January 22, 2016

2016 Hawaii - Oahu (Day 1)

My friend Ji invited me to fish on his 17ft canoe that he custom outfitted with an outrigger. As we were rigging up rods before launching, I found a chipped guide on my 7' Rapala Baja rod. I would be down a rod for the rest of the trip.

In Ji's expert hands, we headed out of Kailua Beach into 4ft swells and 15kt onshore wind powered by a 2.5hp 4 stroke engine. We wanted to troll around the weather buoy but it was too rough, so we trolled to our bottom fishing spot hoping to pick up a Kawakawa but none wanted to play.

Once we arrived on location, we set up our rigs with a sliding 1oz egg sinker, a 3' leader and a #8 hook. I tried to go with lighter line but the triggerfish quickly snipped off my hooks. At the end, I found that 20lb provided enough sensitivity and prevented bite offs adequately.

The new species came quickly and all of them love the ika (squid).

Masked Triggerfish (Sufflamen fraenatum) - Species #486

Manybar Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Species #487
Moana

* The Manybar Goatfish had been my nemesis for a long time. I had tried previously over 3 trips to Hawaii to catch one, but could not catch one even when my friends beside me caught them. They are now a common catch for me after catching the first one.

Boomerang Triggerfish (Sufflamen bursa) - Species #488

Wedge-tail Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus rectangulus) - Species #489
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

Blacktail Wrasse (Thalassoma ballieui) - Species #490


Stocky Hawkfish (Cirrhitus pinnulatus) - Species #491
Po'opa'a

Hawaiian Hogfish (Bodianus albotaeniatus) - Species #492

Blackside Hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri) - Species #493

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

Ji also caught a Bluestriped Snapper, a Cigar Wrasse, a Hawaiian Chub and a Bluefin Trevally.

On the way back, we trolled in the canal and found a couple of juvenile Giant Trevally and juvenile Great Barracuda to cap of a fantastic session.

Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis)

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