Last Shout - Posted by: Kettlefisher - Sunday, 01 August 2010 19:20
Going to the river....some days I sits and fishes, somedays I sits and thinks, some days I sits
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Shoreside Fly Fishing On the Kona Coast
Shoreside Fly Fishing On the Kona Coast By Aaron Laing (aka skunkaroo)
Postcard from the Kona Brewing Company
Aloha!
I just flew in from Hawaii, and boy are my arms tired... from casting.
This was my third and longest trip to the big island of Hawaii in the last six years. While all of them have theoretically been family vacations, there has always been enough time set aside for a little fly fishing. On this trip I pushed it about as far as I was able, and between dangerous surf conditions and howling gales I was able to make 14 outings ranging from about 2 to 8 hours over the three week period I was there. While Hawaii is not known as a significant fly fishing destination, I was still able to land a good number of fish and in the process ended up visiting some of the most stunning bays, flats and beaches in the world.
Big Island Map
Geography:
I was based in Kailua-Kona on each of my trips. Located in the heart of the Kona Coast this has proved to be a very good starting point for fish hunting in the land of volcanoes. The Kona Coast as it is called actually is comprised of three rough geographic/political regions along the western shore of the big island of Hawaii: Kohala in the north, Kona in the central area and Ocean View in the south. Protected from the moisture laden trade winds by the island's two major volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, this is the driest region in the Hawaiian chain. Here most shore-based fly fishing opportunities are to be found along the northern Kona and Kohala regions as opposed the very rugged southern area, and it was in the north-central area where I spent most of my fishing time exploring as many different beaches and fishing areas as I could find.
Unlike some of the older islands in the chain, the big island has fewer beaches, more recent lava flows, less flats and generally underdeveloped coral reef systems. That said, there are still plenty of fishing opportunities over a variety of bottoms and depths. During my stay I managed to fish over almost every conceivable fly fishing water type that the area had to offer--sometimes successfully but often not. Typical waters include flats (lava, coral and sand), tidal pools, shore drops, surf zones and blue water. Unfortunately, while all these water types hold fish, it is rare to find them adequately protected from the wind and surf to be considered "quality" fly fishing waters. Often a great deal of exploring and gathering intelligence from locals is required in order to find the shelves and small reefs that provide enough protection for good fly fishing opportunities.
After the hunt for suitable water, the next hurdle to overcome is the weather. While fishing in paradise has it's advantages, wind, surf and sun offer a fair share of hazards for the shore-based fly fisherman. The omni-present wind is clearly the biggest obstacle to overcome once you have discovered where to fish. This is a common complaint in most tropical fly fishing destinations, and Hawaii is no exception. Luckily the strongest trade winds are really fueled by the heat of the day and so the early morning and late afternoon/early evening offer relatively calm windows in which to fish. It would be nice if the surf followed the same pattern, but as luck would have it the largest and strongest waves are generally encountered early in the morning. While a simple scientific explanation is not at hand, discussions with the local body-surfers will soon confirm this. The last piece of the weather triangle to be dealt with is the merciless sun. While remedies in the form of sunscreen and clothing are at hand, I can attest to the fact that fishing on a hot day while swaddled in clothes isn't exactly a good time--stick to the early and late schedules dictated by the wind and you should be fine.
Dangerous Surf Conditions
Gamefish:
The gamefish of Hawaii are numerous, but with the very rare exception the fly fisherman will never encounter any of the big blue water species such as marlin and ono (wahoo). For the shore-based fisherman and the fly fisherman in particular the main target species are trevally and bonefish. Trevally (or jacks) have the widest distribution of all the gamefish and are found in the greatest variety of water types--including lava shelves, surf, drop zones, blue water and flats. They include three species: white (popio), blue fin (omilu) and giant (ulua). Of the three the most commonly encountered are the white and bluefin trevally, ranging in size from tiny 4" specimens to as much as 15 lb fish. A surprisingly hard fighting fish for its size, even 1 to 2 pound trevally will put a satisfying bend in most fly rods. These fish have a reputation of being "angler aware" and the smart fisherman keeps moving after a missed cast or a rejection.
