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ISSUE NO. 18
HOLOHOLO
AT THE LOKO
Restoring A North Shore Fishpond
CAUGHT & SERVED HERE Ahi Assassins
HYBRIDIZATION Influencing Management and Conservation
Stoked !
ERIC BAESEMAN’S OUTBLUFFUM LURES >> PG 10
THE CHAMP
Meet Shay Motonaga Display until September 30, 2015
HAWAIIAN SCIENCE The Growth of Limu Kohu
Lehi
Opakapaka
Recover a Tagged Bottomfish or O‘io?
Onaga
Call (808) 265-4962 Be prepared to provide the following critical information:
1. Your name, address and telephone number 2. Capture date, Island and fishing location 3. Tag number 4. Fork length: measure from tip of the nose to “V” in the tail 5. Species: (The Deep Seven) Opakapaka (Pink Snapper), Onaga (Longtail Snapper), Hapu‘upu‘u (Hawaiian Grouper), Ehu (Squirrelfish Snapper), Kalekale (Von Siebold’s Snapper), Gindai (Brigham’s Snapper), Lehi (Silverjaw Snapper) and Oio (Bonefish).
Ehu Gindai
Kalekale
Reward: In return for your valuable information you’ll receive a special t-shirt reward plus a recovery letter stating how much the fish grew, distance traveled and days at liberty.
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LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
For more information about PIFG and its programs, visit www.fishtoday.org
Hapu‘upu‘u
O‘io
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
3
ISSUE EIGHTEEN • SUMMER 2015
Sections 7 / INSIDE 8 / E HOIKE MAI 10 / ON THE COVER 12 / FROM THE DECK 13 / WHAT IS IT? 14 / AUNTY KWONG’S KITCHEN 16 / SHORELINE TECH 18 / READER TIPS 30 / FISH STORIES 54 / PIFG KOA 58 / GEAR REVIEW 60 / KELA A ME KEIA
Features
20 / AHI ASSASSINS 24 / HOLOHOLO AT THE LOKO 34 / FLY FISHING ON LAKE WILSON 42 / THE CHAMP; SHAY MOTONAGA 46 / HYBRIDIZATION 48 / TSUTOMU LURES PROFILE 50 / HAWAIIAN SCIENCE; LIMU KOHU 4
LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
36 / A TRIBUTE TO LARRY GADDIS ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
5
Inside
B Y T H E L AWA I ‘A E D I TO R I A L B O A R D
ISSUE EIGHTTEEN SUMMER 2015 Publisher Pacific Islands Fisheries Group Editor Pacific Islands Fisheries Group pacificfisheries@gmail.com
Hawaii’s Premiere Alaska Fishing Destinations • Anchor Point Lodge • Shelter Lodge
PARTICIPATION Our Fishing Future Depends On It!
Design Darin H. Isobe > Art Director darini@hawaiiantel.net Contributing Writers Eric Baeseman, Gary Beals, John Clark, Deanne Fujimura, Brian Funai, Hermen Garma, Scott Haraguhi, Matt Ito, Neil Kanemoto, Brian Kimata, Garrett Lee, Kimi Makaiau, Shay and Stacey Motonaga, Paulo, Ed Sugimoto, Clay Tam, Ed Watamura Advertising Inquiries pacificfisheries@gmail.com Letters and Comments pacificfisheries@gmail.com
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ISSUE NO.
18
HOLOHOLO
AT THE LOKO
Restori ng A Nor
th Sho re Fish
pon d
CAUGHT & SERVED HEassRE ins Ahi Ass
Stoked !
HYBRIDIZATIOentN
SEMAN’S ERIC BAE M LURES OUTBLUFFU >> PG 10
agem Influencing Man and Conservation
P CHMotAM THEt Shay onaga Mee
Display until
Salmon • Halibut • Black Cod • Rockfish Dungeness Crab • Alaskan Spot Shrimp
September
30, 2015
NCE HAWAITheIAGroNwthSCofIELimu Kohu
ON THE COVER: Outbluffum’s lures succesfully catch papio. Photo by Eric Baeseman.
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LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
T
he constant and continuous flood of meetings, testimonies, and public hearings by NOAA, Fish and Wildlife, DLNR and the State Legislature, etc. is daunting. Is our participation necessary? YES! Bottomfish fishermen over the past decade have not only participated in agency hearings, meetings and workshops but have also worked to be included in the deliberations of various federal agencies and scientific groups and entities toward ground-truthing the science toward improving data. Their ultimate goal is to obtain a better understanding of the actual state of the resource, leading toward better management of our fisheries. Has it worked? In general, yes, although it’s a long way from being perfect because this new standard is still in its infancy. But in doing so, a bridge is being built toward establishing better communications and trust between fishermen, managers and the scientific community. The persistent barrage of incorrect information and/or misinformation regarding the state of our resources, sometimes by the very agencies tasked to manage them, should compel resource users to become engaged. Through participation, we can achieve a better understanding of the issues and misconceptions and provide a way forward toward improved decision making. The controversies that surfaced at the recent Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary meetings are an example of an agency’s failure to be inclusive of the larger community and
constituent groups in the development of the draft management and expansion plan. This failure provides a wake-up call that governmental agencies can learn from. However, this is only half of the solution. It is also imperative for all communities and constituencies to become engaged and involved in the process when the opportunity presents itself and remain involved throughout In this issue of Lawai‘a, we pay tribute to our friend, Larry Gaddis, who initially focused on bottom fishing issues. Larry, however, became engaged in the broader range of fishery matters, including Hawaii’s reef species, pelagic species and conservation issues of our state and sister U.S. territories and possessions. Larry defined and demonstrated the need for resource users to be participants in the discussion toward building better solutions to sustainably manage our natural resources. His wife, Mimi, carries on Larry’s commitment and continues to be an engaged and active participant. Previous Lawai‘a issues discussed the need for individuals who “talk the talk” to also “walk the walk” and we hope that, as demonstrated by Larry, more of us become motivated and take a few hours from our busy lives to participate in the process. We can do this by attending informational meetings, public hearings, learning the issues and providing comments and testimony when requested. Like Larry, we can be ever mindful that if we lose a right or privilege on our watch, it may be in perpetuity, affecting those who follow.
We Oppose the Hawaii Humpback Whale Sanctuary Expansion
Lawai‘a Magazine Every attempt is made to publish Lawai‘a 4 times a year. Printed by Journal Graphics Portland, Oregon USA
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
7
Tyler Ciccone
Chris Samson Ulua Joel Itomura Tucanare Bass
Chris Kaplanis Ulua
Steven Kam Ono Ryan Kam tako
Adon and Banzai Ozaki 7lb Oio
Addison Simpliciano Ulua
Susan Matsui Papio
Email digital photos as jpg files. Please take pics at your highest setting possible. Email jpg photos to: lawaiamag@gmail.com Include all info please. All pics sent become the property of Lawai‘a Magazine.
SEND US YOUR PICS
Lynn Makabe Oio
JD Lani Kala
8
LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
Mete and Pati Pita Nenue and Oio
Makahoa Candelaria Papio
Nestor Matas 11.5 lb oio ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
9
On the Cover
PHOTOS BY ERIC BAESEMAN
“I used to work as a senior staff water photographer for FreeSurf Magazine. I hung that up on the shelf because of age creeping in. I set a goal to get better at making lures. I thought I would use my photography background to document some of my catches and got lucky with this one! Stoked! W W W. O U T B L U F F U M . C O M
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LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
11
What Is It?
From the Deck Basic Seamanship - 5 Towing Procedure Self-sufficiency is part of boating and, at some point, you will be involved in either towing a disabled vessel or being towed. There are many variables that may be included in towing situations such as the size, shape and draft of the disabled boat and the tow-boat. Horsepower, sea conditions and so on also matter but the following information will cover many situations. 1. Use the disabled boat’s line so it may be cast off when the tow is complete. A nylon anchor line works well but remember that the nylon line sinks and care MUST be taken to keep it out of the prop. Attach the tow line to the bow eye of the disabled vessel. 2. Make a bridle and attach it between the two stern cleats and aft the engines(s) of the towing vessel. Make a loop in the end of the tow-line using a bowline so that the tow-line will slide on the bridle. When the tow is complete you need only un-cleat one side of the bridle and let the bowline slide off 3. When in close quarters and calm waters, keep the tow-line short or ‘raft-off’ as in the illustration. 4. While in open water and with waves, use a long tow-line. Both vessels should ride ‘in-sync’ to
avoid pulling out the cleats. Guard against chafing, which will produce heat and weaken the tow line, by using cloth on points such as the cleats. 5. Agree on communications BEFORE starting the tow. VHF, CB, cell phone, hand signals. Agree on destination and the speed of the tow BEFORE starting. If it is determined that conditions are too rough or the vessel is not compatible for a safe tow, the best decision may be to ‘stand-by’ until other help arrives. The ‘Good Samaritan Laws’ help protect both parties from any disagreements that might arise as a result of the tow. These laws may be viewed on the U.S. Coast Guard web site, http://www.uscg.mil/ hq/cg5/cg534/MassRescueOps/MRO-GoodSamaritanAlaskaGuide.pdf
Basic Nautical Terms - 5 Towing a Disabled Vessel Bow eye: A stainless steel U-bolt on a boat’s bow stem used to secure tow lines or trailer winch hooks. Bridle: Short rope with each end secured to the boat so that another line can be attached to its center. Often used when towing another boat Bowline: A type of knot, producing a strong loop of a fixed size Raft-off: Tying up to another vessel In-sync: Both vessels are in the trough or riding the waves together. chafing: Wear on line or sail caused by constant rubbing against another surface.
Humpback Snapper
BY GARY BEALS
Ed Watamura sent us a photo of Tommy Lee’s friend’s catch, asking for confirmation as to what this fish is. Kurt Kawamoto of NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center advises that the fish in the photo that Troy S. caught is a Humpback Snapper (Lutjanus gibbus). It was introduced to Hawaii in 1958 and again in 1961. They have been reported more frequently as catches by fishermen and divers in the last 25 years.
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LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
13
Aunty Kwong’s Kitchen
Lawai‘a- Gear Guys and Fine Vendors
Visit the following stores to get your next issue of Lawa‘a Magazine.
