20 pound Bonefish

[Stan Wright]

I realize Darryl isn't a fly fisherman, but bear with me a moment. Fishing from his kayak around Oahu, Darry. has landed some nice size bonefish. Six and 7 pounders are a regular occurance.

This week on Molokai he noticed a large fish following his lure. The water was 3 feet deep and crystal clear. He stopped reeling and the fish took the bait right at his feet, a rod length away. Darryl estimated the oio (bonefish) to weigh around 12 pounds or larger. After several long runs the 16 pound test line cut on a coral head.

Several local Molokai residents told him they had caught bonefish that size, even larger. One commercial fisherman told Darryl of catching a 20 pound bonefish.

I know fly fisherman here in Hawaii who regularly catch 7 and 8 pound bonefish, and now I know there are larger fish out there just waiting for some lucky fly fisherman.

Aloha,
Stan

[Kauai Boy]

I've seen Bonefish over 20lbs here before,My freind was fishing a pinnacle off Kilauea Lighthouse w/ handline baskets when his anchor pulled and he slid off the highspot over a sand bottom area in about 20 fathoms,He said his line stated thumping and when he worked the fish to the top he had 2 huge Oi'o(Bonefish)One was 16lbs and the other 21 lbs,He made another drop and came up w/ 2 more giant's one 18lbs and one 19lbs.
This oldtimer "Uncle Billy" used to talk about Oi'o as big as his leg,I've caught plenty in the 7-8 lb range and a few over 10,I know that the20 lbers are around but they live in the deep over here. :cool: :cool: :cool:
This spring we were thinking of trying that area w/ lightline,I guess 30lb test is the heaviest mono you can use in pursuit of a I.G.F.A. record,We might just give it a try ;)

[Stan Wright]

Your probably too young to remember Bruce Carter on the origional "Let's Go Fishing" show. One trip, bottom fishing off Lanai, they were pulling up 20+ pound bone fish on hand lines. Yes, there are some new world record bonefish swimming around down there..... good hunting.... go for it.

Aloha,
Stan

[Kauai Boy]

Nope ,I remember Bruce he was before Harry Kojima,Now It's "Hawa'ii goes Fishing" w/ Ben Wong,A far cry from the old shows.
And Yeah,I know their out there,Just gotta put some time into it,Make A "House" by busting Palu bags but not fishing them,Same way I was taught to do on the inshore Oi'o spots. :cool:

[Kauai Boy]

But you know that,I did'nt realize you were still in Hawaii Stan,I've seen a bunch of your old photo's from the Kewalo Basin boats,A oldtimer over here Dick Sloggett used to run the "Kahuna Kai" and he was showing me his scrapbook one time,Aloha ;)

[albacized]

hello stan and kauai boy. i don't know when, but i'd like to take a trip to hawaii. i've seen your posts about bonefish, and in another thread, jacks being caught from either shore or near shore locations. here in the northeast part of the country, we sometimes get shots at small tuna called bonito and false albacore right from shore. i know there are pacific bonito and a close relative to false albacore that run around your neck of the woods. are they any kind of a shorebout target or do you need boats to catch these? i'd like to fish casual around family commitments. i would probably charter a boat for one day. however, if i were to do that, my feeling is why not just go after the bigger stuff that are probably in the same waters these little tunas would be. the problem is that i'm by far a bigger light tackle fan and would feel way more at home catching jacks and these little tunas (as well as bonefish) on lighter gear than getting strapped to a chair to catch a larger tuna or billfish. i know that deep water is just a short ride from the docks there in hawaii. is there any part of the island where this water is reachable by a cast and if not, are there any deeper channels running into the harbors that would draw in some pelagics? thanks in advance for your input,
Rich

[rollwithit]

I'd love to see a picture of any bonefish even near twenty pounds.

