12/30 - Stranded on a not-so-deserted island. Very looong report.

Back home in Hawaii for the holidays.   



It's been pretty windy here, so when the conditions calmed down, I decided to take my old scupper pro and head out at the crack of dawn Sunday morning to do some fishing/diving.  Instead, my mom woke me up at 10am... "weren't you going to the beach?"   

I got up and started frantically looking around for my fishing rods... coming to the realization that I didn't have any here!  I left most of my fishing gear with a buddy of mine, who ended up going a little cuckoo and last I heard, sold all my gear at the swap meet.   

I had a couple of ultralight rigs, but was planning on going after some bigger game in rough terrain, so that wouldn't do.  Behind a set of golf clubs, I dug out an old Master pole.  A little better, but it was missing 2 guides and the rest were so rusted they looked like they'd fall off with any strain.  I also scrounged up a cheap rear-drag shimano reel that had no anti-reverse, a spool of some 16# test spiderwire fusion, and 2 hooks.  Threw the ghetto fishing gear and my dive equipment in the car and I was ready to go.

As I got in, my lucky gecko was perched on the center console.  I have 2 of these little guys living in my car.  This one is lucky - I named him Waffles.  I think the other one is evil.  It jumped on my shoulder once and scared the crap out of me.  I don't have pictures of that one... we're no longer on speaking terms.   




I went to a very popular tourist beach and somehow found a parking spot right next to the water.  Waffles pulled through again!  Loading the yak up, I lazily paddled to a section of reef I knew well.  The water was only 2-3ft deep, but the sand pockets & sand channels were prime feeding grounds for bonefish (Oio).  The fish didn't seem to be around, but Oio typically cover a lot of ground, so I staged myself in the optimal location. 

As I sat there on the yak daydreaming, I looked down in the knee-deep water and saw a few bright white & yellow rocks.  Typically, local octopus (tako) have holes or dens which they pull rocks over themselves to cover up at night.  This action rubs all the algae off of the rocks over time, making the rocks look "clean".  These rocks are often a good indicator that a tako is around.  Sure enough, there was a hole on the backside of a small outcropping.  Tickling the tako with the spear, I evicted it from its  home and into a mesh bag.  I decided the fish may not show up, so I started looking for tako instead.  Of course, as soon as I did that... I happened across a school of Oio cruising across the flats.

I hurried back to my yak and grabbed my rod.  2 sand channels converged into one and I gently laid my bait right in the Y-intersection.  Within seconds, a bonefish banked a 90degree turn towards my bait and my reel started singing.  The whirling handle of my ghetto reel (no anti-reverse) smacked my hand, telling me to grab on.  The fish tore off half my line on the first run as I jumped off my yak and started chasing it across the reef.  A rusty pipe jutted out dead ahead and the fish was determined to wrap around it.  I leaned back with my 3-guide rod and cupped the spool.  The gamble paid off as the fish relented and veered away from the pipe.  Once the bonefish turns it's head towards you... reel like hell to keep it's momentum in your direction!  The spool slowly started filling, then another blistering run.  More cranking, another run.  Then suddenly, the line went limp.

This is a pretty common tactic of this fish - at some point in the battle, they often swim right back at you.  I cranked the reel like a madman trying to pick up the slack.  The fish arced and headed straight for my kayak.  Dammit, the 6-ft anchor-line!  With some careful maneuvering, the bonefish's last ditch effort was foiled and soon I had it secured in my kayak.

An hour and another tako later, my motivation was waning and I started debating whether to pack it up for the day.  As I looked towards my car to estimate the paddling time, an awkward ripple caught my eye.  The cloud cover had moved in, obscuring the sun.  Combined with the wind picking up, sight-fishing was almost impossible and this subtle indicator was enough to start my heart racing.  Like so many fisherman, I told myself, "Okay, one last cast."  I gently lobbed a cast towards a sand pocket near the ripple. 

Almost immediately, my rod lurched forward with a high pitched "zzzzzzzzzzz......"  The tide had dropped and I raised my rod as high as I could, trying to avoid the little rock/coral outcroppings.  The fish zig-zag'd back and forth running for the rusted pipe, then flipped a 180, rushing straight at me and continuing in the other direction.  I could feel the fish tiring, so I increased the pressure and led him straight in. 

The Oio weren't personal bests, weighing in at 8# & 6.5#, but it's been so long since I've targeted them and I was very proud to pull these out.  Even more satisfying - both are going to a good friend of mine to make "lomi oio" for their New Year's Day party.






The tide had now dropped to the point where it was no longer fishable, so I tossed my fish in the tankwell and headed back to the car.  Packing the fish in ice, I figured I still had a few hours of daylight, so I grabbed my dive gear out of the trunk and took off paddling again.  The conditions have been windy/snotty for so long that the water visibility was horrible outside the reef.  I decided to scout new grounds, so I jumped in at a random spot and drifted with my yak.  This area is known for tiger sharks and the visibility was poor, but I was out of options.  Finding lively structure, I set my kayak anchor and took a drop.

Tucking myself against a ledge, I watched as surgeonfish, unicornfish, and triggers swarmed about.  A couple small goatfish were around, but nothing I'd want to shoot, so I calmly surfaced, making sure not to disturb the fish.  I looked for a better ambush spot and found a v-shaped wedge in the reef lower than the rest.  I slowly dropped down and angled myself to fit in this wedge.  Again the fish enveloped me as I lay there quietly.  A decent-sized blue whiptailed parrotfish (uhu) joined the mix, but stayed far off.  Relaxing to conserve my bottom time, I gently dusted the rock in front of me.  This creates a dust bloom that the fish go nuts for and also acts as a mini-blind.  The uhu came in, turned broadside, and I let him have it!  Solid shot in the gill and out the other side of its head.