Salmon Poke Ingredients:
Salmon ikura garnish:
2 lb Salmon
1 lb salmon egg
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup mirin
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
BIG ISLAND J. Hara Store 17-343 Volcano Hwy. Kurtistown, HI 96760 808-966-5462
2 tsp grated ginger 1 Tbsp mirin 2 oz ogo 2 Tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp chilli paste (sambal) Green onion Salt to taste
SHELTER LODGE
A very special thank you to our friends at Shelter Lodge and Chef Kenny for sharing this great recipe!
Ewa Beach Buy & Sell 91-775 C Papipi Road Ewa Beach, HI 96706 808-689-6368
Nanko Fishing Supply 46-003 Alaloa St Kaneohe, HI 96744 Phone:(808) 247-0938
S. Tokunaga Store Inc. 26 Hoku Street Hilo, HI 96720 808-935-6935
West Maui Sports & Fishing Supply 843 Wainee Street #F3 Lahaina, HI 96761 808-661-6252
Hana Pa’a Fishing Co. 1733 Dillingham Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96819 808-845-1865
Nervous Water Fly Fishers 3434 Waialae Ave. Honolulu, Hi 96816 808-734-7359
KAUAI Lihue Fishing Supply 2985 Kalena St. Lihue, HI 96766 808-245-4930
MOLOKAI Molokai General Store 301 Ala Malama Kaunakakai, HI 96748 808-553-3569
J. Hara Store 3221 Waialae Ave. Honolulu, Hi 96816 808-737-7702
Nico’s Pier 38 Fish Market 1129 N. Nimitz Hwy Honolulu, Hi 96817 808-540-1377
Mark’s Place 1610 Halekuhana St. Lihue, Hi 96766 808-245-2522
OAHU Brian’s Fishing Supply 1236 S. King St. Honolulu, HI 96814 808-596-8344
Kaya’s Fishing Supply 901 Kekaulike St. Honolulu, HI 96817 808-538-1578
POP Fishing & Marine 1133 N. Nimitz Hwy Honolulu, Hi 96817 808-537-2905
King Fort Magazine 1122 Fort St. Honolulu, Hi 96813 (808) 538-0266
Sawada Store 132 N Cane St. Wahaiwa, Hi 96796 (808) 622-4861
McCully Bicycle & Sporting Goods 2124 S. King St. Honolulu, HI 96826 808-955-6329
Tamashiro Market 802 N. King St. Honolulu, Hi 96817 808-841-8047
MAUI All About Fish 3600 Lower Honoapiilani Rd Lahaina, HI 96761 (808) 669-1710
Directions: Cut salmon into bite size cubes. Mix all the ingredients together. You can substitute any type of fish (i.e. – ahi) for this easy poke dish. Add deep fried salmon skin and salmon ikura (optional) for garnish. You can also substitute won ton pei chips for the salmon skin. Mix everything together and marinate for two hours, then drain. Garnish salmon poke.
New Maui Fishing Supply 1823 Wells Street #4 Wailuku, HI 96793 808-244-3449
Maui Sporting Goods 92 Market Street Wailuku, HI 96793 808-244-0011
Charley’s Fishing Supply, Inc. 670 Auahi St., #A10 Honolulu, HI 96813 808-528-7474
Tanioka’s Seafood and Catering 94-903 Farrington Hwy Waipahu, Hi 96797 808-671-3779 Waipahu Bicycle & Sporting Goods 94-320 Waipahu Depot St. Waipahu, Hi 96797 808-671-4091 Westside Dive & Tackle 94-615 Kupuohi St. Waipahu, Hi 96797 808-228-2295 GUAM Blu Wave Tackle 153 Marine Corps Dr. Ste 140 Chamorro Village Hagatna, Guam 96910-5060 671-475-9238 SAIPAN Mariana Fishing Tackle & Sporting Goods Beach Road, Susupe P.O. Box 500726 Saipan, MP 96950 670-234-6320
North Shore Place Names: Kahuku to Ka‘ena Author John Clark’s fascinating look at Hawai‘i’s past, told through the stories hidden in its place names.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I PRESS HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I 96822-1888 www.uhpress.hawaii.edu/ 14
LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
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Shoreline Tech B Y B R I A N K I M ATA
QUESTION:
My Newell reel doesn’t seem to free spool well. I don’t think it’s the bearings because it seems smooth. But when I free spool it in my hand, it stops rather quickly. Answer: First of all, let’s start by saying that anytime I need to diagnose a reel without seeing it, it’s a little difficult. I do, however, have a good idea about what’s happening and think I have a solution that will help. Let’s start with your comment about the bearings. I’m assuming that they’re used and you haven’t changed them, at least by your statement. I’m betting that you are correct here as a bad bearing is usually quite rough in feel and is often accompanied by a lot of noise. If you have new ones, you may want to swap them out to be sure since that’s an easy task. But I don’t think that’s where your problem lies. The problem is more likely that, in free spool, the yoke/pinion assembly is being pulled too far away from the spool, causing it to drag. Now I know what you’re thinking……What? Yes, you read that right; you can pull the pinion too far away. Here’s what happens. Eccentric When the free spool lever is pulled down, it rotates the eccentric downward. The eccentric, that piece that looks like the letter “h”, is basically a wedge and forces the yoke and therefore the pinion away from the spool giving you the ability to cast. Herein lies the problem. Because the eccentric is a wedge, it pushes the pinion away at an angle, unevenly away from the spool. Remember that the spool shaft rides through the pinion gear. The further the pinion’s pushed, the more cocked its position relative to the spool shaft. When the pinion is cocked too much, the spool shaft does not ride smoothly thru the pinion and begins to bind. There is a simple test for this. Free spool the reel in your hand again. While it’s spinning, carefully push the free spool lever gently and barely upward. Is there an improvement? If so, what’s happening here is that by moving the lever upward, you are moving
Today’s tip: As mentioned earlier in the article, the further away the pinion is pulled from the spool, the more drag it encounters. Using this knowledge, we can increase the free spool performance
the yoke/pinion assembly closer to the spool and creating less drag on the spool shaft. That was easy, wasn’t it? We have now identified the problem but what’s the solution? For this, you’ll have to completely disassemble the reel and the bridge plate assembly and your solution depends on the model of reel that you have. Because you did not mention this, I’ll address the two different assemblies. If your yoke is flat and has no “tabs” on the surface, you’ll have to adjust the eccentric itself. This type of reel has two tabs on the eccentric that are raised and make contact with the yoke. Carefully tap on the tabs using a hammer and wooden dowel to lower their height. Be careful here, a little goes a long way and you may have to redo this if it’s gone too far (or not far enough). This will lessen the distance the pinion is being pulled and correct the issue at hand. Some reels have an eccentric comprised of two raised areas that cannot be tapped down. These reels have eccentrics where the raised area is punched by machine, resembling a small hill. On these reels, the yoke will have two tabs on it that can be adjusted but unlike the instructions for the eccentric above, you will lift the tabs higher, not lower, to accomplish the same result. If your reel has tabs on the yoke and the eccentric, adjust them at the eccentric and not the yoke.
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a tapping sound on free spool, your gear hasn’t moved quite enough and is still chattering as it catches the spool’s core. This is a sure sign that your adjustment has gone too far.
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LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
ISSUE NO. 15
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AHI FROM THE BEACH
‘o Nui Marks • Po
DRIED O‘IO TAEGU RECIPE ISSUE FIFTEEN 2014
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of any reel by decreasing the amount the pinion is moved. Optimal performance is achieved when the pinion barely disengages from the spool’s core. This leaves a lot of room for experimentation but, if you hear
This should be the solution you are looking for and, trust me, it’s easier than it sounds. Hopefully, you got the adjustment right on your first try but you may have to redo the process again to get it right as there is no test for this other than to reassemble the reel completely. Good Luck.
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Visit us online at www.fishtoday.org or email us at lawaia.orders@gmail.com ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
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Reader Tips BY BRIAN FUNAI
Comfort is the mother of all invention
Portable Cot Shelter When I fished a lot more, we used to stay overnight at Bamboo Ridge, a spot on Oahu that can get extremely crowded. One of the things that I learned from the older fishermen there was how to set up a bunk to stay dry and comfortable. One problem was that all the prime positions to set up for the night were always taken early in the day. The ideal location, although very limited, was right in front of the natural rock “wall” where you could tie off your tarp over your folding cot or chair. Unfortunately, if I came later in the day and couldn’t secure one of those spots, I had to either sleep out in the open or with a plastic tarp resting right on top of me. It got very uncomfortable since plastic doesn’t breathe and sometimes, due to the condensation, it would end up wetter inside than out! A friend of mine, Kelvin Otaguro, also fished there and he showed me an easyto-build, portable shelter that he made for his folding army cot. It consisted of two “A”-frames – one for each end of the cot, a rope, a couple of spring clips and a heavy duty tarp. He usually came down late due to work and was relegated to sleeping in “no man’s land” without any place to tie off his tarp. Using this setup, he was able to move his cot anywhere, even after setting it up. There were more than a few times where he was able to pick everything up and move in the middle of the night to avoid rising surf or a loud snorer. If you don’t get a bite, it’s so much better a rest with peace of mind. The “A”-frames are made of two 1x2s with 3/8” diameter aluminum dowels glued into one end and cheap galvanized hinges on the other. The 1x2s that I used are 20-1/2 inches long – just enough for my 6x8 tarp to hang over the edge of the cot and shed water. You need to 18
LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
adjust for your particular body dimensions and the size of your tarp. To set -up, the dowels in the end of the 1x2 are plugged into holes drilled into the frame of the cot. Although the frames are pretty rigid, the rope is tied to the “X” formed by the legs at one end of the cot, run up to the hinge of the frame, across to the other hinge/frame, then down to the “X” of the legs at the other end. This supports the tarp that is draped over the whole thing so that as little as possible is resting directly on your body. The spring clips are used to cinch the tarp ends and hold it down onto the cot. The clips are also handy for pinning one side open to allow better air circulation if the weather is hot and muggy. This is basically an old-style military pup tent on a cot. A couple of things to note: The frame ends up near your head so be very careful when sitting up in the commotion of a strike! If you are not lying
in it and it’s very windy, you may want to throw your pack onto the cot or some weights on the legs as the tarp can act like a sail. Round off or “ease” the edges of the frame at the hinges. I even lay small towels across them. These come into contact with the tarp and will prevent punching a hole and springing a leak in heavy rain. We use a very heavy duty, vinyl coated tarp that used to be sold through Sears but may have to be bought online now. That material is ideal because, although heavy, it doesn’t “rattle” in the wind like other lightweight tarps more commonly available. Kelvin and I had been using this contraption for about 15 years and were pretty amused to see the mid 1990s Cabela’s mail order catalogs offer a “new” item in their “cot tent”. We noticed that the benefit of Kelvin’s shelter is that, unlike the commercially available cot tent, it doesn’t need to be tied down to the ground to set up. About that same time, another friend, Asa Kaulia, saw an improvement that could be made to the setup. Instead of using two frames, he custom fit some fiberglass tent poles and ran them diagonally over the cot to the holes at each corner. And, instead of a tarp, Asa used a military surplus poncho liner. All of us liked to use these cots at places where we had to hike a bit so both of those
changes reduced the weight of the set up considerably. I’ve also adopted the same frames to fit onto a lighter weight cot from Sears. That cot had a round aluminum tube frame that didn’t allow drilling holes for the frame dowels so I used clamps for mounting electrical conduit. I’m very sure that readers will continue to make improvements to this set up, as we all know that, for fishermen at least (with apologies to the English), “Comfort is the mother of all invention.”
