There were many Keeled Needlefish around, which Ji promptly caught a few but it took a while for me to hook and land one.
Keeled Needlefish (Platybelone argalus platyura) - Species #503
The usual parade of reef species were there - Green Damselfish, Hawaiian Gregory, Saddle Wrasse, Reef Triggerfish...etc. I decided to use chunks of Needlefish to try for Moray in the rock. It didn't take long to find one hunting out in the open, which I hooked but quickly lost when it went into a hole. It might have been a Yellowmargined Moray.
As I was poking in the rocks, there were many small red fish grabbing the large chunk of bait. I returned with small hooks and squid and quickly caught one. It poked me with one of its dorsal spine during photography and the thumb throbbed for over an hour. Their poisonous spine was no joke.
Speckled Squirrelfish (Sargocentron punctatissimum) - Species #504
I kept searching for Moray until a large head came out of a hole in the boulders. It was easily a Moray around 4 feet long. It grabbed the bait and quickly ran back into the hole. I had the eel on the rod, but decided to try to pull on the line by hand to pull the eel out. Eventually the 60lb leader was abraded enough and the line snapped. The eel decided it had enough and it never returned again.
Before leaving, I stopped at a tidepool to catch a Blackspot Damselfish (Kupipi), but those that I found would not bite. Luckily, a very willing little fish came out to surprise me.
Iridescent Cardinalfish (Pristiapogon kallopterus) - Species #505
On our way back to Ji's house, we stopped at a stream where Ji had seen a species of native Hawaiian stream Goby, known as O'opu Nakea, and tried to catch some. These stream Goby are notoriously difficult to catch since they feed predominantly on algae. They completely ignored our presentation of shrimp, squid and o'pae (native freshwater shrimp). However, I did finish the session with one new bonus species.
Liberty Molly (Poecilia salvatoris) - Species #506
That's an awesome looking molly there! :) Do you know the name of the stream you caught it in? Or at least approximately where on Oahu it is?
ReplyDeleteI only know it's near Kailua, but do not know the name of the stream. We basically just pulled over and fished. Sorry I couldn't provide more information.
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
ReplyDelete