a mangrove island Many of the bonefish flats here on Oahu include mangroves. In some areas, the mangroves line the shore and in others they have grown up around small, sandy islets. The mangroves are not native to Hawaii, but they are happy here and have spread steadily over the past decade. Recently, the government … Continue reading Red Water Bones
Category: Fish Species
Classic Ed
I fished back to back days this past weekend, and it was epic. . Part I: Intro Saturday I fished with Captains Makani Christensen (Fly Fishing Hawaii) and Chris Wright (Aloha Fly Fishing). The next day we were joined by Sean, owner of Nervous Water, thee fly shop in Honolulu. And out on the flat, … Continue reading Classic Ed
Alone Together
A lot of fishing naturally necessitates "social distancing", and fly fishing even more so, what with the flinging of sharpened metal hooks to and fro. This weekend, I found myself fishing the same flat at the same time as Makani and, alone together, we enjoyed a sunny morning within shouting distance of one another. Capt. … Continue reading Alone Together
The Hitchhiker
One morning I caught a ride on Makani's boat. He was taking a client out, but was kind enough to drop me off on the flat to look for bonefish. On the ride I noticed a baby gecko struggling in a small puddle on the deck, so I reached down and scooped it up. . … Continue reading The Hitchhiker
The Buddy System
I believe I have mentioned the phenomenon of the buddy system before, but I think it bears repeating. . Very often bonefish travel and feed in pairs. Sometimes they are close together, but I have also seen fish a hundred feet apart that are clearly aware of each other and eventually meet up before leaving … Continue reading The Buddy System
Needlefish Sashimi
With calm winds and gentle southerly surf, my friend Makani has been doing a lot of bottom-fishing lately. I have joined him a couple of times and we have caught plenty of fish: snapper, goatfish, triggerfish, Hawaiian bigeye, queenfish, and, on our last outing, some large needlefish. . The "needlefish" usually served in sushi restaurants … Continue reading Needlefish Sashimi
Trevally Fishing in Tahiti
Our trip to French Polynesia this Summer was especially interesting because I had a chance to explore the differences between one tropical Pacific island chain and another. In doing my pre-trip research, I realized that the Leeward Islands of French Polynesia had extensive barrier reefs and relatively small tidal fluctuations. This got me very excited … Continue reading Trevally Fishing in Tahiti
Fishing from a Sailboat
We spent two weeks in May sailing through the Leeward Islands of French Polynesia. Our shipmates were two good friends, who actually know how to sail! Together we chartered a bare boat (meaning without crew), the 43 foot Utrillo. This is our second sailing adventure. Two years ago we joined the same friends for an … Continue reading Fishing from a Sailboat
Another May
Looking back I realized that I started this blog eleven years ago this month. . During that time, many of my favorite blogs have disappeared. Their authors have gotten busy or moved on to more current social media platforms, but about once a month I still sit down and post something. I don't use "hashtags" … Continue reading Another May
Oregon 2018 Part 3: How to Catch a Sturgeon on the Fly
The demise of our inflatable boat changed my fishing strategy. I had planned on using the boat to fish for carp on a number of backwaters and lakes connected to the Columbia River. Instead, I had to focus on places with shoreline access. Despite this turn of events, the fishing only got better and the fish … Continue reading Oregon 2018 Part 3: How to Catch a Sturgeon on the Fly
The Fishing Dojo 