Hawaiibassfishing Forum

I drove my mom to Mississauga today to church, then she had choir practice, more practices for Christmas masses, and then choir annual meeting...so I had 6 hours to burn while I wait for her.

What to do? I hear Bronte Creek is having a good coho run this year...so that was naturally the best plan to spend 6 hours

This species called coho salmon has been evading me ever since I started fishing rivers for salmon (probably for the past 10 years). I have fished pretty much different time of the fall, different creeks and rivers, fish out of stinger's boat, went to BC to the Kitimat and Capilano Rivers...and yet, I remained coho-less. Capilano was the closest chance since I hooked and lost one

This year at Bowmanville (when I went with my dad), I saw 3 cohos...and that was the closest I got to having a chance at them in Ontario.

So I was in shock when I arrived at Bronte this afternoon and found one pool filled with cohos. There were probably 30 coho in the pool, with only one chinook, one steelhead and one nice brown. My chance of getting my first coho just looked so much better today.

Unfortunately, I was challenged with 1) sunny conditions 2) low, clear water 3) minimal flow 4) lots of people. So needless to say, the fish were only holding and not in the mood to hit.

I got there at 11am and by 3pm, I had only snagged two coho and had another coho ran into my line. All three were pulled off (even though I was pretty desperate to get my first coho...it just wasn't right ) The one that ran into my line actually jumped and landed next to my line, then somehow got itself hooked in the dorsal fin

By 3pm, I almost gave up. Knowing I have only 1 more hour to go, I kept drifting my float rig with 2' of fluorocarbon and a small roe bag. I had tried my own flies earlier without success...

On one fateful cast, my float had just landed when someone went for a hookset. The person's rig went flying into the air and it snagged into the branches above. As I was watching the person's attempt to free his rig, I almost had my rod ripped out of my hand! 8O

I looked for my float...which by this time, it was on the other side of the creek and running fast upstream. I didn't even have time to yell FISH ON before the fish ran into someone's line. As much as I could see I had a coho on my line, I was worried about having someone's line attached to my line while I try to fight this fish. Luckily, the person worked fast to free our lines (much thanks to him! ) and now I can fight my fish better.

This fish didn't look to be snagged. As I fought it, I was able to lead it away from logs and the upstream riffles. The fight was amazing for the size of the fish. No wonder people love cohos! I even took air a couple of times! 8O When it jumped, I got a confirmation that it was hooked in the mouth somewhere.

Finally, I had the fish in hand after several attemps to beach it. Just when I thought the battle was over, the fish had a last kick and managed to kicked off from my grip (even when I was using my landing glove)

So it was another 5 min before I had the fish beached. This time, I fully beached the fish and placed it 10 feet away from shore

And at my feet is one of the most beautiful fish in my life...



Just to make sure with myself that is really is a coho...



What a beaut!



The fish looks like a male eh? With that kype?

But it was actually a female. After the last pic, I saw roe on my waders...and I was totally surprised! 8O Just to show you never know for sure

This fish was hooked on the corner of the mouth but from the outside. It must have ran into my line instead of hitting my roe bag (hence almost pulled the rod out of my hand...). So...as much as it was my first coho...it just doesn't have that full satisfaction and validity yet.

After that fish, I stayed for another 40 min and didn't have another bump.

That's okay...because I landed my first coho today.

Congrates on your first coho. She looks really fat. It does look like a male. Do you have some kind of list of fish you want to catch? Do you keep a record of everything you catch? Just curious.

It is interesting that you should bring that up OO7:BASSINASSASSIN. I actually wrote a discussion post on my Ontario fishing board about that topic yesterday I don't want to write it again...so I'll just copy and paste

Life List.

What might this be...you may ask.

I read in In-Fisherman a few years ago about this thing called a "Life List"

This is simply a list of the fish species you've caught in your lifetime.

Personally, I find it extremely fun and challenging to increase the number of species I've caught. Each year, I try to set specific goals to target a specific new species (or two...or more).

At the same time, targetting a new species sometimes require fishing new waters, new techniques or new environment all together. Any of these I found have taught me to open my mind to new techniques or innovate my own techniques.

