29 replies to this topic

[MuskieBait]

I'm not sure if Hawaii is considered as N.A. Personally, I don't consider as N.A. geographically even though politically it is a USA state. But for interest sake, I figure some of your may wish to see this report.

 

Grab a pot of coffee...or save it for the weekend...it is full of pics!

 

If you fancy the full, yet brief, daily blog posts, you can find it here starting on Day 1:

 

http://muskiebaitadv...oahu-day-1.html

 

** I'm not going to post all the links here...all 28 days of links. I hope you are capable enough to navigate the blog on you own.

 

It has been over 6 years since I visited my Grandma and my uncles in Oahu, Hawaii. When an opportunity occurred that would take me there, it was difficult to refuse. I chose to kept the blog posts focused on fishing and scenery, so there is little mention of family and other events that also occurred.

 

Hawaii was the place where my species hunting began. When I was 16, I returned to Hong Kong to obtain my adult citizenship card. On the way back to Canada, I made a stopover in Hawaii. During the 1.5 weeks in Hawaii, I fished with my telescopic rod to catch a few reef fishes. That first experience opened my eyes to traveling and fishing. Since then, I had made two trips, in 2007 and 2009, back to Hawaii and caught 32 new species.

 

In the past, my fishing was limited by the lack of transportation. I was too young to rent a car. Fishing was dependent on the availability of my family and friends when and where they could take me. Today, I am afforded more freedom as long as I can afford a rental car. Luckily, I made all the bookings early enough before the rental price skyrocketed.

 

Based on the advice of Steve, Elijah and George, I decided to add a week on the Big Island just for fishing. However, Maui was an island that I had wanted to visit and hiking in Haleakala was a big bucket list item. A few day in Maui was added. Before I knew it, my 4 weeks long Hawaii itinerary took shape.

 

I would like to thank my family for hosting me for so long, especially my Grandma. I would like to thank my friends Ji, Jason, Stan and Todd for making their best effort fish with me. I would like to thank my new friends Wade, Jamie, Jeffery and Peterson and hope we will have opportunities to meet again in the future.

 

Food

 

Keneke’s plate lunch

 

 

Shrimp plate from North Shore

 

 

Pancakes smothered in macadamia nut ice cream

 

 

HI-BBQ smoked beef brisket

 

 

McDonald’s taro pie!!!

 

 

Nenue sashimi

 

 

Menpachi and Moana ready for the pan

 

 

Poke – shoyu marlin and limu ahi

 

 

Rainbow’s Dine-In plate lunch

 

 

[MuskieBait]

Some scenery

 

Ka’ena Point

 

 

 

 

Akaka Falls

 

 

Waipio Valley

 

 

Pololu Valley

 

 

 

Haleakala – 12 mile hike

 

 

 

[MuskieBait]

Now for the new species...

 

Day 1

 

Masked Triggerfish (Sufflamen fraenatum) - Species #486

 

 

Manybar Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Species #487

 

 

Boomerang Triggerfish (Sufflamen bursa) - Species #488

 

 

Wedge-tail Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus rectangulus) - Species #489

 

 

Blacktail Wrasse (Thalassoma ballieui) - Species #490

 

 

Stocky Hawkfish (Cirrhitus pinnulatus) - Species #491

 

 

Hawaiian Hogfish (Bodianus albotaeniatus) - Species #492

 

 

Blackside Hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri) - Species #493

 

 

Arc-eye Hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus) - Species #494

 

[MuskieBait]

Day 2

 

Cocos Frill-goby (Bathygobius cocosensis) - Species #495

 

 

Rockskipper (Entomacrodus marmoratus) - Species #496

 

 

Thalassoma purpureum (Surge Wrasse) - Species #497

 

 

Day 3

 

Fantail Filefish (Pervagor spilosoma) - Species #498

 

 

Day 4

 

Millet Butterflyfish (Chaetodon miliaris) - Species #499

 

 

Threadfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga) - Species #500

 

Bird Wrasse (Gomphosus varius) - Species #501

 

 

 

Hawaiian Dascyllus (Dascyllus albisella) - Species #502

 

[MuskieBait]

Day 5

 

Keeled Needlefish (Platybelone argalus platyura) - Species #503

 

 

Speckled Squirrelfish (Sargocentron punctatissimum) - Species #504

 

 

Iridescent Cardinalfish (Pristiapogon kallopterus) - Species #505

 

