Saturday Fishing during the Super Low Tide

Late posts... not having internet at my studio is a little complex. Before I went to the Frame Shop to finish the gyotaku I made for Jimmy (check out the other blog I maintain for finished pictures - www.tellnolies-gtotaku.blogspot.com), I hit the flats and got in some fishing. I caught three papio - one was a good two pounder (but it got off the hook at my feet - ah the trials of using crushed barb hooks). And while I'm on the topic of getting off the hook - I also caught my first Blue Goatfish (moana kali), and I dropped it back in the water before I could get a picture of it. I caught more triggerfish than I've caught before in any one session - one of the bigger ones destroyed my size 8 gamakatsu octopus circle hook. I caught maybe five more than the three in the pictures - just stopped taking pictures to get fishing again. I found that if you release the triggers, but just keep your fingers on the 'triggers', the fish feel safe and don't really swim away. Once you let go, they bolt. I caught a rock. It had an 'ina' (rock boring urchin) on it and a patch of developing coral (I placed it back gently in the water) I decided to try out an old DOA shrimp lure that I had to see if the bonefish would take. No bonefish (what's new?), but I did see a bunch of other details on the flat. This is what digs most of the holes - a pistol shrimp. I figured they were out here (it being subtropical here), but had never seen one before. And if it isn't a pistol shrimp, it might be a small species of lobster. I'll have to look into this more. The sergeant majors were out and about. And here are some closeups of the rockstars of the flats - pincushion urchins. These guys keep the flat from getting choked out by colonial algae. But they keep a hold of rocks on their upper bodies and if you aren't keeping an eye out for they, you could easily step on one. Fun day!