My family was stuffed with fish Capt Darren gifted us the day before, but the wind was supposed to be down on the Eastside and the surf manageable. It might be one of the last days I could kayak fish that side before the winter swells made the surf unsafe. Right before I jumped in the car, Kelly alerted me that the rivers were at risk of overflowing on Kamehameha Hwy. About 10 mins into the drive I heard on the radio that the rain was stalled against the Koolaus and flooding was imminent. I pulled off the freeway and headed home. The south side was dry and surf was supposed to be about 2-3ft plus.
Drove to the beach Frank and I had luck at this winter, and the reef passage looked safe. Shoots! At about the 30ft depth I dropped down a fresh dead halalu Capt Darren had given me the day before. The halalu was rigged with a sliding weight, an Owner Gorilla hook through its lower jaw and out its forehead, and a rear VMC inline hook tucked in the skin by its butt. Before I reached the 50ft depth my reel screamed! By the time I stopped paddling, turned on the GoPro, and it started recording, a few seconds elapsed so I think the fish ran for at least 5 seconds. The run was so strong and sustained I thought I had hooked a shallow water ono!
The fight was odd, though. There were some head shakes but there were also spastic twitches and the fish wasn’t resisting as much after the initial run. When the fish was below me, It felt like the line was rubbing against the reef. It didn’t feel like a papio and because the water was so shallow, I didn’t expect a pelagic. Maybe a big kaku that got tired out?
I was surprised to see a big uku (well, big is relative to me since my biggest was at most 3lb) at color. Normally they circle when I try to net them but this one was pulled in easily.
When I tried to unhook it I saw why. The size 2/0 VMC Inline hook was at the opening of its gullet!
No wonder it took off when it felt the hook, and I was feeling its teeth on the 40lb Seaguar Blue Label leader.
The water was already a little choppy and then the trades picked up soon after I landed the fish. I paddled into the wind and drifted back with it, but only had hage and small papio mess with my bait. Water was coming over the side of my Scupper Pro so with my biggest kayak caught uku to date, I paddled in.
Here’s a short video of the strike and landing of the fish.
Hope you’re not squeamish! The stuff that looks like Chinese wide, flat noodles are the gonads.
VMC Inline 4X hook size 2/0
The uku measured 20 3/8″, 1/8 shorter than the uku Darren gave me the day before! Mine had a distended stomach and weighed 4.25lb. Turns out it was filled with male gonads (reproductive organs) and nothing in its stomach but my hook! Poor guy.
Paying it forward after the previous day’s generosity, I gave a filet to my church friend so he could compare with the yellowspot he received the day before, and gave the rest to Kelly who gave me the flood alert and hadn’t had uku for a long time. Kelly is really efficient in his fish cleaning and can stretch fish like Jesus did in the bible!
Kelly:
Thank you for the uku Scott! We made it in a variety of ways, however most were raw because you took such good care, it was uber fresh.
First we made sashimi, that is the best way to get the true flavor of a fish (and the easiest prep method).
Then we made chirashi sushi, which is a big tray of sushi topped with various ingredients. My wife made the sushi and it was amazing. She topped the lightly vinegared rice with shiitake mushooms, egg, cucumber, salmon, tobiko and fresh uku!
We also made the head and bones into arajiru, which is a miso soup that sushi restaurants in Japan are renowned for. The sushi was enjoyed by my extended family (6 people) and also some folks who attended the potluck that night (about 12 people), so it fed many appreciative folks!
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