Matt Bogomol flew in from Japan to do a little bonefishing. We saw a few bones but, Matt couldn’t get the jigg in without scaring the weary bones. We were walking fairly close to a drop off and I saw this fish coming in through a little crack in the reef, I instructed Matt to cast his jig into a small sand pocket 15ft. ahead of us and for him to let it sit on the bottom. As the fish got closer I told him to begin retrieving the jig as soon as the jig moved the moi turned towards it and slammed it with a vengence! The fish turned around and ripped off 50 yards off the reel, Matt was doing an excellent job of playing the fish. As it came closer, I noticed the water behind of the fish turn a blue/grey color with approximately 40 1.0 lbs. males following this female. Even though Matt didn’t hook a bonefish this 3 lbs. Moi is a trophy in itself.
Opening Day for Pacific Treadfin (Moi)
September 3rd, 2009160 pounder… Catch & Release
August 3rd, 2009Took a couple of Salty Dogs out spin fishing for Bones. Dennis & Alfred had a great time today with quite a few huge bites throughout the day but only managed to land a few small bonefish that were in the 4 to 4.5 lbs. range. The larger bones that got away either threw the hook or got cut off on coral. 
However, on the way back to the boat ramp we managed to run into a 160 pounder . I saw a guy jumping up & down waving his arms for dear life on the bottom of his foam windsurfing board, when I got near him he was praising GOD that we came to his rescue. He was complaining about how strong the current was but, actually it was because the winds were blowing 25 to 35 mph and he was a novice windsurfer. He was about a mile away from the boat ramp and the wind was pushing him out towards Tahiti. As we got close to the boat ramp I saw his Wife pacing back and forth, like a worried parent looking for her lost child. A fisherman on the dock witnessed the whole scenerio and assisted in docking my boat, and said “WoW nice catch” to which I replied ” Thanks, we have to throw this one back…We can’t eat it nor can I put a tag in it to release it.” You need to swallow your pride and know your limits.
My New Revised Website Almost Completed!
July 16th, 2009
Why Paddle?
July 15th, 2009
“Mr. Octopus”, The Myth, The legend, The Man himself and my “BFF” Bestest Friend Mr. Gary Tanaka came to visit me while I was out guiding. After returning from yanking out 150lbs of tako from the depths. It doesn’t matter if there are small craft warnings or not. If you need it HE’LL GET IT!!!I was out one day on the Sudden Rush a 40ft. Uniflite w/Capt. Keoni Erickson (www.suddenrush.com) we were returning home from an offshore trolling trip, the winds were blowing 25 to 35 mph. We were just outside of the harbor when all I saw was a man and white water, No Boat. Low & behold as we got closer it was Gary with the throttle wide open heading back in. Yeah, there just might be a few “Screws Loose”!!!
Friends always ask me where I get my baits from, I tell them “Tanaka Reef”
Utilizing My Christmas Present
July 11th, 2009
Dean Ueyda, a classmate of mine called me to take his nephew Jordan Luke out fishing. Jordan had a brand new rod & reel for christmas but, has never used it. So we went out in search of hooking a couple of bonefish, it started off slow and towards the evening all “hell” broke loose. The Bonefish were biting like crazy, many fish were too large for his rod & reel, he couldn’t turn a few of the fish on the first run. The fish were either cut off by coral or the hooks dislodged from the fishes mouth. However, he did manage to land this nice bonefish which he quickly asked if he could let it go. After placing a bonefish tag and recording the necessary data, Jordan released his first fish ever! A true trooper and our future caretaker of our fishery.
2009 Fishing Tournament “WIN”
July 5th, 2009
Kurt Kawamoto a good friend of mine told me he was going to fish the Waialua Boat Club 4th of July Tournament. I asked him if he had a 7in. Opelu lure he didn’t, so I gave him this Blue back Opelu for luck. He used the lure a week before the tournament with no luck, I saw him one day at the Hobbietat store in Kaimuki (www.hobbietat.com). We were talking about how alot of the Ahi’s that were coming up were spitting up shrimp. So I suggested to change the inner skirt on the Opelu to Orange/Pink. On tournament day the first Ahi crashed the Opelu at 8:30am it weighed 180lbs. by the end of the day they landed two more a 170lbs. and a 150lbs. The 180lbs took 1st place in the Wailua Boat Club Tournament. I guess the 7in. Opelu was a lucky lure after all.