Bluefin Trevally (omilu)
The illusive bonefish or o'io is the other target species and a real prize for the inshore fly fisher. These fish have a wide range, but seem to be limited to calmer waters and "flat" bottom types. Generally these sorts of conditions are best found along the central Kohala coast. O'io can run from small 10" specimens as much as a reported 10 lbs. Unfortunately, the typical "flat" in Hawaii is very small and so many of the bonefish are encountered in deeper waters. On my most recent visit, I encountered only a single finning fish on the flats (which annoyingly swam at my feet for about five minutes before darting away as I moved my rod), yet in the deeper surrounding zones many fish could be seen jumping--including several huge specimens. In all I find hunting for bones in on the big island is a lot like hunting for coastal cutthroat--except of course that the February weather is considerably better in Hawaii.
In addition to the main target species there are plenty of other fish to be caught in the rich inshore waters of the islands. The peacock grouper and yellow bream can be good fun on a lighter rod, and the needlefish, while frustratingly difficult to hook are a nice diversion on a warm afternoon day. All in all I encountered ten different species ranging from sand flounders to the strangely shaped cornet fish on this journey--the most numerous being jacks and toothy little lizard fish.
Lizard Fish
Gear:
As one can imagine the possibility of catching a wide range of species and sizes poses a bit of a problem for the traveling fly fisher: go with a heavier rod to cover all situations, or a lighter rod to make the most of inshore opportunities? At least one fisher I met, a regular bonefish fly fisher in Hawaii and the Christmas Islands, carried a seven weight rod as a compromise, but even he lamented his inability to throw poppers and larger deceivers into the stiff breezes along the shore. I dealt with this question by bringing both eight and five weight rods. Both rods were 9', four piece, very fast action, and fully anodized rods, with the custom built five weight having extra large guides. For most of the near shore work the five was in hand, but when wind and the possibility of larger fish was in the offing the eight weight came out. In truth none of the fish I encountered could not be handled by the five weight, but I was happy to have the eight on me when the afternoon trades began to roar.
Some might suggest otherwise, but I found multi-tip flylines (not specialized warm water versions) to be the most versatile option for fishing in the area. Discussion with various company reps at trade shows have suggested that specialty lines aren't really necessary until you get into extremely warm waters (far in excess of those found in Hawaii). I used multi-tip lines from two different manufacturers and found no issues with "limp" lines or tips. In addition to the five and eight weight multi-tip lines I also bought a seven weight full sink for blue water fishing as well as a seven weight clear intermediate line for flats fishing that I could use on both rods in a pinch. To save packing space, make quick changes on the water and to minimize the number of spools, I used the same size, make and model reel on both rods. Other possible line/rod/reel configuration are of course possible, but when traveling it's important to keep weight to a minimum and I found this to be best suited to the area and fishing.
Flies:
Flies used in Hawaii generally fall into two categories: baitfish and crustaceans. You will find that the baitfish imitations and particularly streamers will form the main items in your fly arsenal. Deceivers, foil flies and clousers in drab grey/white combinations with a limited amount of flash and a little red either in the heads or eyes do a good job of imitating small mullets and other baitfish that commonly cruise along the shoreline These work very well for jacks, peacock grouper and most of the midwater species you may encounter. Surprisingly, pencil poppers and gurglers will also draw aggressive fish to the surface, but such offerings really should follow the slim profile of the baitfish and ideally be cast along the edges of bait balls or "nervous water". Crustaceans, in particular shrimp patterns, in white and tan tones work well on the flats and bouncing along at the edges of rocky shores. These are areas frequented by bones, bream, flounder and occasionally grouper and these flies will attract them all. Crabs abound on almost any rocky surface, and while I did not have any patterns at hand, I suspect that a small dark olive crab pattern fished around surf washed lava outcrops would probably attract a lot of attention.
Mullet Clouser
Presentations for baitfish on the islands range from "fast" to "strip like hell"--as Greg Miller notes in his web piece Hawaiian Flyfishing Report, "nothing dies of old age in the ocean". You will find that your fast retrieve is closer to imitating a dying fish than a live one, while your fastest will at best come close to mimicking a slightly drunken sardine. Luckily in both cases this means a meal for most predators. Presentations for crustaceans are mercifully slower than those for baitfish, with as little as a few twitches of a well placed fly required to draw a strike on sandy bottoms. However, as most of the fishing takes place in water from 6-14' deep, long slow pulls interspaced with pauses and quick darts are usually more appropriate.
