Spending two weeks of work fishing, eating, and play.
We spent the last two weeks in Hawaii for work (hard to believe right?), which allowed us to sneak out on the weekends and afternoons and do some fishing of course. We spearfished, we throw net, we dunked and caught fish in all methods.
I grew up in Hawaii so always being able to get back and return to my roots is refreshing for the soul. I still have friends in the Islands that are always willing to help out and get on the water.
A buddy also brought a nice Ahi that we shared with family and friends. We made poke for a big work event and then cut the rest. I have cut pretty good size fish, but there is always something new to learn. That being said, the lesson I found most valuable was to have a stiff knife for cutting a fish this size and then a long softer knife for sectioning the fish.
Hawaii Spearfishing
Weather shaped up on the last week of the trip and I jumped in the water with a buddy for about four hours. We saw sharks, numerous turtles, and shot a few fish. In the video below, we were hunting Mu (emperor fish) off Kahala near Waikiki.
Throw Net Hawaiian Style
I also got out during a lunch break to throw net. One of my favorite ways of being on the water as it is akin to hunting and takes patience, nimbleness on the rocks, and most importantly, good eyes.
After about fifteen years, I finally threw net on some beautiful mullet. I ended up covering the full school as they came towards me. I was crouched low in about two feet of water on the other side of some rocks and they were moving across the sand feeding on the bottom. I covered all five mullet but the biggest one found the whole in the net and the four others I got to shore. I released the smaller two about 20" fish and kept the two larger ones.
Dunking with Fish Alert
We definitely took the time to test fish alert in the style of Hawaii's dunking and ulua fishing method. Growing up we used giant cow bells (still do) in this fishery and as you know it is what we are trying to change and transition to a better system.
This test with the new prototype 2.0 and sound allowed us to see how it worked, identify what we would change and how we envision the future product to work. We have relentlessly thought about and considered what will make this product the best and continue to write, document, and refine our vision.
In this video we hooked an oio (bonefish) dunking using a saltiga 33 fishing rod, a newell 338 reel, 30 lb leader, a circle hook, and 5 oz lead. These poles can bomb super far out and we caught this fish on the evening incoming tide. We didn't get a picture of the release but landed a 2 lb oio that lived to fight again another day.
The sensor did its job excellently and we will continue to test and work our vision for the next iteration.
Back in California now and looking forward to some halibut fishing and striped bass. Unfortunately salmon will be closed another year.... also hearing whispers about Bluefin being caught locally in Norcal. My thoughts: broken system and poor decision making, but now we're starting to sound like a broken record...
Tight Lines.
Sincerely,
Alex
Chief Fishermen TE Anglers
References:
228 lb Bluefin caught off NorCal Sonoma Coast: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/sports/padecky-a-fish-story-that-needs-no-exaggeration/
Closed Salmon https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Salmon