Hawaiibassfishing Forum

Just back from afternoon fishing trip.
The water level is much higher than last week.
From the end of the pier, 15' of the ramp is
covered with water. Maybe they're done with
the dam repair.
Also, the water at the ramp is nice and green now
instead of the brown stuff.
The only problem is that the easy pickin spawling bass
is hard to find now. I guess I just have to work
harder now!

I heard from a prominent long time fisherman of the lake that he spoke to DLNR last week. Due to some recent discoveries at the dam, this very low water level may be permanent! I don't care to post up total rumors and misinformation, so take it for what it's worth. Just putting it out there for you....

has anyone been down that way to see if works being actually done? kinda figured something of that sort may happen. after all the response to the ramp was uncannily fast! and if we can still fish and launch then why let the lake go back up right................ have my own conspiracy theorys but hopefully thats all they are. i forsee problems down the line with the lake so low though, wonder if anyone has thought things ahead??

ALOHA Everyone,

Sorry but I guess I just have to get this off my chest as you know I don't write much... just look at the number of post I submit, however I am getting a bit frustrated with this whole DNLR and how we do not have money to make the repairs yadda yadda yadda ..

First I guess would be if we don't have money WHY the heck am I only paying 5 dollars for a license to fish freshwater here....? heck I pay 4 times that amount to fish in Nevada and I am in the military so it isn't like I get to go back there all that often (my point is I still pay it cause I love to fish)
With that extra revenue we could help supplement the price for repairs.

Two… Sorry to all those saltwater fisherman but if we made everyone by a 5 dollar license for the recreational fisherman yet again more money we can use to not only make repairs to our water ways but heck didn't I just read we are canceling all hatcheries this year and also years to come…

Come on people this isn't difficult you want to go fishing and catch fish … You got to pay the price ... as we all know nothing is free. It may sound like raising taxes, but big picture the state has bigger fish to fry when it comes to their money with the bad economy then to cater to a small percentage that fish every weekend. Heck let’s not forget that with each year the population rises and the pressure we put on the natural wild life keeps getting heavier … something has to give and if it means me coming out of pocket a couple more dollars well then so be it. At least I won’t be the one with a guilty conscious when I am old and grey and looking at my kids telling them sorry fishing is not an option because we over fished them the last 100years.
Let me step off my soap box now and return to figuring out how to become a millionaire and buy Lake Wilson myself and then put up signs that says “ No Stan’s Allowed : ) “

V/R,
Ken Beecroft

Sorry everyone but I just got done reading the article on "budget cuts threaten fishing" and I just wanted to point out some of the key points that could help us. Plus if you haven't noticed I get frusterated when we the fisherman who cry and complain about the changes that are being made and sit back and do nothing about it.. AND NO I AM NOT CALLING ANYONE OUT. Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents for whatever its worth.

1. We could use more Volunteers to help out in the hatcheries I know we are now because if I remember right the kids at Wahiawa’s school are helping with the largemouth bass hatchery. I personally “Ken Beecroft” would donate my time to go work a full day’s work at the hatchery and believe it or not but the military likes it when Soldiers go out into their community on their own time and volunteer. We have an award specific, in the ARMY, for these kinds of actions.
2. If you do the math, and I did, if 7000 people obtained fresh water licenses this year at 5 dollars a piece that is merely 35,000 dollars of revenue heck that wouldn’t pay one guys salary for a year at DLNR. Now if we put the responsibility of the people who “fish” to cough up so more money to do what they want to do well then let’s say we make them pay 20 dollars a season … now we just made 140,000 dollars a year to put back into the system. Okay now think for a moment if we had a small fee to fish the ocean water we could easily clear 200,000 dollars of revenue.
3. Another idea is that we do shut down Nu’uanu and put that money into Lake Wilson. Lake Wilson at full capacity has a lot of water more than enough to stock the Lake and keep good population of fish. Granted we regulate the amount that come out on a daily basis.
4. Oh and last but not least if someone is reading this and has some information for me in how I can help out the cause in more than just writing in forums then please PM me and I will gladly talk to you and put my words to action.
Thanks,
Ken Beecroft

Ken.... great ideas. Every so often the HFFA has a "Work Day" at the hatchery. Guys from the bass club pitch in. I'm sure we could get more volunteers out to help if we advertised it a little more??????

I know what you mean about a fishing licence... Alaska is $60 something and you had to buy a special stamp. NZ was $29 a day. Las Vegas was only $12 something I think????

I've been trying to get Hawaii to adopt a Saltwater Fishing Licence for over 30 years. Surely a fisherman could afford to spend the price of one fishing lure for a licence.... We also talked about a special Trout Stamp to raise more money.

And don't forget all those matching funds from the Feds. Spend $1 and they give the state $3.

I have no idea what's going to end up happening with the lake level.
The good news is the ramp has been cleaned and every little rain keeps the water level from going any lower. (Some e-mails and phone calls did get the boat ramp cleaned) Thank you Neal.

The bad news is there is something wrong with the dam or the gates that regulate the water level.... That probably won't be fixed real soon. (just a guess there)

The state and Dole, who owns the lake, are scared to death about liability after that dam break on Kauai killed those people. I heard that's why the water level is not up by the spillway like a few years ago. They are afraid of that "250" year flood. The state wants to be able to let the flood water out of the lake in a controled manner. (fix the water gates?)
Water Gates
What was I thinking?

I wish the lake was full.... water level was up by the spillway....
But I guess we'll just have to be happy with what we have for the time being.
And guard it like a Momma Bear if someone trys to take it away from us......

money wise ya sure, if the funds went into freshwater programs then by all means! but our little state and i imagine others seem to use the funds gathered from one thing to do something totally diffrent leaving us totally screwd! the hurricane fund! i musta put 10 gs in there and it wasnt voluntary! and now they act like its their money to doll out! trust me hurricane ever hits ill be the first to sue when i get nadda and have to live in the tent! volunteering is the best idea keep the money and govt out of it, all the dlnr has to do is ask and maybe have a class and i bet there would be a ton of people helping to keep nu'uanu open! hatchey too! i mean dont leave it to the politicians or bureacrats, they wont even give you a cuddle after they screw us over! fund raiser, donations, its just that simple "we the people" our little lake has always been under thier radar.lets not bring it up now! cause if they can charge they will!

It is very unfortunate for us, but we are about on the very bottom of the totum pole. Honestly, as much as we love freshwater fishing, it just isn't that popular it Hawaii. The State isn't gonna spend money to appease a very small group of people.

A 4x4 group I'm a member of, have been working directly with Cynthia Thelan, the head of DLNR. She is very receptive to our needs and loves that we are willing to volunteer our time/services to accomplish our goals with the DLNR. I think getting a volunteer list to help the hatcheries wil lgo a long way. Just my opinion...