Fishing - Sunday June 17th 2018

I was able to go fishing with Bong Dela Cruz!!!  This guy helped me find some cool fishing spots on DG - I was finally able to return the favor out here!

He outfished Marlon and I by using artificials (2" grubs) - I'm going to have to rethink my fishing tactics... he caught and released 4 papio and 1 lai (queenfish).

Marlon hooked up to a barracuda and two po'opa'a

I ended up with two papio - can't complain!!!  Awesome fishing day!!!

Fishing - Saturday June 16th, 2018

Went fishing for a bit while the kids were at their regatta.  The summer tides are in full swing - super low in the morning and super high in the evenings.  How's this for super low???

Caught five papio - one on the first cast and another notable one that pulled drag (I love that sound).

 

This was the dragster!!!  Legal size to eat - but I released it to get bigger and have a bunch of babies.

Awesome time (especially since I caught fish!!! No skunk today!!!)

Went Out Fly Fishing...

But didn't hook any fish.  I lined up the Scott Meridian 8wt with a Scientific Angler long belly WF8F and used a gut-less crab fly.

I did get some follows from some bonefish, and I get got a follow from a sizable puffer, but no actual sign ons for a game of tug-o-war.  Fishing ain't easy....

First Fishing in Awhile

The weekend is here - Marlon and I checked the tides and the surf report - then decided it was probably best to go fishing.  We were at the flats with spinning gear just a little bit after dawn.

I was using the TFO Mangrove rod that I recently rewrapped - everything is back to normal with this rod!

And after a long period of seeing fish (lai, kaku, and others) either just following the bait, or even stealing rigging (the kaku), I finally got one to take and fight!

Small is better than none!!!  This guy was released to fight again another day (when he gets bigger).  Fun day!

More Fishing (Cause there wasn't any Catching)

I took the kids out again this afternoon.  We had a good time hanging out - but we didn't get any fish to hand.

In fact I got snagged five times (that is a lot for me).  Despite the lack of action, we had a great time exploring the flat.

Last Fishing for 2017

I took the kids out to the flats on Saturday December 30th. 

I caught a Nunu (Coronet fish) and a Hinalea (Wrasse).

This year was tough fishing.  I hope 2018 has more hanapa'a for everyone!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Veteran's Day Fishing!

I took a nice long nap as a part of celebrating Veteran's Day - but after, I figured I'd go get the groceries (and since I would be in the area, I might as well go fishing).  I decided to just use lures (and not ika strips) since I still had to get groceries afterwards.

I didn't catch anything - but I did get a front row seat watching lightning hit the Waianae mountains (time to go...).

On the way back in I saw two moray eels just hanging out in super shallow water - it was raining when I took the pictures, but you should still be able to see the outline of the eel.

Using Bait to Break the No Catching Streak

I took Marlon out this morning to get some fishing in.  I saw a bunch of tailing bonefish on the way out to the channel (I should have turned around and grabbed the flyrod...) - but the mission was to catch fish and not just fish.  Ika strips and spinning gear = catching!!!

Marlon caught the first fish - a good sized po'opa'a (po - o - pah - ah).

And I got my first fish in quite some time - a "just too small to eat - because these should grow and spawn first" papio

The next fish I hooked up to was a coronet fish - this one was barely hooked (I think it just really wanted to the eat the squid).

And I even picked up a third - another papio!

Next time I'm going to bring my light game St Croix Triumph rod.  We called it after this fish and pressed our luck at the harbor side.  We tried flyfishing for the humuhumunukunukuapua'a but the tide had filled in and the wind picked up substantially.  Well - we at least got to catch a few!!!

Strike Two -

I decided to drive in earlier this week instead of taking the motorcycle - so I could bring my fishing gear.  I went back to the same part of the Flats to see if I could get one of the triggerfish to play tug-o-war.

I totally struck out.  Where I would at least get some interest and head turns from the orange fly, I used some brown shrimp flies and I didn't get a single look.  I did have plenty of humus to target, and a big solitary oio even swam right up to me (while I was snagged on a rock).  Typical.

I may go back tomorrow morning to get laughed at again - I'm such a glutton for punishment!!!  Or I may bring spinning gear...

Back Out

And while Marlon was at music practice today, I decided to break out the fly fishing gear and cast some line.  I ended up at Hickam on the harbor side.  I didn't have any hook ups, but I did get a bunch of humuhumunukunukuapua'as to chase.  I need to dial in the flies again - I got the most interest using a small mantis type that was burnt orange.

Oddly enough, unlike this morning's surf session there was a decent breeze on the flats.  On most of my outings in the last year, I've been focusing on using fiberglass rods - mainly to get my casting stroke dialed in (slower = better form).  I brought out a carbon rod today - Scott Meridian - and casting into the wind was much easier than normal.  I have been ignoring my carbon lately - I may have to turn that trend around.  This rod helps you cast some really tight loops without extreme effort - I likee!!!  I used a RIO Bonefish (non quickshooter) line.

I have really been trying to limit the breadth of the things that I get into - surfing, fishing, horticulture, ceramics and cooking methods - but I still find it challenging to do even these limited things (yes this is limited - there are some many things I want to do, but I know I am limited on time and other resources).  

Time is truly our most valuable thing.

Family Fishing Outing

La asked to go fly fishing a couple of weekends ago - we were able to get out early enough yesterday!!!

This is the flats at 7:20 in the morning

La had taken lessons with Marlon a while back (when we lived in Virginia), but I gave her a refresher lesson

She spent the next hour casting away - she said it was relaxing!!!

Awesome morning!!!  I drifted off to let her get her casting down and I had a few shots at some bonefish - no hook ups but sometimes that's not what important...