the hunt for SMB

[Boatless]

To all you guys who used to fish the feeder streams above the lake as kids years ago and wondered if the smallmouth bass are still surviving, heres the answer- they are. We hiked down- yes down crazily sloped sides and through trail-less brush of the valley up Wahiawa Heights. Only to finally see water ahead but no friendly fishable shoreline. With machete in hand, we carved out a casting "hole" in the brush large enough to pitch our lures without getting tangled in the trees. Couple of casts later, one smallie inhaled our surface popper- a small guy, maybe not even a pound. Overall catch was 3 fish, all in one small area- sorry no pictures, the camera got busted while trying to get back up the valley walls but thats a whole nother story. Theres probably a lot more around, just inacessable. There were smaller cichlids too.

[Crash]

When I was in college I used to drop down into "Da Creek" from Wahiawa Heights, usually alone (stupid by the way, dont do this). The only way to effectively fish it was too walk, wade, swim up the stream. Never saw a trail that parallelled the stream.

I remember one good 75 yard stretch that was a straightaway littered with Softball-sized rocks. It was a major b*tch to cross and we always fell a few times here (we named this strech "Bedrock"). There was another spot about 1/4 mile up the stream w/ a huge pool and high cliff walls on the tail end of the pool. The local kids called this are Acupulco.

We usually hiked up about 1-2 miles upstream and always caught fish in every pool. Most smallies were small (1/4-1/2 lb), but we usually caught a few about 1- 1 1/4 lbs on each trip. Biggest I ever caught was just under two lbs. I'm ashamed to say I kept this one because I was sure my old man wouldnt believe that there were fish that big in that stream.

20-40 fish days were commonplace back then (1991-92). We even caught a small chinese catfish in the upper reaches on one trip. No way I would subject my body to that abuse again. Seemed easy at 20, but unfathomable to me now.

[skunked]

When I was in college I used to drop down into "Da Creek" from Wahiawa Heights, usually alone (stupid by the way, dont do this). The only way to effectively fish it was too walk, wade, swim up the stream. Never saw a trail that parallelled the stream.

I remember one good 75 yard stretch that was a straightaway littered with Softball-sized rocks. It was a major b*tch to cross and we always fell a few times here (we named this strech "Bedrock"). There was another spot about 1/4 mile up the stream w/ a huge pool and high cliff walls on the tail end of the pool. The local kids called this are Acupulco.

We usually hiked up about 1-2 miles upstream and always caught fish in every pool. Most smallies were small (1/4-1/2 lb), but we usually caught a few about 1- 1 1/4 lbs on each trip. Biggest I ever caught was just under two lbs. I'm ashamed to say I kept this one because I was sure my old man wouldnt believe that there were fish that big in that stream.

20-40 fish days were commonplace back then (1991-92). We even caught a small chinese catfish in the upper reaches on one trip. No way I would subject my body to that abuse again. Seemed easy at 20, but unfathomable to me now.

This is so much like my own experiences growing up. I could have easily wrote this. I think I know exactly where each spot is that you're talking about. I used to used baby crayfish for bait as well as Mepp's spinners. I also feel stupid to have hiked down there by myself. This was before cell phones were common. I know I could have easily injured myself seriously without anyone knowing where to find me. Young and dumb.