Small Kine Action

[Tightlines667]

Got small Kine Action yesterday.

A low pressure system just north of the main Hawaiian islands has shut down our tradewind fan for the long weekend.  Despite a growing list of projects on the boat, I opted to load up with 360lbs of ice, top off the fuel tanks and go fishing yesterday.

Reports of Mahi and Aku, and the fact I just brought 55lbs of brined/frozen/vacume-packed Bionoc Baits, Ballyhoo back from Florida helped form my plan of attack.  I invited my friend Joe, and he invited his 2 'newbie' friends.

We met at the boat at 0230, and headed out of the gates at 0300hrs.  We ran South 33nm and arrived at the P Bouy area around 0545hrs.  I rigged up a dozen ballyhoo on wired Seawitch squid skirts combos, and naked/chin weighted mono, and half a dozen whole Sardines on mono leader as pitch baits.  I dropped my 10' long, double spreader bar, 24-5" torpedo squid, with naked ballyhoo trailer dredge on the downrigger and positioned a naked/hooked Ballyhoo just behind it.  We deployed the mahi/ono 5 ballyhoo spread and searched for the P bouy without luck.  It must have broken free of its 1700' deep moorings and drifted away.  No easy pickings on the predawn Mahi today.  I spotted a big group of fast moving Aku several miles off of the 500fa curve.  Wrong spread, we couldn't catch up to the fish trolling at 6knots max, so we decided to pull everything and switch to my 5" Aku special jigs.  By the time we got setup, I realized the Skipjack were heading the opposite direction from our Penguin Banks target, so we turned, left them, and trolled 7nm to the tip of the banks.  Not a great start.

Upon arrival to Penguin Banks, I switched the spread back to deadbait and began trolling the 40fa. Ledge.  10minutes later, you guessed it, big pile of Skipjack surfaced on the point.  They were largely stationary, so I opted to leave dead baits out.  First approach, and I spotted 2 Mahi rooster-tailing into our spread.  One outrigger popped, and we ignored the hooked fish to throw sardines and a pitch bait into the wake in hopes of bringing any of his friends along for the ride.  Dropped the boat out of gear, and tossed some more sardines.  No followers, so we brought the 7lb fish to gaff.

Went back on the troll, made a few passes around the bird pile, then decided to switch to my 5" Aku special jigs.  We worked the birds for an hour with no takers, then turned north to run up to the next finger.  As soon as we arrived on scene, as luck would have it, the birds, bait and Aku erupted 100' off of the bow.  As soon as we passed by the nervous water, the riggers popped, and we had a double hook up.  We landed 2 (12&13lb) Skipjack and hurried to catch back up with the bird pile.  

After chasing the pile for another hour, I decided to switch back to dead baits and troll the ledge again.  As we approached the 'hole' yet another group of Skipjack surfaced.  We pulled the ballyhoo, but a Mahi hit the last naked rig just behind the boat as it was being retrieved.  I quickly threw some sardines and a whole pitch bait, but he appeared to be a loner.

We worked the birds with jigs for awhile before heading back up the line.  We ran into a huge group of lazy boobies rafted up,  and were afforded a show as 5 Frigatebirds harrased them to steal their breakfast boatside.  

After working the area for awhile with no bites, we ran up to the last finger and pinnacle (Rabbit Hole?).  As we approached, a very large bird pile became visable.  We chased the birds until I was finally able to get the baits in the fish.  The outrigger popped, and the reel started singing.  The newbie, who was standing closest to the reel quickly grabbed the reel, and proceeded to flip it out of gear... WTH!  Massive birds nest!  Fortunately, Joe already had gloves on, quickly grabbed the line and the two of is handlined the 13# Skipjack in and invited him aboard.  30minutes later, we had the birdsnest picked, sorted, and spread set again.  We chased the birds for awhile longer with no more takers.  

Given the time, I decided to switch everything out for the large Marlin baits, and head back home on a fast troll.  Aside from hooking a large rope on the longrigger, we had no action on the homeward run.



Back at the dock by 1700hrs.  14 hour day, produced 45lbs of fish while burning 43 gals of fuel.

The new guys had a blast and learned a lot despite a bit of seasickness, and all-in-all not a bad way to spend the day.

Maybe I will gear up to head out again Monday.

