According to iWindsurf.com, the Windward side yesterday was supposed to have relatively calm wind conditions. I picked a spot protected from the booming North West swell and was expecting close to sheet glass conditions. Instead my launch spot looked like this from the afternoon onshore winds.
Since I had schlepped all my kayak gear I was committed to paddling out. Heading into the wind and chop was definitely slow going and at times, small waves were cresting into my kayak. Not ideal conditions at all. I trolled a live, captive oama looking for bait schools on my fish finder. Bait was hard to find and the few suspended fish above the schools didn’t want to eat the oama or flat fall jig.
I trolled the outer papa edges, the deep channels, the inner sand beaches and came up empty. Not a single critter touched the oama. This had never happened anywhere before.
Was it because the full moon was two days earlier and the fish were feeding at night? Or did the epic swell that caused the Eddie Aikau Contest to run today cause the fish to hunker down for safety? Or maybe the windy conditions caused me to miss running over the fish with my fish finder? I sure hope conditions improve next week.
The most apt cliche here is …. “that’s why they call it fishing and not catching” … tight lines … 🙂
Yep, getting skunked sucks. Land (flats) lubbers like me are all too accustomed to fishless outings, especially here on Oahu. No theories here. Hope you turn your luck around soon.
Well, you’re using feathers and thread with no scent to fool wily flats fish. I was using live oama. Your approach is much more sporting.