Ahi on the fly

[mems]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/IMG_3707.jpg
Aloha, went for a day offshore. Had the chance to bust out my 12wt.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/IMG_3709.jpg
It was a little wet, but we had a good time.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/IMG_3715.jpg
Got a bunch of these.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/IMG_3721.jpg
OK a lot of them.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/IMG_3722.jpg
How do you like your sashimi? Hanapaa, Mems.

[Adam Grace]

Don, that expression on your face is priceless! :lol:

Fresh sashimi sounds great right now.

[David Lee]

The LAST thing I want to do is start a fight/piss at you , Don -

What the hell do you need to kill TWENTY-SEVEN Tuna for ?!?

I mean .... I'm glad you got into 'em ..... but why not take .... say , 3 or 4 ?????? But 27 ???????????? WTF ????

I just cannot imagine WHY -

David

[Darian]

After fishing in Baja and keeping many fish for the Panguero and myself, I feel like I understand.... Also, we probably should consider what we're seeing in those pic's more carefully.... I'm not trying to be argumentative or speak for Don but I'm NOT sure that all of those fish were caught by Don, alone (....there're several people in those pic's) and I'm sure that the fish HE caught/kept are not going to be wasted....

Also, several of those fish appear to be Skipjack and (....if they're the same as those in the Sea of Cortez) not very edible. They're probably going to end up as bait for later trips (take a gander at the off-shore trolling gear in the rod holder in one of those pic's).... Trolling for Bill fish with rigged Bonito and Skipjack is common blue water.

If the Ahi are eaten by those who took 'em home, I have no problem with it as long as it's not illegal.

Anyway, it's food for thought. 8) 8)

[mems]

Hi David and Carl. We did take a lot of fish that day. They were all consumed. We give them to friends and family. My son had a birthday party that night and we had 16, 14-15 yearold boys at our house. They ate a lot of poke that night.
Yesterday we went offshore, and when we got enough for everyone, I talked the guys into heading in early. I even got them to release some small ones.
The guys I fish with are about meat and feeding families. We don't sell commercially, but we do have a pretty long lost of friends. When we have enough in the boat, then I get to bust out my flyrod. Personally if it was just sport fishing I would release most of what I catch. It is not my boat, so I don't call the shots. Sorry if the picture disturbed you. Don.

[Adam Grace]

Don, I bet that Poke was great, my mouth is watering just thinking about Poke, I love that stuff.

[jlmelend]

Don, I was curious, what outfit did you catch those tuna with (Rod, reel line, and leader)? Did you use large poppers?
I'm having salt water envy right now!
Keep those pictures coming.
mahalo!
Joe

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would love to live somewhere that I could catch and eat Yellow Fin Tuna fresh................thanks Don.

[mems]

Thanks, Adam, Darian and Bill. Joe that is a TFO light duty rod, rated 12-14wt. I have a Terry Hayden model II reel with a floating Jim Teeny line and bionic braid backing. I was using a Rainy's trevally popper that has some mylar off the back. It has a larger profile and I was hoping for one of the bigger ahi to hit, like another 50lber. Funny how you can catch school sized tuna for a while and then at the end of the bite the big boys come up to feed.
I took my daughter's boyfriend out on saturday. He is a marine who served three tours in Iraq. He got a nice 20lb ahi on at the end of the bite again and was just trying to crank it in on a spiner. I told him lift and then reel down. Anyway he gets the fish to the boat, we can see it circling under us about 30feet, and wham. He busted the handle off the reel and hands the whole thing to me. I tried to turn the spool with my hand , got the fish to 10 feet of the boat, but it turned for the deep again. I locked down on the reel and the fish just popped off.
Rainy's is now going to make me some 5/0 poppers for the larger ahi we get. I hate it when the hook bends and a nice fish is lost.
Sorry again for posting the picture of our haul, it was overkill. Don.

[Charlie Gonzales]

Hey Dave the last thing I want to do is starta fight with you but why cant we save post like those for PM's. I think a lot of board members are working towards keeping the bashing/arguements away from the site and keeping a more friendly tone around here.

[David Lee]

Hey Dave the last thing I want to do is starta fight with you but why cant we save post like those for PM's. I think a lot of board members are working towards keeping the bashing/arguements away from the site and keeping a more friendly tone around here.

Charlie -

Pelagic fish populations are crashing like mad .

Some estimates I've seen have Tuna/Marlin down 90% from where they were 20 to 30 years ago (http://www.tamug.edu/pelagic/pelagicfisheries.htm) .

If you're OK w/ taking that many fish to feed the 'friends and family' ..... then good for you . I DO NOT blame Don specificly (rec angling has little inpact next to longlining , gill nets , seiners , etc.) , I only wonder how long pelagics (and near-shore fish , like the Stripes you love ....) will last at OUR current rate of consumsion (one party boat , 30 anglers , two Stripes per-person , you do the math , then add the other 25-40 boats working the Bay on that single day ....). I just think WE ALL should lean towards taking as little as possible from the ecosystem . If everyone here was a little more aware of just how bad certain fish populations are tanking , we might have a chance to save some for the future .

If my opinion offends , sorry ..... I'll make it a point to keep my convictions to myself from now on . If it's LEGAL to take a mess of whatever ..... feel free to do so . When they're gone , look in the mirror and know where they went .

