Heads up from Hawaii

[mems]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/fishingwithclients941_zpsdc390f83.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/fishingwithclients941_zpsdc390f83.jpg.html)
Aloha, this summer has been fun and painful. Been doing a lot of diving and snorkeling. Got up close with this sea turtle.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/fishingwithclients987_zps7d38a982.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/fishingwithclients987_zps7d38a982.jpg.html)
Had the pleasure of fishing with Keine's board member Bryan Tanaka at A-bay in Kona. He wanted to get a big bonefish, doesn't everyone? We saw a couple but didn't get any good shots.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/fishingwithclients990_zpscf9f439e.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/fishingwithclients990_zpscf9f439e.jpg.html)
We hiked the coast and he got this colorful omilu, bluefinned trevally. He got another and a moana and a couple of needle fish. We had a nice day and got to talk fishing, Bryan is a great guy and a skilled fisherman.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/fishingwithclients992_zps4032a165.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/fishingwithclients992_zps4032a165.jpg.html)
I then went fishing with my niece, Lauren over on the Hilo side. I got this nice bone on bait trying to help my niece get one, and guess who ends up taking this picture, yup Bryan came over with his wife and daughter to our side of the island and while I am landing the bonefish, Bryan is standing there, how weird? We had a laugh and I told him yes there are bonefish in Hawaii.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/fishingwithclients993_zps050f8261.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/fishingwithclients993_zps050f8261.jpg.html)
Here is the underwater shot.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/912c7e6a-7488-46e7-a93c-39beb6a3b072_zps4b877ce9.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/912c7e6a-7488-46e7-a93c-39beb6a3b072_zps4b877ce9.jpg.html)
Now comes the pain part. This is one of my foster children, Shelton. I took him offshore for the day and he got this 40lb ahi on a baitcaster with 40lb main and leader. I helped him land it and then we started chunking again. Zoom my line goes straight down like 300yards down. I fight the ahi for an hour not knowing how big it was, I figured like 60lbs. I get it to the boat and it is in the 100lb plus range, big yellow sickles! I get it to the boat and my friend can't get a good shot with the gaff, so it circles for 20 minutes. My back and arms are killing me and I hand over the fish to my friend, who then reefs on it and the leader pops. What a sick sound that is. I did get the leader in the guides, but still that fish kicked my ass. Next day I am inshore fishing with another foster boy and pop my back goes out. I now have a herniated disc and am in tons of pain. Leg is numb to my big toe. No more offshore fishing for a while and the big ahi are around and now the mahi show up. I haven't caught a mahi since may. Oh well it is starting to heal. Hopefully I will be better in time for a kayaking trip to Waimanu valley on Labor Day weekend. Until then it is a lot of swimming with...
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/fishingwithclients968_zps6d6053a4.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/fishingwithclients968_zps6d6053a4.jpg.html)
Turtles
Hurricane Flossy hit the islands and bounced of Mauna Kea, so we got some big surf. I can't go out with the bad back, but Luke had fun. I hope you all had a good summer, Mems.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/fishingwithclients999_zps96dae7af.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/fishingwithclients999_zps96dae7af.jpg.html)

[David Lee]

Bad break with that disk , Don - hope the Doctors can fix you up !!

D.~

[Darian]

OK, some guys'll do anything to get a little sympathy.... ;) A hundred pounds of Ahi will sure do you wrong. I know you don't get to choose what bites on your bait/lure/fly but at this point I'm not sure I wanna tackle a tuna that big.

The Ahi in the pic is a beauty, tho. Hope you're feeling better soon. You've got some good company to swim in the meantime. :cool:

[Mingo]

OUCH! That sucks Don, hope you heal up soon and your back has no lasting pain. Those big ahi are brutal on 130s and marlin rods !!! Uggghhhh.....that long into a fight with a tuna, my mouth starts to water as I imagine sashimi dipped in wasabi and shoyu!

Hang in there and heal lup quick braddah!
Mingo

[FISHEYE]

Mems, hope it heals wikiwiki!

[Byran]

Aloha Don. Sorry for the late response, I'm just now getting back to "normal" after the long vacation in Hawaii. It was fun fishing and spending time with you. Wasn't able to get back out fishing during our stay but did spend a lot of quality family time exploring the island. As I said to you when we were fishing, my past experience fishing from the beaches in Hawaii has been marginal at best. I know after our time together and the knowledge that you passed on to me, my experience is much more productive.
To all the folks out there that may be visiting the big island of Hawaii and want to do some fishing, do yourself a favor and hire Don for at least a day. Great person to spend time fishing with and a wealth of knowledge about the area and will definitely cut down the learning curve. Looking back, I should have brought some of my offshore equipment and spent a day chasing some larger fish. No matter, it's all good.
Hope your back gets better and we'll get together when I come back.

Take care brahdah.
B

ps. I really miss the fresh ahi poki.

[mems]

Aloha Guys, thanks for all the positive comments and well wishes. The back is getting better each day. I hope to get off pain meds soon. Went 2 for 3 with bonefish the other afternoon. Hooked three and landed two. Lost the one when my line wrapped around the handle on the reel on the first run. I hate when stuff like that happens. Bryan, thanks for the plug. I hope to get out soon for some ahi and mahi action, and yes Darian if it is a big ahi, I will teach some one else how to fight them. I hope you all have a good end to summer, Mems.

[jbird]

Hey Don!

So sorry to hear about your back. As a chronic lower back pain sufferer, I can truley sympathize. I have gone to the ER on more than a few occasions for random injuries. I usually always get some kind of meds for pain, but I dont take them, I save em for when my back goes OOOOUUUuuuuttttt!!!

Hey Don, I am going to be in Kauai next April. Do you ever make it over to that island? Love to fish with ya!

[mems]

Aloha Jay, yes I can make it over to Kauai, only problem is they charge me for two inter island flights each way! Let me know in advance and I can fix something up. There is a cabin up at kokee the Trout Unlimited guys use. The real fun would be peacocks in my friend's ponds. There are some bones, but tough to come by. Let me know the dates, Don.

[Lachlan]

You guys are doing a great job, Hawai is awesome. Fishing is really fun there you can feel visiting big island is totally a different thing.




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