Hawai’i Fishing Fanatic

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Aloha Friday!

I know everyone has plans for Superbowl weekend and football will be the biggest thing in the islands, but if you get a chance, take the ‘ohana out to fish before the Big Game! Like my friend said, the game don’t start till 1:30 cuz! (on Sunday). So there’s plenty time to soak up the rays and catch up on some fishing news.

I found a couple of fishing tidbits during the week and I hope it’ll be useful to many of you:

* If you need a new boat but can’t afford a new one, Usedboats.com, has good deals on a whole bunch of different types of used boats. I’m looking for a possible flats boat that doesn’t harm the environment too much but still economical.

* How about that National Saltwater Registry? A recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser has Hawai’i fishermen talking. Not too sure you know all the details about it? You can check my previous post on the subject here.

* Thinking of snorkeling/scuba diving in a very, very, safe environment then you need to go “snuba-ing,” (is that word?) at the Pacific Beach Hotel in Waikiki. Just make sure not to bring your three-prong (spear) with you before the dive! The Honolulu Advertiser reports:

The Oceanarium is a 280,000-gallon aquarium with more than 450 fish and ray and 72 different species. Two guests dive at the same time, accompanied by an experienced guide, for about 20 minutes.The cost for Pacific Beach Hotel guests is $45 until March 31 and $60 for visitors to the hotel. The dives begin every 30 minutes and are scheduled Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon and from 2 to 5 p.m.

* When I was younger, I always wanted to know how my Hawaiian tutu got that dried ‘opelu (mackerel) to taste so good. Although, I never found out because she passed away soon after our family returned from Okinawa, Japan, I later found out from Big Island ‘ohana and kupuna how it was done. However, for those of you who’ve often wondered what to do and had a grandma like me who had a steel, cage-like “thingamajig” on the porch (drying platform), you now can get a general idea through this website of how it was done.

Don’t forget to check out my other blog, Hawai’i Football Fanatics, for the latest Hawai’i connection to the Superbowl teams, Indianapolis and New Orleans.

Have a great Pau Hana Friday!

Aloha readers I just got wind of a great catch from a friend of mine, Colin Dumlao. These pics tell it all and you don’t want to miss it. They were caught last year but I didn’t realize that the kaku (barracuda) was almost a state record. Follow the link on Hawai’i Skin Diver’s forum that he posted. In the meantime, here’s the pic of his HUGE Kahala he speared on that same day. Wow! I can only wish I had days like that!!!

Colin Dumlao with his Kahala Nui!

Sorry folks! I’m taking a short hiatus to watch the NFL Championships this weekend and along with football updates, have consumed most of the my time this week. I apologize for not posting and will be back at it soon.

Congratulations to the Indianapolis Colts for winning the AFC Championship and like I posted on my Hawaii Football Fanatics blog, a big ho’omaika’i (congratulations) to Bruddahs, Aaron Francisco (Kahuku) and Nesians Freddie Keiaho and Fili Moala on their tough road to the Superbowl.

I’m rooting for the Minnesota Vikings to win the NFC Championship. Go Vikings! However, I do like the Saints too since I spent time in my Air Force days deep in the Bayous. My buddies in Mississippi and Louisiana have a great love for the team. I also emphathize with the trials and tribulations the franchise has gone through from the days I was down in New Orleans.

Naufahu Tahi

Good luck to both teams and I’ll be back soon!

Continuation of yesterday’s coverage of the Ho’ike Hoe Wa’a (Canoe Regatta) of Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) schools. My daughter paddles for the Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i (KSH) and is easing herself into the Hawaiian canoe paddling/racing culture. Watching the different island high school participants interact with each other is in complete contrast to O’ahu’s schools. The cooperation and respect for each other from the kids, their parents, paddling coaches, school administrators and Kailua-Kona fishing/recreational/tour businesses was nothing short of amazing in this day and age. This is what the Hawai’i fishing community needs to have more of in our own events. Right on! Big Island!

Thus, a little more pics of the event and a taste of hoe wa’a, Big Island Style!

Mahalo to all that coordinated and participated in the Ho’ike Hoe Wa’a BIIF!

Hui Wa'a Kealakehe on their way to a win!

Hui Wa'a KSH Preparing Canoe for Return Trip Home

Hui Wa'a Pahoa loading their canoe on KSH trailer

Hui Wa'a KSH pule kakou (prayer together) and cheer before returning home

Beautiful sunny days are bountiful on the west side! A little bit of vog but not unbearable. If you thought Kailua-Kona you’re right! Sitting on the pier as ‘ohana and I watch the na keiki o ke kai (children of the sea) in their ho’ike hoe wa’a (canoe regatta) between island schools. My daughter will hopefully be paddling today for Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i.

Kona Daze

Lots of fishing going off on the Kona Coast but hoka (too bad) I have to rest the fishing poles today. Choke (a lot of) boats out in serene waters. Not too windy but just enough to stir up some action. Still any day out in the sun on the Big Island, is definitely better than 20 degrees in the snow!

Kona Regatta

Days like this remind me of Ho’aikane’s song, Kailua-Kona, where you can pretty much do what you want. “Kailua-Kona where the air is clean, Kailua-Kona where the grass is green, Kailua-Kona where the fishing’s fine, Kailua-Kona it will blow your mind!” Awww! Kona Daze! Auwe!

