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

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Old 11-12-2011, 07:16 PM   #1
seabasshunterSB
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Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Hey guys,

I’m visiting Hawaii for the first time for a family vacation in June 2012. We are staying at a resort in Waikoloa Village for a week. I am from Santa Barbara, California where I recently started free diving a few years ago, the water is 50-65 degrees and vis. ranges 5'-20' around the coast. We usually shoot small rockfish, kelp bass, regular reef fish, sheephead and an occasional halibut or white seabass.
I am really stoked to visit Hawaii for the first time and hopefully find some warmer water, better visablity and beautiful variety of fish. I have a few "first timer" questions. I thought I would throw out there for opinion.

*I would like to add that I will never take more then I use. I understand I am just a visitor, I will treat any place I visit with the same respect I would ask for at home.

1. What kind of wetsuit should I bring or If I need one at all? Will a cheap 3mm surfing suit do?

2. I will be bringing a gun and a sling (I am not sure I will even take a single fish but want to be prepared if the opportunity presents itself) These are my options: Omer 100cm rail gun with 100' float line.
-62" ulusub (blue water hunting)
-39" Riffe w/ detachable double flopper
-Riffe Hawaiian mid-handle w/ slip tip
-120cm aimrite rail gun w/ slip tip
-6' pole spear with a paralyze tip.

Lastly, Any spots that a first timer should dive/snorkel/eat or check out on a first trip to the Islands? I did order a fish identification guide and snorkeling guide for general knowledge & safety tips.
Thank you.
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Old 11-13-2011, 09:17 AM   #2
DeepSeaDiver07
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Good luck on the hawaii trip, sounds like you got all the right gear, theres many options in big isle thats my favorite place to dive. Waikoloa village is a beautiful place with some pretty good reef right off the beach, a little shallow so you may have to swim for a little bit to reach 40 foot waters but if your patient with a good breath hold theres good Uhus, goats and kalas, all perfect for grilling on the beach.

There is good blue water action on the island a good guide is Calvin Lai jr, and his father easy to find Kona Coast Spearfishing, good charter boat. June is perfect time for it too, if you like to troll fish Calvin Sr. is a fishing machine.

As for gear i would bring the 100cm for the reef and if you are planning on some BW any of your other guns set up with a slip tip and break away. I would leave the pole spear sling at home, brittle reef in waikaloa slapping a sling into it chasing uhus will just break it all up which where all trying to prevent. A 3mm is fine, you would even be good with a skin in june, even more so since your use to the fridged cali water.

shoots, good luck keep me posted, hope this info helps out.

Josh
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Old 11-13-2011, 10:56 AM   #3
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Visiting the Hawaiian Islands?

Check out this thread. It should give you some helpful information for your trip.

Like Josh said above, hit up the Lai's, they will put you on the fish. Contact info is on the link I provided.

Aloha,
Chad
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Old 11-14-2011, 05:50 PM   #4
seabasshunterSB
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Thank You guys very much I really appreciate your imput and encouragment! I guess the first thing I should start doing is researching fish identification. I was also wondering how deep you guys are diving on regular shore dives?

I am still new to freediving and haven't been diving deeper 30 feet, though Im sure with clear water I would be comfortable going deeper. Im at about 1min 30sec comfortable breath hold, 2min max.
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Old 11-14-2011, 06:19 PM   #5
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Going from CA to HI can be quite a shock. If you thought the fish here were skittish, just wait and see what its like when they can see you from 80ft away! Patience, persistence, calm, and a good breath hold seem to be the key in my experience. Actually, though, spearfishing in Hawaii is some of my favorite I've ever done, precisely because it is such a challenge (and Hawaii has some fish species that blow CA fish away completely in terms of tastiness). I'm just dying to get back out there.

I posted a report and vid from my July trip to Maui. You can read it here: http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=128617

As far as what length gun, if I were trying to equip myself for this trip, I would buy a flopper shaft for that 120cm aimrite and bring that. I don't see much disadvantage to a longer gun when you're diving in such clear water and on the flip side, there's a definite advantage to having that additional couple feet of range when hunting such wary game.

Last edited by ApneaAddict; 11-14-2011 at 07:08 PM.
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Old 11-14-2011, 07:01 PM   #6
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

I have flopper shafts for all the guns. My personal gun is an Omer 110 T.20 milenium w/ single flopper, the aimrite is my brothers. Why should he use a flopper vs. slip tip?
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Old 11-14-2011, 07:12 PM   #7
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Quote:
Originally Posted by seabasshunterSB View Post
I have flopper shafts for all the guns. My personal gun is an Omer 110 T.20 milenium w/ single flopper, the aimrite is my brothers. Why should he use a flopper vs. slip tip?
Have a look at the video in that thread. Sometimes you'll be taking long shots up off the reef, but just as often (or more often perhaps), you'll be shooting moana kali, menpachi, kumu, etc that are tight against the reef. You'll have to forgo many many shots on quality food fish if you have to worry about hitting the reef behind your target... now, that said, the big uku I shot did actually tear off because it was able to drag my shaft along the bottom and torque it against a coral head and I was pretty lucky that I was able to follow it and my buddy was able to recover it... even with that experience under my belt, though, if I were headed out there tomorrow, for general shore-diving, I would pack my flopper shaft, not my sliptip.