 

Shortfin Molly (Poecilia mexicana) - Species #506

 

 

Day 6

 

Whitespotted Boxfish (Ostracion meleagris) - Species #507

 

 

 

Spot-fin Porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix) - Species #508

 

 

Day 7

 

Common Parrotfish (Scarus psittacus) - Species #509

 

 

 

White-banded Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus) - Species #510

 

[MuskieBait]

Day 8

 

Yellowfin Surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus) - Species #511

 

 

Day 9

 

Bluespine Unicornfish (Naso unicornis) - Species #512

 

 

Brick Soldierfish (Myripristis amaena) - Species #513

 

 

Bandfin Cardinalfish (Pristiapogon taeniopterus) - Species #514

 

 

Day 10

 

Sixfinger Threadfin (Polydactylus sexfilis) - Species #515

 

 

Day 11

 

Daisy Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Species #516

 

 

Convict Surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus) - Species #517

 

 

 

Ringtail Surgeonfish (Acanthurus blochii) - Species #518

 

 

Eyestripe Surgeonfish (Acanthurus dussumieri) - Species #519

 

[MuskieBait]

Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma velifer) - Species #520

 

 

Indo-Pacific Sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis) - Species #521

 

 

Undulated Moray (Gymnothorax undulatus) - Species #522

 

 

Day 12

 

Yellowstripe Goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus) - Species #523

 

 

Day 13

 

Yellowfin Goatfish (Mulloidichthys vanicolensis) - Species #524

 

 

Hawaiian Chub (Kyphosus hawaiiensis) - Species #525 (Potentially)

 

 

Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus) - Species #526

 

 

 

Spider-eye Puffer (Canthigaster amboinensis) - Species #527

 

[MuskieBait]

Day 14

 

Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Species #528

 

 

Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger) - Species #529

 

 

Lined Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lineolatus) - Species #530

 

 

Brighteye Damselfish (Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis) - Species #531

 

 

Whitespotted Frillgoby (Bathygobius coalitus) - Species #532

 

 

Day 15

 

Whitespotted Filefish (Cantherhines dumerilii) - Species #533

 

 

Forceps Butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus) - Species #534

 

 

Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus) - Species #535

 

 

Racoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) - Species #536

 

 

Day 16

 

Shy Soldierfish (Plectrypops lima) - Species #537

 

[MuskieBait]

Shoulderbar Soldierfish (Myripristis kuntee) - Species #538

 

 

Day 17

 

Pinktail Triggerfish (Melichthys vidua) - Species #539

 

 

Ornamented Wrasse (Halichoeres ornatissimus) - Species #540

 

 

Tropical Half-beak (Hemirhamphus depauperatus) - Species #541

 

 

Paintspotted Moray (Gymnothorax pictus) - Species #542

 

 

Day 18

 

Brassy Chub (Kyphosus vaigiensis) - #543

 

 

Blotcheye Soldierfish (Myripristis berndti) - Species #544

 

 

Crown Squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema) - Species #545

 

 

Day 20

 

Turkey Moray (Gymnothorax meleagris) - Species #546

 

 

Day 24

African Coris (Coris gaimard) - Species #547

[MuskieBait]

Day 26

 

Gracile Lizardfish (Saurida gracilis) - Species #548

 

 

Day 27

 

Spotfin Burrfish (Chilomycterus reticulatus) - Species #549

 

[MuskieBait]

Some pics of species I've caught previously that I also caught on this trip…

 

Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis)

 

 

Hawaiian Gregory (Stegastes marginatus)

 

 

Christmas Wrasse (Thalassoma trilobatum)

 

 

Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus)

 

 

Blackspot Sergeant (Abudefduf sordidus)

 

 

Kuhlia sandwicensis

 

 

Kuhlia xenura

 

 

Redbarred Hawkfish (Cirrhitops fasciatus)

 

 

Blacktail Snapper (Lutjanus fulvus)

 

 

Bluespotted Cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii)

 

[olaf]

Wow. Beautiful fishes, great information. I read every word of every post. So jealous. I wish I'd have fished during either of my long visits to Hawaii. I volunteered as an engineer (and lived aboard) on a ship in port in Honolulu for a month in the early 90s, but spent all my time working in the engine room and never even explored the area. Then two weeks of honeymoon in 2003 on Maui and the Big Island, with lots of snorkeling and swimming--including face-to-face meetings with morays--and the only fishing was a half-day of charter for marlin (skunked). Never even thought to fish. Hadn't been bitten by the species fishing bug yet.

