Hawaii Smallmouth Bass

[JROD]

Hey guys - I have read some of the old threads about smallmouth here on Oahu - but I have a few questions as my search continues.
Has anyone went after them in the lake at the Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe?
Is it worth going up the creek from k-bay towards the lake, and can you? The only access I can find is either start at the park, or at the beach park and work your way up.

If I cant find them in Kaneohe I'll try Monao (spelling?) stream or in Wahiawa. I'll let everyone know how I do -

if all else fails I guess I can still catch some Tucs! : )

[Crash]

Ho'omaluhia (Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe) definitely has SMB bass. Also has choke (lots) of red devils. Your biggest issue would be the warden guy that likes to patrol. No over head casting allowed. Basically, hand-poles only......but if you walk a bit around the lake (go left), cast away....you'll see him before he sees you.

You can't access Ho'omaluhia (Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe) from K-Bay. It's physically not possible. Your only course is to drive into the Garden, walk down the hill and fish.

As for Manoa stream, never fished it. I know there are SMB there though.

Wahiawa, you can fish the reservoir or you would need to head to the top of California Ave into the residential area and hike down a long ways. Best to ask for help or assistance on that.

Good Luck.

[Stan Wright]

We've caught SM in the stream that flows out of Hoomaluhia. They are few and far between, but they have washed through the spillway into the stream. The last few years the stream has become overgrown with huge weeds, grass and trees. There have been attempts to clean it out, but it's really overgrown. I guess in years past, winter floods washed all the grass and weeds away, but it's not happened in years. Just look up stream from over by the library and you'll see what I mean… Several streets cross the stream and you can access it easy… can walk in the stream all the way up to the back of the dam at Hoomaluhia. There are lots of other kinds of tropical fish in the stream… sometimes lures and flys work… other times live bait or earth worms… lots of little tropical fish. But again lots of weeds and grass now days. Almost every stream on Oahu has SM in them… the hardest part is getting through the overgrowth. Manoa and Nuuuanu, yes.

[JROD]

Thanks crash and Stan for the info - My wife and I did fish at the garden and below. You do have to be careful about the rules at the garden, but its fishable. I don't know the rules on reels, but we just flipped baits around. We basically just used a flipping stick and flipped baded jigs (barbless) around the fish, didn't really have to cast. No one bothered us. There a lot of tucs in there now and some pretty nice ones. Great place to take kids as you all know.

I did not see any smallies - so im gonna check Monao next. The search continues!

[JROD]

Also - I don't know if anyone has caught or seen any smallies in the north fork at lake Wilson, but the last 4 times ive been up there I have not. I got up there last month when the water was low and clear. The only bass I caught were largemouth. You could probably catch a lot of catfish there on a fly Stan -they were eating those yellow flowers off the top.

[Oama2Omilu]

Just wanted to know, I was planning on catching some baitfish (baby tilapia, medaka, etc.) somewhere else, and then dropping them right near the vegetation for tucunares at Hoomaluhia. Since this is not overhead casting, and I would be using barbless hooks, would this be legal? (I have a freshwater fishing license)

[sebasstian05]

How did it turn out for you?

[Oama2Omilu]

Didn't work out, live bait and hard baits are not allowed. One of the wardens was nice and let me throw some soft baits around, but I didn't catch much.