I'm no expert in Hawaiian spearfishing. Hell, I'm a total noob, honestly. This is just my opinion based on the 2 trips (~10 days total) I've hunted out there.
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Old 11-14-2011, 11:34 PM   #8
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Quote:
Originally Posted by ApneaAddict View Post
Have a look at the video in that thread. Sometimes you'll be taking long shots up off the reef, but just as often (or more often perhaps), you'll be shooting moana kali, menpachi, kumu, etc that are tight against the reef. You'll have to forgo many many shots on quality food fish if you have to worry about hitting the reef behind your target... now, that said, the big uku I shot did actually tear off because it was able to drag my shaft along the bottom and torque it against a coral head and I was pretty lucky that I was able to follow it and my buddy was able to recover it... even with that experience under my belt, though, if I were headed out there tomorrow, for general shore-diving, I would pack my flopper shaft, not my sliptip.

I'm no expert in Hawaiian spearfishing. Hell, I'm a total noob, honestly. This is just my opinion based on the 2 trips (~10 days total) I've hunted out there.
Pretty good advice I'd say, the omer 110 with a reel will be perfect for most hunting out here. With the expertise level your bringing it's perfect. I know guys who use 110's on ono and mahi out here. If you plan to do a bluewater trip, which i highly recommend, then bring an inflatable float and a breakaway set up. 3mm suit and 5 or 6lbs weight too.

Another suggestion, try just snorkeling and diving, (with a partner) the first couple times. It will help you tremendously with your breathholds once you do go with your gun. Also, look up "Roi, Toau, and Ta'ape" for fish to shoot. No eat the roi though, cigutera. Aloha
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Old 11-15-2011, 03:02 PM   #9
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Quote:
Originally Posted by seabasshunterSB View Post
I have flopper shafts for all the guns. My personal gun is an Omer 110 T.20 milenium w/ single flopper, the aimrite is my brothers. Why should he use a flopper vs. slip tip?
Slip tips are the best for open water (bluewater) fish, in my opinion it has the best hold when the big boys run.... That being said, i have made the mistake of taking my gun into a deeper reef after an unsuccesful day in the blue, and made a shot at an Uku (grey snapper) missed, and the slip tip got lodged in the reef. once the sliptip engaged in the rock/reef its close to impossible to get out. I made close to a dozen drops on a 60-70 ft reef to get it out, due to the dexterity it was impossible to break off (which i tried). I was exhausted fighting the current dropping up and down in the same spot, and it just ruined the day completly. A flopper is a little more easy to manuever out by spinner, pushing and pulling, and at last ditch effort a stong twist and pull will break the flopper so you at least save the shaft.

Its always best to try to make shots where it wont bang into the reef but
sometimes very unavoidable.

A longer gun is good especially in clear water, but the only downfall is the longer the gun the slower it is to move in the water, when that Kumu pops his head out of a hole to your left or right you want as little movement as possible to reposition in his direction.
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Old 11-18-2011, 08:36 PM   #10
seabasshunterSB
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

So I just got "Hawaii's Fishes" identification book in the mail. So far with your guys help I have identified uhu, uku, moana kali, kumu to'au and tape'. Any more I might want to look up prior to the trip? Thank you all for your help so far!
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Old 11-18-2011, 10:46 PM   #11
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Quote:
Originally Posted by seabasshunterSB View Post
So I just got "Hawaii's Fishes" identification book in the mail. So far with your guys help I have identified uhu, uku, moana kali, kumu to'au and tape'. Any more I might want to look up prior to the trip? Thank you all for your help so far!




Da Roi aka peacock grouper Baby reef fish enemy #1 They vary in size from 1lb to 8lbs, risky to eat because of cigutera, but an invasive species to hawaiian waters.
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Old 11-18-2011, 10:50 PM   #12
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

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Da Roi aka peacock grouper Baby reef fish enemy #1 They vary in size from 1lb to 8lbs, risky to eat because of cigutera, but an invasive species to hawaiian waters.
Bingo, if you see em, kill em! Don't have to eat em, just kill em.

Aloha,
Chad
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Old 11-20-2011, 09:51 PM   #13
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

Anywhere just out side of the A-Bay(anaihoomalu bay) is good just stay to the left of the beach and you'll be fine. Until you get to the deeper parts like 60'+ then you'll find your Mu, Lobster caves and sleeping tax man's. But just a warning there have been sights of a BIG guy out there. And anywhere out side of the maunalani resort has some good game too.

As for gear a 1.5m suite will do and all u need is a 8' 3 prong or a 90-110 speargun unless your hitting a BW dive then bring your big gun. If you do want to go Blue Water then Check Out "Bluewaterhunter.com" he has some charters or post up on "Hawaii Spearfishing & Freediving" on Face Book. Someone might be nice and take you guys out.

Are you a registered Scuba Diver Or a Free dive? Here is my friends company Waikoloa coast divers Check out there charters online @ waikoloacoastdivers.com
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Old 11-21-2011, 01:59 AM   #14
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

I am not certified for scuba, I am thinking about it..Is it worth the effort to get certified before the trip? Are you talking about a BIG tiger shark, Im not the kind to get shark block but a 18ft tiger is not on my to see list.......
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Old 11-21-2011, 04:01 AM   #15
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Re: Visiting Hawaii "The Big Island"

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Originally Posted by seabasshunterSB View Post
I am not certified for scuba, I am thinking about it..Is it worth the effort to get certified before the trip? Are you talking about a BIG tiger shark, Im not the kind to get shark block but a 18ft tiger is not on my to see list.......


Well if your not certified then thats cool. They also have some snorkeling in there too. They Work out of A-Bay and venutre north. As for Tiger Sharks youll rearly see them. But it is known that they do venture close in. The most youll see is the normal reef sharks sleeping in there caves.

Heres a video.

Tiger Shark encounter in Hawaii July 24, 2011 - YouTube
Hope you enjoy your trip.
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