2016 Hawaii - Oahu (Day 11)

We decided to try Heeia Pier again. The Yellowfin Goatfish (Weke Ula) were there but they were too shy to bite. Michael wanted to catch a Yellowfin Surgeonfish but the fishing was real tough. I did catch an adult Yellowfin Surgeonfish.

After trying for some time, I finally had a small Sea Chub bite but came off the hook. I only had a Bird Wrasse as a consolation prize.

Looking around the reef at our feet, I saw a Chocolate-dip Chromis but it only peek at the bait after repeated tries. No success for that awesome Damselfish species, but among all the female Palenose Parrotfish were some female Daisy Parrotfish, aka Bullethead Parrotfish!

Daisy Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Species #516

I decided to explore the the boat dock area and found a Whitesaddle Goatfish (Kumu) and a small Moray. The Kumu left by the time I returned with some shrimp, but the Moray was still there. In three attempts to catch it, the Moray rocked me twice and the hook pulled out the third time. Eventually, it got annoyed and left the hole.

I found some Yellowstriped Goatfish (Weke) at the ramp but they did not bite. Instead, I was swarmed by Parrotfish and Damselfish.

On the way back, I saw a Moorish Idol and it was interested in the piece of shrimp I had, but not enticed enough to bite. I went back with bread and the Moorish Idol picked at the bread many times but would not swallow it. However, the Convict Surgeonfish in the area were very eager for the bread and eventually hooked one! This was amazing since Convict Tang are rarely caught by hook and line.

No cheating here...it was fair hooked.

Convict Surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus) - Species #517

Later, I went to join Michael again and found our shrimp, left in the sun and heat to cooked unintentionally, worked amazing for the Surgeonfish.

Ringtail Surgeonfish (Acanthurus blochii) - Species #518

Eyestripe Surgeonfish (Acanthurus dussumieri) - Species #519

We had been trying for the many Sailfin Tang in the area and I lost one before finally landing one.

Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma velifer) - Species #520

Hawaii had been invaded by non-native Indo-Pacific Sergeant, but they are often outnumbered by the native Green Damselfish. Among all the natives, I managed to find one invasive.

Indo-Pacific Sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis) - Species #521

* Indo-Pacific Sergeant has thicker, darker vertical bands, the fifth band on the caudal penduncle is dark and completely crosses the penduncle; in the Green Damselfish, the vertical bands are more pale and the fifth band is incomplete.

Just as we planned to leave, I decided to checked for the Moray again, knowing they often develop a home territory and a hole they call home. Indeed, it was back in the same hole! It came out for a piece of old squid left in the sun, and went back into its hole trying to rock me yet again. After a long battle, with the rod tip in the water to keep the line pulling parallel to the hole entrance, it finally tired (or got bored) and came out of the hole which allowed me to land it!

A knot of Moray

Undulated Moray (Gymnothorax undulatus) - Species #522