Story Index:

Ao final
07/13/2014

Son in the sky
07/12/2014

Recife
06/27/2014

Impressions of Brazil
06/25/2014

Vida Dura
06/23/2014

Hawaii Fishing News - May 2013
05/01/2013

Un lugar para mi
09/09/2011

Crossed the border
08/18/2011

Quiero mas tiempo!
07/31/2011

Perched above Medellin
07/23/2011

Yay for a shower!
07/19/2011

New coast for me!
07/15/2011

The ocean calls
07/09/2011

Thick rain, freight train
06/26/2011

Tierra Dura
06/26/2011

Time to dry
06/24/2011

The next quarter century - on we go!
06/18/2011

Rolling with it
06/09/2011

Viviendo la vida
04/27/2011

You live and you learn: Adventures in Bureaucracy
04/12/2011

Snippets of Life - Part 4: La vida hermosa
04/08/2011

Snippets of Life: Part 3 - Las flores y los pájaros de Mindo
04/07/2011

Snippets of Life: Part 2 - An afternoon in Colonial Quito
03/30/2011

Snippets of Life: Part 1 - Fútbol en Argentina
03/27/2011

La diferencia principal entre Ecuador y Thailand
02/12/2011

Mi misíon por cada día
02/05/2011

Me gusta mi linea de trabajo!
01/28/2011

Mi primer fin de semana en Ecuador
01/18/2011

First off, let's catch up: Where's Whitney?
01/13/2011

Day BA
02/24/2009

What a year! 2008 in Review...
12/29/2008

Southeast Asia Superlatives (and not-so-Superlatives)
12/12/2008

One week in Cambodia
12/03/2008

Waterfalls, cliffs, and caves of beautiful Laos
11/09/2008

Beautiful, happy northern Thailand
10/31/2008

One amazing month on Koh Tao
10/24/2008

Daily mission on the islands: Enjoy life!
09/14/2008

Bangkok, Thailand
09/13/2008

Last week in France
09/05/2008

August 08 in Europe
08/24/2008

Failed Cape Melville
07/13/2008

Day trip to Bowen
06/25/2008

Part 3: Volleyball playoffs
06/15/2008

Part 2: Ultimate camping
06/15/2008

Part 1 of... many: FOLK FESTIVAL!
06/15/2008

My weekend of great vistas
06/02/2008

A glorious weekend on Magnetic Island
05/27/2008

Ugh. I'm exhausted.
05/02/2008

New Zealand... ROCKS!!!
04/30/2008

It's been awhile...
04/23/2008

Sushi night at the house
04/07/2008

Thanks for all the letters and mail!
04/01/2008

I finally got to dive the Great Barrier Reef!
03/31/2008

Blues Fest - Byron Bay
03/26/2008

The little things I realize I miss
03/18/2008

Bouldering trip
03/17/2008

Beach volleyball!
03/14/2008

I'M GOING TO THE BLUES FEST!!
03/11/2008

So many new animals!
03/08/2008

time for school
03/06/2008

Whitney saw a wallaby!!
03/02/2008

Pictures for my stories
03/02/2008

Just some observations
02/28/2008

Mailing address
02/27/2008

Rain in the tropics
02/25/2008

Townsville!
02/25/2008

We're finally in Australia!
02/23/2008

The Last Supper
02/16/2008
Hawaii Fishing News - May 2013





It seems like almost everybody around here has a "Tail Tale" or two to tell, but until about a month ago, this wahine didn't. All I had on my fishing resume was a morning at a reservoir with my grandpa, back when the top of my head barely reached his hip. I remember we used bright orange bait that reminded me of Play-Doh®, and I sang "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" all the way through... three times. Poor grandpa.

On that morning, the guy sporting the plumber's crack next to us on the dock hooked a stocked trout, and let me reel it in. But in 26 years of my life, I had never felt the pure excitement of the tug on the line and the whirlwind fight that follows. Fortunately, I am now blessed to live a stone's throw from the waters of the Pacific, with fish-loving friends ready and willing to share their passion.

On the windy afternoon of February 3, I had a friend visiting from the mainland, and being the fishing enthusiast that he is, what else would he rather do on his first day in the islands than fish?

My good friend Alex Filous was generous enough to take Shawn and me out for some bonefishing on Triangle Flats near Sand Island. Alex gave me the low-down on what to look for, how to cast, and what to do when I felt that tug. After a little lesson, it was time to put some bait in the water and hope for some 'o'io!

The incoming tide was still low, so while we waited for more water on the flat, we blind-cast off the edge and hoped for bones. With my line out and the sun on my back, I hung out and basked in the simple pleasures of the day while Alex and Shawn checked out another part of the flat. Not 10 minutes had passed when I felt the rod jerk forward. And just as Alex had described in our debriefing, a few more tugs followed and I knew a fish was on!

Following the wise words of my fishing sensei, I pulled on that rod, set the hook, and it was game on. That fish took off, unseen beneath the wind-chopped surface off the edge of the flat.

And just as quickly, Alex came bounding and splashing across the flat to my assistance in such a determined frenzy that I couldn't help but feel the same sense of white excitement. Were it not for his quick action to keep the line from getting caught under corals and rocks, I would not have this tale to tell.

With the treacherous edge of the flat cleared, I reeled that bone in, and what a beauty it was! Shimmering silver and green, the 24-incher was tagged with #11050 for the 'O'io Tagging Project, and after a bit of a photo-op with a stoked first-time fisher, was returned back to the waters to go on its merry way.

Your first bonefish--it only happens once. #11050 got me hooked, so I'll be back out there soon!


(Reprinted from the print edition of "Hawaii Fishing News" magazine.)


Posted by Whitney 05/01/2013
FreeStyle Journal 19.03.21
©2003-2011 by Dan Goodell

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