Reprinted w/Lawai’a magazine’s permission – Oama Season 2014
My spots didn’t have oama until much later than last year, and the piles have been small. They’ve also been more skittish and harder to catch. On the upside, with less oama around for the predators, every time I’ve fished for oama this year (just a handful of times so far) the omilus, kakus and even oio have been stalking and hitting them.
I’ve only used oama for bait twice so far, but both times the oama got whacked on the kayak, and friends have caught papio and kaku with oama next to the oama pile.
I’d love to hear how you guys are doing this oama season. You can either add a comment to this post that everyone will see, or send me a note via the Contact Page.
thanks!
Haven’t used my oama as bait because I had a die off where 10-15 died. Rather than using them as dead bait, I ate my 35+ oama and the sure were delicious. I agree that the oama came in late and there were very few of them. But, one of my friends, his parents, siblings, and grandparents caught around 300 in one outing! Then fried and caught omilu with them later that afternoon.
Hey Pono,
I can’t believe you ate the oama you painstakingly caught! But sounds like it was worth the loss of potential papio bait.
-scott
This year was my first year fishing for oaama and it was fun. The oldtimers said this year it came in late We’re still catching oaama on Maui. Past 2 weeks been solid,very consistant. Caught a fish about 10 inches long. The fisherman says it hangs out with papio. Silver fish Small eyes . Anybody know what is this?
Hey Craig,
Good to hear the oama are still biting hard on Maui. Hopefully a new wave of oama come in on Oahu. What was the body of that silver fish like?
-scott
Long silvery fish Scott. Oaama still biting UpCountry area,downtown probrably through for the year.