Product Review Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Hawaii Nearshore Fishing

Product Review: VMC 6X Circle Hooks and 4X Treble Hooks

April 17, 2018 By Scott 1 Comment

We’ve collectively been using VMC 6X Tournament Hooks and VMC 4X Treble Hooks for a few years now with great results.

Here’s what the guys have to say about them.

VMC 6X Tournament Circle Hooks

Darren:

Mustad circle hook that opened up on a shark

12/0 VMC Tournament 6X circle hook

I had been using offset circle hooks with whole or cut fish for uku and wasn’t satisfied with the poor hookup ratio. A lot of fish were lost due to pulled hooks. A few opened up on big fish and sharks. When I saw the 6X Tournament Circle hooks at McCully Bike, I liked that they were not offset and the severe angle of the hook point made the gap small. Small gap meant better holding power, I hoped. Tried the smallest size, 12/0, and the hookup ratio greatly improved. More hookups meant more fish in the boat. Been using the 6X circle hooks going on two years now and am very happy with them.

Scott:

12/0 and 14/0 Perma Steel and 12/0 Coastal Black VMC 6X Tournament Hooks

uku with 12/0 VMC 6X circle hook in mouth

When Frank and I started fishing the deep off the kayak with chunks of opelu, I asked Darren, my uku sensei, for advice. He said he liked the VMC 6X Tournament Hooks because he believed the small gap allowed the non-offset hook to slide forward in the fish’s mouth as it ran with the bait, and turn into the jaw. I liked that it was half the price of the Owner hook that closest resembled it and was available at most Honolulu tackle shops. The hook point wasn’t as sharp as the Owners but was sharp enough to scratch my thumbnail.

So far I’ve used the Perma Steel version in the 12/0 size (available in most Honolulu tackle shops) and caught uku, sharks and lost mystery fish that cut high up on the leader. While I don’t like battling sharks off the kayak, I was impressed that the hook set in the corner of the jaw and kept the leader away from the shark’s teeth. We’ve recently purchased the new Coastal Black version online, which feels like the Japanese designer hooks, and is coated to further resist corrosion. Looking forward to seeing how they work.

VMC 4X Treble Hooks

Kelly:

I have been using VMC reinforced treble hooks for 3 years and have come to prefer these hooks over other available brands. For inshore trolling, I use the very small treble hooks, about size #8-#12 (about the size of an edmame) and have caught many fish in the past few years. A few noteworthy catches have been 8 lb white papio, 6 lb omilu, 5 lb kagami, all on Oahu. Luckily, I have not had a VMC treble fail me yet. The hooks are extremely strong and very inexpensive. I buy mine from J&E fishing Supply in Kalihi. The hooks are about 30 cents each, which fits right into my pake fishing budget 🙂 As with most trebles, the hooks are rather sharp as well. The one drawback about these VMC mini treble hooks is that I have not found another fishing supply store here that carries them.

Thad:

I have been replacing the weaker treble hooks that come attached to small topwater and subsurface lures with 4x strength trebles. I had previously been buying 4x strength Owner hooks but came across the VMC O’Shaughnessy 4x trebles at a much, much cheaper price and with good reviews. They come in 25-packs at a lower price than what I paid for an 8-pack of Owners.

I purchased both the silver and red hooks. It’s a personal preference for me but I like the red hooks because I think they resemble the blood of an injured fish. Both colors are equally sharp although I have found a few hook points that needed some touching up with a sharpener. It could be due to the way they’re packaged loosely in the container. The Owners by comparison, are packaged carefully so they don’t move around and the points don’t touch anything so they are always very sharp.

Corrosion resistance has been impressive. I always rinse and dry my lures well after using them and have not yet noticed corrosion on any hook. The packaging on the 25-packs says the hooks are made in France. I’m assuming the cost of producing hooks in Europe is much higher than in China, and hooks’ quality is much better so it’s surprising they are priced so well.

Composite product test and catch report

April 9, 2018 By Scott Leave a Comment

Since returning from the Fred Hall Show in Long Beach, the weather was often windy and rainy. Erik was able to get out and jig the deep a few times when conditions allowed and caught some noteworthy fish on the test jigs.

He got this 15lb kawakawa on a Jigging Master striped glow jig he purchased at the Fred Hall Show and immediately bled and iced the fish. Made some incredible sashimi.

And right before Easter, Erik deep dropped a Lumica Xtrada Jacker glow jig with rattle he was given by the guys at Lumica and pulled up a rare and delicious hapu’upu’u. Erik described the sashimi as having a texture similar to ono but with a slightly lighter taste. And 3 days later it firmed up a little more with great oil content. He also made a fish and shrimp chowder with it and said it was super ono.

I haven’t done as well. Caught a cold shortly after returning from the Fred Hall Show and whipped once and kayak fished once. Took the 13 Fishing Omen 7’3″ travel rod and zero ball bearings Concept Z bait casting reel out to the test flats. The tide was too low to allow predators to come in but I was able to see how the rig cast a 1/2 oz top water lure into the wind. I was very impressed. The spool doesn’t initially spin as fast as my other bait casters so it doesn’t have to slow down as abruptly either. I had 17 lb mono on, which is more forgiving than braid, and never backlashed, even with a head or side wind. Could also cast further than I normally do despite a stiffer rod 7 inches shorter. The little reel was easy to cup and the 3-piece travel rod felt like a 1-piece. I did get a small kaku to boil on my lure but that was it. I’m pretty stoked to have a travel rod that I can carry on the plane that fishes like my 7’10” 1-piece whipping rod. Excited to test the rig again under more fishy conditions.

Frank and I did paddle out on the one day calm enough to do so. We fished the same 100 ft dropoff area we’ve been getting the big strikes and small uku, and the tide was rising in the morning. Yet it was super slow. I hooked one shark which looked to be about 5 ft, and Frank had 3 of his trolled dead opelu attacked by something that clipped 3 inches off the tail. It was a bright moon day, a few days before the full moon so maybe that’s why it was so slow. Even the whales had left the area.