We are OC16’s top-rated show for the second year in a row thanks to you!
Dedicated to Hawai‘i’s fishing community ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
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B Y
E D
S U G I M O T O
CAUGHT HERE
AHI ASSASSINS
NOT BROUGHT HERE
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ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
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Tucked away on the second floor corner of the East West Building off Beretania street sits an unassuming black door. In that door, you will find anything but. Joshua Schade and Erika Luna are the young owners of Ahi Assassins Fish Co, a true mom and pop operation that has grown quite the cult following. With their fresh, never frozen doctrine and caught here, not brought here creed, they refuse to open their doors if their fish is not fresh. “If we can’t get fish off of our boat or off another local boat, we’re closed for the day,” says Schade. “We’re never gonna serve you frozen poke,” adds Luna. Schade continues, “No previously frozen, no gas, no imports of any sort... There’s too much fish locally right here for us to have to go outsource anywhere else.” But to truly know and understand Ahi Assassins’ story, however, we must first go back to the beginning. Schade is a third generation fisherman who lived about a mile and a half away from the harbor in Kahalu‘u, where he was born and raised. Erika grew up in Southern California, but retained island values through her family who lived here. Together, they started peddling the fish they caught off their boat to family and friends, which led to setting up shop on the side of the road in Kahalu‘u. “Second left after the pier!” exclaims Luna programmatically, as if she’s said it, oh, just a few times. Eventually, the demand was so overwhelming that they decided to take that leap of faith and open up their first brick and mortar store in Honolulu to rave reviews last October. Their menu is simple and straight to the point: 1. Hot Specials or 2. Cold Items. Depending on supply, their hot items include Sauteed Mahi, Ahi or Mahi Nuggets, Fried Bones, Ahi Katsu Curry, Misoyaki Shutome, and their 2 fan favorites: Pan Seared Ahi (with Furikake, Garlic or both) and Baked Ahi stuffed with Crab. Their cold selection consists of Dried Ahi and a bevy of Poke styles by the pound ($12/lb) like Spicy Ahi, Shoyu Garlic, Hawaiian Style, Spicy Hawaiian, Special Oyster, Shoyu Wasabi, Shoyu Chili Oil and Sweet & Spicy. A special, off the menu, Poke style called Lunatic (named after Luna herself) is also available and has kim chee influences infused within the sauce. Rice can be added to all of these Poke options to be made into a bowl. One of the most popular items on the cold side - and the entire store for that matter - is their Smoked Dip, which comes in two varieties: Marlin or Ahi. “It’s probably 1/3 of our total sales.” says Schade. “It goes great with beer. That’s actually why we came up with the recipe. We needed something that beer drinkers wanted (at a friend’s bar) and we came up with the dip that we still serve to this day.”
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LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
Joshua Schade making the popular smoked dip that comes in two varieties, marlin or ahi.
“If we can’t get fish off of our boat or off another local boat, we’re closed for the day,”
But producing that beloved dip is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. “We soak it for 4 days, and then we smoke it overnight from 10 at night and pull it out at 6 in the morning,” says Schade. “Then you take that smoked part and bring it into a food processor and get it broken up into smaller pieces. Then add the cream cheese and secret sauce. Erika used to mix it by hand and one batch took 45 minutes to an hour.” “But now luckily we have power tools and an uncle who does it for me, so he’s hired and I’m done with it,” says Luna laughing. Their goal is to one day get it into grocery stores, but Luna admitted that they wouldn’t even know where to begin. So all you grocery stores out there, give ‘em a call.
There’s just something exciting about interacting with the fishermen themselves. Not only are you supporting local, but you are also buying direct and cutting out the middle man, which, in turn, makes things exciting for your pocketbook as well. I just love that they are closed on certain days of the week (currently Sunday through Tuesday) since those are the days that have to get out on the water to catch their week’s bounty. It makes the wait until Wednesday all the more exhilarating. Josh and Erika are living up to their caught here, not brought here creed and have the growing customer base to prove it. If you love fresh fish, then feed your ahi addiction and pay a visit to that unassuming black door off Beretania.
2570 S.Beretania St. Honolulu, HI, 96826 Hours: Wed - Sat 11am-7pm • Sun, Mon, Tue: Gone Fishing!
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
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Holoholo at the Loko
BY KIMI MAKAIAU & CLAY TAM PHOTOS BY STERLING KAYA
LOCATED ON O‘AHU’S NORTH SHORE IS A CULTURAL KĪPUKA OR CALM OASIS AMONGST THE SEASONAL BUMPER TO BUMPER, TWOLANED KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY IN HALE‘IWA TOWN. Landmarks such as the Waialua Courthouse, Rainbow Bridge over the Anahulu River, and even Matsumoto Shave Ice are modern additions in comparison to this historic treasure. For decades its makai property line fronting the highway had been overgrown with hau bushes that weaved in and around itself. This served as both a deterentand defense to protect the inhabitants found within the pond’s woody walls. Loko Ea is one of a handful of traditional Hawaiian fishponds being restored to once again grow food and contribute to Hawaii’s food self-sufficiency. But it’s more than just that. It’s an opportunity to recall the past, and to relearn about complex aquaculture systems and the practices needed to maintain them. In 2009, the landowner, Kamehameha Schools, entered into a partnership with the community-based organization, Mālama Loko Ea Foundation, to restore the fishpond and to provide educational and stewardship opportunities for residents, students, and visitors. Malama Loko Ea Foundation, whose mission is “to perpetuate the Native Hawaiian culture through education, land stewardship, and community building, while sustainably restoring our precious natural resources,” hosts nearly 4,000 visitors each year. Monthly activities include a Community Workday held every third Saturday, in which volunteers assist with invasive species removal, clearing of sand accumulations deposited by high tides and storms,
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and general fishpond maintenance activities to improve wildlife biodiversity. Throughout the year, staff also hosts educational visits for groups ranging from Pre-K to collegiate level. More cultural and science-based learning is incorporated into these visits in order to complement their classroom curriculum. Loko Ea Fishpond is a four-hundred year old natural loko pu‘uone or sand dune fishpond generally described as an inland pond with both freshwater and saltwater sources. It was once abundant with native species such as ‘ama‘ama, moi, awa, ‘o‘opu, and ‘ōpae. Over the years, other species such as introduced tilapia and predators such as barracuda and ulua have had the opportunity to flourish, but will eventually be removed. However, on this special day in September we decided to use this opportunity to conduct an atypical educational workshop at this pu‘uone. Organized by fishermen Paul Matsumoto and Brendt Chang, a group of friends were assembled to assist with the first ever pāpio tagging workshop at Loko Ea. Being a responsible fisherman 26
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not only means abiding by rules and regulations or taking only what you need, but it also means taking an active role in managing and understanding the resources. This includes learning about the life history of all marine life, such as length and age of maturity, spawning seasons, and migration patterns. This information is critical in determining biomass assessments in knowing how many fish are out there so that resource managers can better manage our resources. In ancient Hawaii, this knowledge was passed down orally from generation to generation. Lawai‘a management principles and rules of the marine resources were built around this knowledge. Over the course of the day, we caught various species of fish like pāpio, pualu, barracuda, tilapia, and more. Other activities included making inamona, throwing net, and catching/cleaning fish to be fried for lunch. Aunty Mamo and Aunty Sayo assisted the keiki in making fish scalers out of hau and bottlecaps which everyone got to decorate and take home. As part of conservation and science, seven pāpio and one
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ulua were tagged and released. The ulua, with a fork length of 36.8” was estimated at 35 pounds! As restoration and habitat improvements continue, we’re curious to see what kind of growth rates the pāpio and ulua are experiencing living within this natural resource setting. It will be very interesting to compare these results with those of their open ocean migratory cousins. Overall, it was just a great day for friends and family to enjoy time outside, learn more about the natural environment, and other ways to be involved in managing our ocean resources. Huge mahalo to Clay Tam of the Pacific Island Fisheries Group for leading this educational field day. Mahalo to Sterling of Hanapa‘a Hawaii and Val and Leslie of ALU LIKE, Inc. for the tagging prizes. And mahalo nui loa to our awesome guests who participated in this event and donated so generously to Mālama Loko Ea Foundation! If you are interested in learning more, please visit our Facebook page – Malama Loko Ea or email us at info@lokoea.org.
