My friend Frank, a superb waterman, just started SUP fishing. He wanted to R&D some of his fishing attachments so we did a little oama trolling. The wind was initially light but then the rain came through, and strong gusts came with it. The murky water extended fairly far from shore so it took a while to find clean water.
The first strike came on my weighted frozen oama in a deep channel about 20 ft from the papa edge. It was a chunky white papio, about 1.75 lbs.
By the time I bagged it and rebaited I was blown off the spot and couldn’t find my way back. We eventually found cleaner water inside and Frank’s oama, slow trolled over a shallow reef got hit but the akamai fish wrapped himself up in a hole. The wind started gusting over 20 mph and we began to make a run for our launch site.
On the way, Frank’s next oama, under a floater, got pulled down and Frank landed this omilu in the wind storm. I was impressed that he could find an omilu in the murky chop. We didn’t measure it but it was easily legal.
When we got near our launch spot the wind slowed so we decided to fish upwind of the spot so the next wind storm could blow us in. Then the rain started pelting us but the fish still bit.
A 10.5 inch omilu bit close to the papa edge. It hit the back hook and took the oama for a ride. I didn’t have my tags with me so it was released tag-less.
Then the rain starting pelting us and I hooked a slightly better white. The photo wouldn’t have come out so I didn’t bother taking one. It was closer to 2lbs.
The forecasted increase in wind came an hr earlier and blew us off the water.
All but the first fish were caught on live oama from my tubs. I think that’s what made the fish bite on this bad weather day. The last two unused ones were set free in the murk. Hope they remember how to run from predators.
Frank made sashimi, soup and fried fish with the 2 whites and omilu. Just about everything was consumed by his family except for the bones.
Sounds exciting with all the weather challenges. I give you guys credit for braving that via kayak and SUP. I bet that soup tasted that much better after the expedition and the sashimi was plated so nicely. We’ll have to get out there on the little aluminum skiff soon.
Nothing wasted. Das how brah! CHEEEEHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, Frank respects the resources and told me to let the 10.5″ omilu go. Just like you Kelly, if he’s gonna kill a fish he makes sure he uses as much of it as he can.
Yeah Erik, it took us so long to just paddle a relatively short distance, and when the wind came up it was like paddling on a treadmill. At times Frank’s floater was going faster than he was, because he was going backwards!
hahaha. stroking and stroking and going backwards. I did that once on my paddleboard. Not fun. Oh no, I’m familiar with those squalls all too-much. First comes the slight wind that makes the surface of the water textured and unable to look through, then comes the cold-wind-chills and finally the windy-rain. You guys are hard-core! I’m spoiled on the little boat.
I very much gained an appreciation for your little boat. But Frank is a trooper. After a prolonged downpour he said “whew, feels good to have that cooling rain in all this heat”.