Three dives later, I repeated the process with another smaller brown spectacled uhu.  Another gillplate shot.  I quickly pulled the fish in and dispatched it.  Generally we like the smaller ones for steaming whole and the larger ones for fillets or baking. 

Breathing up on the surface, I felt really relaxed and calm.  There was nothing else really in this pile of fish I wanted to shoot, so it was a pressure-free dive.  The fish once again crowded around me as I lay motionless.  Turning my head slightly to the left, 3 large trevally (omilu/ulua) flew by overhead.  Grunting loudly, I get one to turn around and it heads straight for me.  8ft away, it turns broadside and I take the shot.  With a solid shot placement, the fish spirals away, but I maintain control of it.  A nice 13-14# fish, I snap a few pictures and slip it into the tankwell.

At this point I've only taken 6 dives, but got 3 fish out of it, so I was quite happy.  Once again I swim back to my ambush point.  While breathing on the surface, a large tiger shark swims underneath me.  I wait on the surface patiently to see whether it's just passing by.  It makes another pass, then another.  It's time to go.


I pull up my anchor and paddle off about a quarter mile.  Slipping back into the water, the reef looks dead, but I figure I'll drift to more productive areas.  Seconds later, movement in the corner of my eye catches my attention.  I turn to see the tiger shark come swimming by again.  I took it as a bad sign that it had followed me and conceded to call it a day.  If the water was clearer, I would've stayed to get some shark photos... but in the bad viz, it's unnerving to dive without knowing which direction it's coming from.   








Not the biggest fish/tako or the best fishing/diving conditions, but it was a great way to end the '07 year!

Happy New Year everyone! 

dude, in my book,that is an epic day!!! congradulations and thank you for the report.

   Thanks for the vicarious fishing trip to the islands as I wait for the sun to melt the frost on the roof and decide to put off a ski trip because, after weeks of not enough, the end of the week is going to have too much snow.
    I thought I heard ukuleles in the background as I checked the interesting fish.  Starting the new year in shorts on a beach sounds mighty good! Have a good year.
       

Hey Fuzz!

Nice report. Good adventures. Stay away from those tigers

Have a Happy New Year!

Thanks for the tropical report, Fuzz! What a way to complete 2007!

BTW, I often wonder why I drop so much $$$ into gear as I watch kids bank fishing with their sticks, line, and hook. It's the madness, I tell ya! "Ghetto gear" is underrated!

Janice aka "Big J"

Fuzz give me a yell if you neeed any kayak or fishing gear.  I am around for the next couple of weeks and can lend you some.  Nice fish.  I have heard overthe last couple of weeks they still had some Mahi on the East side by Kaneohe, I just can't get out with the conditions

Ed

Hell of a good report. Thanks!

Awesome day and great report and pix.

Can I have Waffles?

Cool report and pics.   

Thanks for sharing the WARM and FUZZY feelings Fuzz!  those fish look BIG from here!
.....that below water shot looks PAINFUL! 

Fuzz-

Sounds like a great time on the islands. Too bad the weather wasn't better for you while you were out there. But then again, you can't have it all in paradise... I thought that you were going to stay out there until after the new year...? Glad to see that you got a little "ghetto" mojo in you... it works. Man, those bonefish look  pretty big and big fun... I guess I'll be seeing you later... glad you're back in one piece.

Freddie

  Behind a set of golf clubs, I dug out an old Master pole.  A little better, but it was missing 2 guides and the rest were so rusted they looked like they'd fall off with any strain. 

Lol...nice.  I've landed more sturgeon on a master rod than any other in my quiver.  In fact as soon as pops bought me a legitimate sturgeon rod my scores went down  I think I'll have to bust it out for the upcoming season. 

Thanx for the report.

Fuzz-

Sounds like a great time on the islands. Too bad the weather wasn't better for you while you were out there. But then again, you can't have it all in paradise... I thought that you were going to stay out there until after the new year...? Glad to see that you got a little "ghetto" mojo in you... it works. Man, those bonefish look  pretty big and big fun... I guess I'll be seeing you later... glad you're back in one piece.

Freddie

I'm still here till Jan.18th   

Thanks for the comments guys - it's nice to be home.   

On the initial run, bonefish are one of the strongest inshore fish I've fought.  They're built like mini torpedos, made for that sizzling run.  Luckily, they don't have that real broad side for long sustained fights like trevallys and their tactics of swimming towards you often lead to their downfall.  In some areas like the bahamas, they're a big time catch&release attraction for fly-fishermen.  Here, they are just hard-fighting food.    If people find out about my secret spots, it's likely someone will show up with a gill-net (it's happened before), so I only target them if someone requests one.  Sometimes the requests get out of hand...   

  "I was gonna make lomi oio for the family.  I got everything but the oio..."   
  "Okay, I need a big tako for miso tako"  (2 days notice)
  "I need one big goatfish for New Year's, between 17-19 inches... can?"
  "I like one big uhu, for make tinfoil on da grill"
  "Next time you're out, can you shoot me a small tuna?"  (I laughed at this one)
  My neighbor requested small pan-fry fish... max size, 12"
  My friend's dad doesn't place orders, just cockaroach's fish from my ice chest when I'm not looking.   
  "Could you please shoot me a shark?  A small cute one."  (My niece)



The wind whipped up again last night, so I'm gonna have to consult with Waffles on my options here...   

Fuzz it sounds like you have warmed up since you pm'd me! Happy New Year! I hope I can sneak away in 2008 and go diving more.

I hate you