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Hawaiian Islands Aloha - Paradise exists for the shooters of the Hawaiian Islands

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Old 07-30-2011, 02:54 PM   #31
Tony S.
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

Sun Oct 31, 2010. "Kahala Nui"

Divers: Kevin, Noah, Jared and me.
Dive spot: Honolulu, Oahu - Hawaii.

It was unusual to start a dive this late....around noon, I think, normally we are up around crack of light.
But then again it was Holloween weekend and it was best to rest and get some needed sleep and dive late.
The winds had been pounding all week and the weekend looked good with low winds.

We got to the first spot South side and a scuba boat had the mooring ball.
I said just wait, they run out of gas shortly.
Instead Kevin turns the "666" towards Diamond Head and tries to make the turn over to Kahala.
We ended up turning around, since it looked too rough.

We decided to go to the next spot, pretty far down the South coast, but turned around also due to low fuel concerns.
On the way back, we hit one of the channel buoys, nothing.
Nothing was really working and I just wanted to get in the water.

We moored up at the next dive, a shipwreck one mile from shore and jumped in. The current was swift.
9 times out of 10 the current is a non issue at this spot, but today it was moving fast.
It also was from the southwest, and normally is from the East.
The good thing was the vis was pretty good.
We were looking and chumming for onos, but none were sighted.

I just decided to take a rest and hold on to the rope from the mooring ball.
I see most of the other divers up-current diving about 50 yards away.
Holding on to rope and wait for the guys to spot some fish and then I'd move into action.

Sure enough the plan worked, as I see Kevin Sakuda up ahead with a large fish on his shaft.
The current was working to my benefit and Kevin and the fish, a very large kahala (amberjack) were approaching.
Kevin is still fighting the fish, as the kahala is about 30 to 50 feet down.
As the distance is closing between me and Kevin, I could see there is another more bigger kahala near Kevin's fish.

I could also sense Jared and Noah nearby, so I chose to swim a few yards up-current so to get near Kevin and dive on the second kahala.
I dive down about 30 to 40 feet and just hover a few feet above Kevin's Kahala.
I could see he has a great holding shot on the his fish, behind the head, shoulder area, straight down thru the fish and flopper out the other side.
I thought, wow pretty good shot and good power.

As I hover the second kahala was swimming nearby and after determining Kevin did not need a backup shot,
I decided to focus on getting a good shot on the second kahala.
I took my time as the kahala circled close by, and thought to myself since this was a large fish,
the shot had to be placed well and close enough to bury most of my shaft into it's body, if not all the way through.

It took forever and I was almost out of air.
I almost didn't take the shot and thought Noah or Jared would dive next and get it.
Almost at the last minute the Kahala turns sideways, close enough for good placement, near the head.
"Splash Two", I shoot and it takes off for the deep, spooling most of my reel line on my 120cm.
I dive up with one finger resistance on shooting line, surfacing and holding on, I now grab the line with both hands, letting go the gun.
I put alot of pressure on the line to test the shot and see if it will hold.
It takes me under a few times as it fights a nice fight.
From time to time, the kahala gives less of a fight and I pull the line and fish up from the 120 foot depths.
As he comes closer, near 50, Noah takes one dive down for the second backup shot.
As Noah gets close without a shot, the kahala takes off for the deep again, taking me under a few feet a couple more times.

When he fights good, I resist less, when he fights less, I collect more line.

The shot was back towards the gill plate, thru the gills and into the throat area, but not out the other side.
This was a big fish, putting on a big fight and on my shaft now for a long time.
All I could think about was not losing him and not getting this fish to rip off.
So I knew it was important to get him back up, so Noah who was near me for the assist could get a backup shot.

I got him up again closer and now near 40 feet depth, I could see Noah dive down and place the second shot.
Good thing he did, as my flopper was now about to rip out thru the gill plate.

I look up and now see the swift current has carried us far away from the boat and mooring.
As I collect my gun, line and shaft, Jared and Noah team up and swim my fish to the boat.
Thanks again, great teamwork and glad I didn't have to swim the monstah in.

