big island hawaii report

[mems]

Aloha, fishing has been good lately. got two bones yesterday, they seem to be eating pretty well now. Lots of small trevally around with some bigger boys to target. It is oama season, small goatfish are in, favorite forage of trevally. Offhore the ahi bite slowed down, but they have not spawned yet. Ran into porpoise last week, so it was a bust offshore with them around. Some mahi starting to show up, and some big aku, otaru are skip jack over 10lbs. They are good fun on the fly. Right now a hurricane, Hilda is headed our way but it only looks like rain. It cancelled a camping trip we were going to make, but might go next week. It is a secluded beach on the big island only accessable by 4x4. Hope you all have a good end to summer, Mems

[Darian]

Aloha Don,.... I watched Hilda develop and progress across the Eastern Pacific on the NHC website until it dropped into the Central Pacific area. Wondered if it would make it to Hawaii. Good news if it downgrades into rain. Your camping trip to a secluded beach sounds like fun.

Are the Trevally you mention Bluefin/Golden Trevally or small GT's???

[mems]

Hey Darian, right now some big surf from Hilda and today we should get some rain. The trevally we mostly get are bluefin, some white (Baby GT) and the ones I like to eat are the yellowspot. Barred jacks are a little more rare, and you hardly ever see black or goldens. We have big schools of green, horse eyed jacks in hilo bay. I think a 5lb omilu, bluefinned is one of my favorite to catch on the fly. The blue and black spots and golden eye make it one of the most beautiful of all the jacks in the ocean. Plus they fight like hell, and love to eat my oama fly.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a371/mems15/DSC02625.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mems15/media/DSC02625.jpg.html)

[EricO]

Hey Don,

What is your typical rod weight for the fly fishing you do in Hawaii? I gotta think
it's at least a 9 wt with the lightning fast saltwater fish?

Gotta be a blast to watch your line scream!

EO

[mems]

Hey EO, I actually like to fish a 6wt BVK. When the wind is up I fish an 8wt. It is more important to have a good reel and drag. I fish pretty light like 12lb tippet. The jacks have blades, scutes on the tail and that can cut you off. They like to run to rocks and structure, so fish do cut you off. Once you learn how much pressure to apply then you can let them run, get them to turn and then work them back in. I always like that feeling that I will loose the fish, that makes even a small fish fun to catch. Saltwaer species are very fast, that is the joy of a big bonefish. They go 20 feet a second on the first run. Main thing is clearing line, I hate it when you get wrapped and pop off a fish. But that is fishing. Thanks for the question, Don

[EricO]

A 6 wt....would have thought a lot more rod. I haven't saltwater fly
fished yet, but it's on the list. Funny, just last week I was wiggling a
BVK 6wt with fighting butt. May pick one up for half pounders this Fall.

Cool report Don.

EO