Adam Grace gets a barracuda and a bone!

[mems]

Aloha, I took Adam and John Sherman out today for some action in Kona. Adam was great, he got his first barracuda, kaku on the fly. He tied up some of my oama flies and got a nice cuda to feed. We fished a local pond and John got a nice barracuda also. We went looking for papio and bones but came up empty, as we checked out other areas of the pond. John left early and as Adam and I headed back we ran into a school of bones, and Adam got his first. He was totally stoked. He got some nice pictures and I am sure he will post later. Too bad we didn't get one of the bone. He came off at our feet before we could get the camera out. It was good fun, and I am sure Adam will have more to tell. Congrats Adam, way to go, it was fun fishing with you, Don.

[Adam Grace]

I just got back and I have to go to work I will post a report and pictures later.

Don, Thanks again for taking the time to help me catch some hawaiian fish. I had a great time.

[sculpin]

Congradulations on a couple of firsts Adam. It will be nice to see your pictures.

Mark

[Adam Grace]

My Hawaii fishing trip story.

I was invited along by my best friend and his family to vacation in Kona on the big island, Don lives on the other side of the island in Hilo. Strangely enough John Sherman, one of the Sage representatives (from CA), and his wife were also in Kona at the same time.

After calling and talking with Don he decided to take John and I out to fish. Don was generous enough to drive accross the island to show us how to fish one of his spots in the Kona Area. Don picked me up and we drove out to his spot, John and his wife met us there. The whole time we were out there Don never broke out his fly rod to join in, he was more concerned about chumming and stimulating the fish enough for John and I to hook up. He used his spinning rod to bring them in closer.

Here's Don with his spinning rod.


Right off the bat Don chummed in some barracuda, I got too excited and missed a few I finally hooked and landed a small cuda, very exciting even though it was small.


Here's my fly (Don's pattern) in it's mouth. That fly got destroyed.


Here's a picture of John Sherman and his wife.


John also caught a cuda but it slipped out of his hands before I could get a picture.

Since Don new how much I would have liked to catch a bluefin trevally he took us around to another spot where I hooked into a powerful fish that crushed my fly but then quickly broke me off. Don told me that it was another cuda, it's amazing how guides can see everything while I never see a thing, anyway he said that trevally don't just pop you off like that. I also had one other cuda slice my mono tippet while I was targeting trevally without the wire tippet used for targeting the cudas. unfortunately that day they were not enough trevally there or they just were'nt interested by Don's master chumming techniques (hard to believe that they wouldn't have been interested)

I never caught a trevally, but I never saw any while snorkeling either, maybe I didn't snorkel in the right areas. I did however hook into my first Bonefish which WAY better \/ It fought like all the stories I'd ever heard about, crazy fast bursts of peeling line! Very Cool. Unforunately, the bonefish shook off as Don was leaning down to pick it up so I never got a picture of it. My heart broke into many small pieces...I'm still trying to glue them back together But at least I kept it out of the rocks and stuff and got it to our feet!

I have to confess to you all I resorted to puting a piece of shrimp on my fly to catch that bonefish. I was fishing on borrowed time when we started fishing for the bonefish since I had told my invitees that I would met back up with them around 12, we started fishing for the bones around 12 but I had to catch at least one since the opportunity was righ in front of me. I got one grab with a fly only, but I missed it. I became so crazed and desperate about catching one of after more time with only a fly had passed that I placed a chunk of shrimp on my fly, provided by Don. I then proceeded to miss multiple other bones as they ever so gently sucked off the pieces or shrimp, making me even more desperate and crazed........................ Finally I hooked into that one bone that got off. By that time I was so late that I had to leave, but at least I got to fight it and bring it into our feet.

Overall an awesome experience catching two new fish

Thank you so much for your generosity Don.

If any of you plan on visiting Don I suggest that you hire Don to take you out to fish in the beuaty of the big island.

[Hairstacker]

Adam, great report!! Sounds like you had a blast, good for you! From all the reports Don has posted here, I have no doubt he IS the man to be on the water with out there.

[mems]

Hi Adam, good report. I am glad you had a good time. I should have had your camera ready for that bone. Nice pictures. You should post one of the eels we saw. That would be a good shot for the guys on the board. Did you get to fish any other spots? Thanks again for posting, Don.

[Adam Grace]

I didn't really get another chance to get out and fish. Our days were so jam packed and busy that the 2 mornings where I would have had time I had little time to slepp or I woke up way too tired.

I would have liked to fish more but thanks to you (Don) my fishing experience in Hawaii with you was fun enough for the week.

I will post some other pictures once I get them from my friends computer from where I saved them. He will send them sometime soon.