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Fish Stories BY DEANNE FUJIMURA
An Amazing Day! FEBRUARY 18, 2015. The most amazing day of my life. I caught this beautiful papio. It all started when I stopped by Walmart to buy me a fishing hat. Yes, the one in the picture. I called it my lucky hat. I also picked up a sandspike. After being at the beach for a few hours already, I was about to give up for the day and head home when my bell goes off and my pole is being yanked like crazy! So I ran over to my pole and took off my bell and started reeling in my line. I could feel the fish fighting. It wasn’t a very long or a very strong fight and maybe a little less than a minute, but I thought I was gonna lose him. He got stuck and I got sad but I didn’t give up. I gave him some slack and after a few seconds he was back to pulling my line again. As I continued bringing him in, I knew it wasn’t an eel or a humuhumunukunukuapuaa. I brought him in the rest of the way and was so happy when I saw what it was and how big it was! I’m glad I didn’t give up and that I had help from some very nice people on the Facebook 808Shorecasters page. If it weren’t for them, I probably would’ve lost my fish because I made the same mistake again. If you keep doing the same thing over and over again and keep getting the same results, do something differently. And that’s exactly what I did. I am only an amateur and have been fishing for less than a year. It started with poles given to me by my cousin at least 20 years ago. All rusty, but they still work. I had been out a few times with my dad when I got the poles but never caught anything. And it’s been that long since I’ve been out. More recently, it was with the help of my coworker that I really got back into fishing. He got me started and helped me, explained things, showed me how to do things. And again, got more help from the wonderful people on Facebook. So I would like to dedicate this fish to all of you and all the help I’ve received. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask. There are a lot of people out there willing to help and you have no idea how thankful I am for you all!
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A Look Back at 2014
Fish Stories
BY HERMEN GARMA
WITH THE BAD ULUA CASTING CLUB
With the popularity of “GT Plugging / Popping”, I got myself a nice setup from Brian’s Fishing Supply and bought some sexy GTFC and SkuBus lures. The 4th time out plugging with braddahs Andy and Mike, I tied on a GTFC Cubera Poi Pounda and, after the 3rd cast, this 29 lb bad boy struck about 20 yards from shore. “Splash” hanapaa! After ripping line and a short fight, I landed my first Ulua plugging. Andy Abalos, fishing the GT Masters, landed this 29.5 lb Ulua and placed 6th in the tournament. Mahalos to Flo for helping him land the fish.
Here are some first time fishing tales. The first was while whipping with a curly tail, I hooked a Moana. Then, about 10 feet from me, I saw a blue shadow in the water. An Omilu flashed by, swallowed the Moana and ripped the 4 lb test mono off my reel. 17 minutes later, with the #11 AH hook lodged in its cheek half open, I landed this Omilu measured at 21” and a little over 7 lbs. Ono sashimi for the ohana that night. Michael Daquioag landed this Ulua weighing in at 45 lbs at his secret spot (but not so secret anymore cause you could hear him from 2 miles away screaming after landing this big boy). Although the guys teased him cause his casts do not go as far as theirs, he’s still thankful that braddahs Ray (Coach), Andy (slide not barrel gaff man) and his son Gabe witnessed him landing his first Ulua. Looking forward to a blessed 2015. As always thanks to the crew: Percy, Norman, Andy, AJ, Mike, Ray, Flo, Rocky, Brian, Charlie, Liz, Rick and Marvin. Special Mahalos to the braddahs and sistas I see picking up not only their opala but also other people’s opala at the fishing grounds. It’s a good example for us and our keiki so we all can contribute to save and conserve our Aina for future fishermen. Mahalo again for letting us share our Fishing Tales! ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
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Fish Stories BY SCOTT HARAGUHI
DIY Yellowtail Skiff THIS IS THE SECOND IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES BY SCOTT HARAGUHI describing the trials and misadventures of a fisherman looking for any fishing platform to hanapa’a on. The articles span his high school days on a barely sea worthy mini-tanker, to Southern California fishing on rental skiffs and kayaks, to his return to Hawaii to fish from a modern longboard. They are intended to entertain, inform, and hopefully motivate since “Oahu still get fish, really.” After college, I moved to Los Angeles to work in the software industry. I was excited about the SoCal fishing opportunities as I was about to earn my first full-time paycheck. I brought the only fishing gear I owned: a 6 1/2 ft whipping rod and 10 ft dunking rod paired with spinning reels. My transplanted Hawaii friends and I were introduced to surf fishing and found it similar to fishing off the beaches of Oahu. We dug up sand turtles and dunked them for barred perch, croaker and corbina. Unlike Oahu’s beaches,
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however, LA’s beaches were tainted with urban runoff and DDT so we let the fish go. That gear did fine fishing off the sand, but looked very out of place on offshore outings. We naively boarded a half-day open party boat with our surf fishing gear. The deck hands sneered at us for bringing undersized “coffee grinders” as reels. Back in the ‘80s the standard boat setup was a 7 ft fiberglass rod and conventional reel fished standup style. The live mackerel and squid available in the live wells looked as tasty to my friends as they did to the fish, and they embarrassed me by asking to take the leftover bait home to eat. Keep in mind, this pre-dated the widespread adoption of “sushi”. We were definitely outcasts for a while but eventually learned how to use the standup conventional gear to fish for pelagics such as yellowtail, ahi, albacore and mahimahi. On the really good trips, we
were able to witness the pelagics boiling on live chum in the back of the boat. As great as some of these offshore trips were, I also went on too many expensive boat rides resulting in very little fish caught. The modern kayak fishing movement picked up in the early ‘90s and some attribute Malibu as its birthplace. I purchased a kayak to fish the nearby beaches hoping to put to practice what I had learned from the offshore trips. Launching and landing a kayak in the shore break was gnarly. Once I got past the waves, the kelp forest and hard bottom was just a short paddle away. Because the water was a lot colder than Hawaii’s, the fish didn’t expend a lot of energy chasing bait around. Large soft plastic lures fished slowly were very effective on the calico and sand bass. In fact, my first bass hooked itself on a soft plastic lure while I was untangling a bird’s nest in my bait casting reel. This type of lure fishing was very different from the small lure, fast retrieve style we employ whipping in HI. The number of fish caught vs. trip expense ratio was good were rumored to frequent an area shielded from wind and but I got tired of being dumped by waves on my return to shore. waves not too far from the boat rental. My dad and I rented a On a whim, I tried launching from the safety of a harbor boat wooden skiff powered by a 15 HP outboard that was intended to launch and purchased live sardines from the large bait receiver stay within the safety of the harbor. I set up the fish finder and floating in the middle of the harbor. I thought this was so cool, puttered out of the harbor to the kelp line, trying to convince to be able to have my own supply of live bait as I trolled around my dad I knew what I was doing. In truth, I had only captained a like a miniature sport boat. skiff once before. We eventually saw bait fish on the meter and I dropped a sardine miraculously were able to near the bait receiver to catch Spanish mackerel We were definitely outcasts for a start trolling and wham! on the damashi. So far so while but eventually learned how to good. I secured the rod Tried trolling sardines further away from the holder to the gunwale and use the standup conventional gear receiver and the action we slow trolled a Spanish to fish for pelagics such as yellowtail, mackerel up the coast. was much slower. Hmm… there seemed to be Bam… the drag went off ahi, albacore and mahimahi. a pattern. All sorts of and at first I thought we species were feeding off the bait receiver escapees: barracuda, snagged the kelp. Hanapa’a on the DIY yellowtail skiff outing! mackerel, spotted bay bass, sand bass, and even the highly The yellowtail, which was built like a slim Kahala, pulled hard sought after halibut and white seabass. and caused the little skiff to swing back and forth. It ended up Boats weren’t able to fish near the receiver because they’d weighing less than 20 lbs but may be my proudest catch ever. be in the way of other boats trying to gas up and get bait. No Everything worked out just right and I was able to catch that fish self-respecting kayak fisher would camp out at the bait receiver with my dad running the boat. I was thinking that we’d then fill either. Lacking self-respect, I had the hot spot all to myself. the boat with yellowtail, but my dad, being prone to seasickness, I had devolved from expensive offshore charters to kayak surf proclaimed mission accomplished and wanted to head back to poundings to the comfort of harbor bait receiver fishing. solid ground. The fish was immediately cleaned and iced and But my dream was to catch a yellowtail from a kayak. After made the best hamachi sashimi back in Los Angeles. a few attempts to paddle out to the kelp paddies early in the The fishing in Southern California was good but required me morning, catch live bait, and then slow troll where the school getting on some floating craft to reach the desirable fish. might be, I had given up. Next up in the series: How I tried to apply West Coast tactics I decided that the next best thing to a yak-caught yellowtail to Hawaii nearshore fishing. was to catch one do-it-yourself style off a rental skiff. My parents were visiting from HI so we took the short shuttle boat Scott writes a fishing blog focused on Oahu’s nearshore fishing. ride to visit nearby Catalina Island. I smuggled aboard a short Check out his fishing reports and tips that may make your fishing boat rod and reel, rod holder and my kayak fish finder. Yellowtail outings more productive. www.hawaiinearshorefishing.com.
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THE GEAR
Wahiawa OnThe Fly—Fly-fishing Oahu’s Lake Wilson
By Matt Ito
THE BEST THING ABOUT FISHING LAKE WILSON is that you don’t have to go early. My buddy Clay likes fishing the lake because we can meet up between 10 and 11 a.m. and still catch fish. In fact, some of the best bites I’ve had were in late afternoon or evening. But of course, that’s just one of the many great things about fishing the lake. Weaving through Wahiawa town, Lake Wilson, or Wahiawa Reservoir, is Oahu’s largest recreational freshwater body. It’s also one of the few places to freshwater fly-fish on the island. The lake is divided into the North Fork and the South Fork—both are equally fishable. Before fishing the lake, make sure you have a current freshwater fishing license and check the DLNR regulations regarding boat safety and operation.
