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Continuing subscribers will almost certainly remember our reports on the bonefishing around the Island of Molokai in Hawaii. There is talk that a record-shattering bonefish will one day be caught in these waters if the right angler goes there and finds the right conditions. We first learned about this fishing from Honor Roll subscriber Mike Lucey who regaled us all back in 2011 with tales of bonefish three and four feet long that tore away like racehorses after being hooked. Unfortunately all of the bigger fish broke his line on coral outcroppings. At any rate, Lucey has just been on another trip to Molokai, and here is what he has to say about it:
“In November, 2011, you published a report I filed about a bonefishing trip to Molokai. I had a great time on that trip, and I caught good numbers of large bones and a few trevallies. My report inspired a guide from Oahu by the name of Coach Duff to warn your readers that the waters of Molokai are simply not fishable by most fly anglers. He said he was not convinced even the best angler would ever be able to catch the really big fish in the best area around Molokai.
“Well, I just returned from my second trip to Molokai. I am by no means one of the ‘best’ anglers in the world, but I would call myself semi-experienced in fishing for bones. Rest assured, I had another epic week of fishing. In five days of fishing I had so many shots at bonefish that I stopped counting after two days. In five days of fishing I hooked over 80 fish and landed almost 60. The ones I lost were mostly broken off on coral heads. I took fish weighing up to 10 pounds, with most in the fiveto eight-pound range. I had light winds but clouds most of the time. I can only imagine what the numbers would have been with more sun! I again saw some truly huge bones, but I could not entice them to hit. That may be okay, because the half dozen or so eight-pounders I caught were all the fish I could handle. The 10-pounder was the biggest bonefish of my life.
“On this trip, I fished again with Kauai guide, Rob Arita of Bonefish Kauai (www.bonefishkauai.com), who has teamed up with local fisherman Joe Kalima. He provided the boat I fished out of, as well as his lifetime knowledge of the flats. Another local with a boat and great know-how, incidentally, is Walter Naki. Local knowledge is indispensable here, I think. I would not try to fish the flats around Molokai without a local fisherman along.
“Some of your subscribers may want to know that the Island of Molokai has terrific hunting for axis deer, as well as great snorkeling. The first time I was there a local named Eddie Tanaka took my family and me on a terrific hike into the mountains. Eddie is also a worldclass guitar player. This time around I was treated to an impromptu pig roast and concert at Joe’s place, with Eddie on guitar, Rob on the ukulele, and Walter on the bass. There were other musicians there as well, and it was quite a treat. Maybe I have just been lucky the two times I’ve been to Molokai, but I am going back.”