Tara with 3.5 pounds of crab-eating o'io Poor crabs. Everything likes to eat them. I'm pretty sure even crabs eat crabs. If you ever really need to catch a fish in saltwater, try throwing a live crab at it. It's probably the simplest but most effective saltwater fishing technique there is. Just spool up a … Continue reading Everything Eats Crabs
Category: hawaii
Sudden Estuary
Majestic mountains of French Polynesia "Middle-aged" volcanic islands in the tropics are often capped by dramatic mountains. (Younger mountains are taller and smoother, like Maunakea on the Island of Hawaii; older islands have sunk, leaving low, flat islands like Kiritimati.) Although they are not actually that tall, for example Mount Kaala, the tallest point on … Continue reading Sudden Estuary
Navigating a Crowd
I like getting away from the crowd when I fish, but it's not always possible. Crowded spots are often crowded for a reason. If there are a lot of people fishing somewhere it's often because the fishing is good there! The flip side of this coin is that the fish in these areas can get … Continue reading Navigating a Crowd
Adventure is out there, so why am I in here?
After more than a decade back in Hawaii, Tara and I have quit our jobs and joined the Peace Corps. For real. In two weeks we will lug all of our worldly possessions onto a flight bound for the Eastern Caribbean to help develop English literacy in rural primary schools. We don't know exactly where … Continue reading Adventure is out there, so why am I in here?
First Fish of the New (Lunar) Year
A small weke pueo The first fish I landed in 2023 was a goatfish, a weke pueo (here is another, better photo of one). The common name for the species is "nightmare weke," so I didn't necessarily feel super good about that as a starting point for the year. I did land a couple of … Continue reading First Fish of the New (Lunar) Year
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
My motivation for fishing is manifold. I enjoy the physical and mental challenge, the aspect of exploration, and developing a relationship with my natural surroundings: the weather, the winds, the water, and the fish themselves. While I am usually a catch-and-release type of person, once in a while I am also motivated to catch fish … Continue reading Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
Feels Like Summer
Big O'io There are some places on the flats where big fish regularly feed, but they are crazy-difficult to catch. When I see these fish I go directly into stealth mode, with lots of crouching low to the water and slow-motion steps. Most of the time, no matter how stealthy I am, the fish turn … Continue reading Feels Like Summer
All-In
I remember reading somewhere that human beings are more likely to return to something over and over if the outcome is uncertain. We quickly lose interest in the sure thing, perhaps because it's a sure thing. I don't remember where I read that, but I believe the point was that we are psychologically hard-wired to … Continue reading All-In
Loose Ends
I think we can all agree that 2020 was not the best year, with a smorgasbord of tragedy and disappointments, globally, nationally, and close to home. Looking back however, I am slightly stunned to realize that 2020 was, against all odds, a pretty good fishing year for me personally. I have written about most of … Continue reading Loose Ends
Pow Pow!
Ed picked me up early and we marveled at the clear sky and calm conditions on the ride to the boat ramp. The weather was ideal. "Why can't every day be like this" we kept asking each other. The marina parking lot was mostly empty and we rigged up the fly rods and launched the … Continue reading Pow Pow!
The Fishing Dojo 