Great weather blessed us this year in the annual Wahine fishing tournament at the Hawaii Yacht Club, number nine in a series of ten for the season.  Although we only got thirtten boats and the fishing wasn’t as good as it has been the past couple of weeks, we had a tremendous turnout at the pupu party and a couple of great fishing stories to boot.

We set up the scale at about 2:00 on Saturday, but as each boat came through the harbor to their slips, it became evident that the fishing was going to be slow.   Boat after boat called the club advising us they were secure with no fish to show for their efforts.  Golden Marlin, whose skipper and crew have been ridiculously busy this year with race committee and the assisting of Hawaii’s America’s Cup effort, had a spare day and joined the event.  Though no fish were procured on this day, they always have a good time and enjoy themselves on the water.  Of course, with a crew of seven plenty of deck space and comfort, how can you not have a good time?

It wasn’t all about skunkings, though.  Hawaii is a fishery that offers more big fish than anywhere else in the world, but as we all know, the trade-off of pursuing the large predators is having to endure some days of limited shots at a single fish.  One such example this weekend was Tony Miller’s team on 20/20, who had a good strike not too far from where the charter boat Wild Bunch caught a 939 pounder the day before.  20/20 is a sailboat, but it has an open transom that greatly facilitates the landing of their fish, and they have had some good seasons to demonstrate their skills.  Just before lunch, they hooked up to a fish that took off hard, and in a few seconds had their 50-class spool half empty.  By the time they spun the boat and got toward the direction of the fish, it had taken another couple hundred yards.  They tried to stop the fish, but it was just too powerful and it had other plans.  The great Marlin soon snapped off the line, leaving the crew heartbroken with another story of the one that got away.

Kelli Hardeman with her 15.5 lb Mahi

Bob Goodman on Akele also had a great story to tell once their day was over.  Like most tournaments, Bob and his crew like to get going before the sun comes up, so after making their plans with a seemingly interested Wahine on Friday night, they got up bright and early only to find out the lady wasn’t so interested.  After waiting awhile with the crew still not showing up, team Akele reviewed their options: stay home or go fishing.  They decided to go fishing, but were nervous because they didn’t have a lady angler and couldn’t bear the idea of catching a big fish and not having it count for anything other than a story.  Someone on board got the bright idea to take the boat down to the end of the harbor near where the Ilikai hotel is located.  They then began to ask tourists if they wanted to spend a day going fishing with them, but unfortunately had some twenty or so passers-by walk away with a frightened look.

At about the point where they were going to give up, Kelli Hardeman and her new friend, Jon Vinson, walked by.  Kelli, from Cincinnati, and Jon, from San Dimas, California, met only a couple hours before at the airport, decided to have breakfast together at the Ilikai, and as they were planning their activity for the day, happened to walk by the good ship Akele and Goodman’s eager crew.  Already feeling her luck was good for having just met a man whom she thought would be a good companion, Kelli listened to the speech from crewman John Thombs about how this was the second to last tournament for the year and they needed season’s points, but in order to accomplish it, they had to have a lady angler and the one they planned on didn’t show up.  Kelli and Jon had thought about going to Hanauma Bay to do some snorkeling, but when the offer came up, they decided a fishing adventure was in order and stepped aboard.

They proceeded West to the BO buoy and the Pine Trees area, Barber’s Point and Waianae, where many of the big strikes and fish have been coming in recently.   A Marlin did come into their pattern at one point, checked out every single lure they had, and then left without so much as a peck.   Later, they managed to tie into a nice 15.5 pound Mahimahi, which they cut and cooked on board later on.  The fish and the story sure made the day for the Akele crew because not only did they add to their points total and place second in the tournament, they made a couple of friends for life.  It was just another great example of how the Aloha spirit is alive and well in Hawaii.

Jeff Crews brought the Kuu Huapala over to the scales just before Akele came in, and their 38 pound Spearfish angled by Brenda King proved to be the overall tournament winner, good for $150.00 and all the food they cared to eat. 

Brenda King, the tournament winner

First to the scales with the only fish caught by the sail fleet was Richard Ally’s Stinger.  New to Hawaii from Alaska, first time deep sea angler Crystal Larsen was with Richard for the first time this year.  Must have been a good luck charm or something, because Richard has been holding down the hard luck charm all season.  Landing no fish and   having some great strikes to add to the insult, Stinger got on the board this tournament with their 22.5 pound Mahimahi, which was also good for $150.00 and all the food they cared to eat. 

Final Results:

Thirteen boats declared intent to enter, paid and played. 

Total Fish Caught - 3

1 – 38 lb Spearfish caught by Brenda King on Kuu Huapala

2 – Mahimahi, one by Kelli Hardeman on Akele, the second by Crystal Larsen on Stinger with Richard Ally

Power Division:

First place was Kuu Huapala with their 38 pound Spear

Second Place was Bob Goodman’s Akele with a 15.5 lb Mahi

Crystal Larsen with Richard Ally of Stinger

Sail Division:

First Place was Richard Ally’s Stinger with a 22.5 lb Mahimahi.

The whole fleet was very kind to the budget as we didn’t have a third place award to give out in the power division, and there was no second or third in the sail division. 

The last season’s point tournament is on the weekend of October 9 and 10.  It’s appropriately named the Do or Die tournament, as it’s time to pull out all the stops and shoot for a winner. 

Mike House
RC for Power HYC