Sharing fish, a Hawaiian tradition

It’s Hawaiian culture to share your catch with family and friends, especially with those who are unable to go out and catch for themselves.  I’m not a big fish eater and rarely bring home more than one fish, so I didn’t participate in this tradition too much.  But a friend from church had asked me if I could keep hage for him, if I caught that incidentally, and I thought that would be a slam dunk.  Turns out I didn’t get to fish much since he asked, and when I did, I didn’t bring up any of those bait stealers.

I mentioned this to Capt Darren, so he kept a big, unusual looking deepwater hage during a Penguin Banks trip.  When I picked it up, he insisted I also take a yellowspot papio for my friend since he has never had one before, and an uku and yellowspot for my family.  Uku and yellowspot are my favorite fish to eat because they are not fishy and you can sashimi/poke them as well as steam and fry.  And, it’s possible that I can catch them myself nearshore.  Besides ono and nabeta, they are the only ones I cook at home.  I felt a little “shame” to take such good fish when I just went to pick up a hage, but Capt Darren said no big deal, he just likes to share with people who appreciate the fish he quickly chills in a salt water/ice cube brine on the boat to slow down the spoiling process.

The uku looked big by my standards, although he said it wasn’t big but it wasn’t small either.  I didn’t weigh it but measured it at 20.5″ FL.  I told him I’d be stoked to ever catch an uku that size on my kayak.  That night, the day after the fish were caught, I made a simple onion, inamona, sesame oil, Hawaiian salt and chili flake poke with some uku and yellowspot. The uku was so fresh it still was very firm, whereas the yellowspot was much softer. Both were very good, and good together with the contrasting texture.  I shared the uku and yellowspot with my parents and collectively we ate them raw, steamed, sato-shoyu and fried.  I don’t like cooked fish because it tastes fishier than raw, but wanted to see how the day 3 (two days out of the water) uku poke would be lightly fried. Had the tiniest fishy aftertaste but I liked the flavor and texture.  Capt Darren really does take care of his fish!

He also gave me their leftover fresh halalu bait that his first mate had caught since I was going kayak fishing the next day. I’d be targeting uku and yellowspot, but I figured “pressure is off” since my church friend got his hage and bonus yellowspot and my family got such prime fish.  I was moved by Capt Darren’s generosity and didn’t think I’d ever catch such a big uku on my kayak. Turns out I was wrong! Here’s what happened trolling that fresh dead halalu bait!