[Dustin]

Wow!  This is a amazing.  The specimens you caught look more like intricate pieces of art than they do fish.  Congratulations on such great skill and luck to be able to see some many different species.

[MuskieBait]

Wow. Beautiful fishes, great information. I read every word of every post. So jealous. I wish I'd have fished during either of my long visits to Hawaii. I volunteered as an engineer (and lived aboard) on a ship in port in Honolulu for a month in the early 90s, but spent all my time working in the engine room and never even explored the area. Then two weeks of honeymoon in 2003 on Maui and the Big Island, with lots of snorkeling and swimming--including face-to-face meetings with morays--and the only fishing was a half-day of charter for marlin (skunked). Never even thought to fish. Hadn't been bitten by the species fishing bug yet.

 

Hey Olaf, gotta make a trip back if you can. Let me know when you do and I can share a bunch of spots and techniques with you.

 

Face-to-face with Morays...no thanks. I'm sure some would love to bite my face off after what we put them through LOL.

The whole trolling thing...I've done it many times in the past on Todd's boat. Most days you're just in for a boat ride. I much prefer poking around the reefs for interesting species...but man, it would be rad to finally catch a Wahoo or a Marlin. One day, that day will come.

[MtFallsTodd]

Wow!!!most of those fish are on a reef tankers wish list. Thanks for sharing all the pics.

[Doug_Dame]

Impressive work. Thanks for sharing the px of some really fabulous fish.

[gzeiger]

Those are really cool pictures. I always wonder though what the survival rate can be when they are laid down on rocks, wood, cloth, or whatever. Are these being released after that handling?

[MuskieBait]

Those are really cool pictures. I always wonder though what the survival rate can be when they are laid down on rocks, wood, cloth, or whatever. Are these being released after that handling?

 

Depends on the fish species as always.
 

I've tried all sorts of photo methods.

 

I've tried photo tanks...from simple containers to more elaborate photo tanks. Just because a fish is kept in the water doesn't ensure survival. I've had too many minnows, shiners and darters die in a photo tank, being in captivity for less than 30 seconds, even with water refreshed constantly in the tank. I've tried that with reef fish as well, and I've had them belly up in photo tanks also.

I've photographed many fish on the ground, while resting them in a net nearby, or in a tidepool, or in a bucket..etc in between a few snaps. Most swim away just fine, some are more delicate and don't survive. Sometimes, one individual of a hardy species is just delicate and dies even though they are usually fine. It all depends.

 

The Moray that we photographed here had been out of water usually for more than 10 minutes, because much of that time you are battling to get the eel out of a knot that it tied itself into (often tangled with leaders and line that had to be cut away), then you have to somehow subdue to calm down to even remove the hook, and then position for photography. My Hawaiian friend told us to hit the eel in the tail with flip flops and that stuns the eel enough to handle them. We tried it, it worked, and the eel later recover all by itself and swam away just fine. One of the eel I handled this way we saw it hours later seemingly just fine. Morays are nasty. Some will chase you on land and try to bite you. We stun the eel more for our own safety. Even if we had cut the line, an eel that tie itself into a knot tangled in line is not the best for its survival.

As always, no handling method guarantees 100% survival. I'm not naive enough to think that. But I do my best to make the the fish are handled with as little time as possible and photograph as humanely as possible.

[MuskieBait]

BTW, I'm not taking your question as some kind of attack, but just a friendly and helpful discussion of handling. And my response is made as such as well.

 

I also wanted to point out this: If you look at my pictures carefully, most of the fish has intact fins and scales with hardly any dirt or sand on the body or fins. The eyes are moist and the slime layer is as intact as possible. From personal experience, if a fish had been flopping on the ground or any surface, it is easy for the fish to pick up dirt or other particles, and especially on a rougher surface like sharp lava rocks, it takes very little for fins to rip. I hope these are signs that you can see to show the quickness of my photography and the care I give to the fish to keep them in the best condition possible.

Part of this is for the health of the fish, but part of it is also selfish - to make sure I get the best pictures as possible. Who wants pics of fish losing scales and with ragged fins anyways?

[zooxanthellae]

This doesn't even seem fair, those other poor lifelist guys can't possibly compete with this! I would absolutely love to get the chance to photograph some of those fishes, well done!