Waialua Boat Club is the oldest Boat Club in Hawaii which is located on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii
Tailing Bonefish
June 14th, 2009If you’ve never seen a tailing bonefish or think that in Hawaii we don’t have any flats and the water is too deep to site fish here are a few pictures to show that we do. What you see in this first picture is the rear top tail fin and the front dorsel fin of the bonefish.
This bonefish was only 8 feet infront of me when I snapped this picture of him feeding with his head down and tail out of the water. The water here was only approximately 15inches deep.
Hawaii Goes Fishing
March 15th, 2009
Today, we filmed a “Reel Receipes” segment on the Hawaii Goes Fishing TV program (www.hawaiigoesfishing.com). Hawaii Goes Fishing TV show is one of the best fishing shows in Hawaii and is broadcasted on OC16 (www.oc16.com). It was filmed in a beautiful house located on St.Louis Heights where the views were spectacular. You could view parts of Hawaii Kai,
Diamondhead through to Ala Moana. The view from the kitchen’s window looked like a painting of the beautiful Diamondhead Crater. Today, I made a receipe for a sauce to pour over fried fish. I like using Menpachi but, today I only had Moi (Pacific Threadfin)
Ingredients
1 C. Vegetable Oil
6 Tlbs. Oyster Sauce
1 Med. Round Onion
3 Med. Tomatoes
1/2 c. Flour or Corn Starch
Fish (any white reef fish- pref. Menpachi)
Instructions
Start by frying the fish as you normally would with corn starch or flour. After cooking fish set aside on a plate with paper towel. In another pan, take some of the oil that you just fried the fish in and heat the pan and add one sliced round onion saute till translucent. Add 2 medium tomatoes cut in wedges than add to the onions, add 4 tablespoons of oyster sauce simmer for 3 minutes and pour over fried fish. Umm,Umm,Umm. Enjoy!
Dean Sensui, Capt.Mahalo Bob, Dave Lancaster & Audy Kimura
Just before we let loose the anxious crew to enjoy.
A Sucker’s Encounter
March 7th, 2009
It was a Gorgeous, few hours in the morning with friends, we went out Holo- Holo ( playing around) fishing.
I was stalking a couple of very nice Tailing bonefish, that were feeding 40 yards away, coming at me at 30degrees.
When all of a sudden, it appeared…. it was a nice Tako (octopus), it was spread out, soaking up the morning sun, it flashed a bright gray/white color, as if to say, Stay Away, I’m the King of this Reef!
I had only a few seconds to make a decision…..by pass those weary and skiddish bones or go after the ” Guarantee ”
Guess I’m not much of a gambler…..After I reached down and grabbed his large spongee head, I was thinking that if I could do this quickly enough, I may still have a chance at those bones! But guess what, I could have sworn I heard him say: “I AM WILLIAM WALLACE”! And he fought me with Great Abandon! I felt like I was Longshanks himself, his tentacles reached up and wrapped around my arm, I had to tuck my rod under my arm to grab it with my other hand! Finally I was able to, as we Hawaiians do it…..I bit it between it’s eyes like a Savage Native! Quickly dispatching it!
This octopus made for a wonderful, smoked tako at a barbecue, enjoyed by a few friends and some nice cold ones!
Oh and the Bones, they’re still out there……
Jeff’s Giant Trevally
March 1st, 2009
Aloha this past few days the winds have been very strong up to 30mph plus and low light conditions However, I guided Jeff into landing this VERY RARE 6lbs. Golden Trevally and his Father in-law Cliff, managed to hook a nice 3 1/2lbs. Bonefish.
Hopefully, the winds should come down a notch or two next week so we can have better conditions.
A Hui Hou,
Capt. Mahalo Bob
