross my fingers and head out. I met Jonah and we paddled out to the 40 fathom line and trolled a bit. I wasn't having any luck, so I decided to head in closer to bottom fish. I was looking for 80-100 fow and when I found it I was dropping a home made damashi with squid. I caught a couple of goats, but without my other pole i had nothing to deploy them with so I just kept cruising around catching the little guys. Then at about 10:45 I decide to re rig and go for a bigger fish. I rig up my whole dead squid rig (bounce ball style) and paddled around looking for 80-100 fow with some structure to drop it. I see a spot that looks promising and dropped to the bottom. I reel up about 10' off the bottom and sit back to enjoy the sun and drift. About 45 seconds later just as I settle back and am looking up at the sky my pole goes off! I'm hooked up and I was thinking in my head this has to be an Ulua. I'm going head to head and he is stripping line off my reel quick. Once he stopped running I boosted him up a bit and he took off again.  Its back and forth for a while but each time I get him up a little further off the bottom. Once I get some color, it looked silver and I thought it still was an ulua, but as it got closer it was the wrong shape. UKU!!!! I have never caught an Uku before, so I was stoked, but the size of the thing was incredible!Once I got him to boat I gaffed him and got him on my lap where I proceded to bluddgen him to death. I wasn't going to let this one flop out back in the water! I headed in after that, wanted to get him on ice and cut up ASAP. Got it home and it weighs just under 25LBS!!! Stoked!!! Best day of fishing on the Big I so far!!!

Wow, nice catch!  That's a monster and looks heavier than 25lbs.  I'll be down in Kona Sep 7-14th.  Might do some fishing if I'm not golfing. 

Rey

Nice catch!  Thanks for the fishing report from Paradise Dangeross.

Damn, that's one mean looking fish...never seen or heard of an uku before.  Great post, love seeing what other yak areas come up with.

Great catch, congratulations.  Just wondering if it tasted like a bass or a cod ?

Nice! That thing doesn't even look real! Nice angles on the pose, too. 

Nice catch and great read bro. Thanks for sharing.

Jedmo

Hey guys, Thanks for the positive responses! I miss the fresh salmon, but the fish out here ain't bad either! Well I have only eaten the Uku aka Grey snapper, as sashimi so far, and I think it is my new favorite hawaiian fish to eat raw. Its a snapper as far as I can tell. Its got translucent pink flesh, and taste wise is very delicate, and I think its kind of like eating some California Halibut sashaimi...Going to cook some up tonight though. If I catch smaller ones I doubt they will ever feel the heat of the oven or frying pan, as they will get eaten within hours of being caught. Lapulapu - I live on the hilo side, about 1h 45m-2 hr from Kona, but when the weather is bad over here I am always tempted to go fish the other side. Hit me up if you aren't golfing, maybe we can figure out some fishing adventure! Looking forward to coming home to Cali next year and fishing with some of you guys. I'm usually up in Mendo or down in Santa Cruz...
tight lines and bloody gaffs,

Isaac

Just might do that Isaac.  Actually, we might go towards Hilo to see our friends house that they are renting to someone there that is working at the volcano.  I'll PM you of our plans once it gets closer to the date.

Rey

Great report and haul!  Uku huh?  I have never seen one before.  Nice.

Sweet catch! Big island is definitely on my bucket list to fish.