The shark pulled steady and rested often. I tried to fight it off the bow, not off the side, so it couldn’t tip me over, and finally got it up to leader after about 20 mins. Just as I was reaching to cut the leader with my new Gerber Neat Freak scissors I bought from the Fred Hall Show, it shredded the leader with its body or tail. The VMC 6X Circle Hook was embedded in its jaw, keeping the line away from its chompers. No pictures or video. Turns out, while fighting the shark, I turned the GoPro off instead of on. Now I know how sharks feel on the line and the next time something pulls slow and steady, with rest periods, I’m gonna try my hardest to bust ’em off. My GLoomis Bucara rod, which is too stiff for the small uku I’ve been catching, had a lot of backbone to raise the shark off the bottom. But all that backbone puts pressure on me so I gotta get in better shape to fight these heavy sea monsters.

No light wind days predicted in the near future so our product reviews are piling up.

Pedaling test of Hobie Revolution 13

March 24, 2018 By Scott 5 Comments

Frank and I have worked up to being able to paddle 2 miles out to the deep for a few hours of fishing but when the wind picks up it’s a pretty strenuous paddle to get back in. We definitely feel it the next couple of days. Pedal kayaks are looking better and better for the efficiency of using our stronger muscles (legs) and freeing up our hands to fish.

There are a few makers of pedal kayaks and all but Hobie use a bicycle style pedaling motion that turns a propeller. Hobie pedal kayaks use a piston style pushing motion that causes fins under the kayak to flap. The Hobie pedal kayaks seem to be the gold standard. Hobie’s drive train mechanism is easier to maintain than their competitions’ and only Hobie has an actual dealership on Oahu. That was the clincher for me since the pedal mechanism on all the makers’ kayaks is prone to breaking down.

We’ve been told by guys who have used the various Hobie models that the Hobie Revolution 13 is the one we want for ease of transport to fish a couple miles off shore so Frank made an appointment with Windward Boats in Kailua, Oahu for the water test.

In this video, Frank is instructed by Bert to set the comfy raised Vantage seat, secure the paddle, deploy the rudder, insert the Mirage Drive 180 pedals and go into reverse gear. He takes the Revo 13 for a spin, then I do, and then I switch to the longer Turbo fins for increased propulsion.

I found the bare Revo 13 to be lighter to carry than I expected. Its advertised weight without the seat, Mirage drive, rod holders, etc is 70.5 lbs and my old Scupper Pro is supposed to be 55 lbs but the Pro feels quite a bit heavier than the Revo now that I have the rod holders, rudder kit, fish finder mount, transducer and battery permanently attached. Since the Revo already has its rudder installed, I’m guessing the other permanently mounted accessories will add 12 – 15 lbs but still be car-toppable with the right car rack system.

We tested the Revo 13 in flat water and it was faster than I expected also. Definitely quicker than paddling the Pro, which is a fast Sit On Top kayak. And although the Revo 13’s width of 28.5 inches is narrow by pedal boat standards, it’s 2.5 inches wider than the Pro and felt a lot more stable. Folks coming down from a much wider paddle kayak may not feel the same way, however.

The carry handles, rudder control, hatches, seat and Mirage Drive looked and felt well thought out. Granted, we didn’t fish the Revo 13 but it did feel like a quality boat. The best blue water paddle fishing kayaks (Jackson Kayak Kraken 15, Ocean Kayak Trident 15, Wilderness Systems Thresher 140, etc) are half the price of the Revo 13 and come with more accessories and fish carrying capacity. Is the pedaling convenience of the Revo 13 worth it? For a few thousand more, we could get a power boat but I don’t want to have to deal with boat maintenance and having to trailer it around.

I have this transition plan in my head to adjust to our aging bodies:
Paddle Kayak -> Pedal Kayak -> Motorized Kayak -> Boat

What do you guys think we should do?

Fred Hall – Sunday (last day)

March 14, 2018 By Scott Leave a Comment

Erik and I were up late Saturday night, processing photos and video we took that day. I effectively woke even later than expected Sunday morning because I didn’t realize Daylight Savings Time kicked in! That gave me only about 2 hrs to follow up with a few exhibitors before I had to leave for the airport. For background on these folks, please read the previous post.

First stop was Lumica to show them the Iki Jime instructional video Erik had completed. The US CEO and Japanese sales rep were so stoked they made sure we both had the small, medium and large kits to try out in Hawaii. That was really nice of them.

Then we bee-lined over to the 13 Fishing booth. JD surprised me with a Black Omen medium-heavy graphite travel rod and case he grabbed from the warehouse after last night’s show, to test with their new Concept Z salt approved casting reel that uses a polymer bearing instead of actual ball bearings that can jam and rust. The reel looked tiny but has 22lbs of drag! I’m always looking for a travel rod that fishes like my one piece rods, and their Black Omen rod felt like it was up to the task.

Erik showed JD the completed video he made of JD’s interview and JD was so grateful he went behind a curtain and returned with a t-shirt, lanyard, cap and stickers for both of us! I had seen 13 Fishing in catalogs but wasn’t familiar with the quality of their products. Their branding and apparel looked really contemporary compared to some of the more staid brands that just offer shirts and hats with their name in block letters.

Next we raced over to the Major Craft booth and Lee was so animated we asked if he’d want to be video interviewed. He didn’t even have to think about it and launched into a very entertaining monologue you’ll be seeing on this site soon. As Lee said, he’s “podagee” so he has no problem talking on camera. He gave us both Major Craft hats to sport when we’re fishing the Jigpara jigs and we promised to connect with Brandon and him when we’re settled back home.

On the way out, we stopped by the Promar – Ahi USA so I could get the telescopic gaff for Frank and the bat to go with my gaff. It’s incredible how reasonably priced their products are. Frank could make a bat out of wood for me but it’s cheaper in the long run just to buy the Promar bat (Ahi USA is the lure side of the company).

With all the expected goodies, I had to repack my bags to make room. Erik’s flight was leaving the next day so he stayed to see if there were any drastic price reductions in the last hours of the show. Stay tuned for the show and trip wrap up. Video interviews to follow after that, and look for product giveaways in the not so distant future.

Promar ProFloat Landing Net

January 15, 2018 By Scott 2 Comments

I’ve been using the smaller 13.5″ x 18.5″ ProFloat landing net by Promar every week for more than 2 yrs now, wade fishing, kayak fishing and boat fishing. It floats, can be used as a temporary bait hold, has snag proof mesh that even treble hooks don’t foul, has an elastic lanyard, and best of all, it’s cheap! It sells for about $20 – $25 in the local tackle shops.

