Fly fishing on the Big Island

**mems** · 09-26-2006, 01:21 AM

Aloha, the weather has been nice, and the seas have been calm. Friday afternoon I went for a couple of hours in-shore and got a couple of barracuda and a small bonefish. I was testing out a new 5wt Jim Teeny TFO rod and ab TFO 310 reel that I plan on using on x-mas island next summer. It was a great rig for small bonefish. They are lots of fun on that out fit.
On sunday we went off-shore and hit the buoys. We got a hit on an ono on the way out, but he only tore the skirt and the hook didn't set. When we got to the buoy we made a couple of passes with the skirts, but no hits. The ahi have spawned and we only have some stragglers around. The birds were working, so we got out the spin gear and loaded up on aku, skip jack tuna. We bridled one, but no big boys were around. After getting enough aku for poke, I decided to bust out the fly rod. I got out a TFO bluewater light duty rod and put on a popper. I got a nice ahi to hit and fought it up to the boat. We lost it trying to get it in the net, but it was a good fight, and about the only way you get a catch and release over here. The weather is changing and we are heading into fall season now. I have a week off next week from school and will try to get some winter mahi-mahi. It is funny the leaves don't change over here, but the fish change color from silver to green. Laterz, Mems.

09-30-2006, 02:52 AM

Aloha Don!

I really enjoy reading your reports from the Big Isle - they bring back a lot of fond memories of fishing on Oahu & the outer isles back in my "hana-bata" days as a kid.

I read your story about akule (bigeyed scad) fishing with fly tackle last year - wasn't that a lot of fun? Hope you're not like me - the fun usually ends as soon as I sense that queasy feeling from bobbing on a boat for a couple hours in near total darkness

(but the chumming effect really attracts the fish at night!)

Out of curiousity, have you or anyone else tried for the other nocturnal shore species, such as the a'hole-ahole (Hawaiian flag fish), aweo'weo (Schnieder's big-eye fish) or menpachi (squirrelfish) on light fly outfits in the Hilo or Kona area? I'd imagine they'd be a lot of fun if you can figure out how to cast the fly out & get it down to them without snagging the rocky shoreline (maybe luminscent shooting heads or sinktips, perhaps?)

Anyway, keep those reports coming! Wishing you lots of hanapa'a' on your next fishing trip!

Mahalo,

Mark

**mems** · 09-30-2006, 11:28 PM

Howzit Mark, I have caught mempachi at night with small curly tail type flies. The glow in the dark shrimp work pretty well. I find a floating line is best, it keeps the fly out of the rocks. We did this down at halape at night, got aweo and memps and then put them on a slide bait. The Memps were about 3lbs, so we just kept some for breakfast.
I know a spot at king's landing where I can get aholeholes all the time. Some guys like the yellow bellies, cause they are big enough to eat. They taste a lot like perch. I take the live ones, put them on a circle hook and a rocket bobber and toss them out for omilu. It works great unless they run you into the rocks.
Today I got out the 5wt again and got a 2 foot barracuda down at Wailoa ponds on a small red/brown clouser. I saw a bunch of awa to 30lbs feeding, but couldn't get them to suck up my fly. Monday we are going offshore. The aku are pretty thick, and the marlin have been around. Maybe we will get lucky! Hana-batta days, some keep da kine wit dem always. Shoots stay young at heart, Mems.