First Fishing Outting

Marlon asked to go fishing on his Birthday - so fishing we went!  We used ika strips for bait, but I actually had more action on lures.  I saw a kaku swim up to a small brown Mark White ceramic lure I was using and cut the main line.  Then I got this guy -

Nice sized omilu papio - not a bad first fish of the year!  This guy hit a 1/12th ounce kastmaster - silver with a blue stripe.  

Marlon also hooked up with an omilu.  He got his fish on an ika strip.

It is really nice to go fishing and not go home skunked.  Multiple that by 10 for a first trip of the year!

Sunday Morning Catching at Hickam

Today was a much better catching day! I dropped down to a size 5 torpedo weight and an unweighted size 10 limerick hook. After some searching, I found an area that had some movement. First up was a legal sized omilu (blue fin trevally) - papio sized. This guy actually pulled drag!!! I thought I had seen some bonefish, but hooking into this confirmed (for me) that the papios trail the oios. I caught a couple of other papios, but then hooked into something with a little more heft - a juvenile Peacock Grouper. I caught a couple more papio then switched over to the fly rod. I hooked into another species I have not yet caught - introducing the Lizardfish Can you see the fly inside it's mouth??? And those teeth!!! Just like the Big Bad Wolf - "The better to eat you with"!!! Cool camo pattern I let all the fish swim away, despite the fact a couple of them would have made decent meals. I did not want to chance ciguatera... Really fun day fishing on the flats!!!

Quality Not Quantity

One of my mottos -

I finally got to get out and fish (crazy busy at work).

Went down South (14.5) and pitched some new lures across the surf hoping the Trevally took a liking to the offerings.

I lost a 1 ounce Oama colored Mark White Surface Plug (dang it - I hate it when that happens), but regrouped and pitched out a 1/2 ounce version.

I got a nice hit and landed this Omilu (Bluefin Trevally)! I had a couple more hits, but the hook did not set.

I was able to take these pictures, but the inevitable happened - a wave got me and the camera got wet. I'll have to work the GoPro to continue with the fishing photo evidence.

On the way back in (the surf was a bit rough), I saw a big Pompano (or possibly a Permit, I'll have to research if they live out here) running through the flats - which brings me to the next part...

Up to Donkey Gate -

The surf height made the tactics we used last weekend ineffective (cast beyond the surf to the drop). I decided to breakout the fly gear.

I saw a group of fish and pitched a brown and white clouser to them. I got some nosing (the fish following but not trying to eat the fly). I thought "this is good - now how do I get them to close the deal?"

I switched the fly out to a pink gotcha. I relocated the silvery-green torpedos and started casting again.

On the second cast, I had the whole group of Bonefish following. I was stripping the line and would get to the point where I was going to run out soon so I lifted the rod and then....


The hooked Bonefish ran and fought like heavyweight UFC champ - it brought all the tricks out and made three really long runs! This is the stuff of fishing dreams!

Not the biggest bonefish, but definitely a fight that washed away all the worries of the week. So if last weekend's catches made me a bone fide flyfishing person, today's catch made me a humble flyfisherman. I'm spoiled for life now...

Omilu Colors

Truly magnificent creatures.

To hunt them, fight with them and then consume them as nourishment is an incredible privilege.

Here is a closeup of their cool camo pattern. These colors are pretty much the same as the ocean itself!