A recent conversation centered around "extreme fishing." It started with one's comment about these "wild men," somewhere along the Mississippi, who would stick their hands in submerged traps to let a catfish try and swallow their hands then pull the greedy catfish up and flip in into a boat. We all agreed it was pretty extreme to stick one's hand in the mouth of anything as large as the "cats" they were pulling up!
Then, of course, the conversation turned to local fare--kayak fishing in the deep blue... free-dive spear fishing for big tuna and wahoo in open ocean... trying to tag a marlin while it's thrashing a bill and hook alongside the boat. In this congenial arena of fishing tales one-upsmanship, all of the well-known fishing venues for which Hawaii has been noted were discussed except one which I reflected on after everyone had left.
For all of the fishing Hawaii offers, few are so uniquely tied to the islands as slide-baiting. Ask any local fisherman to name a single prized fish here in Hawaii and many of the responses will come back an "ulua" (oo loo' ah.) The Hawaiian name for a trevally weighing over ten pounds, the ulua is the largest of all Hawaiian fish caught from the shore. Growing well in excess of a hundred pounds, ulua are fierce fighters and popular table fare as well.
Among the most popular environs for ulua are the deep drops that lie off of many of the islands' rocky coasts. And while the underwater topography might be perfect for fish, the anglers wanting to fish these domains are faced with some precarious fishing spots often characterized by steep ledges, sharp rocks, and threatening waves.
The volcanic origin of the islands in which lava flows added to the coastline over the years in which the islands were formed created a miles of shorelines which end abruptly with a drop into the ocean. In these areas, it's not uncommon to find immediate water depths of sixty feet or more within an easy casting distance. These areas, often ten feet or more above the water, are the haunts of Hawaii's slide-bait fishermen!
As a youngster, I was always fascinated by a white marker on an overlook along a highway on Oahu's east side. I had learned that it memorialized a fisherman who had drowned after being washed off the ledge by large waves. Looking over the rocky coast which jutted anywhere from three to ten feet above the water, it was easy to see that getting back on to land after falling into the water was pretty close to impossible on a calm day let alone at night (the preferred time for this type of fishing) and when there are any waves to speak of.
Yet despite the obvious risks, slide-baiting is the venue of choice for many of Hawaii's top shore fishermen many of whom have achieved membership in the 100# club, an elite group of anglers who have caught an ulua of a hundred pounds or more.
Slide-baiting starts off with the largest shore fishing tackle you will come across. The poles are heavy-duty twelve to fourteen-foot casting poles equipped with conventional reels like the Penn 4-0's and 6-0's loaded with 50# - 75# test line. The rig is comprised of weights between 8-10 ounces connected to the main line with a large ring and weaker line intended to break away when the fish is hooked or when the line needs to be retrieved. Generally, a slide baiter will cast his line out once at the beginning of the session. Since each member of a group might have three to four poles making for a pretty crowded fishing perch, the only time lines are reeled back in is when a fish hits or when it's time to leave.
During the session, the fishermen slide their chosen bait down the line with a special leader. A hook is fastened to a stiff wire leader with a pigtail swivel on the other end allowing it to be attached to the main line. The bait slides down as far as the ring at the end of the main line preventing the bait from touching the bottom. Baits are slid down throughout the session without the fishermen ever having to worry about checking their bait or risking entanglement with other lines.
When a fish is caught, the prospect of bringing it up on the rocks from waters some ten feet or more below can be pretty tricky. A special gaff hook with an open ring and rope is slid down the main line down to the fish which is gaffed by jerking up from under the fish then pulling it up with the rope. It's a pretty slick technique that takes a bit of practice especially with a fish that weighs in at fifty to a hundred pounds and more.
Most of us will never experience fighting a hundred pound ulua from a rocky ledge but a look at any of the trophies these skilled anglers have brought up might convince you that this is a pretty extreme form of fishing. It's a form of fishing you'll seldom hear about but is going on in Hawaii at some awfully precarious spots on almost any moonless night!
The author, Richard Young, is the creator of HawaiiBeachcombers.com, a site which includes Hawaii Fishing along with other favorite island ocean activities.
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