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Before we go any further, let’s look at the gear needed to fish the lake on the fly. Though you can cast from the banks, the lake is best fished from a boat. A small, 14 to 16-footer is perfect for two people, with one angler casting off the stern and another off the bow. A good trolling motor is essential (Minn Kota makes great ones), as you’ll often find yourself scanning the banks for red devils or chucking a fly into the “good wood” in hopes of enticing a tucanare or largemouth bass. Having the right fly-fishing setup is crucial to fishing the lake successfully. An 8 to 9-foot, 4 to 6-weight rod is more than enough to handle pretty much any fish in the lake. Fly rods run from under a hundred bucks to over $800. My lake setup consists of a TFO BVK series 4wt and a TFO Professional Series 5wt. I love the feel, response, and accuracy of TFO rods, and for $200 you can’t go wrong. If you’re looking for something cheaper, Echo makes some great budget rods that won’t gut your wallet. Fly reels are used simply for storing the line. For years I used a $40 Scientific Anglers Concept 35 reel, and it performed perfectly. You’ll land most of your fish by stripping the line rather than cranking the reel, so an expensive fly reel isn’t necessary. Still, it feels great to have nice gear. (Let’s face it, the more expensive the gear, the more fish you catch, right?) I recently splurged and picked up an Abel Creek 2 and Abel TR 2 and love them both. If you’re willing to spend the extra cash, these beautiful reels are incredibly light and well built—perfect for those 8-hour marathons of casting through dozens of fish. Lines are also vital when it comes to fly-fishing. Though there are many budget fly lines out there, you’ll thank yourself for investing a bit more on a good fly line. Not only will it cast better, it’ll last a lot longer, too. Make sure the weight of the line matches the weight listed on your rod. This ensures you get the maximum distance and performance from your setup. If you’re just learning to fly-fish, start with a floating line. They’re much easier to pick up and cast, and your leader will still be long enough to fish the deeper parts of the banks. When it comes to floating lines, I prefer the Scientific Anglers Mastery Series GPX line. It’s durable, casts great, and is fishable in almost any situation. Eventually, though, you may want to check out an intermediate line. Intermediate lines are slow sinking—allowing you to fish more of the water column and get down to those tucs and bass that hide deep. These days, I never go to the lake without an intermediate setup. Cortland and Rio make great intermediate lines for a decent price if you’re looking for one to try. Like spin fishing, leaders are important in fly-fishing. Fly-fishing leaders are tapered—with a heavy butt section and lighter tippet section. A typical lake leader is between 7 1/2 to 9 feet with a 30 lb.-test butt end, 20 lb.test middle section, and 10-14-lb. test tippet. Make sure you have a spool of tippet handy in case you get cut off. When your leader starts getting short, clip off a length of tippet and nail knot it to the leader. If you’re lazy, there are dozens of pre-tied, tapered leaders on the market. Umpqua and Scientific Anglers make great ones, and I still use them all the time. Of course, no article on fly-fishing Lake Wilson would be complete without mentioning flies. Luckily for us, fish on the lake aren’t that picky and will bite anything from a Charlie to a Clouser. One of my favorite lake flies is actually a saltwater fly—a pink, size six Crazy Charlie. Still, there
are many other patterns that work just as well. Clayton Yee of Nervous Water Flyfishers ties a bunch of flies exclusively for fishing the lake. So before you embark on your big trek up to Wahiawa, be sure to check out Nervous Water Flyfishers on Waialae Avenue to pick up all the flies and tackle you’ll need.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES Chucking a fly on the lake is simple—you rarely need to cast more than 40 feet. If you’re fishing red devils, look for them first. Use the trolling motor and cruise along the banks. Chances are you’ll see some devils hanging out near the shore. Once you’ve spotted one, cast the fly within a foot or so of the fish, let it sink a little, and slowly strip the line, in a smooth, steady motion. Don’t go too fast. You’ll either spook the fish or it’ll ignore your fly. Once the devil eats your fly—you’ll probably see or feel it—make a slight strip set, and the fight is on. Fishing tucs is a bit different (and perhaps more exciting, too). Tucanare, or peacock bass, usually hang out around submerged wood or vegetation. Here an intermediate line comes in handy. Simply cast around the area of vegetation, let the line sink a few seconds, and start your retrieve. You can use two different retrieves when fishing tucs: the “frantic shad” or the “unsuspecting shad,” as Clay and I like to say. To fish the frantic shad, strip the line in short, quick bursts—retrieving the line about six or eight inches with every strip. If you want to fish the unsuspecting shad, slow down your retrieve, stripping in the same length of line in slower intervals. Any time you’re fishing the good wood, be aware of the submerged vegetation—you don’t want to get stuck and have to retrieve your fly and spook the fish. Perhaps the most exciting part of fly-fishing the lake is landing a fish in the bust. A bust is when tucs and largemouth bass push a school of small shad to the surface in a feeding frenzy. You’ll know you’ve hit one when the water explodes for a good few seconds. Busts can last from two seconds to around 20 seconds. It’s always exciting to see the water erupt and watch tucs and bass cracking bait on the surface. The key to fishing a bust is speed and accuracy. As soon as the water erupts, cast into it, and start stripping the line. You’re going to want to fish the frantic shad. Start stripping fast, and if a fish doesn’t crack your fly, cast again, if they’re still busting. Since the fish are in a feeding frenzy, you have a good chance of hooking one. Busting fish tend to be bigger than those in the submerged vegetation, too—making fishing the bust even more rewarding. Of course, the lake has many other species to offer. You’ll likely catch a bluegill or two while sight fishing a devil or dredging the depths for a tuc—these guys are notorious for stealing the fly and will eat just about anything. Once in a while, catfish or carp will take a fly, making for a fun fight and an even better story.
LAST THOUGHTS Whether you’re new to fly-fishing or have been swinging a fly for years, Lake Wilson is a fun, rewarding place to spend the day. The fish are always there, and though you’ll inevitably run into those slow, “Where’d-all-the-fish-go?” days, your poles won’t catch anything sitting in the garage either. Tight lines. ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
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BY NEIL KANEMOTO
ast October, Hawaii’s fishing community lost a beloved friend in Albert “Larry” Gaddis. Born in Massachusetts, Larry’s father’s Air Force career took his family from Japan, to the Azores, Washington D.C., California and eventually Nebraska, where Larry ended up with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska. From there, he moved on to Hawaii and worked his way up through the ranks in Hawaii’s Department of Education with teaching and administrative positions on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.
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Larry loved fishing, cooking, eating and people but those who knew him were well aware of his passion for bottom fishing. Always the teacher, Larry was always willing to take others fishing and share his knowledge and, always the student, he was equally eager to learn
selling fish. He, along with another young
the techniques of other fishers as well.
teacher, started diving from what he described
Although his first fishing memory was as
as a “barely seaworthy boat.” In time Larry
a 5- year old trying his hand in a neighbors
was able to buy a larger boat which allowed
koi pond while the family was stationed in
the partners to expand into trolling and
Tokyo, his fishing experiences were limited
eventually bottom fishing.
to trout fishing in Yellowstone National Park
His DOE career took him to Kohala
and learning to shorecast with his father on
High School on the Big Island and his
the beaches of Southern California. It wasn’t
boat followed. On the Big Island he started
until the late 60’s when his real passion for
teaching his son how to fish until his career
saltwater fishing developed during a visit to
again took him back to Oahu in the 1990’s as
his parent’s beach house in Paia, Maui. It was
Principal of Enchanted Lake Elementary.
there in the late 60’s, that he and his father
In 1994 he upgraded to a 30’ Force which
learned from neighbors and from literature
was ideal for diving, trolling and bottom
and they were soon trying their hand setting
fishing. Coincidentally, he also met his wife
lobster nets in front of their house at night
Mimi during the process of buying the boat
and shorecasting during the day.
so you could say he killed 2 birds with one
While teaching at Waialua High School,
went on vacation to New Zealand, he actually brought along
stone! Soon after they married in 2003, he
other teachers took him under their wing
a collapsible three prong with the dream of spearing a trout.
renamed the boat Miss Mimi and not only did
and taught him how to spear and cook fish.
Unfortunately that dream that was never realized but he, his
Larry secure a wife but a steady crewmember
Even as spear fishing technology evolved
travelling spear (and Mimi) continued to travel and in Fiji he had
as well! Mimi would accompany him on his
along with the size of his paycheck, Larry
a very successful spear fishing excursion with that spear.
many fishing trips unless she deemed the
remained faithful to the 3-prong Hawaiian
After a few years, Larry moved to Maui and took a teaching job
Sling as his tool of choice. So much so, that
at Baldwin High School. Being a young teacher with two young
several years ago when he and his wife Mimi
children to support, Larry supplemented the family income by
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weather was too bumpy; then Larry went alone as she had the sense to stay at home. It was about ten years ago when fisheries
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issues started taking the forefront that Larry began to attend various ongoing fisheries meetings. He began to follow issues pertaining to the new State and Federal fishery regulations, initially in defense of his own right to fish, but eventually becoming concerned about rules that he thought were discriminatory - rules
Larry loved fishing and he understood the need for conservation, but he was also deeply aware of the need for fairness when enacting regulations.
that would take fishing and ocean rights away from one group and give them to another. He was opposed to rules that discriminated against new people from entering certain fisheries. In short, Larry loved fishing and he understood the need for conservation, but he was also deeply aware of the need for fairness when enacting regulations. Larry not only talked the talk, but walked the walk when it came down to participating in the process, despite the odds. One of his former teammates from his wrestling team at the University of Nebraska said, “He was not always victorious, but he was always fearless.” This was so true of Larry as he was never afraid to stand up and voice his opinion at various regulatory meetings and hearings about what he thought was discriminatory, imprudent or simply unfair, even when he knew the fishing community would take a beating. Always the student, sensei, husband, father, friend and participant, Larry was a true diamond in the rough and he will be missed by the fishing community. Lawai‘a magazine would like to extend its warmest Aloha to Mimi Gaddis for providing this wealth of background information about Larry. Mimi stated, “People would ask me who cleaned the fish. I explained that cleaning bottomfish was a skilled job so Larry always cleaned and filleted the fish. However, before he passed away, he made sure that I had the skills to scale and fillet a fish.” This pretty much exemplified Larry’s life in Hawaii – entering as a teacher, and leaving us as Sensei. Aloha Larry.