John

[Dominick]

Good job John.  That's the way to catch.  Keep after them.  Dominick

[Bill B]

Great report brother.....now the "newbies" will have a tale to tell for years......and soon the tale will be you "hand lining 150lb yellowfin and grabbing it with your teeth"     Bill

[lawaia]

Nice work, John.  The seasons are kinda funny this year.  Seems like the medium to large aku are early and the big mahi are late.  In the past the small mahi would be on the Banks in the spring but by the fall they'd have grown into 20-40 pounders, and the big aku were usually more plentiful later in the winter.  We'll take 'em when we can find them though, eh?  Good on you too for staying calm while the newbie made the bird's nest; guess if he had to learn it was best the lesson came on an aku rather than an ahi or au.  Tightlines!

[David Hall]

Great write up John and don't be to hard on the newbie,  As a bonified member of the fishing Idiots I know I've done a couple boneheaded things on the water.

[Tightlines667]

My friends picked up 3 of 4 30-40lb YFT in close yesterday on ballyhoo.  I went out today and ran the 40fa up to sand island and back around Barber's to the power plant with my Ballyhoo spread.  No signs of the Shibi on south shore today. 

We did run into a group of Babie (5-10lb) yft on the 200fa out from the plant, but no takers.  We hit a bird pile out at Nanakule canyon, 550fa with no knockdowns.  Also found a decent current line, with lots of small flying fish out there around noonish.  I worked the 40fa back with not a single knockdown.

Tough going today.  I had baits in the water for 9 hours, and burned about 18gals of fuel.  I may try to sneak out again after work this week for a few hours.  Last Tuesday I missed 1 Wahoo, and 2 Mahi on a 2 hour evening trip.  Trying to stay positive, since larger numbers of 4 class tuna should be showing up any day now.

John

[Benni3]

Good job,,,,

[lawaia]

Hard luck, but anytime you're on the water you've got a shot...just remember it's fishing not catching...and it's still better than working!

[Tightlines667]

Well my Pearl Harbor permit renewal was finally approved yesterday, and the wind layed down for the weekend.  I decided to go troll the Barber's Point ledge solo this morning.  Got a late start due to a permit paperwork mixup at the Harbor Control office.  I ended up leaving at 0730hrs, after a 3 hour delay.  I ran out to the point and trolled a 5 ballyhoo rig spread for a few hours.  Back at the dock by noon.  No knockdowns, but a beautiful morning for a boat ride. Also, I only burned 8 gals of diesel.

Tomorrow, I plan to get a bit more serious and head 30nms out to the bank with a full boat.

Wish us luck!

John

[lawaia]

Good luck!  I had wanted to go to the Bank for some 'paka but things didn't work out with my normal crew.  Glad you're not wasting the calm winds.

[Tightlines667]

Good luck!  I had wanted to go to the Bank for some 'paka but things didn't work out with my normal crew.  Glad you're not wasting the calm winds.

Thanks man.

I haven't hit the paka yet, but plan to do some deep drop this winter.  Fishing has been slow lately.  My friends fished Thursday, and Friday, and only ended up with 1 lost blue marlin, and 1 Aku between the 2 boats.  They lost a few Mahi as well. 

Looks like my full boat is down to 2 of us.  Hopefully we find something out there.  Should be a fun day.

[The Great Maudu]

That's a great story of what it's like to be fishing in those waters. I would imagine fuel is expensive over there too. As a side note I was born on Ohau so I consider myself a hawaiian lol.

[Gfish]

Good deal, Mike. Being born here gives ya a great deal of "social capitol" as in "local". Also helps alot if you got "one kine local talk"(pidgin accent & words). Perhaps a bigger deal on Kaua'i than Oahu 'er Maui.
Gfish

[Benni3]

This is cool,,,,nice fish and the best is yet to come,,,keep hooking them 

[Tightlines667]

Pretty slow day.  Went 4 for 6 on Aku on Penguin.  The False Killer Whales got to our spot first and likely chased the Mahi and Shibi out.  We ran into a group of fast moving smaller YFT, but couldn't keep up with them.  Beautiful weather today though.  Left at 0300hrs, put on 90nm or so, burned 40gals, returned at 1500hrs.  

That's fishing.  

In hind site, we should have deep dropped first thing until the currents picked up.  Marked a lot of fish, and the current, wind, and light was right before sunrise until about 0900hrs.  

I no worries brah.  

We go get 'um nex time

Here is a poor quality cell phone video of some Aku and seabirds feeding on Hawaiian sardines.