I look right and see Kevin near, performing a few cranial lacerations on his kahala, so I grab his fish by the tail and assist.
He pulls his shaft out and I swim his kahala in to the boat, which is now a good 200 yards up-current.

At the dock, while washing the boat we filleted my kahala, gutted and beheaded Kevin's kahala for the smoker, he says he's gonna buy.
Marinas on the mainland have a stainless steel, tables and sinks on the dock, so you can clean your fish and feed the remains to the crabs.
This would be a good thing if Hawaii had some of these.

There were not a single worm in both kahalas.
Two months ago, Justin took one 40 plus pound kahala from the same dive spot and also found no worms.

Frank, my last dive partner had left a cig test kit from his 38# kahala "da tsunami dive" he tested, also no worms.

We tested both kahalas and both were negative.

I used a spring scale, I had in the car.
Kevin's Kahala weighed 42 pounds gutted.
My spring scale only goes up to 50 max, so we guesstimate my fish at 65 pounds.

Maholo for reading and special thanks to Kevin for inviting me on this dive.




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Old 07-31-2011, 04:16 PM   #32
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

Posted quotes below are from HSD forum, not spearboard.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jhip
Nice Kahalaz Tony / Kevin!
Thanks Joe, but I really have to thank Kevin for bringing in these kahalas, Noah for the backup and Jared for the rodeo.
Without them, none of this was possible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by koriko613
Those ciguatera tests that they sell are only about 30% accurate. You're better off flipping a coin on whether or not the fish has the toxin or not.
Agreed, it is an inaccurate test, and I think the manufactured says so too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by K*1
I met a women from france who grew up eating fish. Her father was a world renowned spearo. She said that when she was young, her father taught her to test fish for cig by feeding these small black ants the liver of the fish. If the ants took the liver away for a meal the fish was clean, and when the ants avoided the liver the fish was hot with cig. She stands her ground claiming that this was and still is the most accurate method for cig testing. kinda tripy.
While at the dock, my kahala got abused twice....
The first was a kapuna, that came over and did an old hawaiian cig test/check.
As he approached the kahala and telling us about how he tests for cig, the thoughts of a past post,
about a guy sticking his finger in the fish anus and smelling it....
I thought..... OH NO, MY FISH GONNA GET ABUSED!!!!

Then the old guy proceeds to rub his index finger around the lips of the Kahala.
He then puts his finger to his lips and gums....rubbing it all over and says....NO CIG.

I think I'm going to get an ant farm and feed the liver is a good idea, definitely more accurate and nature conscious test.
The neighbor's cat is a good one too, heard about that one....

The second abuser was one of our divers who decided to play rodeo and try and get buck'ed....LOL

Too funny.....we seriously need a reality diver show.



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Old 08-06-2011, 01:26 PM   #33
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

After our food got molested and rodeo-ed, six of us sat down and chowed down on some of it.
Wanted to thank Kevin and Noah for coming over and cooking...Kasia just had leftover Kahala today, too.

I also forgot to mention, both Jared and Noah got lots of Kahala Nui steaks, like the ones below.



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Old 08-06-2011, 10:44 PM   #34
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

How much of the Kahala was choked with worms? Every one I have shot of any size in Hi. has been loaded with worms near the tail. I mean choke worms, where the meat had holes tunneled through it. I was able to salvage meat from the front half of the fish, but then I froze it for several days and then cooked the hell out of it to be sure.
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Old 08-07-2011, 01:21 AM   #35
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

This was the 3rd and 4th Kahala (amberjack) we've gotten out of this spot, the Sea Tiger shipwreck.

All 4 had zero worms, and we feel very lucky here since all other kahalas I've hit or seen at other spots are worm carriers.
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Old 08-19-2011, 03:33 PM   #36
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Re: Diving With HammerHead (Caught Tiger on a Rope)

Wed Jan 19, 2011. "Caught 7 foot Tiger Shark"

Divers: Kevin, Frank, Vern and me.
Dive spot: Waimanalo, Oahu.