Look closely, there’s a tagged kaku recovering in the net

My net is still going strong with no wear whatsoever. The only time I couldn’t land a fish with it was when a sharp toothed aha was too long to fit in the deep net and I didn’t want it falling out in my lap.

When I’ve used friends’ nets to land fish, invariably we’d be wrestling with a hooked fish that was connected to the net by the other hooks. Do yourself a favor and buy this net.

The stuff I use and why I use ’em – Fishing Tackle

December 20, 2017 By Scott 5 Comments

(Updated April 2019)

Since starting the blog portion of this site in 2014, I’ve stumbled upon equipment to make my fishing easier, more productive and more enjoyable. I can’t share our fishing spots with you but I can share the equipment I especially like.

The gear categories are fishing tackle, fishing attire, and kayak fishing equipment.

My style and preference may be very different from yours so please take that into account. Where I deviate the most is using bait casting gear instead of spinning gear. I’ve mentioned why I like to use bait casters here.

Some of my gear may be discontinued but you should be able to find a newer, hopefully better version of the product. If you have a product you think is better, please share it with us. I’m always looking for continuous improvement.

I’ll update this list as I think of other products to add or replace, and write separate product reviews for the really deserving ones.

Fishing Tackle

Rods: I primarily use bait casting gear and like my rods to be as light in weight and as sensitive as possible. I try to be careful with my rods so I’ve been able to use graphite / carbon fiber rods which are lighter and more responsive than fiberglass. The lightness really makes a difference when I’m whipping or jigging for hours at a time. For whipping, I try to find G. Loomis demo rods on eBay, and use Shimano Trevala rods for jigging. I also have a Shimano Game Type-J jig rod that is a super light, strong delight to jig with all day.

Reels: Again, I primarily use bait casting reels. I used other brands in the 90s to kayak fish and they corroded quickly so I switched to early model Shimano Calcuttas and have used Shimanos since. The Shimano bait casters rated for salt water are easy to cast, corrosion resistant and fairly easy to maintain. If I need to have the reel professionally repaired, Shimano’s flat rate repairs have been very reasonable. Reel parts are also available online at a great price with expedited shipping. I’m able to do most of my reel maintenance myself now, after bungling my initial repairs. Besides the Calcuttas, I use Shimano Curados, Tranxs and a Trinidad (conventional).

Line – Backing or Main: Sufix 832 braid. I’ve tried the other popular brands with less than desirable results. I’ve found Sufix 832 to be round (8 strands), smooth and cast very well. It doesn’t bind into itself they way the other brands did, and if I do get a rare backlash I can easily pull out the snag without too much drama. I’ve heard great things about Jerry Brown braid and want to try that soon.

Line – Top Shot: I’m able to put Seaguar Invizx fluorocarbon on my bait casting reels. I’ve tried to put it on a spinning reel and it spun itself off. Invizx, being castable fluorocarbon, is nearly invisible in the water and very abrasion resistant. It takes a lot of rubbing on the reef to get cut off by a fish but it also makes it hard to break off snags. I use Invizx on my trolling reel and inshore casting reel. Invizx only goes up to 25lb so I don’t use it on my plugging setup.

Line – Leader: Seaguar Blue Label fluorocarbon leader. I like that Blue Label is supple and easy to tie knots, and doesn’t seem to kink like some other brands. I use 40lb Blue Label in place of wire leader when kaku are around and don’t think I’ve been cut off yet.

Hooks: When I lived in California, I’d go on party boat trips once or twice a year. The guys would tell me that if you’re gonna spend the money for these trips you don’t want to lose a fish because your hook was too weak or too dull. The “designer” hooks cost a little more but you know they are sticky sharp and won’t break on a fish. I use a Gamakatsu Live Bait hook as the front hook on my double trolling rig because the short shank doesn’t extend out too far and make the bait look funny, and an Owner Flyliner hook on the rear hook because the longer shank will extend out of the fish and be easier to unhook. I pinch the barbs down because I often tag and release and it’ll be easier to pull out of my flesh. I replace my lure trebles with Owner Inline Singles for the front hooks and Owner 4X trebles for the rear hooks. The designer hooks have a corrosion resistant coating and when they begin to rust I toss them. Usually I lose them before that happens. I started using the big VMC Tournament Circle hooks to fish big baits from my kayak’s rod holder. They are strong and sharp and not as expensive as the Owner and Gamakatsu circle hooks.

Update April 2019: I now use VMC hooks in place of the designer brands wherever I can because they perform almost as well and are often close to half the price of the designer hooks. My hookup ratio hasn’t seemed to suffer. Here’s an team review of the VMC 6X circle hooks and 4X treble hooks.

Lure Clips: Tactical Angler Power Clips. These clips make it easy to slide in and out lures very quickly and the wide bend allows the lures to swing more freely than if tied directly to your leader. Haven’t lost a fish due to clip failure yet.

Weights. I do use a special weight to whip and troll. It’s my secret weapon. Maybe I’ll reveal it later.

Swivels. I don’t have a specific brand but I do try to use ball bearing swivels. The bait casting reel doesn’t introduce line twist like a spinner does so I don’t have problems with tangles.

Lures – Whipping. I’m of the belief that the bait fish in Hawaii are small and shifty. Most of the plugs available domestically are larger than I prefer, or don’t cast well in the wind. Friends and I have been using 1/2 to 3/4 ounce, 4 to 5 inch JDM lures that match our hatch, cast well and most float. They are hard to obtain at a reasonable price but I’ll write more about them later.

Lures – Jigging. Since the Japanese invented the Slow Pitch jigging technique it stands to reason that the JDM jigs are the best. The jigs available locally work too, and I’ve had some amazing results with the Live Deception jig by Ahi USA. I love jigging but don’t get to jig very often. Friends and I are still trying to get better at the sport. All but the Live Deception, 4th from the top, are from Japan, but some were sold in the local tackle shops.

Landing Net: Promar ProFloat landing net. It floats, it has tangle free mesh, an elastic lanyard and it’s cheap. What more can you ask for? It’s available in the tackle shops in town.

