Flyfishing inshore Kona

[mems]

Makani Chritiansen asked me if I wanted to fish Kona with him. Went over yesterday and hit a spot only to find a school of pup blacktips at one of my bonefish spots. So I cast and got one of them. Pretty lucky with no wire.

It put up a good little fight.

Got a small Awa, milkfish on the same fly. Hadn't caught one in a while so that was pretty cool.
Went to another spot and saw more bonefish but they were finicky. Makani is back there today hoping for better results.

 

[rotato]

Cool looking fish!
why do they need such big eyes to eat algae?
cheers

 

[mems]

They eat other things like worms, fish eggs, small shrimp, etc. They don’t have any teeth and one continuous gill under their neck. That big eye will look over any fly and if they see a hook you get a refusal.

 

[rotato]

Cool
thanks

 

[Evan B]

Always thought it'd be fun to fish those Manua Lani ponds for the milk fish.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Always thought it'd be fun to fish those Manua Lani ponds for the milk fish.

 

[Salmo_g]

My wife and I visited the big island last December and walked around the Manua Lani area and fish ponds.

"The fishpond of Lahuipua‘a was once a shallow bay that early Hawaiians walled off and enclosed. The fish growing in the ponds eat algae off the bottoms. By keeping predators out, the fish are able to grow to a size where they can be harvested. (Recreational fishing in these fish farms is prohibited)."

Is this the same area you're fishing Mems?

 

[mems]

Ponds in Hawaii were built by the Hawaiians as a food source to support their population and provide fish, mostly mullet. Today the ponds have become decorative features at many resorts, but over run by invasive species like Egyptian Tilapia. It is my belief that the ponds should be used for catch and release fishing. It would allow families to fish together and help teach the kids how to fish, but also how to release the fish and to consider conservationist measures. I have been able to fish in many ponds like the one in the picture at the Hilton. That pond was built by Hemmiter strictly for ornamental purposes back when it was the Hyatt. It would be great if someone managed the pond at Waikoloa Marriot and let people fish there when it was loaded with Large Milkfish that were conditioned to eat bread. A dream my son and I have is to create 9 holes of fly fishing on ponds on a golf course and put a different species in each pond and do a shotgun start and fish on a Monday when the golf course is closed. I fish at Liliuokalani Gardens pond in Hilo all the time and practice catch and release there. My son tried to get it made into a catch and release pond for his senior project. He joined trout unlimited and tried to propose some legislation, but my school told him I could not be his advisor because I was his Dad, it didn't matter that I was also his teacher. So he dropped the project.
Ponds are a great place to learn to fish. I have taken many of our foster children there as well as my own grandson and nieces to fish often. It is safe and peaceful and the kids enjoy the time on the water.
Probably the best pond to fish on the Big Island is Kaloko pond in front of Costco. It is loaded with papio, ulua and bones. But they only limit you to a small stretch of the pond to fish because of a bird that walks the shoreline. There is a sacred rock that sticks out in the middle of the permissible section, but you can't stand on it because it is sacred, even though there is no signage. It became very frustrating so I don't fish there anymore.
We have many stupid rules here in Hawaii. Can you fish the ponds at Mauna Lani, no. Should you be able to fish there, yes. That is what they were built for. Should someone manage them and harvest the mullet and milk fish and leave the brood stock, yes that is what they were built for. There is a lot of protein running around on this island and most of it lies dead on the side of the road. Mismanagement of our resources is an on going problem. Hopefully as we become more self sufficient that will change.

 

[Paige]

So your ok with poaching, and teaching people to poach, got it!

 

[kerrys]

Ok. If I think a closed fishery should be open I can go ahead and fish it anyway? Wonder how the game warden is going to respond after I tell him/her I think it should be open so I can fish when I want and where I want.

 

[GOTY]

Can you fish the ponds at Mauna Lani, no. Should you be able to fish there, yes.

