Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-09-19

H. Gooding Field, enthusiastic
angler. who proposes Hawaii
Tuna club and points out promo
ton possibilities of game fish
ing I'm Hawaiian waters.
medically, as a rule. while the Japan
csc give the industry their whole time
and attention. At present but little
deep-sea fishing is done by the fish
ermen, although this fishery could be
made very profitable.
Lcng Lack Of Interest.
There are several reasons which
can be given for the lack of interest,
until recently. in game fishing in Ha-
waiian waters, not only by local ang-
lers but by sportsmen who have visit
ed the islands from time to time from
the mainland and other places, the two
following being the principal: First,
the native Hawaiian method of fish
ing has always been with either the
seine, dip or scoop nets. or anchored
off shore in depths ranging from 90 to
100 fathoms Of water. with hand lines
from outrigger canoes, their principal
catches being the smaller. In shore
fishes or the larger fish from the deep
er sea bottoms. With few exceptions.
the game fish which are to be found
in island waters. as is also the case
in the hshing regions of the Pacific
slope. strike" or take the bait at or
near the surface by trolling along the
of shore fishing banks end channels
and around the deeper slopes out as far
as the one Thousand fathom line. The
japanese. being accustomed to this
class of fishing In their home waters.
now regularly troll from their sam.
pans along the local fishing grounds,
bringing to the island markets game
fish Of great variety and size. Sim
liar cstthes were impossible under
the fishing methods long followed by
the native Hawaiians and. consequent.
ly. II was left to the JaDanese to DEM
nnstrate the possibilities for game
fishing with rod and reel from the
character of their catches. Second
Nv. 1t was very difficult at first to iden-
tifv TIE definite species of the game
ether eappe FISH elsewhere from the.
fact that the native fishermen were in
the habit Of calling fishes and other
sea animals bv different names at va
ric0s stages in their life. and also
when there was q slight variation in
their appearance; the frequent use
Of Hawaiian generic name for sew.
eral species Of fish vas also eonfu
sing For instance. the well-known
species IF giant mackerels, such as
the leaping tuna fthunnus thynnus).
yellow fin tuna (thunnus smcrante-
rusl. which are common in Hawaiian
waters and reach large size. are
known bv the Hawaiian generic name
"ahi,p whilst the slbscore (which in
other waters is sometimes classed as
the leaning tuna1 is also Included in
the native terms "ahi'' and "ahi-na.
laha The ocean boBito (gvmncsar-
da nelamisl and tho ordinary bonito or
shipiack fsarda chilensis) are verv
plentiful in local waters. these fish
are known nv the Hawaiian names
aaku. and akawakawa" respectively.
A single catch Of over 200 OF these
fish were unite recently caught IN
the Alalakeiki channel between the
Islands IF Maui and Kahoolawe AMI
marketed at I.ahaina The bonito Is
often called the humming bird Of the
fishes. being auick as fash in the
water. and with its coat of MANY col
crs, thing of Incompatible beauty.
Plenty Of Game Fish.
They can be found any day of the
year in local waters. swimming On the
surface and in schools of hundreds;
they are one of the most highly priced
game fishes. This species of game
FISH is great attraction to anglers
along the California coast The vel
Iowtsil IserioIa dorsalisl and amber
fish fseriola species), second cousin
Of the Amber lack Of Florida, which
has made Florida famous as fishing
resort is the native sKahala;" this
FISH is common in Hawaiian waters.
although DR.. Charles Frederick Hold
err. founder and president of the Tuna
club of Santa Catalina, in his we'll
known book on Fishes of the Pacific
Coast" claims that this fish is Dar
excellence a southern California fish.
IT Is desperate fighter and most at
tractive fish in the water. The sword
fish. caught in island waters. Weighing
from 500 to 400 pounds is known in
Hawaiian as "a-u." In February this
year a swordfish was sold in the Hilo
market which had been caught on the
Puma coast by japanese trolling from
their sampan and cut in three parts
and taken aboard the boat. which
weighed over 500 pounds. the sword
measuring five feet About the same
time a large sized swordfish was
hooked with a nfne-ounce rod by one
Of our local anglers OF PeDeekeo,
island OF Hawaii. but the tackle be-
ing too light for the fish, 1t made away
with the tip of the rod and tackle af-
ter striking; these fish are often seen