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A National Experience in Kona B Y S H AY A N D S TA C E Y M O T O N A G A
I 2014 Individual National Spearfishing Champion Shay Motonaga
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grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and started diving when I was in high school. I began spearfishing competitively in 2004 after joining Alii Holo Kai Dive Club. This was my first time competing in the U.S. National Spearfishing Championship. The 2014 Nationals were held at Kohanaiki Beach Park in Kailua-Kona, which is the first time Nationals have been held in Hawaii in 10 years. However, any prospect of a home field advantage was overshadowed by the fact that this year’s competition consisted mostly of Hawaii divers. There were also a few divers with spear fishing experience from Florida, Mexico, Columbia, New England and Russia. These divers competed in the highest levels of spear fishing, consisting of the Pan American Championships, Russian National Championships, Champion of Columbia, and past U.S. National Spearfishing Championships. My partners were David Sakoda and Chris Paglinawan. They are two very respectable divers. I’ve been diving with Dave for the last 9 years in tournaments and recreationally. Chris is a very skilled diver and fisherman. I knew I needed a type of gun that was versatile. I needed a gun for shallow reefs under 45 ft that had a little bit of a farther range so that when the fish got scared, I could still shoot them. I considered that I would be diving in some surgy, white wash, cliffline areas. I decided on my Beuchat 115cm. The diving area’s boundaries were from Honokohau Harbor (north side of channel) to the south side of OTEC. We had two days of scouting about a month prior to the championship. We decided to spend one day scouting the northern half of the competition area and one day down south. Our strategy was to scout one month prior to the tournament on the same moon phase, as the tournament to see which direction the current would flow. We also considered how the fish were going to be on that particular tide. The week before the competition, we convened at Dave’s house to form a strategy and put all our GPS marks together. Chris, the strongest paddler, would go north to get as many pieces possible, then make his way south, back toward Kohanaiki. Dave would paddle a mile and a half down south and dive a nenue house that Chris had found while scouting. He would then work a ledge back towards the staging ground. My
area was around the staging area and halfway down south. In the competition area, we found that the fish were either really deep (100+ feet) or right up against the shoreline in the shallows. Our team strategy was to dive shallow and shoot as many qualifying fish possible. Scoring was based on a point system: 1 point per fish and 1 point per pound, not to exceed 11 points per fish. There were bag limits for each fish species, as well as minimum sizes. If we wanted to maximize our points, we needed to shoot 20 select fish each. I thought my dreams were crushed during the team eliminations when my team did not make it. When the second elimination was going to be held at Waimanalo, a big relief came over me, because Dave and I are experienced in that area. The weigh in for the individual eliminations placed Dave in first, Chris in third, and I came in fourth. My nerves were building ever since that qualification. Leading up to the tournament, I stopped lifting weights and did a lot of biking to increase my cardio. My goal was to work on cardio for good recovery time. I thought if I could make a lot of dives and capitalize on each shot, I could have an advantage. Dave and I frequented the pool to train. I dove every chance I got to focus in on my gun and equipment. I reread the past Skin Diver Magazine that featured the U.S. National Spearfishing Championships in Haleiwa. I anticipated that there would be a handful of divers on any given spot because the reefs on the Big Island are closer to the island. DAY OF TOURNAMENT On the day of the tournament, we wanted to get to Kohanaiki’s gate by 5:30am when it opened. We were the first divers there. We got our prime spot and set up our kayaks. We double-checked our gear and had about an hour to mentally prepare ourselves for what was about to happen. My dream of going to Nationals set in, but then my nerves took over. I was rethinking my diving skills since I would be diving with legends of the spear fishing community. It was such a humbling experience. Before I checked in, I spoke to Lance Otsubo, the 2004 U.S. Individual National Spearfishing Champion. In earnest, I told him my thoughts and feelings. He replied with great wisdom and advice that calmed my nerves. His certainty assured
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Chris Paglinawan, Shay Motonaga and Dave Sakoda
my confidence. I was reminded of how I had always looked up to these great divers. I felt so blessed to have had a great diver shine some light on the situation. Prior to diving, officials check if you have a 12x12 diving flag, personal floatation device, and tip protectors for your spearguns. My plan was to shoot four nenue, four palani, four roi, and hopefully get lucky with uhus, moana kali, kala, or jacks. I reached my first dive mark a little early. 11 competitors surrounded me. I proceeded to say “wassup” to everybody and “I guess this is where the party is at.” My mind was telling me to try another mark, but I recalled Lance telling me to stick to my plan, no matter what the outcome. I geared up, checked my watch, and it was time to dive! Within 30 seconds I shot my first palani. Total chaos broke out as 11 divers on one little point dropped in on unsuspecting fish. I was able to shoot two nenue’s, and capped my palani count with three more. Next I shot an uhu and a roi. I felt so fortunate to have gotten all of those fish from that crowded spot. With eight fish in the bag, I moved to the northern side of that point, which was my kala spot. The kala were gone, but I ended up shooting my third nenue and my second uhu. I checked two roi marks heading back north, but unfortunately they were empty. I proceeded to paddle to a mu spot that Chris had found while scouting, but five guys were already searching the area. I debated if I should move on to find a less crowded area. I decided again to stick to my plan. I jumped in, checked the nenue crack, but it was empty. I saw a mu hovering off the drop-off and made a drop to the sandy bottom. I hit the bottom and fluffed some sand. The mu began to come in, but then they scattered. I was wondering to myself what would have made them scatter. I fluffed sand again to draw them back. From a distance I could
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see a big black shadow swimming high off the bottom… a big omilu! He swam right over me at about 15 feet away. I pushed off the bottom and shot straight up into him. The fight was on. When I finally landed him, my barb was bent so bad, that it didn’t work anymore. Luckily I had an extra shaft. At that point I really didn’t care about winning or losing because I was exhilarated to have shot that omilu. I went back towards the staging point and checked out a nenue area, but none were in sight. As I was swimming over a big boulder, I caught a brief glimpse of a wounded nenue circling underneath. I dropped down and took the shot, resulting in my fourth biggest nenue. I paddled south to check another roi mark and popped my head up to see Dave passing by. No rois, so I paddled to Dave to see how he was doing. We checked fish counts with each other; Dave at 10 while I was at 12. I checked where he was heading. He was heading to the mu spot that I had just dived. I told him about my omilu and we parted.
Winning didn’t mean that I was any better than anyone else. I was just the luckier guy that day.
I headed south, to a drop-off that had a nice reef on the edge. I was lucky enough to get two rois and my third uhu. At this point, I just wanted to close out my rois and uhus, so I decided to paddle back toward the staging area and dive in that area. As I rounded the corner, I ran into Chris on his kayak. We checked in with each other on fish counts, decided to dive a little more, then go in. I anchored next to four divers on my last mark. I made a drop on a roi that was hiding behind a patch of reef. Right before I was going to shoot, another diver on the opposite end of the reef shot him. I swam away from that spot, but was able to get one last roi. I checked my watch. I had about half an hour left to dive, but decided that area was too wild and paddling to another spot would take too long. I decided to paddle in early. When I reached the beach, I was approached by the Nationals Crew who proceeded to count and pack my fish into a burlap bag. My kayak was checked for any excess fish. My fish were then immediately weighed. As I witnessed the weigh-in, my omilu was 15.4 lbs. My total score was 11 points for my omilu, 46.2 lbs for the rest of my catch, plus 14 fish count points, giving me a score of 71.20. I watched divers return and weigh their catch. As Brian Oato, Alii Holo Kai’s Vice President,
tracked incoming scores, he relayed to me that I was continually still ahead. Score sheet after score sheet was posted. Each time, Brian told me I could be the National Champion; I got chicken skin. As the last sheet was posted, it sank in that I had accomplished what I had thought would not be possible. I was overcome with emotion as my friends and competitors were congratulating me on being the 2014 Individual National Spearfishing Champion. I had decided that, regardless of what the outcome of this tournament would be, I had accomplished my goal. Becoming the 2014 Individual National Spearfishing Champion was “icing on the cake”. Winning didn’t mean that I was any better than anyone else. I was just the luckier guy that day. I’m a novice diver compared to all the skilled divers out there. I’ve always looked up to them from the beginning, when I had wanted to get competitive in spear fishing. And I continue to look up to them. In the end, our team strategy paid off. We were able to shoot more fish in the shallows than those teams that decided to hunt in the deeper depths off the ledge. It just goes to show that you don’t have to dive deep to shoot good fish.
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B Y PA C I F I C I S L A N D S F I S H E R I E S G R O U P
Hybridization
Hybridization between fish species can play a significant role in evolutionary processes and can influence management and conservation planning, however, this phenomenon has been widely understudied, especially in marine organisms. From genetics studies more hybrids are being identified throughout the world. So far in Hawaii there has been documentation of a number of hybrids in the jack family and now in bottomfish. In recent times one of the first papers to document and confirm through DNA genetics work was written by Kirk Murakami, Shelley A. James, John E. Randall and Arnold Suzumoto called “Two Hybrids of Carangid fishes of the Genus Caranx, C. ignobilis x C. melampygus and C. melampygus x C. sexfasciatus, from the Hawaiian Islands”. Since this paper was published, several other hybrids, including Giant trevally x Bluefin trevally and Bigeye trevally x Bluefin trevally, have been identified and documented by Scott Santos from Auburn University. There have also been two bottomfish hybrids captured by Layne Nakagawa, a commercial bottom fishermen from Maui. One has been genetically confirmed through NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) and the other is pending. The first hybrid to be identified was a Pink snapper (opakapaka) x Rusty Jobfish (lehi), while the second appeared to be visually the same. Staff at the PIFSC have started a project called the “bar code of life” where individual DNA of all species is being collected into a huge database. This will help provide baseline genetics data for future use, such as identifying hybrids or similar species from different regions. Hybrids occurring in nature could be nature’s way of adjusting or adapting to climate and changes in ocean conditions. As nature is very resilient, it has evolved through every changing time. Keep in mind that hybrids could impact results of tournaments or should at least be a consideration for those who run tournaments. At one tournament on Oahu, an angler weighed in a papio that looked like a white, but when it was caught, it had the blue coloration of an omilu. In fact, the fins on the dead fish still had some blue color. The final outcome wasn’t available at the time of this writing but, while they did ask for outside opinions, it was the tournament committee that ultimately made the decision on the disposition of the fish.