[Kauai Boy]

Howzit Albacized? Yeah,We have a cousin to the False Albacore called Kawakawa,To get to theses guys you need a skiff,Most times their in the bays and inside the 50 fathom line,Never seen anybody over here catch a Oi'o (Bone) on a fly,There's places I know of that would be the place to try,There's lots of spots to find Papio's(Jacks) though,There's some guys on Oahu that have a guide service for Bones.
As far as light tackle charters on Kaua'i I don't know of any,But I have freind that runs a boat and he'll run the charter around what YOU like do.
Stan probably knows guys on Oahu,Kauai is small,I was thinking about doing a light tackle charter thing years ago but getting things through the local gov. after a huge tour boat war on the Northshore is almost impossible and dealing w/ the public can be a little different.
In my operation right now the neither the fish or the ice grumble if you know what I mean,P.M. me and I'll help you out w/ stuff on Kaua'i,If you come Hawaii you gotta see Kaua'i :cool:
I'm making lunch and heading out to load the boat right now,We have light wind and the Mahi's have been on the chew,Aloha ;)

[Stan Wright]

Rich,

I have the names of several people who go for bonefish here on Oahu. Nervous Water Flyfishers is a fly fishing shop and guide service. 808 does fly fishing and spincasting for bones. (there are always other fish around on the flats). Hawaii Bass Fishing , that's me, only does freshwater fishing for peacock and largemouth bass. Did you say your a fly fisherman,,,,, good fun on flys. I also know some boats that do light tackle out of Oahu. We usually go with the Live Bait out of Waianae. I think it's Blue Water Charters. I have a link on my web site.

Kauai Boy, is LeRoy still doing Peacock bass fishing on Kauai? If Rich gets to Kauai, he should go with your friend. It isn't often you can get charter guys to stop thinking about giant marlin and play around with light tackle. My feeling is.... rather catch a bunch of small fish than one big one.

If you run into Sloggett, tell him I said HI. We have gone on some great fishing adventures.... from Niihau to whipping for papio on Kauais north shore. Tell him to drop me a line. stanwright@hawaii.rr.com

Tight lines you guys,
Aloha,
Stan

[Kauai Boy]

I see Dick him here and there Stan,I'll give him the message and Yeah,Leroy is still doing the Peacock thing,Waita Resevoir I think,That would be fun on a fly rod.
Eh! Stan you know David Goodale?? Dick's nephew?He told me that one time he brought his old Sampan the "Kamanu" across to Oahu for a haul out and was in a slip at Kewalo when you ran into him,He was cutting some huge Otaru's,He said you told him"Brah!Those are probably world records",He said they were over 40 lbs,You remember that?? That was way back. :cool:

[confluential]

I just got back from my first bonefishing trip in Biscayne Bay and I'm totally hooked. I'll be back regularly. But I think there might be some "fish stories" going on here ... the IGFA all-tackle world record is 19 lbs. from South Africa. I would strongly advise those of you who routinely run into 20+ lb. bonefish to make damn sure your tackle and leaders are IGFA compliant!!

[teflon_jones]

Most people don't realize there are different species of bonefish!

Those 20 lb specimens people have mentioned are NOT the same fish that we catch in the shallows. They are bonefish, but of a different species, and they grow much larger than their shallow water cousins. I've heard of many over 20 lbs, and some close to 30 lbs, that were caught in deep water up to 100 feet deep off islands in the Pacific.

EDIT: This document from the Hawaiin government tells about the two species found in Hawaii, but it doesn't tell their size.
http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/pubs/cl03_09.pdf

[Stan Wright]

Scott,

That has to be the ones..... The fish we're catching up on the reef and in ths shallow sand channels only get to around 12 to 14 pounds, well, that's the size of the ones we have been able to land.

The reefs and flats around Oahu produce "quality" fishing.... not "quantity".
You may only get a shot at 6 or 7 fish in a day, but if you get one it's going to be a good one (we consider a 6 pounder ....small)

This summer on Christmas Island, that was quantity. 1 to 4 pounders by the hundreds. Now that I think about it...I consider that a "quality" fishing trip.....LOL

Aloha,
Stan