Went out in the late afternoon of Christmas Day to fish off of the ***** peninsula. It wasn’t the greatest of weather, windy with gusts to 30+ mph.
I took my light action seven foot rod with a Penn 420 SS reel loaded with six pound line. I had my son’s left over live shrimp from the day before and wanted to try fishing the small channel that cuts in front of the peninsula.
I caught a bunch of small Weke (goatfish) and a Toau (Blacktail snapper) there, before I decided that it was time to head back.
I rigged up with a clear plastic bubble float and a five foot 14-pound fluorocarbon leader and a fly from fly fishing. Tossed this out as I started to the ¼ mile walk back to the parking lot. I slowly retrieved the lure by giving it intermittent jerks; similar to the way I would strip line when fly fishing. On one of these casts an O’io (bonefish) slammed into my fly and went on a 80 yard run.
I looked at my straining rod and line and kept saying, “Don’t break”. I could only point the rod in the direction of the fish and watch the rod bend double with the tip dipped into the water. As the fish ran further I started to watch my remaining line on the spool. With each time I gained on the fish, the fish would go on another run.
I finally landed it; a four pound O’io. I gave my catch to the couple that lives on the beachfront. It was a nice Christmas gift for them.