A report from SteveL
I had a nice four day weekend - with a furlough day, Valentines Day, Chinese New Year and Presidents Day. We filled it with yard work, flowers (for the wives), good food and great fishing.
On Friday I went out with EricW. Eric hadn't caught a fish in ages and he kept wishing to hook one. I had lost a number of very large bonefish in this part of the flats over the last several weeks and was looking for another crack at a big one.
There was a rising tide in the afternoon and conditions were nice. We kept working the reef pass hoping for a bite and finally I get a massive grab and the fish takes off for the outer reef. It takes close to 80 yards of backing before I turn it. As I am reeling in, the line goes limp. I yelled over to Eric, "I think I lost it!"
I begin winding in the backing and about 60 feet of fly line when the line goes taunt and starts to pull! The fish was swimming in towards me. Rested, the fish gives me another battle taking short runs and turning me in circles. I finally land the fish - a six pounder. To Eric's frustration, we didn't catch anything after that.
We met again early Monday morning on a rapidly dropping tide. I didn't see a single fish as I made my way out and with the tide rapidly draining off the flats and the wind picking up, I didn't think we had much hope but you could tell Eric was on a mission.
The strong cool trade blowing and it made me regret not to put on an extra layer. Yeah, it does get cool here in Hawaii but at least I don't have to dig my way out to the driveway through 3 feet of snow like my good friend Mike in Virginia. (Editor's Note: But at least I can tell my kids how I used to walk five miles in the snow, barefoot, to go fishing).
After an hour of pounding the flats, I hear Eric call out to me over the wind as he sets the hook on a fish. This one really takes off and gives him a long battle. I coached him to take his time and tire the fish out. I finally net the fish for him. It was a six pounder - equal in size to the one I caught on Friday.
So we each caught one fish. After Eric's fish we called it a morning to get out of the "chill" for some hot breakfast and coffee. Eric gives me a tub of Jai he cooked for Chinese New Year so I could take something home to the wife. Lucky me!