Hoe Wa'a B.I. Style

Right now I’m mobile so I’ll post links and more pics as soon as I can.

Mahalo to everyone for supporting the Hawaii Fishing Fanatic Blog. We have reached 101 fans as of today on our Facebook Fan Page. Thank you all as we hit an important milestone in our growth. Imua!

Got wind of this from fellow F.B.I. blogger, Damon Tucker, who posted news that a pair of locals who had been scamming tourists for quite some time were arrested by Hawai’i County PD. I happen to catch the tail end of today’s newscast and remembered back in December that Aloha Kayak Co. had problems with illegal vendors. Check it out at KITV.com, “State Cracks Down on Illegal Vendors.”

I love kayak fishing and it hurts to hear these kind of things being done on the Big Island. For those who want to enter the sport, even as tourists, it discourages them from participating. Plus, this kind of news further deters me from venturing out or taking ‘ohana out to other Big Isle fishing spots without worrying about being hassled by hooligans. I’ve heard complaints about illegal vendors strong-arming folks but it seems these two did it very openly like many others without fear. Where’s the cops when you need them?

Take a look at these bruddahs and tell me you wouldn’t pay $5 for parking!

Herman Santiago

Kapahukula Voorhees

Auwe! Big Time to DLNR and Hawai’i County PD for not acting sooner!

Okay, if you’re like me wondering what’s going on and confused heading into the New Year about the National Saltwater Angler Registry (NSAR), don’t fret, other fishermen in the U.S. are having the same problem. Hawai’i is currently one of several states (Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia and the U.S. Virgin Islands) that is required to have their fishermen register to fish because we do not have a comprehensive recreational saltwater license or registration program. NOAA has a site specifically to register and answer questions about the NSAR called the NOAA Marine Recreational Information Program.

There are pros and cons to having a national saltwater angler registry but I’ll defer on this while I wait and see what the Feds have in store for the data. Intrusive information that reminds me a little bit of the film, “Red Dawn,” where the Cuban leader ordered his men to gather information about the Boy Scouts (Remember? Said to be a paramilitary organization). I know, it might be a stretch and may never be used for dubious purposes, but too much identity theft and government security breaches going on that it makes me wary.

I always thought Hawai’i would be immune to this kind of licensing because of our long fishing tradition but it looks like the State of Hawai’i never implemented a program to keep or gather hard data for NOAA’s use. Read what other states in the same boat as Hawai’i are reporting:

New Jersey

Rhode Island

Virginia

Maryland

Massachusetts

Here’s an article from North Carolina that states that anglers don’t have to register because they have a program that NOAA can use to mine data:

North Carolina

Check out Hawai’i Fishing News and DLNR for other information.

Anyway, it’s free to register in 2010 but may have a fee attached later. So make your assessment and leave a comment. Maybe our government leaders in Hawai’i will make the right decisions regarding our recreational fishing interests. Do I hear, vote Abercrombie For Governor? You decide!

Waikiki-Diamond Head Fisheries Management Area

Great news for O’ahu shoreline fishermen for the New Year! A little information to help you get a head start on what is allowed and prohibited. Remember to malama (care for) the kai (ocean), in return, the kai will malama you.

Fishing spots open between the Waikiki Natatorium and the Diamond Head Lighthouse

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The New Year means a new spot to fish is open on Oahu’s south shores.

Starting Jan 1st, fishermen are free to hit the shoreline between the Waikiki Natatorium and the Diamond Head Lighthouse.

The area is only open every other year to help the fish repopulate.

From Department of Land and Natural Resources:

WAIKIKI-DIAMOND HEAD SHORELINE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AREA TO OPEN ON JANUARY 1, 2010 http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/chair/pio/nr/2008/N08-321.pdf

Waikiki-Diamond Head Shoreline FMA open to fishing January 1, 2010.
The Waikiki-Diamond Head Shoreline Fisheries Management Area is open to fishing during the calendar year 2010. This area is closed to fishing on alternate years to help restore fish populations.

Location
The Waikiki-Diamond Head Shoreline Fisheries Management Area extends from the ewa wall of the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium to the Diamond Head Lighthouse, from the highwater mark out to a minimum seaward distance of 500 yards, or to the seaward edge of the fringing reef if one occurs beyond 500 yards.

Fishing periods
“Open to fishing” from January 1 to December 31 of even-numbered years (2010, 2012, etc. ).
“Closed to fishing” from January 1 to December 31 of odd-numbered years (2009, 2011, etc. ).

Permitted
To fish for, take or possess any legal size marine life in season during the “open to fishing” period, provided that only hook-and-line, thrownet, handnet to land hooked fish, and spear fishing and hand harvesting methods are employed.
With a permit to engage in activities otherwise prohibited by law for scientific, propagation or other purposes.

Prohibited
To fish for, take or injure any marine life (including eggs), or to possess in the water any fishing gear during the “closed to fishing” period.
To use any spear between the hours of 6:00 pm to 6:00 am, or have or possess in the water any trap or net except thrownet or handnet to land hooked fish during the “open to fishing” period.

Download a pdf copy of the administrative rule and illustrative map of the Waikiki-Diamond Head Shoreline FMA.

NOTE: The Waikiki-Diamond Head Shoreline FMA is adjacent to the Waikiki Marine Life Conservation District where fishing is prohibited. Please see the DAR Fishing Regulations page or the Marine Life Conservation District pages for more information.