Knowingly and blatantly poaching, then posting the pictures/report on the internet doesn't seem like a good idea. This is worse than when flygyde was poaching kings for his clients and trying to defend it on the old site.


This is especially rough when you call this closed area:

one of my bonefish spots.

How about we don't encourage this shit and respect the resource?

Thanks.

 

[Matt B]

Ok. If I think a closed fishery should be open I can go ahead and fish it anyway? Wonder how the game warden is going to respond after I tell him/her I think it should be open so I can fish when I want and where I want.

According to Jim Travers' Main Amendment to the Washington fishin' rules: YES! You can do this. If you disagree with a fishing or hunting rule and feel strongly that your reason is a very good one, you may disregard that rule. That's the Main Amendment. Once it goes through, that's the deal!

 

[kerrys]

According to Jim Travers' Main Amendment to the Washington fishin' rules: YES! You can do this. If you disagree with a fishing or hunting rule and feel strongly that your reason is a very good one, you may disregard that rule. That's the Main Amendment. Once it goes through, that's the deal!

Perhaps Travers should hire mems. Two peas…

 

[dflett68]

i can't find anywhere in his post where he says he's fishing in closed waters. what am i missing? "I fish at Liliuokalani Gardens pond in Hilo all the time..." seems to refer to Waihonu Pond, which is unregulated if i'm reading the regs correctly.

Regulated Fishing Areas on Hawai’i Island

dlnr.hawaii.gov

 

[Chadk]

i can't find anywhere in his post where he says he's fishing in closed waters. what am i missing? "I fish at Liliuokalani Gardens pond in Hilo all the time..." seems to refer to Waihonu Pond, which is unregulated if i'm reading the regs correctly.

Regulated Fishing Areas on Hawai’i Island

dlnr.hawaii.gov

Yeah, a lot of conclusion jumping go on. Worth asking for clarification - but jumping to "you are a poacher" is pretty bizarre. He didn't name his "favorite bonefish spot" as far as I could tell. Then he simply said he disagreed with the management of the resources. I'm sure most of us have disagreements with at least a few WDFW policies. Doesn't make you a poacher to disagree... The Travers quote is apples and oranges to what I read from Mems.

 

[Evan B]

Yeah, a lot of conclusion jumping go on. Worth asking for clarification - but jumping to "you are a poacher" is pretty bizarre. He didn't name his "favorite bonefish spot" as far as I could tell. Then he simply said he disagreed with the management of the resources. I'm sure most of us have disagreements with at least a few WDFW policies. Doesn't make you a poacher to disagree... The Travers quote is apples and oranges to what I read from Mems.

Where the milk fish was caught is mauna Lani, which he admitted is closed.

 

[dflett68]

Where the milk fish was caught is mauna Lani, which he admitted is closed.

was the op edited? i don't see any location given beyond "kona". the only mention of mauna lani he makes is "Can you fish the ponds at Mauna Lani, no."

 

[TicTokCroc]

I agree with Mems, and I also don't follow stupid rules. Reminds me of this story from fly anglers online.

Fly Angler's OnLine "Old Flies Part 13"

The Premiere OnLine Magazine for the Fly Fishing Enthusiast. Online chat room, articles and solid informational content. Your Online Fly Fishing Tool!

www.flyanglersonline.com

 

[Evan B]

was the op edited? i don't see any location given beyond "kona". the only mention of mauna lani he makes is "Can you fish the ponds at Mauna Lani, no."

Well anyone who knows the area knows that's where it was caught. Not many assumptions need to be made.

 

[kerrys]

I agree with Mems, and I also don't follow stupid rules. Reminds me of this story from fly anglers online.

Fly Angler's OnLine "Old Flies Part 13"

The Premiere OnLine Magazine for the Fly Fishing Enthusiast. Online chat room, articles and solid informational content. Your Online Fly Fishing Tool!

www.flyanglersonline.com

If we follow old rupe’s logic then any norms we disagree with can be ignored. If we apply this beyond fishing or hunting where does it begin and end? For an extreme example; racism.