I have only kept track of mostly sportfish species and did not count the few minnow species I've caught (since I wasn't educated enough to tell them apart). I also didn't count round goby . Only fish caught on hook and line were counted.

In my Life List, I recorded this information:

Family
Genus
Species
Common name
Length and/or Girth and/or Weight
Date (as best as I could remember for some)
Body of Water
City/Town
Lure or Bait or Rig
Presentation

I know among us, FishingWithPole is superb at this Life List game. He has caught over 100 species.

Has any of you keep track of all the species of fish you've caught in your life and did a count?

Here are some interesting tid-bits from my Life List.

First entry: Pumpkinseed Sunfish

Last entry: Coho Salmon

Total number of species: 67

Number of freshwater species: 36 (including Ontario chinook and coho)

Number of saltwater species: 31

Number of family: 31

Family with greatest number of members: Salmonidae (11 species)

Genus with greatest number of members: Oncorhynchus (4 species)

Largest species caught: Yellowfin Tuna (120lb)

Smallest species caught: Atlantic Rainbow Smelt (4")

Love to hear what interesting tid-bits your Life List has in it if you have one...and if not, whether you think it would be a fun idea.

Just tossing it out there for discussion...blame this on the coho I caught yesterday

Since I went on my big vacation this summer, I had expanded my Life List greatly. In Hawaii alone, I have added or reaffirmed 17 saltwater species (reaffirmed since I wasn't sure some of the species I've caught before). On my way home, I visited British Columbia and I have added 4 saltwater and 7 freshwater species.

I can count 6 species on my list that can be directly or indirectly attributed to Stan. He took me out fishing during my visit and and accepted me as a member on this board where I gathered a lot of information about fishing in Hawaii. Much thanks again Stan, even if I had thanked you enough times already Stan put extra effort in getting me to catch my first bonefish and red devil...and thus they are extra special to me.

I have a few places I wish to visit in the near future (next 5 years). All these places I either have family or friends so I can stay with them (otherwise, I'll be bankrupt ). I can list them here and list the species of fish I'd like to concentrate on.

British Columbia (again) - pink salmon, sockeye salmon, chum salmon, white sturgeon, dolly varden. It is conceivable that I can catch them all within a week, if I time it right (likely 3rd week of September)

Florida (oh boy) - Snook, redfish, jack crevalle, taropn, seatrout, kingfish, spanish mackerel, bluefish, Altantic salifish, mahimahi, wahoo, cobia...too many...and I won't catch them all since they all have different timing.

Hawaii (again) - blue marlin, mahimahi, ono, amberjack, giant trevally (even a small one ), scalloped hammerhead, giant needlefish (even a small one...I have lost a few already), any goatfish species, moi, ta'ape, to'au (lost one lifting it up)...too many again...but all possible.

San Diego/Long Beach - calico bass, yellowtail, bonito, white bass, numerous sea perch species, numerous rockfish species, croaker, mackerel, sand bass species...many different species, but all time dependent again.

I have a plan to go to Australia if I graduate with a PhD. If that happens...oh boy Saratoga, barramundi, murray cod, queenfish, mangrove jack, coral trout, red snapper, pearl snapper...just to name a few...

Is Pualu(surgeonfish) on your list? The big ones fight as good if not better that a md-sized Jack. And I don't think you'll have any problems crossing Taape off your list!

Hi boatless, I don't have a surgeonfish on my list, but I do have a 10" unicornfish on my list. Yes, that unicornfish did pull quite hard. It was interested in feeding on a piece of shrimp at the China Wall

Surprisingly, as easy as everyone makes it sound, I didn't find a ta'ape anywhere (and I have been brought to quite a few places on Oahu), not even in Hilo which was supposed to be crawling with ta'ape. I just got lucky the to'au took my 1.5" grub at the Ala Wai.

Maybe you can take me fishing for ta'ape when I visit the next time?

I went out fishing yesterday morning and got myself another coho. This one ate a roe bag and crushed it...so it is a valid fish.



As always...once you caught your first one, the others will come easy