The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-19
NO. 2.
AN OUTGOING TIDE.

II YOU want to catch fish don't
angle on an outgoing tide. That is II
you want fish in any quantity. II. how
ever. your fishing is a means toward
an end, tides need not enter into your
calculations and all winds and every
kind Of weather win look alike to you,
The fish go seward with the tide
and return to their feeding ground IN
side the reef when the tide comes In.
OF course there are Ash to be caught
at all times but the boat win never
be loaded down with the catch when
the tide is running out.
The sea looks as fair meath the sun.
however. whatever the state Of the tide,
and the wind Is ever ready 50 blow
the cobwebs out Of the tired brain.
The palm-trees along the shore are as
pleasantly green when the tide is ebb-
ing as when IT IS flowing. and in the
distant valleys the sunlight plays hide
and seek with the shadows all the
time
It was the worst possible tide when
we made our sEiff fast to the table
rock. The ebb was half way through
and the brown reef was well exposed.
'No use fish now" said Kama. an
old native. wise in the ways of all
the creatures that people the reef and
its waters; me go get wana Csea-
eggs) binaby come. And along the
reef he wandered, armed with hook
ed iron with which to extract his spiny
Quest from their hidingrp1aces. and
carrying a gunny sack in which to
place the wanna.
I had plenty of shrimps. 50 I mashed
up a few with some sand and threw
with nv baited hook. In batting a
hook with apae it is best TO bite off
the tail and introduce the point Of the
hook from that end of the shrimp. The
fish almost invariably seize a shrimp
head first.
For quite a while there was nothing
doing, then a small paua bit and was
hooked and landed. A hinaIea or two
shared the formers fate but bites
were few and far between. Presently,
however, a fish Of parts took the hook
and started seward. 1t seemed as if
he line must give hut luckily I was
Using double gut leader and was able
to stop the hsh's rush before It got
4 dead pull on the line. After that It
vas only a case of firing the fish out
ana soon had in the well Of the boat
| beautiful paul, weighing perhaps a
couple of pounds.
The next fish of note was a pua1o.
I bit smaller than the paul but
yame fighter. This fish is an expert
and its projecting teeth
enable it 70 take the halt off the hook
Without running much risk OF being
aught. Occasionally, however. the
'ualo is in hungry mood and comes
t the bait open-mouthed. The fisher
nan is lucky then If the fish hasn't
'ot the hook SO deep in its mouth that
t sewers the line By saving on It with |
IS teeth.
The pualo always lets # be known |
hat it has taken hold by boring to the /
iottom where it viii sulk until sufff- |
lent pressure is brought to bear to |
tir it into activity again. It's first /
ush is the worst and If that be with /
TODD the fish is more or less easily
vercome. It is one of the strongest
sh to be met with inside the reef. its
anlike fms giving it po&erful pur-
base on the water.
Ny pualo was safely brought to bag
ut thereafter for over an hour only
NO or three small fry rewarded my
forts.
It wanted half an hour to sundown
nd the men, women and children who
ad spent the afternoon hunting for
guids or gathering Iinu in the lagoon
ere returning shoreward.
Kama came back 70 the boat with
AZ q sackfuI OF wana and ina tsmaIl