Just got back from a week on Oahu. Before I left I debated whether or not to attempt some salt water fishing....thought maybe I might be pushing it a little...but then figured I was going to be surrounded by salt water and you only live once, so decided to check out some bone fishing.
Called Nervous Waters, the only flyshop on Oahu on Monday and no answer. Tried to find it in Honolulu and couldn't...turns out it was there, just really hard to find...tiny little shop with not much in it...and they are closed on Mondays. So wondered around the corner while the the husband rented his snorkel gear and found a kayak shop. Went inside and took a chance and said I was here for a week and looking to do some fly fishing for bonefish, but having a hard time finding a guide...would they happen to know of anyone. The guy just looks at me and says,"I know THE GUY. Louie The Fish." "You're kidding, right?" I say. At that he pulls out his phone book and dials a number. "Louie The Fish", he says into the phone. "I have a lady here who wants to do some flyfishing, and I told her you were the man." And he hands me the phone.
I explain to Louie that I am a beginner, but want to expand my horizons and am interested in some bone fishing. He says,"Yeah, I can do that for you. Can you handle an 8 weight? You know honey, bone fishin' ain't easy. I had a guy the other day that hooked three and couldn't land any of them. Bonefish here get big and when they're hooked they run hard." "Well", I said, "I guess you'll just have to hang on to the back of my shorts so I don't get dragged out to sea!" He laughed and I think I had him at that point. Called him Thursday night to confirm and caught him coming out of the Jimmy Buffet concert so he plays me his harmonica over the phone. Too funny and some damn good harmonica.
Anyway we met south of Honolulu. Weather was spotty with not much sun, so visibility wasn't great for sightfishing. Lots of vegetation on the sea bed so the fish were hard to spot, but Louie could spot em. I discovered that I definitely need to work on my distance casting and the wind made it even harder, but Louie hung in there with me and I only hooked him in the ass twice! Finally, after throwing the fly, or actually a rubber worm supposed to imitate a baby sea cucumber, about 6 or 7 times to various bonefish as they swam in and out of view I landed it just to the left of one...let it sit...bonefish checked it out and whack...fish on. I hung on while it shot like a bat out of hell towards open water...and Louis did not have to hang on my shorts to keep me standing. It was so cool to watch all the fly line and half the backing just shoot out of the reel. I reeled in and it ran some more...reeled...ran. But I got it in without much trouble and it was pretty sweet. Around 4 pounds according to Louie. Didn't measure but guess it was probably about 24 inches. Guess the record in Hawaii is 37 inches. It was a hoot of a day...landed one more smaller one at the end of the day...waded for about 7 hours...it was way cool. I will definitely be doing this again. I see another rod in my future.
Great story there flygirl. Didnt anybody tell you when you start fly fishing you'll always need another fly rod for some other kind of fishing. It goes on and on and on.
Speakng of bow...I think that is my next foray. Starting with a little archery, then maybe if I get good enough I can explore a little hunting. Sounds like a my kind of fun...anything that will keep me out of doors, on the water or in the woods.
awsome job. i guess your next trip should be for tarpon
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
That's awsome. I love bonefishing!! I have been several places bonefishing. My three favorite are Christmas Island, Accension bay/Mexico, and Belize. Is'nt it the best feeling having a bone ripping line out? I use a Sage Z-Axis , 9 foot. 8 weight, and a Tibor Everglades QC. I think when your spending that much money on a trip to go fishing it would suck to have shoddy gear and have it bust on you. Good job Flygirl. You should try Tarpon and Permit. Also going Shad fishing in the Sac is called the poor mans Tarpon fishing. Super fun.
actually shad fishing is pretty fun, i have done it before but with a open face, for you cali peeps thats a spinning reel, but ya same set up as putah, indicator, about 4-6 ft of leader to a shad dart, and on a fly rod they are a blast, looks like ill have to try it this next yr on the fly rod just to say that i did it, oh ya watch out for those stripers, they may just come and attach your small shad if you have one on. next yr when you wanna go, i have a perfect spot, where they all school up at with about 100-150 in that school.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