Micheal Darcangelo caught a fish that looked like an omilu but had some unusual characteristics that you don’t normally see on one. The most remarkable feature was that the second dorsal and anal fins seem a bit longer than normal. Also missing were the random black spots on the body and yellow highlights on the pectoral fins and scutes. Juvenile omilus often exhibit this type of coloration, but Mike’s fish was about 2 lbs. Unfortunately, we can’t confirm whether or not the fish was a hybrid as Mike no longer has it, but the good news is that it was released, perhaps to be caught by someone else in the future. If anglers catch a papio or ulua that they think could be a hybrid, we recommend that they take a fin clip about 1-1.5” long and/or tissue sample to freeze and preserve. The angler should also record the date of capture, location, time, fork length measurement and weight and take a color photo. The sample and records should be submitted to Annette Tagawa of the State of Hawaii, DLNR - Division of Aquatic Resources: Ph (808) (808) 587-0087. Questions about possible bottomfish hybrids can be sent to PIFG/Lawai’a Magazine through the contact information in this issue or at www.fishtoday.org.
Literature cited: 1) www.researchgate.net/publication/260429235_Identification_of_naturally_occurring_hybrids_between_two_overexploited_sciaenid_species_along_the_South_African_coast 2) http://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/46.2/186.pdf
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As Tsutomu (Sue, Toe, Moo) Lures owner, I have been hand crafting resin headed trolling lures in Hawaii going on 10 years now but the legacy of these fish head insert lures started many years before. I am a second generation lure maker as my uncle Mike shaped the fish part of the lure BY GARRETT LEE
insert and machined the outer lure shapes in the 1980’s. These shapes were passed down and then slightly modified into the shapes that make up Tsutomu Lures today. What makes Tsutomu Lures unique is the 100% hand crafting that goes into each lure. Like most Hawaiian trolling lures, the insert for Tsutomu Lures is made of lead. The next few steps from that point are much different with these fish head lures. Many lures have either reflective paper or shell glued to the lead before resin is poured to make the outer shape. With Tsutomu Lures, each lead shape is wrapped with reflective paper, airbrushed, then the mouth and gills are hand painted. Next the outer resin shape is poured, fine tuned and polished. Only a few manufacturers make fish head insert trolling lures and only a few of those put forth the effort needed to craft this style of lure to perfection. Tsutomu Lures is one of those few. These lures are perfectly handcrafted to have the look and feel of useable art, which is different from the perfection of mass produced, stamped out products. The end product shines through the countless hours and many years of dedication we have put into making this particular style of lure and so do the catch results. The combination of painted insert and a lead shape that is different from the traditional round or square lead insert gives a Tsutomu Lure a unique action. You could think of the insert in relationship to a boat where a square insert would be more stable like a flat bottom boat and the fish shaped insert would roll back and forth more like a deep V bottom boat. That is the theory, anyways, but fish don’t care about theory and if you don’t either you can look up Tsutomu Lures
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on Facebook and Instagram to see the results for yourself. These lures have a cult like following; people from Hawaii and around the world share pictures of their catches on Tsutomu Lures through these social media sites. The 9” Moke Bullet lure gets particularly high praises. This is a great lure that produces well on all species of pelagic fish and is a favorite for those who target large Ahi. This weighted lure will mainly run just below the surface and then will come up to skitter along the top of the water like a flying fish. In the 2010 “Ahi Fever Fishing Tournament”, Hawaii’s largest annual Ahi tournament, the winning fish was caught on a 9” Moke bullet and in 2014 the second largest Ahi in the tournament was taken on the same type of lure. If you’re after trophy sized Ahi then the Moke bullet will quickly become one of your favorite long rigger or stinger lures. You can find a full range of lures online at Tsutomulures. com and at a dealer near you.
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LIMU KOHU A number of environmental factors affect the growth of limu kohu on inter-tidal benches and sub-tidal areas, causing marked seasonal changes in the seaweed’s distribution. Story by Paulo / Photos Carl Jellings
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Along coasts exposed to intense wave action generated by North Pacific swells and strong trade winds, during the wet season old seaweed is ground off by sand abrasion, opening surfaces for new seaweed growth. Under these conditions, limu kohu is able to attach and flourish on long stretches of papa (shallow rocky flats) that experience more water movement than during the dry season. The change of seasons from ho‘olio (wet) to ka‘u (dry) exposes growths of limu kohu on the intertidal benches to dehydration, sunburn and eventual death. Shallow-water plants bear spores after they have grown to a height of 3 inches and sporing continues until full growth of 5 inches in completed. As they grow taller, shallow water stands of limu kohu are torn off by high wave energy, starting with the fronds and eventually cutting off the main stems as they weaken. Reproductive spores probably attach successfully to particular sand grains. Grains too big may smother
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TSUTOMU AD FNL.indd 1
attached spores, whereas grains too small may not settle out on the bottom because of wave energy. The ho‘olio (wet season) provides the best growing conditions on shallow (0-3 foot) benches, or papa. Marked changes in bench cover by this seaweed occurs during the wet season or after rainfall, with young stands of limu kohu growing as tall as 1-2 inches during one cycle of the moon. During ka‘u (dry season), daylight exposure during minus tides, long days and reduced water movement make the shallow papa an inhospitable environment for limu kohu. Longer days, however, stimulate lush growths and sporing of this seaweed on subtidal areas of boulders and limestone flats to a depth of about 20 feet. At greater depths, growth is sparser because of limited sunlight. The continued availability of limu kohu depends on the recruitment and growth of new plants. Successes in reproducing (through sporing) and
in attaching to local substrata are key processes that sustain the supply of this seaweed. While collecting limu kohu, the plants can be rubbed against a rough surface (such as the collector’s bag) as they are harvested. Many spores are trapped within the plant mass and leaving this mass in the ocean increases the chances that spores will attach and grow near the original harvest location. Several Hawaiian legends reinforce the view that limu kohu is not only “supreme,” but especially the choice for ali‘i. It is the favorite limu of many Hawaiians. After harvest, it is soaked overnight to reduce the strong iodine odor before mixing with raw fish to make poke. Only a small quantity is needed because the flavor is penetrating. The peak demand for limu kohu occurs in the months of May and June, when high school graduation parties are held. At this time of the year, limu kohu growing on the shallow papa is
destined to become sunburned and die with the changes of season (from wet to dry). Ever Changing Conditions and Ecosystem Until the early 1980s, Mo‘omomi Bay, Moloka‘i and nearby coastal waters were frequently turbid due to runoff from upland pineapple fields. Under these conditions, the dominant seaweed was limu lipoa, which grew so abundantly that wave action would break off limu lipoa, creating large accumulations along the shoreline. After pineapple production was phased out, coastal waters in and around Mo‘omomi Bay became much clearer and limu kohu became dominant. Limu lipoa is still present in the area, but its cousin species, limu alani, is more common. The shift in dominance from limu lipoa to limu kohu had a marked effect on sand movement between Mo‘omomi and Kawa‘aloa bays. Sand that was once held fast at the bottoms of tidepools by limu lipoa now moves more freely because it is less anchored.
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015 4/29/12 10:14 AM
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PIFG KOA
S
ummer is here, pack up your gear and hit the water! We’re sure many of you have been gearing up for the summer fishing season. We hope everyone has productive, memorable and safe fishing expeditions. Don’t forget to share your stories and photos with Lawai’a magazine so we join in celebration! In this issue, we provide updates on several cooperative research projects the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group is doing to gather better fishery information for research scientists and fishery managers so we can have fish today for fish tomorrow!
areas for this year and, perhaps, future seasons. This will hopefully provide for better tag returns
Guam Bio-Sampling The Guam Bio Sampling project has gotten off to a
that allow scientists a better way to track travel and
slower than anticipated start, largely due to bad winter
growth rates of deep 7 bottomfish.
weather conditions. Collection of samples involves
Task 3 - In late August PIFG will provide chartered
targeted fishing trips, market sampling and collection
bottomfish vessels to support the NOAA Research
by individual fishers. To enhance project awareness, a
Vessel, Oscar Sette, in conducting the annual Gear
first of its kind Bio-Sampling Fishing Tournament was
Calibration Studies. The 14 day study will run through
held on April 18-19th 2015. Three species categories
early September off of the Islands of Maui, Kahoolawe
included Mu (Bigeye Emperor), Lyretail Grouper
and Lanai. Information collected through this study
(lapu-lapu) and Pink Opakapaka. Ten teams entered
will be used to improve the fishery independent survey.
the tournament and each team consisted of at least 2
Cooperative Fisheries Bottomfish Project PIFG’s Cooperative Fisheries Bottomfish Project continues to focus on our Main Hawaiian Island bottomfish fishery. There are 3 elements to this work: 1) collect detailed catch and effort information on typical bottomfish trips; 2) saturate specific areas with tagging of bottomfish; and 3) implement independent bottomfish assessment study. Task 1 - Commercial bottomfishers are taking trained PIFG observers to capture and document catch and effort information that can be used to improve scientist understanding of CPUE or catch per unit effort. Data being collected from individual vessels include information such as start and end of trip, wind, current speed and direction, amount of time each line or station spends in the water, number of hooks/line, gear method, identifying and measuring all fish captured, bait, etc. Important fishery aspects to better understand include differences between islands and targeting of species such opakapaka (night) and onaga (day) and even multiday trips. The data is being collected for NOAA to support their analysis to better estimate bottomfish CPUE. Task 2 – The strategy for tagging of Deep 7 bottomfish has shifted to focus on putting as many tags as possible into specific locations. Designated areas were selected off of 5 main islands that generally hold smaller or juvenile bottomfish. PIFG bottomfish taggers are conducting tagging operations only in these designated
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Gary Shirakata and Kevin Awa, Crew – John Kauhaihao, Ryan Kusunoki, Justin Pasamonte, Dennis Colon and Mac. These fishermen put in hundreds of hours of sea time doing their best to find us Ahi to tag. But it takes the right conditions to place these tags in the right fish. We are encouraged that this project will be the start of future communitybased research PSAT tagging in Hawaii. A very specially thank you to Kitty Simonds and Eric Kingma of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) for providing funding for this community based project. Shoreline Survey Project PIFG’s shoreline fishing survey pilot project drew to a close on April 30, 2015. At this time we want to thank all those who made this project a great success, especially all you fishermen who gave your valuable time with people for safety reasons. The quantity of bio-samples collected was not as great as hoped for, but the quality
Satellite Ahi Tagging Project Ahi satellite tagging came to a close at the end of April.