Gear Lanyards: I use various tethers on my tackle bag and kayak. I really like the T-Reign Retractable Tether because it doesn’t leave loose cords around to get tangled in. So far, after a few years of use, they haven’t corroded. I use Boomerang Snips too and after years of use, if the retractable spring stops working I glue an attachment point and use the T-Reign tether to hold it to my bag. (see photo)

Waterproof Tackle Bag – Patagonia Stormfront Sling. This bag is expensive, and the price has gone up twice since I purchased it 2 yrs ago. But the main compartment really is waterproof and makes for worry-free wade and boat fishing, and easy cleanup. Patagonia honors their lifetime warranty. A zipper tab broke and they gave me a brand new sling bag after 2 yrs of use. This time around I won’t be carrying bait for oama and stinking it up.

Fishing pliers: Rapala aluminum pliers. All my previous “carbon steel” needle nose pliers have eventually rusted out and left corrosion stains in their sheaths. These aluminum pliers shouldn’t rust but they are shorter than the ones they are replacing. Hope they’re long enough to keep my fingers away from sharp teeth.

The stuff I use and why I use ’em – Fishing Attire

October 20, 2017 By Scott 4 Comments

(Updated April 2019)

Just a few years ago, the only people you’d see decked out in hats, neck gaiters (those tube scarf things) and long sleeve performance shirts were fly fishers. Now all the sensible anglers are adorned that way. Since we’re in the sun a lot and always wet, I try to cover up with materials that provide UV protection and stain resistance, shed water and breathe. Cotton retains water and isn’t your friend in these situations, stretchy polyester is. That applies to everything on your body.

I’ll briefly list what I like to wear, from head to toe. Please check out my other gear recommendations.

**Anetik mask, Anetik performance shirt, Columbia Terminal Tackle shorts, Anetik shade socks**

Patagonia Sunshade Crew: All these blood spots washed off. Note the vertical zippered pocket. Very easy to open with one hand. Maui Jim Twin Falls wrap around sunglasses.Sunglasses: Maui Jim Twin Falls

Sunglasses: Maui Jim Twin Falls Polarized Prescription. So light and comfortable, and the nose pads keep the frame off my cheeks. The polarized bronze lenses remove glare but allow enough light in to see when the sun is lower in the sky. Wrap style minimizes the amount of light sneaking in from the sides. Couldn’t find oama without them. My fishing and everyday glasses because Maui Jim makes the best looking, functional sunglasses, IMHO. I’ve tried sunglasses made specifically for fishing that have great lenses but uncomfortable frames/arms. I wouldn’t want to have to carry around a pair to fish with and another pair to drive home with. Here’s the in-depth review.

Neck Gaiter –

Buff UV Mask. Buff is the industry leader in neck gaiters. I like the way the UV Mask drapes over the shoulder area for even more sun protection, and has perforated breathing holes that won’t unravel.

Anetik Face Mask. This contoured mask fits the best out of all the masks I’ve tried, is very breathable, and doesn’t fog if you breathe through the perforated holes. It looks the best also, IMHO.

Long Sleeve Performance Shirt – Patagonia Sunshade Crew. I’ve tried a lot of long sleeve fishing shirts and these are my favorites. They are light weight, breathable, stain resistant, loose fitting, under-stated and have a zippered chest pocket. Everything you want in a fishing shirt and attractive enough to keep wearing after you’re pau fishing. I store my phone in the easy to unzip pocket when I don’t wade too deep, and put my sunglasses in it when I’m cleaning up at dusk. Patagonia has a Fall clearance sale (30 – 40% off I think? Free shipping over $75) of the product line (style or color) that won’t be carried into the following year so I try to stock up then. I haven’t had any problems with my shirts so far, but if I do, I can take them to the local Patagonia store in town for repair or replacement.

UV Leggings – Anetik Shade Socks. Designed specifically for kayak anglers, these socks breathe well and negate the need for sun tan lotion on your legs. As an added bonus they provide some protection from jellyfish stings! Here’s a brief review.

Shorts: Columbia PFG Terminal Tackle. 4-way stretch, sun, stain and stink resistant with 2 deep front pockets and a zippered side pocket large enough to hold your phone securely. Here’s the in-depth review.

Underwear: Polyester stretch material that wicks water and doesn’t bind on those long kayak paddling days.

Foot wear – Wading: Tabis with felt soles and zipper. I really should buy a better one that keeps the sand out and supports my foot.

Foot wear – Kayak Fishing: Surf booties, ankle cut. Enough protection on sole if I have to walk on the reef, and light enough to swim with in an emergency.

Product testing in 180 to 500 ft of water

September 7, 2017 By Scott 3 Comments

We definitely were past the “nearshore” boundaries on this outing. I wanted to test some heavy jigs with the Shimano Tranx 400, and Capt. Darren and Rey were kind enough to let me join them. I was wearing a GoPro Session on my cap for the first time, hoping to get decent footage of how the Tranx performed, and of our catches since it would be easier to point the GoPro than to take my phone for a still photo.

Darren fished the traditional methods of damashi with lures, and deploying a bonus line with cut bait. He caught more fish than we did jigging but Rey was a close second with an amazing variety of species caught with his customized vertical jig spinning outfit. I just landed a few fish on my slow pitch jigs, jigged slow and also fast, but the catches were memorable. Out of respect for their privacy I’ll just be talking about my meager catches.

I started with an “inchiku” type jig that had an octopus hanging off a chunk of lead. A small yellow spot papio hit that but the action slowed so I moved on to the new Live Deception jig with UV paint and a stout assist hook off the front eye. The original Live Deception had always caught fish so I was surprised with nothing hit the new one. I switched to the original and didn’t get bit either. I tried other jigs that had worked in the past and still came up empty. An oddball looking white jig with pink stripes got hit as I lifted off the bottom and a hage made it to the surface. That gave me some hope. On the next drop a yellow spot papio hit it on the first lift.

We drifted past 220ft so I went with an 80 gm tungsten jig that was very dense and fell quickly. That got slammed by something bigger as I lifted it off the bottom also. Still, it didn’t feel too big because the Tranx’s smooth drag and big gears. We didn’t measure the white papio but it looked bigger than 7lbs.