It was a great day to play hookie from work, whether you are a surfer or in our case a diver, as the waves on the lower East side of Oahu called for flat conditions and winds less than 5. There was a huge swell to the Northwest and it was said the Eddie Aikau 2011, may of been on (not sure it happened).
Early morning we loaded, fueled and hooked the HH boat, drove to Hawaii Kai launch ramp and propelled the "666" past the horn of Koko Head, then Makapu'u on our way to various dive spots on the East side.

We jumped in and there was zero current, and water was almost glass.
Vis was 25 to 50, depending on where you were during the dive.
We were diving our way from the the Moks to Rabbit islands, in varying depths of 10 feet out to 60 feet.
Mostly we were catching lots invasives, some goats (Joe's and Kali's), table bosses, a couple uhus and Kevin caught one uku.
There were no photos taken as we usually do, cause we got back to the dock and were washing the boat in the dark.
My Iphone doesn't do photos very well in the dark.
I had hit 15 fish on this dive, 10 roi, 1 toa'u, 2 table boss, 1 Joe and 1 large wrasse (not the old lady, the blue one).
Since I enjoy table boss so much and it's a wrasse, I'd figure I'd give the blue wrasse a tasting.

It was our next to last dive spot as the sun was making it's way over the Ko'olaus.
I swam out from the reef where the boat was anchored in very shallow water about 200 yards to dive in 30 foot depths.
I was out there alone and had told Frank before going of my intended destination.
I like to cover a lot of ground on my dives. I was busy hitting the invavises and figured, this dive instead of swimming back to the boat, I would just stay hitting invasives and get picked up. We don't stay in the same spot very long and it was about time I would see the other divers slowly one by one hop on the boat.
This is the usual sign (when you see 1 diver on the boat and then the second and then others) that we are moving dive spots. The last usually if still in the water gets picked up.

So it was about time I get picked up, cause I see at least one diver back on the boat.
This is when it happened, I see my float being taken out and attacked by what it seems to be a shark.
The float is about 50 feet away, vis was 30 at this point, I could just enough make out the fish and reef below.
I look to the float and due to bad vis can't see the shark.
I look above water line and see a shark tail rolling and splashing back and forth.
At the same time of the tax attack, I look out to the boat and now see a second and third diver hoping onboard and one pulling anchor.
Oh good they're coming for me, I now have backup, before I approach it.

As the boat nears, I now see my float inverted, not moving much.
I described the inverted float to a friend over the phone and he called it "tomb-stoned".
It was 3/4 in the water, with 1/4 sticking out and it was barely moving.
This seemed weird to me, as I am still a neub and could see there was weight on the float, but yet no movement.

I've been taxed once and saw a buddy float get taxed also one other time by two tiger sharks and today's float behavior was nothing like those times.
With float barely moving and 3/4 submerged (tip down, tomb-stoned), I knew something was odd.
Most of all there was no tugging on my tagline, like the last time I got taxed.

As the boat approaches, Vern is driving looks down on the float and says "Tiger". Honestly, initially I was too scared to approach the buoy.
When I did, after Kevin jumps in with the gopro, the tiger shark was motionless, head down in the water, hanging 15 feet from my float.
It seemed to be wrapped around my floatline.

How the shark was caught:
My tagline is 75 feet iceline, plus 10 feet bungee.
When I dive the reef, I shorten the line by about 20 to 30 feet, so I don't have to swim too far to place fish on the float kui.
Normally it is wise to bundle the extra line neatly, but I just clip the line short and let the unused loop of line hang off the buoy.

There were 2 roi (grouper) and 1 toa'u (snapper) on the buoy and the tiger shark did not eat any of the fish, but the initial impact was a lot of splashing and the usual shark roll.
I assume before the shark wanted to eat, it circled the buoy to check out the fish.
At this point, the dangling loop of unused tagline gets caught in it's mouth.
It then rolls a few times trying to get free and wrapped itself around like a corkscrew.
It had bitten one end off but not the other.

