Aquahunters vs. Kaena Point by Isaac Brumaghim

To top off my vacation I  took an early Saturday run with Craig Colburn and Clint Hinahara. We set out at 6:00 from Yokohama beach. It looked to be a calm windless trip.We dragged our yaks to the shoreline and all shook hands and exchanged good luck with one another. Before I could blink Clint had already set  off  on the hunt. As I paddled towards Clint I realized he was already hooked up and was fighting a fish. I started paddling furiously after him The current was pulling one way while the waves were going another. It took me many minutes to catch up to Clint.Clint was busy trying to notify me over his two way radio and hold his rod steady at the same time. I could see Clint straining to control the fish as it ripped line down on another run.  Whatever took his fresh akule while it dropped down had to be big. When I finally made it near Clint he had just brought the fish to his boat opposite of me. I caught a glimpse of what looked like a big fish. "Ho!  Big ulua ah?" I yelled. "Omilu, Ike one big one!" Clint responded with excitment. I was already reading his mind, State Record. "I think I get chance!" Clint said. I was confident that it would be close.  After Clint secured the impressive Omilu, I snapped a few pictures for proof.

During this time I had lost track of Craig who had taken a strike of his own while pursuing Clint and I. Pulling up on us he displayed a kaku that took a opelu bait. "Ho boys the bite is on already." I announced. Little did I know!  So the two of them rebaited and set out their lines again. I had slowly snuck away and had set course for the point with two poles out. Quickly Craig and Clint were flanking my right side, two of them hungry for more action. As we pounded down the coast the waves and wind had already picked up on us. No worries I thought just another crazy adventure with the Aqua Hunters. Then my radio chirped "Ike, you stay in more than 300 ft of water, you should head in little bit." Clint radioed. By now I was lost in the moment deep and well ahead of my two friends. "Good idea, Ill head in a little." I radioed back. Then what seemed to be seconds later, zzzzzzz big strike, I grabbed my right pole turned to the back, set the hook and "boom" a big mahi shot out of the water. I could see Craig in the distance behind me, he was enjoying the aerial show as the bull raced in my direction like a greyhound in a track race. I quickly though to myself and began reeling  in my left pole. Zzzzzzzz hanapaa on the left pole! Double strike another mahi! Oh man, I still had this big fresh bull on my right pole now this!  What to do, what to do. Ahh let em run for now. With one pole in hand and another screaming away, I thought to myself I hope Craig knows the drill. "Sit outside my zone and let your bait drop". We had gone over this drill tons of times on drives to the ocean just in case of a moment like this. Sure enough Craigs pole went singing straight down while he held water 30 yards behind me. The plan worked, we were both hooked up and fighting. All this time I was just hanging on for dear life as the bull began to tire himself out. I could see Craig in the distance drifting and fighting his own war as his fish burst out of the water. Minutes which felt like hours were slowly going by as I started to gently circle my fish to my yak being careful not to loosen the hooks grip. "Yeah baby! Mahimahi !" Craig celebrated with Clint from afar after landing his fish.

It took me another ten minutes to get the bull up and secured, by now my other pole was in the water still ripping out power pro. As I gaffed the bull I though back to the great fights of Ed Kawasaki and Steve Wright and their  huge bulls. I was there now,what a pleasure it had been. With the bull in the hatch I focused my might on the other pole. It was a big cow and she still had energy. I knew that the hooks were set well so I paddled and reeled over and over till she was in sight. I forced her to the side of my yak and gaffed her, she shook and rolled until I could shove her through the hatch. Whew! I was beat. By now the fellas were right behind me cheering and hooting. As Clint came up on me he took a double strike. "Ike take a pole, hurry" Clint yelled. I grabbed a pole but, as fast as the strikes came they were gone. With Clints pole in my lap I rebaited and dropped the bait on both poles back. Suddenly zzzzzz both Clint and my poles went went singing. Whoa, another double strike! I handed off Clints pole and set into another mahi battle as Clint did also. Here we go again I though as Clints fish pulled him further out with every jump. At this point I told Craig to rebait but I think Craig was already satisfied with landing his prized and elusive mahimahi and was content to watch Clint and I do battle. Ten minutes later Clint had paddled back with a mahi of his own while Craig observed me in boating my third mahi of the morning. "What time is it Clint?" I asked. " Only 8:30! What I told you guys, between 7:00 and 9:00 they going be biting." Clint cheered. He was right on the money. I usually dont remember my paddles in for the long obvious reasons, but on this day I recall the grin my friends and I had all the way in. Aqua Hunters had made their mark this summer morning down on the West-Side.

                  At Roys Fishing later that day Clints monster Omilu weighed in at 24.5 lbs barely missing the State Record but an Aqua Hunter record none the less. His mahi was 12 lbs. Craigs first mahimahi came in at a nice 17lbs "the best fight I ever had" he said later. I finally got my big bully at 28.5 lbs, a big cow at 25.5 lbs and that last bull weighed in at 15 lbs.

I dont know when or where I will ever get an incredible experience like this again, so I am grateful to be fortunate enough to have shared it with two good fishermen and great friends Clint and Craig, thanks.....aloha Ike