Rey was doing really well fast pumping through the water column so I tried a medium – fast pumping retrieve. The slow pitch jigs wouldn’t swim well at this pace so I had switched to a swimming/casting jig from Japan. It was easy to to tell if the jig got bumped as it fell to the bottom, and a turn of the handle engaged the Tranx’s gears. In the video below I’m clumsily lifting and cranking to make the jig shoot up and then slide a bit before shooting up again. A smoother retrieve would have been to life and crank in an exaggerated circular motion.

About 2/3 of the way up I got hit by something with head shakes and frenetic tail kicks. It felt like a small kawakawa but then headed for the bottom with authority. I thought a shark or ulua got it as you can hear on the video. Turns out this same jig had caught a smaller kawakawa on a previous trip.

The 14lb kawakawa was a fun fight but the Tranx 400 had things under control the whole time. The Game Type J rod and Tranx reel were so light and comfortable to fish the whole day. I also had the Tranx 500 on a Shimano Trevala TFC medium action jig rod, but that felt a little bulky for the size fish I was catching. If something big showed up, I was ready to grab it though.

Rey’s unique vertical jigs and refined technique outfished me 3 to 1. My gear and lures were really meant for slow pitching but the fish didn’t want to eat slow pitched jigs that day. The Tranx 400 was plenty fast with 41 inches per crank but the Game Type J rod didn’t spring back fast enough for a heavy, fast jigged lure. In hindsight, maybe I should have used the heavier Trevala jig rod, but the fights wouldn’t have been as fun.

The GoPro head cam wasn’t always pointed where I wanted, and I found out it takes a long time to go through and process the worthwhile clips, but all in all it was a successful equipment testing trip. Much Mahalo to Capt Darren for being so tolerant as I bumbled around the boat, and for Rey to fill in for me when I should have been helping more. I started the day off getting seasick (first time ever) and my back tightened up fighting the kawakawa. That made me even more impressed with how the guys could power through with little sleep on a constantly rocking boat.

Latest issue of Lawai’a is on the newsstands

December 9, 2016 By Scott Leave a Comment

Admittedly, I’m biased, but this issue is the best one yet. I know I’ve said that before, but the magazine, behind a team of dedicated volunteers, just gets better and better.

Besides the reader contributed fish stories and historical and educational pieces, here’s a couple nearshore lure reviews:

Eric Parubrub breaks down the GTFC popper lineup to help you decide which model is best suited for your ability and fishing conditions. In the next issue he’ll break down the GTFC pencil type lures in similar fashion. That’s Erik’s dad Ed in the photo. Handsome buggah yeah?

And I describe how the Live Deception jig has out-fished live bait in shallow jigging conditions all the way out to 300 feet. For $5 to $7 depending on the jig size, it’s a no brainer to keep a few on hand just in case.

Sorry for shamelessly plugging my own article.

Best top water and sub-surface lures?

August 28, 2016 By Scott 6 Comments

I’ve been fishing the top water (floating) and sub-surface (slow sinking) lures a lot, recently. They don’t get hung up in very shallow water and the strikes are often explosive. Whipping these lures doesn’t require much gear, and I’ve been mainly casting from the water’s edge.

The lure bite has slowed dramatically due to the abundance of oama inshore but I still prefer throwing the lures vs. dealing with messy live or dead oama.

The lures in the photo were all manufactured in Japan. Some, like the sub-surface Shimano Waxwings in the bottom row, are sold in the U.S Domestic Market. The others may have been sold in the U.S. at one time but are now only available in the Japan Domestic Market (JDM) in those models or colors.

The 4 light colored ones with green stripes look like they were drawn on because I marked them up to look like oama! The larger Waxwing caught this 16″ white papio (tagged and released) without the bad artwork but I figured it couldn’t hurt to make the lure look like the food the predators are hammering now.

The chubby lure in the 2nd row, left, had been getting hammered by kaku when I threw it in another color scheme before the oama moved in.

The top secret JDM lure in the upper left, has caught omilu and kaku. It’s been so effective that I was asked to never show it online. Sorry. It won’t be in the Best Top Water or Sub-Surface Contest but the other lures will be.

If there’s enough interest I’ll run a poll so you guys can guess which one is deemed the most effective lure.

Latest Lawai’a magazine is on the new stands now!

August 5, 2016 By Scott Leave a Comment

This issue is jam packed with new products, how-tos and some unusual fish stories. Here’s just a few of the great features.

Nitta live bait rig that keeps slide bait alive for hours. Has already worked on a 100lb ulua.

Erik’s (my boat fishing buddy) inaugural article describing his generational tie to fishing the Windward side of Oahu.

A monster, electric reel breaking Kahala.

Besides tackle shops, Lawai’a is also sold in Big Save, CVS, Foodland, KTA, Sack n Save, Safeway, Walgreens and other retail outlets.

Gear shake out

July 12, 2016 By Scott 2 Comments

Finally, after a month of gusty days, the wind slowed enough to kayak fish. During that time off the water I had repurposed two reels I hadn’t been using, purchased a light, sensitive jig rod, and assembled some eye catching micro jigs from Japan. With so many things to try out I left the frozen oama at home.

(L to R) Calcutta 200TE, Calcutta 300TE w/Trevala rod

I started by whipping the black/chrome Waxwing Baby with an upgraded Calcutta 200TE. The level wind reel was great for fishing bait but too slow for retrieving Waxwings, so it hadn’t seen use in months. I came across a 200TE main gear upgrade sold on a Japanese Domestic Model (JDM) website that increased the line retrieval from 25 inches to 32 inches per crank. The downside of that retrieval increase is a proportional decrease in torque and drag (level wind reel have drag washers on the gear stack and are affected by gear ratio). Sure enough the Waxwing was zig zagging like it does on the high speed Shimano Curado 300EJ, but on the discontinued Calcutta 200TE that sports a stronger frame and better centrifugal brakes. I did feel one bump and a miss.

I put the whipping rod down and picked up the new lightweight jig setup: A Shimano Trevala S rod so thin and light that it made the compact Calcutta 300TE reel look big. The 300TE, one size up from the 200TE, was gathering dust in a box since I stopped using it as a small trolling reel. I added a longer power handle to replace the two-knobbed paddle handle and could immediately feel the increase in cranking efficiency.