If you're really , really OK with that .... there's nothing more I can say .

David

[jaybird]

The inshore gamefish populations in hawaii are almost GONE. The hawaiians practice catch and eat EVERYTHING and they eat a lot of fish. It is their custom and has been forever. That is why you really need a guide like Don to help you find gamefish along the beaches. There are very few restrictions for angling in hawaii despite the desperate condition of their fisheries. Its not likely to change anytime soon. Hawaii is a great representation of how "recreation slaughter fishing" can kill an ecosystem. Baja is heading down the same road.

Jay

[jhaquett]

I think it is important before this turns into a real nasty argument (and it definitely looks like it has potential to do so) to remember that Don was fishing with locals and would have released the vast majority of the fish if he had the chance. :wink:

Mostly everyone on this board is very concerned with conservation so we are probably all aware of the EXTREMELY grim situation facing the oceans as a whole, the situation is certainly not endemic to only pelagic ecosystems & I'm sure we all know that reef, bay, kelp, rock etc systems are all under very considerable human (like 95% commercial) pressure. :cry: :cry:

Maybe if everyone realizes that we all probably have an idea of this situation this thread won't have to turn into an all out brawl. 8) 8)

[David Lee]

This was written above in my second post ....


I DO NOT blame Don specificly (rec angling has little impact next to longlining , gill nets , seiners , etc.) , I only wonder how long pelagics will last at OUR current rate of consumsion

Don has ALWAYS been a good guy on this board , and other boards . I've never seen him ever be anything other than HELPFUL .

It was not my intent to roast Don . If Don , or anyone here took it that way , I'm sorry .

I am questioning the need to take that many Tuna (or any other fish , really) for ANY reason . That's it .

David

[jhaquett]

It is, without a doubt, an extremely serious issue.

I think it is always helpful to be aware of these kinds of situations even on a small scale basis such as recreational fishing.

[mems]

Hey Guys, I think David and Carl both have valid points. I did not take their comments as an attack. Jay and others who have been here have seen how the inshore has been whacked. It is catch and kill in Hawaii. I have proposed slot limits and stricter enforcement of size limits at the DLNR meetings I have attended. I am in full support of responsible fish managment. It has been an uphill battle here. I would love to see bonefish designated as a catch and release species in Hawaii. We have some huge bonefish here and we are working on developing the industry and now have a number of full time guides here. I love to catch trevally on the fly and after being in X-mas island have a good idea of how good that fishery could be here with a little help, namely slot limits. I think if we could save those two species here it would really turn around our inshore action.
Off-shore is a different story. Kona and most other spots have done a lot to promote catch and release for marlin and other billfish. It has helped to keep the stocks viable. Right now the skippers in Kona are concerned about the superferry and 300 boats decending on Kona waters every weekend to chase marlin. Right now when you hook up 30 boats show up to try and hit the school, or at worst cut your line while you are fighting a fish.
Ahi, and I mean large ahi are our most prized catch for the local fisherman. It was a tough season on our island, but it was a banner year for Oahu and Kauai for big ahi, over 100lbs. This fishery has been decemated by the number of illegal bouys ringing our islands. It doesn't give the large ahi a chance to hit our shores. It is a complicated mess, but right now there are no size or catch limits for recreational fishermen.
I see fly fishing as a perfect answer to the problems of both fisheries. If you are going in-shore and only going to catch one nice fish, you might as well be fly-fishing. If you are a charter captain and want to show clients a good time, then bluewater fly fishing is a great option. I think most of our game fish, mahi, small ahi and varous other species are great targets for a 10 or 12wt outfit. You really have a blast and are evenly matched for the fish you are likely to catch.
Like I said before, the culture here is to catch fish, as many as possible and to feed all your friends. I don't freeze fish, I only eat fresh fish, and I only like to take what I need. I am trying to educate my firends, but they are at a different place in their fishing. I don't think they have evolved to the level most of us fly guys have attained. We know from trout to salmon to strippers, you need to preserve the stocks for now and for future generations. I hope and pray that Hawaii will eventually evolve to that place. But attacking people only makes them defensive, and then they won't listen at all. I think some realize the fisheries are bottoming out, but their attitude is I better get mine before they are all gone.
I hope I can help change that attitude, and help preserve our fisheries here. As long as my friends respect me as a fisherman then they will listen to me, and then I can educate them. As a teacher and coach that is all I can really hope to do. As a fly guy I can't come off too arrogant or pious, or they will just ignore what I have to say.
We all want the same thing, more fish and a wonderful time on the water. We just need to be responsible for our actions. Thanks for the conservation, and the respect from all involved, Don.

[jlmelend]

Well said, as usual Don!
Thanks for your tremendous insight!
Keep up the fine work...we can all learn from your example...and the beautiful images on the website don't hurt either.

Mahalo,
Joe

[Adam Grace]

Awesome post Don, good luck spreading your message on Hawaii.

[sculpin]

Nice post Don, beginning to ending. I have a lot of gear fishing friends myself that like to whack em and sack em. I agree with you that it's a slow process to bring them around to tossing anything back. If ya go to fast they'll say your just another one of those fly fishing whackos.

Mark

[jhaquett]

Good luck in your efforts. Hopefully you have a positive effect. 8)