the project surveyors. Through these efforts a total of 234 surveys were
of the samples was outstanding. A range of sizes for
Although we only placed 3 of the 5 satellite (PSAT)
completed between January and
each species is need to determine how fast they grow
tags in Ahi larger than 75 pounds, the project was very
April 2015. There were 115 catch
and when they first reproduce. Difficult to obtain sizes,
successful. A network of trained taggers on Kauai and Big
surveys completed through shoreline
especially small samples, of specimens were collected
Island are now in place to help in future PIFG tagging
intercepts and 119 effort surveys
for key species. A 3 inch Mu is now the smallest bio-
efforts. The team was anchored by Dr. Molly Lutcavage
completed. All survey data collected
sample on record, making fishery scientists excited
from the Large Pelagics Research Center (LPRC), who
through this project will help NMFS
about understanding the early life stages of this fish.
provided vital technical tagging support. Our Hawaii
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science
We would like to thank all the tournament supporters
tagging fishermen included: Kauai Captains - Ryan Koga,
Center improve the sampling methods
and participating fishermen for helping PIFG collect
Marvin Lum, Cory Nakamura and Alan Hirokawa, Crew
of our fisheries to better understand
bio-samples. We hope to conduct a few more bio-
- Eric Hadama, Craig Koga, Mark Oyama and Bryan
and manage our valuable ocean
sample collection tournaments this summer as the
Hayashi; and Kona Captains - Nathan Abe, Michael Abe,
resources.
weather improves.
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Gear Review B Y E D WATA M U R A
Befo You Get One Pole Benda
You gotta have one lead prong benda. If you ever said “Ho, not easy fo bend da wire on da slide bait lead “, you gotta check this
Sometimes Mating Needs a Tool Assistance
out at Brian’s Fishing Supply. I think the photo says it all for this product but this easy to use tool will help you make consistently shaped wire bends to get your slide bait rig anchored quickly. You can see that it is innovative and designed to last with its stainless steel construction that’s precision welded and beautifully finished.
The invention of braided line technology has changed many aspects of fishing. The reels are smaller and stronger and the rods need to be constructed with materials that can handle the stress of heavier fish. The whole concept ratio of gear size to line weight had to be reinvented. One of the key challenges to this new technology was how to mate braided line to a monofilament shock leader with a knot that still fit through rod guides and level wind guides. The FG Knot is the strongest, slimmest knot that accomplishes this task. Unfortunately it is not an easy knot to tie, unless you have the “EZ Knotter”. Go online for video demonstrations and check out this product to see how much easier it makes tying the FG knot. You will put the EZ Knotter on your must have list. Buy it at Brian’s Fishing Supply.
Size Matters
In this case, small and no wear out, mo betta. Speedy Sharp is a carbide knife sharpener that’s portable, durable, simple to use, and sharpens all
High Tech To Da Max The Shimano Ultegra C14+ Spinning Reel has a list of innovative technologies longer
types of blades. Whether it be straight or serrated knives, scissors, garden tools, or fish hooks, this sharpener does a great job. The sharpening possibilities are universal and it’s so small you can keep it with you wherever you go. The “Space Age Carbide Edge” will make quick work of all your sharpening needs. See the “World’s Fastest Sharpener” at Brian’s Fishing Supply.
than Dwight Howard’s and Kevin Durant’s arms combined. Hahahaha!! This reel was designed to improve weight, casting distance, line lay, winding performance, and that famous Shimano silky smoothness. The body weight has been reduced by using the C14+ material which is 2.5 times stiffer than the original C14 and is used on the body and rotor. Performance is further enhanced with the “X-Ship” technology that moves the pinion gear closer to the center line of the large drive gear, transferring more power from the handle to the rotor. There are 5 Stainless “S-ARB” bearings plus a Shimano Roller Bearing. Two of the bearings support the pinion gear for added stability and two bearings are on both sides of the shaft creating the “Floating Shaft II” design, resulting in more efficiency and longevity. The “Super Stopper II
ing tolerances, transmitting even more power from the handle to the
Do the CamJam
rotor and, combined with the computer counter balanced rotor, the
is a new product by Nite-Ize that imports an idea from sailing technology.
vibrations are virtually eliminated. The even line lay is accomplished
This amazing combination of carabiner and cam devises will allow you to
with two technologies: the “two speed” and the “slow” oscillation that
bundle, tighten, tension, hang, wrap, and secure anything without using any
is made possible using the “Aero Wrap II“ design. This worm gear oscil-
knots. You simply attach the carabiner to anything, feed the cord through
lation system has a specially designed pitch that results in optimal oscil-
the cam, pull tight and the cam locks it in place. The efficiency and ease will
lation that is considered to be the world’s best line lay system. To top it all
astound you. Another must have for all kinds of outdoor activities. Fishermen
off, the drag is totally waterproof, thanks to special protective gaskets. The
can use it to hold down outrigger lines, lock rods down tight, or anything else
Ultegra reels come with an extra spool and line reducers for added flexibility.
you can imagine. Campers can secure tarps, tents, or bundle up anything. The
Knowing what’s “under the hood”, I bet you can’t wait to take it for a “spin”. Go
uses for this product are only limited by your imagination. Brian’s Fishing
check it out at Brian’s Fishing Supply.
Supply has it in stock.
“technology eliminates that annoying backwards free play when the reel is in anti-reverse. The main “Hypergear” is precision engineered to exact-
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Not the “Douggie”, the “Humpty”, or the “Stanky Leg”, Hahaha. The CamJam
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BY JOHN CLARK
The result of the pairing of these two words, blackfish and nuao, is that it gives us a Hawaiian name for killer whales
I
n 2013, researchers from Cascadia Research Collective were on a marine field trip off the Kona coast of Hawaii island when they spotted a small pod of killer whales. Killer whales are rare in Hawaiian waters, so one of their biologists tagged three of them with satellite tags in order to track their movements through the Hawaiian Islands. Video of this encounter and other similar killer whale sightings in Hawaii can be found online. Apparently, there aren’t many of these pods in Hawaiian waters and little is known about them, other than these animals are smaller than their counterparts in the Pacific Northwest. The article that follows is from the February 24, 1876 edition of the Hawaiian-language paper Ka Lahui Hawaii and describes the stranding of a killer whale at
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Kalaupapa on Molokai. One of the points of interest in the article is that the writer uses the English term “Black fish” within his Hawaiian text to identify the species of the stranded whale. Black fish, or blackfish as it is spelled today, is an alternate name for killer whales. In the article the writer also uses a Hawaiian word “nuao” for the stranded whale, a term he says he heard from local spear fishermen at Kalaupapa. The result of the pairing of these two words, blackfish and nuao, is that it gives us a Hawaiian name for killer whales.
HE IA PAE. E Ka Lahui Hawaii E; Aloha oe: E ae mai ia‘u e hai aku i kau wahi mea hou ano nui o ko makou noho ana. Oia keia: ma ka la 13 o ke kakahiaka Sabati iho nei o keia makahiki, ua pae mai ma ko makou nei mau aekai o ka Panalaau lepera, he ia nui he Nuao, aka ma ka olelo a ka poe holo o-ia he Black fish a he mea ano nui no hoi ia i ko makou ike ana, ua aneane e 12 kapuai kona loa, a he 3 kapuai ke anapuni, a no ka pae ana mai o ua
ia la, ua hoopau ia ka makapehu ia o na poe e noho koke ana ma ia wahi. Ua makapo ka ia a na ia kumu kona mea i pae ai, aka na ka makua mana loa i haawi mai; nui no kona lokomaikai a me ke ahonui, a e hoonani ia kona inoa. Me ke aloha no i ka Elele a me kona luna hookele. Ko‘u welina, Chas. W., Kalawao, Panalaau o Na Lepera, Feb. 14, 1876. Ka Lahui Hawaii. 24 February 1876. P. 2.
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
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Rainbow Paint & Fishing Supply Inc
185 Akaula Street Eleele, Kauai, Hawaii 96705 Phone (808) 335-6412
A FISH WASHED ASHORE. Dear Ka Lahui; Greetings: Please allow me to announce a bit of important news regarding our living. It is this: on the 13th of Sunday morning last of this year, a large fish, a Nuao, washed up on our shore here at the leper Colony, but according to those who spear fish, it was a Black Fish, and quite a large one when we saw it. It was almost 12 feet long and 3 feet in diameter, and since it washed ashore, the appetites of those who live near the area were satisfied. The fish was blind and that is why is washed up, but the all powerful father provided us this fish; he was very generous and patient with us and may his name be praised. With great aloha to the Messenger and his director. My affectionate greeting, Chas. W., Kalawao, Colony of Lepers, Feb. 14, 1876.
Lehi
Opakapaka
Onaga
Recover a Tagged Bottomfish or O‘io? Call (808) 265-4962
Ehu Gindai
Be prepared to provide the following critical information: 1. Your name, address and telephone number 2. Capture date, Island and fishing location 3. Tag number 4. Fork length: measure from tip of the nose to “V” in the tail 5. Species: (The Deep Seven) Opakapaka (Pink Snapper), Onaga (Longtail Snapper), Hapu‘upu‘u (Hawaiian Grouper), Ehu (Squirrelfish Snapper), Kalekale (Von Siebold’s Snapper), Gindai (Brigham’s Snapper), Lehi (Silverjaw Snapper) and Oio (Bonefish).
Kalekale
Reward: In return for your valuable information you’ll receive a special t-shirt reward plus a recovery letter stating how much the fish grew, distance traveled and days at liberty.
Hapu‘upu‘u
O‘io
For more information about PIFG and its programs, visit www.fishtoday.org 62
LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
ISSUE EIGHTEEN 2015
63
When
the ocean decides to happen to you
it doesn’t ask where you bought your gear
or how much you paid it only asks if you’re ready . Really Ready.
We got it. 64
LAWAI‘A MAGAZINE
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