A report from Eric and SteveT
With heavy rains and high winds slamming the Hawaiian islands for almost a week, winter fishing hasn't been easy for flats stalkers gunning for O'io, or bonefish.
"Four fish in four days. The fishing has been tough," said SteveT who was in the islands on vacation. It was a combination of "too much rain and too much run off." He was fishing most of the time with Eric and SteveL, hitting all the likely bonefish hangouts but not having much luck. However the fishing was about to get better---just not in a way anyone expected.
Eric and SteveT waded out one morning to fly fish the falling tide. They pounded the water from 8:30 am to noon but "the only thing we caught was three Trumpetfish, a Lizardfish and a Weke (Goatfish)," said SteveT. As they continued fishing, SteveL waded out to join them and he managed to hook a Lizardfish.
According to Eric "the wind had dropped and conditions on the flats were very calm, with clear water." However the bonefish weren't interested in biting and fishing was so slow everyone agreed it was time to wade back to shore.
"We all started to go in because we had no takers," explained Eric. "They (SteveL and SteveT) were still trying but I gave up. As I was walking in, I always look for tako (octopus) holes. The water was like glass so the spotting was good."
He said about three quarters of the way in to shore he spotted "a kind of big hole, but the rocks were not clean--I guess because of silt from the rain." An octopus will build a protective structure of coral chunks that are piled together to create a cave, which it uses as a home base. An octopus-built structure is easy to spot. It stands out on the flats because of the uneven coloration of the upturned coral, which is clear of reef growth and much brighter than surrounding rocks which have a thin veneer of biological growth and silt.
"I stood over this hole kind of long, looking in to see if there was a tako in it and as I looked I saw a leg moving," explained Eric. "I did not have anything to stick into the hole so I called SteveT over to get his Boga Grip.
"I saw Eric standing in one spot staring in to the water for about 10 minutes and I was wondering what the heck is he looking at," said SteveT. "I went over and saw that he had found a tako hole. Apparently it was a rather large tako hole, but I'm not a tako expert."
Eric stuck the Boga Grip into the structure and discovered there was a huge tako in it.
"I tried to get it out for awhile, but just could not do it so we called SteveL over... you know, the 'Crocodile Dundee' of the flats," explained Eric.
A stunned SteveT said SteveL came over and promptly stuck his hand into the hole.
"There is no way I would have done that," said SteveT. "And suddenly a long octopus arm starts crawling up SteveL's arm and the fight was on!"
"SteveL grabbed that sucker and ripped it out of the hole, said SteveT and soon "the tako was all over him, but SteveL calmly grabbed it and started gnawing on it. Eric and I were a little grossed out but I guess it's bite or be bitten."
SteveL was biting into a nerve bundle located between the octopus's eyes. Biting (or cutting) this area will instantly immobilize and kill the creature.
After it was subdued it was bagged and "dragged back to the beach" where SteveL proudly displayed the catch of the day, a 4 to 5 pound octopus which will become an island delicacy called tako poke. I wonder if Captain Nemo knew about this biting thing?
EQUIPMENT: Boga Grip (to make sure it was an octopus in the hole), your bare hands for fighting and a good set of teeth for subduing the feisty critter.