Kauai fishing

[CodyB]

Going to Kauai in August and interested in fishing opportunities. Specially I’m curious about light tackle fishing on the salt side and some of the peacock bass fishing. Does any have any info on either? The marlin, big tuna, trolling with super heavy gear oversized for the fish doesn’t really interest me. From what I’ve read there are mahi mahi and some smaller tuna and such opportunities nearshore. Any recommendations on charters and/or guides for peacock bass? Thanks.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I know a guide there that does the bass stuff and some bone fishing too. I just got back from there and did a bit of bass fishing. PM me and I can point you in that direction if you want.

 

[Huntindog45]

i just went on a trip in hawaii. i was adamant i wanted light tackle, not interested in trolling. paid my deposit, got myself and the teen age boys i was taking on the boat and the dude starts setting up a few pool cues with reels the size of a warn winch on them for trolling. I was pissed.. we ended up trolling for a couple wahoo i could have caught on bass gear. i litterally never touched a fishing rod. just cranked on a couple little fish while the rod was still in the rod holder. I will never pay to fish in hawaii again unless i have some very solid leads on a good light tackle guy.

 

[jbosk15808]

i just went on a trip in hawaii. i was adamant i wanted light tackle, not interested in trolling. paid my deposit, got myself and the teen age boys i was taking on the boat and the dude starts setting up a few pool cues with reels the size of a warn winch on them for trolling. I was pissed.. we ended up trolling for a couple wahoo i could have caught on bass gear. i litterally never touched a fishing rod. just cranked on a couple little fish while the rod was still in the rod holder. I will never pay to fish in hawaii again unless i have some very solid leads on a good light tackle guy.

I get where you're coming from if there was a mutual understanding about the experience you wanted. I think the unspoken thing about charter fishing in Hawaii needs to be plastered that they are commerical fisherman looking to take fish to the market. That way paying customers know the expectations. That being said using light takle on blue water fish is a waste of time for the fisherman out here. Yeah it's a good fight and the tackle is more than capable of landing but the amount of time it takes to land 1 fish you waste a lot opportunities on other fish. Not to mention depending on the area you have to reel in faster than the tax man with the gray suit. And yes your best bet to guarantee light tackle is know someone with a boat and chip in for fuel and ice.

 

[Huntindog45]

I get where you're coming from if there was a mutual understanding about the experience you wanted. I think the unspoken thing about charter fishing in Hawaii needs to be plastered that they are commerical fisherman looking to take fish to the market. That way paying customers know the expectations. That being said using light takle on blue water fish is a waste of time for the fisherman out here. Yeah it's a good fight and the tackle is more than capable of landing but the amount of time it takes to land 1 fish you waste a lot opportunities on other fish. Not to mention depending on the area you have to reel in faster than the tax man with the gray suit. And yes your best bet to guarantee light tackle is know someone with a boat and chip in for fuel and ice.

it ended up being an absolute waste of money and time. I spend a good deal of time fishing the southern california/mexico fishery where we catch more, bigger and better fish. The hawaii way of charter fishing is an absolute scam. It was a stupid expensive boat ride. I know this is how most operate and I thought i had that negotiated with the person i was chartering from. normally i would not even bother going on a trip in hawaii because of what a scam it is. This was a high school graduation trip for four teen age boys who just wanted to fish. I would not even call what we did a fishing trip..it was boat ride and they got to crank on a reel for a couple minutes and pose for a picture with a couple dinky wahoo... or ono I guess. I have gone on successfull light tackle trips in hawaii so i know it can be done very successfully. but you are right... most charter trips are simply clients paying the fuel cost for a boat captains commercial fishing. Its too bad they scam anglers the way they do.

 

[deltadukman]

Yeah the way they do it over there is 100% BS. I am used to fishing Venice, LA and other places in the northern(future name) Gulf of America. You charter a boat, you keep your fish. From my understanding in Hawaii you charter the boat and they keep and sell the fish. F that! Sounds like a tourist trap.

 

[TheRepeatOffender]

A few years back I used Hooked on Kauai. Great experience and great guy. We did shore fishing and went to a couple of really cool spots. Caught a bunch of fish. Nothing crazy big but exactly the experience I was looking for. I would definitely use them again if I ever go back.

 

[CodyB]

Thanks for the feedback guys, and it confirms what I was assuming about the fishing situation over there. Got a couple recommendations about the bass fishing and thinking I might pursue that and skip the salt scene. The Hooked on Kauai is an option too.

Has anyone used Kauai ATV? They appear to be the sole guide for Waita Reservoir but I need to check with them as the trip is listed as unavailable. Also see Sportfish Hawaii come up in a few places for Kauai bass fishing. Gotta say I didn’t think various bass might be the best option in Kauai but at least it’s fishing.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Thanks for the feedback guys, and it confirms what I was assuming about the fishing situation over there. Got a couple recommendations about the bass fishing and thinking I might pursue that and skip the salt scene. The Hooked on Kauai is an option too.

Has anyone used Kauai ATV? They appear to be the sole guide for Waita Reservoir but I need to check with them as the trip is listed as unavailable. Also see Sportfish Hawaii come up in a few places for Kauai bass fishing. Gotta say I didn’t think various bass might be the best option in Kauai but at least it’s fishing.

Fishing is fishing right? the bass fishing there isn't some crazy mind opening experience like a flats trip in the carribean or hooking into a massive steelhead but it was cool because I'd never fished in a jungle like that and I'd never caught a bas prior to that. To me it was totally worth it to get out for the day and check out a spot like I'd never seen before.

I went bone fishing in Oahu as well on that trip, those are huge fish there bigger than other bones I've caught but you see buildings and airplanes landing constantly while you fish. Fish quality wise, its great, scenery/experience wise it was sort of mid.

Next time I fish in Hawaii, I'll either try for bonefish on Molokai or try for a marlin off the north shore of Oahu.

In Kauai there were tons of people fishing of the rock jetties, I have no Idea what they were fishing for but they were fishing, there's also a spearfishing shop in Kapa'a which makes me think there's some spearfishing to be done. Strange place though, really odd to se geese fly over you while you are surfing at the beach. Roosters everywhere too, must be millions of them running around that island.