Swap Meet

I don't have a clue why this happens -

Every low tide, clusters of hermit crabs gather and rummage over each other.

Kinda like a garage sale where people can buy the shirt off your back.

Not sure if there is aggression - like "I'm bigger than you so I'm going to yank you out of this shell and take it because it fits me better anyways", or if everything is completely mutual.

Probably the former.

I can't get to the answer because everytime I come close, they stop what they are doing and close up.

Go figure.

Reach out and touch someone

Serpent Stars poking around at low tide

Just because it looks clean...

Doesn't mean it is.

Small plastic particles drifting in an otherwise pristine environment.

The problem is this stuff is everywhere. Gyres exist in every ocean and each holds a tremendous amount of plastic trash.

In the last few decades, the wholesale pollution may have dropped off, but the number of people has grown and some recent natural disasters have swept tons of garbage into the oceans.

Picking up trash is not enough anymore. There is more trash on the landmasses and oceans than we can possibly pickup - even after you pick it up, where does it go? Back in a landfill to sit there for eons.

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle - if not for you, then definitely for your children, their children and all the generations to come.

We can do better -

Better Score Today

After surfing, I beat feet to the Southern fishing spot.

The tide was still way out, but the waves were bigger and the weather rainier than yesterday.

I made a beeline for the big rut that juts in (same place as the last few trips down here).

I saw a school of trevally pushing the waterline - lots of activity between the reef fish and the trevally.

I pitched the gummy fish and I hooked up with a huge trevally!!! It wasn't pulling out line but I wasn't able to pull it in either. The water was flowing pretty rapidly through this choke point I was fishing. After about five minutes of this tug of war, the orvis knot I tied the fly on with gave way - I estimate the trevally was just over 10 pounds and most likely a big thick-lipped (GTs and Bluefin Trevally run harder). Oh well - you can't win them all...

I tied on a deceiver and was back in business - I landed these two Bluefin Trevally back to back. The first I hooked in the back just forward of the dorsal fin and the second was a square shot in the jaw. Good fighters!!!

The rains finally came and I took shelter under the coconut trees (I saw one flash of lightning - I'm not taking any chances).

By the time I went back out, the tide had come up a notch so I switched tactics to fish for bonefish. I caught this schoolie and called it quits.

Fish 1 - Me 3

Although if you count that big trevally taking my second to last gummy fish fly, I'll give it another point. Great weekend of fishing!

SUP Surfing

The tide, swell and timing all lined up today!

Small, but clean - I'll take it!

This ULI FAQ is so fun to surf!

Trevally Schooling

Not literally - more figuratively - and more like them schooling me

I saw the first streaks of blue just after the tide filled in to where my knees were submerged.

A school of about seven medium (~10 lbs) to small (<5 lbs) sized Bluefin Trevally was hovering where they could make lunges at the bonefish schools.

I cast the bonefish bitter fly to them, but either it was too small or they didn't care for it.

I reeled in and changed the fly out to a deceiver and landed this Yellowspot Trevally - AWESOME FIGHT!!!

In the other pictures, you can see two Bluefin Trevally in tow - they often try and steal food out of each others mouths or at least try to eat some of the scraps that would inevitably come off prey. The other two followed the one I had hooked nearly onto dry land.

After this fight, I hooked into a bigger Bluefin Trevally but it broke the tippet pretty quickly. I put on a Cowen's Mullet and before I come start casting, another Bluefin took it - I started to tighten the drag and then it broke off. I tied on a gummy minnow and that drove the Bluefins crazy - hooked, and broke off AGAIN.

By this time the water was coming up fast - I had to move back towards shore and I didn't see another trevally.

Seeing as how I let all the fish go (catch and release as long as the fish will survive), I think they won today.

Actually we all won - I got to fight some awesome fish and lost some flies - the fish got to fight me and lived to fight another day.

Tomorrow is another low water low tide...

Tres Bonefish

In the depressions there were raccoon fish, pinfish, wrasses, convict tangs, moray eels, others unseen and of course bonefish.

During low tide, they cram in together to wait out the low water. If they venture off to deeper water, they risk getting eaten by the trevally, or other larger predators.

Among the three bonefish I landed, I had some hard hits from at least three others - losing flies each time. The first two I lost because the tippet I was using was old. The third found a rock to break off the tippet.

The last one was quite hefty.

At this point, the tide started making its way back in.

The bonefish started to spread out and use all the water that was available. They do that because they are looking for food (creatures that didn't survive the low tide exposure, and other animals that bury themselves - after having to breath stale water for a few hours, they eagerly show their soft parts when fresh water washes over - which leaves them vulnerable to patrolling bonefish). They also spread out because the trevally can get to them as the water gets deeper...

Pinfish Take

The tide was as low as I've seen it.

These coral sprigs were in and out of the water as waves lapped in. Good thing for the colonies that the spring lows are short in duration.

This Pinfish was the second fish I caught - just before the carnage started.

Saturday Carnage - the Trials and Tribulations of Flats Flyfishing

After handling some issues at work, I went South to checkout the Spring Low Tide.

There were two depressions that were holding water and more importantly fish.

This Wrasse was the first one I caught.

I've caught these before, but this one had some heft to it and the colors were brilliant.

The Bonefish Bitter fly I was using tricked a few fish - but the fish did some damage to my flybox contents.

Keep reading for details.

Friday's Fish

Pau hana time fishing!

Nice fight from this GT!

I had to time the retrieve between sets - the surf was PUMPING!!!

Nice chunky waves that were begging to be ridden!

There were tons of water pools (due to the overtopping surf) - I plopped the GT in one. After finishing, it was still strong -

And I let it go back to the ocean...

I lost the lure though - on a rock that I could reach if it wasn't for the pounding surf.

I'll make sure mother ocean knows I paid my dues already. Flyfishing tomorrow!!!

Barracuda Damage

I would have landed it if I had a double hook rig...

You can't win them all -

Defensive Tactics

The bait ball.

Where you and your neighbors play a constant game of dodgeball.

The neat thing about it is land based herds have similar tactics - zebra and wildebeest roam in herds until threatened. Then they play keep away.

Squid Skirt Magic

The lure I rigged after I got back from Hawaii 'killed' it today!!!

I took my trolling rod out in the ocean today - we trolled for a while before hooking up.

First was a 30+ pound wahoo on the subject lure.

Joe brought in another wahoo (on a Yozuri).

And Dan brought in a nice sized Yellowfin (on the mojo skirt - yeah baby!)

Another boat trip where I - yes me - brought in the biggest fish - it's the magic mojo lures!

Good weekend for fishing!!!!

Trolling Payday

AWESOME!!!!

20# GT!

BAM!!!

Friday Afternoon Sunset

With the Sun setting later, I was able to knock out a bunch of work and still throw lures for a few minutes.

I got a small hit, but I wasn't able to get it in.

But sometimes it's not the catch that matters - this sunset was awesome!