Marlon Caught Two - I Caught a Skunk

Marlon and I went fishing at the flats - I brought a spectrum of implements to try out - start with bait to get rid of the skunk, then try some flies and grubs and some small lures. I didn't get past the bait phase... Marlon's first fish was the hawkfish (which got itself wrapped around the rocks -twice; and I had to do the unwrapping so in reality I believe I can take half credit for this catch). After a while Marlon got this goatfish I did have a follow from a small omilu, but no wrestling match. I gave up on the outside and decided to see if the bonefish and kaku would play in the shallows. even broke out the new cupfaced kaku fly - it works well to push water, but no joy. I did see a barracuda and cast a few times to it - I didn't even get a head turn. So in the end, Marlon went catching and I went fishing.

Better Luck with Bait on Sunday

I really don't like getting skunked, so I decided to break out the ika strips (cut squid) to make sure I didn't have a repeat of Saturday (even though I totally get it that flyfishing is tough and there will be days upon days when there will be no tug at the end of the line). I ended up catching a wrasse, a red goatfish (that got off the hook before I was able to take a picture), a papio, and a snapper while I was at the channel edge of the flat. For bait, this was actually a slow day. I figured I'd try my luck at the runway side of the flat. I ended up catching a small lizardfish and another snapper. I thought about taking the snapper home to make some prints, but I'm holding out for a bigger one. None of the triggerfish were in the mood to play tug. I've been reading about some heightened activity from predator fish hunting on the flats, it just didn't seem to be at this flat... I'll check the solunar tables and see when the next session will be.

A Really Good Day of Catching - 5 July

I used bait again - started fishing two hours before the low tide and it was four days after the full moon. Whatever factor influenced it, this day was awesome for fishing. I didn't catch any ginormous trevally that smashed my gear just by looking at it, but I did catch the most fish I've caught since I got back, and nearly every species I've seen to date (minus three). I ended up with six papio, two moanas (one was a giant), two nehu (coronetfish - one was giant sized), two species of humuhumunukunukuapuaa, a few saddle wrasses and one large lizardfish (checkout the teeth on this guy). On lightweight gear, all these fish were fun to catch. It's going to be tough to top this day...

Spinning Tally

I got up on Sunday morning and prepared to get some errands done (laundry, haircut, groceries, gas for the truck and dropping off some recycling) before going fishing. The tide was still draining out by the time I got to the flats. I rigged up both the spinning rod and an 8wt fly rod. I figured this being my only real day off, I might as well bring everything. I ended up catching four bluefin trevallys - it's hard to see them on the flats, I think even more so than the bonefish - so all of these were caught on the spinning rod (with cut squid for bait). I also caught one of these moana (red goatfish). And the surprise of the day was this fish. I think it is a species of wrasse, but I'm going to have to look it up. I lost a couple of rigs to the reef and then made a deliberate switch to the flyrod. Next post -