(top to bottom) Live Deception, After Burner Japanese jig, Jigpara Japanese jig

I lobbed the shiny, nehu looking Jigpara jig (bottom lure in the photo) from Japan and lifted and fluttered it back. Not a single bump. Odd. So much activity on the fish finder and so little interest in the lures. In the distance, 2 guys on a boat were whooping it up like they landed an ulua, so that made me fish harder.

Switching back to the WW whipping setup, I cast onto the shallow reef top, hoping I wouldn’t backlash and get my lure stuck. A long fish lunged for the WW and missed the hooks. On the next cast, the lure was sucked down and a fish swam through the shallow crevices in the reef. I was relieved to see omilu blue instead of aha gray. The omilu ran line out against the drag and I had to tighten it further. The drag really was diminished by the higher gear ratio, and didn’t feel as smooth as it normally did. Because I was “practicing” tagging papio, I had planned to take a photo while the fish was still in the water, measure the fish against the markings on my kayak, and let it go. The fish wasn’t aware of my good intentions and literally spit the lure at me. It missed me by about a foot to the right. The freed omilu, which I got a good look at, was at least 2lbs, maybe even 3lb.

Nothing else was on that reef top so I paddled out a bit and cast over another reef edge. A pretty big aha grey hounded across the water like it’s nickname “poor man’s marlin” and also spit the hook. I was relieved my lure was still attached and I didn’t have to release that toothy demon. To give the jigs an equal chance, I switched back to the jig setup, changed to the Live Deception jig and bounced it off the shallow bottom. Still no interest. Back to the Waxwing and I got another hit and drop of either an aha or kaku.

It was about time to see if the white papio were gonna swarm at dusk like they did the last time they hit every micro jig dropped in the water. The fish finder picked up breezing fish gathering close to shore, but they didn’t take the Waxwing or the Live Deception jig. Maybe it was too early? I waited for the sun to drop lower and then “poof” they were gone. No fish on the fish finder. I paddled around not believing that they would suddenly pick up and leave but appeared to be what they did. The whites must’ve gotten bigger and headed somewhere else to attack bait.

Look at what 3 fish did to this lure! (zoom in)

Maybe I had missed other fish and didn’t realize it?

No fish landed but I was glad my confidence in the Waxwing was restored. It had recently been outfished by surface poppers and heavy jigs, but proved once again that in shallow spots holding bait, there is no equal to a well-retrieved Waxwing. And the Calcutta 200TE with higher gear ratio was fast enough to make the Waxwing look enticing.

The Trevala S light jig rod could cast jigs well despite it’s short 6’3″ length due to its soft tip. I guess I’ll have to see how well it holds up to a fish some other time.

Note: Charley’s is running a jig combo special, which includes the Trevala S jig rod and the Shimano Curado 300EJ reel I used on that Big Island jigging trip of a lifetime. Trust me, it’s a deal you don’t want to miss out on.

Big Island Boat Trip wrap up

June 16, 2016 By Scott 2 Comments

Capt Wes and me after the trip of a lifetime

What an amazing bottom fishing trip we experienced this weekend. The conditions were calm and Captain Wes put us on some really productive grounds. Not only did the shallow water jigs catch the uku I had been chasing for awhile, but out fished bait while landing omilu papio/ulua, kagami ulua, white ulua, nabeta, moana and random reef fish. The 3-piece Cabela’s travel rod held up against a 30lb ulua and the Shimano Curado 300EJ bait caster proved once again, that bait casters have an advantage when heavy jigging.

Thankfully the blood stains on the brand new Patagonia Sunshade Crew I was “testing” came off in the wash that night. It can now be my lucky fishing shirt without looking like I just slaughtered something.

The Tokunaga Challenge weigh-in was the day after our fishing trip, and Naoki was there fish printing ulua on t-shirts. He warmed up with my Kagami before the weigh-in started and now I have a memento of the trip of a lifetime.

While it sounds impressive that my reel had only 15lb fluoro as its main line and landed a fish twice as heavy, it was a serious mistake on my part to be so under gunned. I didn’t expect to hook such a large fish on a small jig, but down in those Big Island dropoffs, big fish lurk. I’m gonna take off the fluoro and just run 50lb braid, which is thinner than the 15lb fluoro I had on. Top it off with a 40lb fluoro leader and I can be boost-happy again!

Semi-nearshore shallow water jigging

May 7, 2016 By Scott 8 Comments

I know the blog’s focus is Nearshore Fishing, so I’m gonna ask for a little leeway on this post.

A new fishing friend and new Lawai’a feature writer, Erik, very generously offered to take me out for a quick bottom fishing / shallow water jigging expedition yesterday. It had been 15 yrs since I’d been on a boat so we picked a very light wind day to launch. My fishing window was short so we had to run, drop, jig and gun. The cross-directional swell bounced the 14 ft aluminum boat enough for me to get a little green around the gills but the fishing action managed to keep my mind off the shifting horizon.

Live Deception, Waxwing Baby, Waxwing Boy, Flat Fall 80g, Flat Fall 80g

1 oz Mackeral Live Deception on left. 2.8oz Black Anchovy and Blue Sardine Flat Fall on right

Erik was fishing a pinkish, silvery 30 g (1.05 oz) Japanese micro jig he purchased from Charley’s Fishing Supply, and I started with an 80g (2.8 oz) blue sardine Shimano Flat Fall (furthest right in the photo). Erik expertly put us on the spots, fishing the reef’s edge from 70ft deep, drifting inward toward shallower water, without aid of a fish finder or GPS.

He started feeling hits on his micro jig and brought up the brownish hage, and moana. I hadn’t felt a thing on my flat fall. I kept trying to emulate the way Erik would pop his rod tip repeatedly when the lure reached the bottom, then lift and crank the lure back to the surface in an exaggerated pumping motion. When Erik saw that I was getting disillusioned, he pointed out that there were new scratches on my lure and that something had taken a swipe at the flat fall but missed the two assist hooks. That must’ve happened as the lure free fell, and it gave me hope.

