A report from SteveL
After dropping my son off at work around 5am, I headed East to go fish. It was a rising tide and what better way to start the day?
I planned to fish near the mouth of the main channel where it empties into the ocean, but as I was driving down the highway the right lane was coned off for some kind of run - it ended at Ranch House but unfortunately the parking area was already full of cars and trucks. So I headed off to fish the flats instead.
For the last couple of days I had already hooked some nice fish (a 4.5 pounder on June 12 and a 6.5 pounder on June 13) and figured I could do even better with an early start. I headed for the reef break in front of the stream because as the tide rose fish would be moving through that area.
My first hit came sometime after 6am and with a brief fight I land a two-pound O'io (bonefish, Albula Vulpes). I was planning to give it to a friend so I bagged it .
After working over the flats for awhile I moved about a hundred yards and found a bit of reef to stand on. I got another strike and this time it was a yellow spot Papio (Yellow Spotted trevally, Carangoides orthogrammus) that also ended up in the bag. Soon after I get another hit and this one is a fight--I land a three-pound O'io. So I release the two-pounder, which is still alive, and replace it with the larger fish. I move again - west of the Blue Hole to a reef pass.
I find a coral head to stand on and start casting over and over again. I get another hit and this one is a screamer, taking off for the horizon. It runs 70 yards into my backing and breaks my 30-pound leader! I rig up as fast as I can to see if I can draw another bite and about 30 minutes later I get a hit. This one is bigger and runs 90+ yards. I try to keep my rod tip high to keep as much line off the water to avoid hanging up on coral heads. I finally land this fish and it measures out to be 23-inches at 4-pounds, 5-ounces. I immediately free the three- pound fish and bag this one (I use a floating net bag that keeps the fish alive and doesn't harm them).
I contacted some friends who live nearby and made a bee-line for their house. They always love fresh fish and the other great thing about going to their house; they make a great cup of Kona coffee. I trade them my fish for a pound of Ahi (tuna) poke.
So not a bad day for fishing--four O'io and one Papio.