Hawaii Tenkara Afternoon

[Stan Wright]

Went down to the stream behind H'omalahia this afternoon.
It's not as clean since the rain, but still a foot or so
visibility. The little tropical 5-Bar General were out in force and
following every fly I tried on them.

Actual hits were few and far between. They didn't like
the nymphs, or the dry flys. Wet flys didn't draw any strikes.
But when I switched to the gold Crazy Charley
the fish started chasing and grabbing the fly
more aggressively. I just couldn't hook up that many.

Then I remembered our trout fishing guide on the
Montana trip telling me I wasn't setting the hook
hard enough. (The peacock bass hit with such force
you don't have to set the hook...) With trout,
according to Toby, you have to jerk the rod with
the force of making a back cast. The little 5-bar
were grabbing the fly, but when I slowly raised
the rod they came off. So on the next cast when
I felt the little tick as the fish grabbed the fly...
I whipped back with force... My Tenkara rod bent
deep as the now hooked fish headed down stream.
That's what I like about the Tenkara rods.
Even a little fish bends the rod and gives you
a good fight. The 2# test line was no match
for this tiny guy and I had him to the net in short order.
I hooked fish on the next 5 casts... I just had not been
setting the hook hard enough. I find it strange that
the 5-bar ignore all the natural insect looking flys and
go for a hunk of gold flash-a-boo. Bling, they love the bling.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Sounds like a good day to me. Pretty little fish. What's your water look like, and the surrounding areas?

REE

[Stan Wright]

It's a little stream that runs out of Hoomaluhia park pond. It's only a few inches deep in most places. There are a few holes that might ve 3 or 4 feet deep. The stream probably has mor tropical fish in it than most pet stores. The 5-Bar are the most aggressave when using lures or flys. We've also caught Red Devils and smallmouth bass. Everything that washed downstream from the lake. If you use bread or earth worms for bait, you can fill an aquarium with all the different kinds of fish. If this picture doesn't show up here, I'll go back and eddit my report.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Nice, Stan. You find fish in some surprising places. Are all those fish native to HI, or imported?

REE

[Stan Wright]

The only native freshwater fish in Hawaii is the oopu... a kind of gobbie. Everything else is intorduced.
Largemouth, smallmouth and peacock bass. Bluegill, channel catfish, oscar, carp, talipia, and snake head, rainbow trout and prawns were all introduced by the state.
Every thing else got into the streams and lake by someone dumping their unwanted aquariums. Tropical fish really grow big when they are not confined to a small place.