Then Erik’s rod bent over in an upside down “U” and line peeled off the spool. Something larger than a hage had taken his jig midway up the water column and was surging for the bottom at an alarming rate. Erik’s spinning rig consisted of a short, fairly light action Star spinning rod and Shimano Sahara 4000 reel, packed with 15lb braid and a 30lb fluoro leader. He tightened his drag, cupped the spool and the fish surged again. A veteran of many light tackle battles with large fish, Erik kept the combatant out of the rocks and enjoyed the scrap, wondering what could be pulling downward so intently.

After a few shorter runs we saw color. Electric blue fins, silvery body? Big omilu? On closer examination Erik exclaimed “yellow dot papio!”, formally known as the Island Jack. His previous fish had been released but not this one.

notice how the boat’s stern isn’t lining up with the horizon? we’re swinging back and forth!

Yellow dot papio are one of the tastiest papios. The 6lb beauty was destined for a starring role as sashimi and ceviche.

I was stoked to witness the fight but began to suspect my flat fall was too large for the area we were fishing. On my next drop, it felt like my jig was being sucked down, and then it felt stuck. Erik swung the boat up current and the “stuck” kept being pulled along, then suddenly popped free. What the heck? It happened again on the following drop and the jig didn’t have any new scratches. Erik said it could be a tako grabbing on and eventually pulling free. As much as I like tako poke, I wanted to catch something on the flat fall with teeth, fins and scales! On the next drop I temporarily got stuck in a solid rock, and when Erik moved the boat to free my jig, I reeled up and hunted around for a smaller lure.

I was given Ahi Live Deception jigs as a promotion to try in our local waters, and happened to have a 1 oz Green Mackeral pattern in my tackle box. (See top photo). It was the only small jig I had. The lure feels like a slender, flexible slab of lead and is laser printed with an actual fish photo. It looks very lifelike but lacks the fancy bevels and curves that the flat fall sports. I hadn’t read anything about its swimming action, nor seen any underwater videos about it. How good could it be? But on the second drop I got a hit. Yay, an actual fish caught on the small treble hook! A smallish, but legal moana. I was feeling more and more queasy, so I tossed it back without a picture.

kawakawa

On the next drop something yanked, then let itself be retrieved a bit… then took a little line. The skunk was definitely off my back, and this fish felt bigger. I was using the Shimano recommended shallow water jigging setup: Shimano Trevala F medium action rod and Curado 300EJ bait casting reel and while I could feel the twists and turns of the fish, I easily coaxed it to the surface. Turned out to be a small kawakawa, my first ever. Erik held it for me and I snapped a quick pic with my phone’s camera. I could barely see through the glare, and focusing on Erik and the fish while the horizon gyrated back and forth was pushing me closer to urk-dom.

Two fish back-to-back on the unheralded Live Deception. Erik brought up another brownish hage on his micro jig and I caught an orangey weke I had never seen before, followed by a small taape. The taape was kept to rid the reef of invasives and was destined to become Erik’s crab bait. I was really impressed with the Live Deception’s effectiveness and hook up ratio. The treble was working too well actually, as it was hard to unhook the fish. I bent down each barb and threw the jig over the side. Halfway down I felt a tug and then … nothing. Something had taken the lure down its gullet and cut the line. My new magic lure… gone.

While I put the flat fall back on my leader, Erik hooked what was probably the offending lure-swallower. A kawelea, or Heller’s Baracuda. Not as fearsome looking as the kaku or Great Barracuda and supposedly better eating. Erik tossed it back since his yellow dot papio would keep his family fed for awhile. I threw my flat fall over the side and finally, felt something hit it. A kawelea was hooked on the rear assist hook and was released also. I looked at my watch and it was time to ride the swells in.

6lb yellow dot papio and taape

Not bad for only 2 hrs of bottom fishing without GPS or a fish finder. Erik’s micro jig and my Live Deception lure were probably closer to the size of bait the fish were feeding on, explaining why the larger flat fall wasn’t getting much attention except for those mystery dead-weight snags. If not for Erik’s expert small skiff skills, I would’ve started another 15 yr boat-ban, but instead look forward to mining the bottom for more critters.

Smaller moon, rising tide = more fish activity

March 1, 2016 By Scott 5 Comments

Last Wednesday, I kayak fished the deep Windward waters and didn’t even register a nibble. The nearshore fishing has been slow this Winter but that skunk really made me feel “kill fight”. Yesterday was forecast to have the lightest wind – best tide combination of the week so I made it a gear testing day, telling myself that the fishing was incidental. I took the old Scupper Pro out, which hadn’t touched water in more than 10 years, and used a heavier weight to keep the live oama down deep.

After the afternoon showers stopped, the wind completely died down. Not a fair comparison with the chop and slop conditions of the Aquaterra Swing’s last outing. I was worried the Scupper Pro would be tippy since it’s a lot narrower than the Swing, but because the seat sits lower to the water, it reminded me of sitting on a surfboard with my legs in the water. The Scupper Pro also paddled much easier due to its longer length and narrower, rounded hull. The Swing, in comparison, has a flat hull that feels like it’s pushing water, not knifing through it. The SP’s cockpit did feel cramped compared to the Swing’s, but I eventually got used to it.

There were a lot more tiny bait fish and suspended reef fish on the fish finder than last time. I braced myself for a strike on the trolled oama but none came. Hmmmppphhh. Well, since this was supposed to be a test of the Scupper Pro, I paddled further out than I had been fishing recently, enjoying the glide of the long, slender craft. The heavier fishing weight seemed to be keeping the oama down better, without getting hung up on the bottom. I slow trolled over numerous little bait collections but no predators felt like eating an oama with a hook in its nasal cartilage.

Finally something pulled the tip of the rod down a couple inches, then pulled drag. The fish seemed to be shaking its head but the vibrations were a little too frequent to be papio head shakes. I pictured an awa awa swimming in such a way that its large tail was slapping the line. Sure enough, after some powerful runs, I was able to short pump the fish to the surface. About a 4lb awa awa with its weird transparent forehead greeted me. I think awa awa pull harder, pound for pound, than omilu and whites, but once you get them boat side they’re pretty tuckered out.