Subsequently, it easily gives up a fight and just dangles almost motionless in a catatonic state, upside down on my float submerging it 3/4, tip down.

This tiger shark gave up too easily and did not put up a big enough fight, with hardly any pulling or tugging on my tagline, I guess they are not as ferocious as people make them out to be.

We were lucky to get a small clip/video of the shark:

Tiger Shark Caught on Diving Float .avi - YouTube
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Old 08-19-2011, 04:50 PM   #37
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

Wow. thats pretty rad. Good sized Tiger. Thanks for posting.
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Old 08-19-2011, 07:25 PM   #38
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

Yup, what are the odds of seeing a Tiger shark here in Hawaii.
There are guys that have been diving for years, religiously every week and never seen one.

On top of those odds add some more odds for rodeo-ing it on a string.

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Old 08-19-2011, 09:50 PM   #39
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

Love it! Railguns, just shows ya don't need canons to kill monster fish with ease!
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Old 08-20-2011, 09:26 PM   #40
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

I always say, it's the shaft that kills the fish, not the pipe, wood or hybrid.
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Old 09-03-2011, 12:40 PM   #41
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Re: Diving With HammerHead (Honolulu get Ahi)

Sunday, Jan 23, 2011. "Honolulu still get AHI"

Divers: Kevin, Ricky, Noah, Kurt and me.
Dive spot: Honolulu, Oahu.

We checked out a very busy wreck on the southside, but didn't stay cause it was dirty.
Snowflakes were prominent and dense in the water, a good sign cause the bait (opelu) would be around eating the little worm in the snowflake (as I like to call it, not sure the technical term for these).

Our next dive spot was a harbour channel buoy.
Me and Noah jumped in first, Ricky and Kurt later followed and Kevin did a live boat.
The unusual suspects weren't home, but the opelu school was dense and taking shots on them was easy.
I saw Noah hit one into the school.
My first 3 shots of the day, all scored opelus, 2 landed and 1 ripped.
I thought to myself, wow 3 for 3 hits on opelus, I was going to have a good day hitting up the rois (peacock grouper) on the reef, our next stop.

We go to the reef, Kevin anchored the "666" in 25 to 30 feet depths and we spread out from the boat.
Vis was about 30 to 40 feet and current was insignificant.
Later, I was joined by Kevin as he pounded the rois, we were working our way in 30 foot depth, heading West from where the boat was anchored.
It's funny, how some days/dives you can hit anything moving and other times you can't hit the big red barn.
I was missing/ripping most of the rois, but still happened to score 4 rois for the short amount of time we were on the reef.

I had looked at the boat occasionally and noticed a diver was sitting there, so I figured we would change spots and headed towards the boat.
When I got near, Noah greeted me in the water and asked, if I wasn't going to use my gun.
He says he bent his shaft. (I didn't get it at first....I figured he bent it hitting Oahu)
As I give him my gun, he says to me put your rois in the fishbag.
Now I know something is up, cause we usually use the cooler for the reef fish and only use the fishbag when get something big, and can't fit in the cooler.

On the boat, I unload my rois, open the fish bag and there it was the most beautiful piece of sashimi......a yellow fin tuna.
On first look, it looks like high 30's low 40's in weight, but on closer inspection, this sucker is thick, very thick....kind of reminded me of the 118 pound ulua Kevin shot 1 year ago, it was super thick, too.
It's very well past 50 pounds and I am going to guesstimate at somewhere in the mid 60's.

Congrats to Noah on a great job.

He was all alone and we still don't know how he was able to boat a 60# tuna, alone in 50 foot depths.
On top of everything, he was able to get it all on the gopro....Can't wait to see the footage.

video and Noah's writeup to follow:

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Old 09-03-2011, 10:17 PM   #42
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

Hey Tony! Glad to see you on Spearboard were gonna have to dive again when im outa afghanistan. Glad you posted all these stories from skindiver to here I deff recognize a lot of the pics and deff the tiger and tuna stories. Hope all is well
ryan
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Old 09-04-2011, 07:54 AM   #43
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

Stay safe, my brother and thank you and all military for doing what you do, in keeping us safe.