Regardless of the pattern or presentation chosen, whether you buy or tie your own flies, one thing is certain: you will need plenty of each size and type. Where three or four flies of a given type might be sufficient to last half a season on a gentle trout stream, in Hawaii you will can go through as many as a half dozen or more on a single trip. The lava, coral and rocks of the Kona coast will snag, scrape, blunt and break your hooks and flies at an alarming rate.
Final Thoughts:
Until the Island of Hawaii grows some serious coral reefs and flats (in the next ten to fifteen thousand years or so) it will unlikely ever be considered a fly fishing destination--but as the saying goes: it's not the destination, but the journey. While you hunt for the hidden shoals and remote beaches that offer the best flyfishing that the Kona Coast has to offer you will stumble across ancient fish ponds, villages and pertoglyphs left by the native Hawaiians. You will find bays so choked with sea turtles that it is impossible to cast without hitting one. You will see all manner of lava tubes, blow holes, moonscapes and hidden springs. Indeed the rugged beauty of the island will charm you as much as the tropical palms and white sand beaches. Fly fishing in Hawaii is definitely not an opportunity to be missed.
Aloha and Mahalo
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Tips and Suggestions:
There is plenty of literature out there on fishing in the tropics, and while much of it is dedicated to places like Belize and Cuba, it all applies in Hawaii. That said, the following are a few helpful suggestions either worth mentioning again or that I found helpful on my trips:
Use finger protection. Even if there are no fish making burning runs with your line, the salt will dry on your fingers and act like little razor blades cutting into your skin--I still have the slash in my finger to prove it.
Pick up a pair of tabis or bring light weight wading boots. Lava and coral are not like sand and while a pair of runners will do for a single trip, most rubber soled footwear will be trashed in as little as one outing. The Hawaiian tabi or felted boot, is a great piece of kit and can usually be found at the local department store at a very reasonable price. As an option a lightweight felted wading boot or sandal with a closed in toe will do.
Use local knowledge. You've never fished here, but almost every Hawaiian native or otherwise has. Don't be shy about striking up a conversation. This goes doubly so if you run into the rare fly fisherman. A hot tip from a local Ulua fisherman got me into some great bonefish water.
Clean your lines. Rinsing all your equipment after an outing is always a good idea, but it's a must in Hawaii. One thing I didn't bring and should have was line dressing. In spite of the rinsing and washing your lines will suffer and the dressing would have provided much needed extra protection.
Dry paper towel in a ziplock. This is one I borrowed for Lefty Krey's book on saltwater fishing and one I'm going to use from now on. Carry a small amount of dry paper towel in a ziplock bag to clean your glasses. One wave out there and your polarized glasses are going to be useless. This tip saved me a ton of time and I'm sure helped me catch a lot more fish.
What to pack:
This is a sketch list only, but based on my experience all will get used.
2 Four peice 9' fly rods (one light one heavy, both fast) 1-2 anodized saltwater reels/spools usable on either rod 2 Multi-tip lines 1 Type VI-VIII full sink line 1 Clear Intermediate Line Leader material (20 lb Maxima, 12 lb Maxima, 10 lb fluorocarbon) 1-2 Tapered Bonefish Leaders Line dressing Polarized Sunglasses Camera Small Pack or "Man Bag" (a vest is too warm) Snips or scissors Hook sharpener (you will need it) Tying kit Long sleeve SPF 30 shirt Flats pants or shorts Foreign legion type ball cap or a bandana to cover your neck Suntan Lotion Flies (a short list)
Deceivers: grey and white with red heads and/or gills (#8-2) Clousers: colours as above with red or yellow lead or brass barbells (#6-2) Foil heads: colours as above with silver mylar scaled foil heads and eyes (#6-4) Crazy Charlies: Tans, brown, and pale pink (easy on the flash) with brass barbells