It felt great to land a decent fish again. I dropped down another oama and a few minutes later something pulled some line off the reel. In my peripheral vision I could see a smaller fish leap out of the water. That was the first awa awa that jumped in the deep water, and it was able to shake the hook and gain its freedom.

Fish began to puddle on the surface and I expected more action but alas, the bite stopped. I took advantage of the glassy conditions by trolling through other promising spots, and dropped the flat fall jig down on bait pockets but nothing wanted to eat.

So why was there more bait and predator activity than last week? The moon was smaller, being 7 days after the full moon rather than just 2 days. And I was fishing the first third of the rising tide instead of the last third. The heavier weight was keeping the bait in the zone longer. And the glassy conditions made it much easier to fish. Why do you think it was better this time around?

Shallow water “heavy” jigs to tackle test off kayak

February 18, 2016 By Scott 5 Comments

Green Mackeral Live Deception 1oz, Black/Chrome Waxwing Baby, Blue Sardine Waxwing Boy, Black Anchovy Flat Fall 80g, Blue Sardine Flat Fall 80g

Since I’ve recently been spending time floating in my kayak waiting for something to eat my live oama, I figured I may as well try some shallow water “heavy” jigs. My weighted live oama makes it down to the bottom if I’m not moving. But if I paddle, to fight current or slow troll, the oama is pulled near the water’s surface. A jig would more effectively fish the 40 – 50 ft depths.

I’ve never fished heavy jigs in Hawaii, and only speed retrieved “yo yo iron” for yellowtail in California. Just a few weeks ago, I was given two types of heavy jigs to tackle test.

Ahi’s Live Deception jig is meant to be fished like a “knife” jig, I believe. It’s made out of flexible lead and is laser printed with actual photos of fish so it looks as realistic as possible. The one pictured on the left is a 1 oz Green Mackeral, and it’s about the same length as the smallest Waxwing Baby next to it. It looks cylindrical in the photo but it’s actually beveled, with a narrow keel on the bottom. I’m not sure what kind of action it presents in the water, but the sales guy said that it could be bent so it would death spiral when dropped down. Might work on the nehu and sardine schools yeah?

Shimano’s Butterfly Flat Fall jig has been out for a few years, and like the Shimano Waxwing, I’m getting on the bandwagon a little late. The flat fall jig is a new twist on Shimano’s butterfly jigs, that were meant to be speed retrieved and slashed back to the boat. Due to the flat fall’s wider, keeled surface area, it falls much slower than the butterfly jigs, in an exaggerated gliding zig zag pattern. Practitioners of “slow pitch” jigging recommend a controlled fall, feeling for strikes, and then retrieving it a half crank up at a time, with a smooth tempo. Slow pitch jigging is supposed to be the Tai Chi of jigging, where it is relaxing and non-taxing. Leave it to the Japanese to improve on deep jigging and make it a zen-like pursuit. I’ve placed the two flat fall jigs to the right of the Waxwing Boy for size comparison. Those 80g / 2.82oz jigs are the smallest, lightest flat falls.

The flat falls have already been very successful on the Mainland and here in Hawaii anglers have landed shibi, mahi, uku, ulua and kahala on them. I don’t know if the 40 – 50ft water I’ve been kayak fishing is deep enough but I’ll soon find out.

Product Review: Arctic Ice reusable ice

October 19, 2015 By Scott 2 Comments

I pack my Fishpond Blizzard soft cooler with reusable ice when I fish, leaving it in the hot car for a few hours. My drinks have always remained pretty cold but when I started taking fish home in a separate fish kill bag I started looking for reusable ice that was compact, kept fish cold for long periods of time, and could handle some abuse. This past El Nino summer was so hot and humid that some of my fish were a little soft and mushy the next day.

I had been hearing about Arctic Ice on fishing shows and in fishing magazines and read through the positive reviews. Unlike standard “blue ice” that transfers its cold temperature to the items around it, Arctic Ice is designed to draw heat from the surrounding items thereby keeping them cold longer.

I purchased the Medium and Large Alaskan Series blocks since the Chillin’ Brew and Tundra series were meant to keep things close to freezing, or frozen, respectively. As a test I put my drinks in the soft cooler with one block of blue ice and the Medium Alaskan series block. When I accessed my drink in the hot car a few hours later, it was colder than it was in the fridge and the “blue ice” was still frozen solid. The Medium Alaskan Series Arctic Ice had melted halfway but their site says that the block will continue to keep things cold even after the block is completely liquid inside.

I’ve used the Arctic Ice blocks in my soft cooler and in a larger hard cooler for 3 weeks now and can verify that they keep items much colder, longer than standard “blue ice”. They may cost twice what “blue ice” costs, but are made to last for years and years and are a much better product. I highly recommend them.

I currently am not receiving any compensation for this review.

Product Review: Fishpond Blizzard Soft Cooler

October 19, 2015 By Scott 1 Comment

Fishpond Blizzard

At the start of this year, I needed a smallish cooler with a sturdy construction that could easily fit in the front passenger seat’s foot area and be accessed from the driver’s seat. Odd, requirements I know, but I was driving to the beaches surveying the fishing activity and needed to use the passenger seat area as a desk to write and store equipment.

The desired cooler needed to keep snacks and drinks cold, and transport and clean up easily. The Fishpond Blizzard retails for about $70 so I debated buying such a pricey cooler for a while, but there were so many rave reviews I pulled the trigger. I figured I’d be getting a lot of use out of it on survey trips, fishing trips and trips to the market.

waterproof and dust resistant bottom

The cooler was very ergonomically designed, was easy to carry by the sturdy side grab handles or the shoulder strap, and had pockets and pen slots for all my needs. The contents were kept cold, the cooler’s plastic/foam molded bottom proved to be waterproof and dirt resistant, and the best feature of all was the velcro hatch that you could pull open to access a drink without unzipping the top.

this is the best feature!

It’s the best cooler I’ve ever encountered and I highly recommend it. 7 months in and it’s hardly showing any wear. The dimensions are 9 x 10 x 11.5 inches, easily large enough for a six pack and a sandwich. Most of my fish fit in it but happily some were too large.

It’s sold online from a number of websites including Amazon, and there are many positive reviews available also.

I currently am not receiving any compensation for this review.