First Fishing Trip of 2019

Marlon has been asking to go fishing again - so on Saturday afternoon while Noe was on a Laser racing, I figured I could take him to the flats.

Marlon had a bunch of follows but no takers.  I ended up with a nice papio (which I let go since it was the first fish of the year - and really these fish could use all the help they can get with all the pressures they have on them) and a nice kaku

Nice start to the fishing year!

Lone Papio

Marlon and I opted to go fishing this morning.  I got one to take the bait -

I had a few other follows - a kaku chasing the bubble float, another unidentified - but no other takers.  Still nice to walk the flats and see the sights!

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!!!)

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!

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!!!

Fishing While the Kids were Racing

While the kids were racing El Toro sailboats on Saturday, I went fishing (they were too far from shore for us to see who was who anyways). Spinning setup (TFO Mangrove, Shimano FJ Stradic) throwing ika strips, I ended up catching three - two papio and a roi.

 

 I lost a Hammer Bomb slow sinking 0.75 ounce weight (cut off on the reef by something that was stripping line) and then a whole setup with a 1/12 ounce silver kastmaster (cut off by a barracuda) - lots of fun!!!

Catching Again - Hickam Flats

Marlon and I hit the flats this morning on the low negative tide.

 

 I ended up with three to hand - one po'opa'a and two papio.

 

 Marlon found this Medusa Worm (relative of the sea cucumber) - yeah it looks like poop but it is pretty efficient at picking up detritus.

 

And FISHING

When we got back - there was still a good bit of sunlight and I finally went fishing!

 

 After I switched to a sand crab colored grub, I finally got a hook up - nice papio!!!

 

 And despite not having a decent knife (something I won't repeat on the next trip), I was able to make some sashimi -

 

 What an awesome day!!!!