Hawai’i Fishing Fanatic

Happy Valentine’s & President’s Day Weekend! Yup, looks like this weekend is shaping up to be a great one! For those lovebirds and hopeless romantics like me, the very best to all. Make sure to spend some time with that special someone this weekend. Otherwise you’ll find yourself in the “dog house” for the rest of the year. LOL!

Here’s my Top Ten gift suggestions that might help you stay “pono” (straight, righteous) this weekend:

1) Order flowers whether down Maunakea St., your nearest florist, or online. A good online vendor and uses prompt Fedex delivery (even on Valentine’s Day) is ProFlowers. You can also call them at 1-800-580-2913.

2) Make a fishing gift basket with all his/her favorite lures, flies, hooks, lines, electronic gadget, etc.

3) Subscription to Hawaii Fishing News or a fishing magazine like Flyfishing in Saltwater.

4) Send an electronic Valentine’s Day card via my favorite web sites at Hallmark, eGreetings, eCards or American Greetings. Most have free ecards or paid ecards that can be further personalized.

5) Get an electronic gadget like an Apple iPhone (or iPad or iPod Touch), Google/Android phone, waterproof digital camera or fishing gadget (GPS device, fish finder, etc.) .

6) Specialized fishing pole like an ulua pole, fly rod or spinning rod coupled with a reel would do wonders for your favorite fishing person. Visit your local fishing/outdoor store.

7) Fishing videos from C4 Video Productions that produces a “Shorefishing Hawaii” series or get a good fishing book collection like Fishing Hawaii Style by Jim Rizzuto. These can also be found at your local fishing/outdoor store.

8) Setup a fly fishing trip for ‘o’io (bonefish) or ulua (giant trevally) with my Reef Rippas Guide Service. *I know shameless plug! But gotta mke money somehow! LOL!

9) If you can afford it, get a fishing boat from any number of boat dealers that can cater to his/her tastes.

10) Setup a fishing trip to the neighbor islands by flying Hawaiian Airlines and staying at an Outrigger Hotel.

BONUS: Get ‘um a pair of Maui Jim polarized sunglasses!

Hope that helps!

In any case, enjoy your weekend and don’t forget to spend your time wisely!

**I am not endorsed or sponsored by any of the aforementioned products. Although it would be nice, maybe, one day.

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