Yesterday, we lost a great diver here on Oahu.
He was diving alone at the LCU out of Waianae artificial reef.
May he rest in peace.

Hit me up when you get back on the rock and we go dive.

Tony.
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Old 09-05-2011, 02:35 AM   #44
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

Just checked out hawaiiskindiver and the post there really sad. I deff think hes gonna be missed by many in the hawaii dive community. My condolences for his ohana. Everyone remember to dive with a buddy doesnt matter what your skill level is accidents can happen to anyone at anytime. Dive safe!
Cant wait to get back tony got a boy who lives in waianae with a boat we can go do some bluewater on. Make sure you and team HH save some fish for me!
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Old 09-28-2011, 09:57 PM   #45
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Re: Diving With HammerHead

As promised, here is Noah's write-up and video about spearing a 60+ lbs. Ahi in 50 feet depths in Honolulu.
This is Noah's write-up, so don't blame me for the un-fact that his keyboard is missing an enter key (go figure and he was admitted to a University, studying architecture)

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alright guys so here is my side of the story...
so once we all jumped in at our reef spot it was gun hoe time to kill some roi and I would say the visibility on the outside was more around 50’ because I could just make out the bottom and see the structure, I felt like going in the 30-50' range to hunt roi because this spot was loaded with roi. As i make my first drop to 30' i see a little roi and sure enough get a shot off. Stoned em…For my second drop I head out to the next little coral head that was at 50’ and with no partner around I don’t ever travel any deeper or push any type of time. As I am down on the bottom I see several roi swimming around so I pick one and stalk it (this is the first dive in the video). I did not have my float or tag line just my gun and reel; I was about 20 yards from the boat that had the flag up...Now I know I’m going to get lectured about the buddy system and it great to always have a buddy around; anyways…on my way back up from shooting my second roi I see this large blue thing swimming in the water. I thought to myself what the h*ll is that?? So I watch it for a bit longer and notice the yellow fins and the wide bullet shaped body. WOW AHI…I was stoked to see and ahi because I have never seen one in the water. I have seen ono’s and mahi’s but I still haven’t shot my first pelagic fish. I was so humbled at the sight of this fish I just enjoyed it. After it left out of sight I go back to hunting right around that same area with more roi to kill and sure enough who come back around for another look? Mr. Ahi/shibi. Hmmm I only have my Hammerhead Evolution 110cm with a reel no tag line no float and I really don’t feel like risking all of my dive gear I think about it for a second more and say ah…what the h*ll how often do u get to get this type of chance. So I grab my opelu that I had shot earlier as marathon (tony) had described (which was on my belt kui) and ripped it in half and toss the first piece in front of the ahi/shibi and he comes in a little close cuz he must be hungry however, once he spotted me he turned not so sure of what I was so I then take the other half of my opelu and drop it directly below me. What does he do? He makes a nice old loop to come around and get some opelu that is just free falling below me as he comes up he give me a qtr turn to see what I am doing and u guessed it. BAM shot is off and the shaft is in the ahi. (you can watch the video to see more). I ended up fighting him for about 20-30mins and man AHI are STRONG I pulled underwater a couple times and pulled across the water. It was an amazing experience one I shall never forget let alone how humbling it was to see a fish of that size and power. Yes I did land the fish alone and yes I was videoing myself no one to help me out. As for getting the fish back onto the boat well that was a little trickier. Once I got back to the boat with no one around still I take my mono and loop it around the back cleat of the boat and quickly climb in. Once I got ahold of the fish with my fins off I reach over and undo my mono that is on the cleat and lift the fish into the boat. The rest is boring. Just putting line together and getting the fish in the cooler/fishbag. Enjoy the video guys.

HammerHead Boat Day - YouTube
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