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Nathan Tsao

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Hawaii GT Fishing
November 21, 2011, 07:30:08 PM
Hello everyone,

A friend of mine suggested that I join your forum and show the possibilities of shoreline GT fishing here in Hawaii. Here are a few pics from the shoreline. Most fish come early morning and late afternoon.  Most of the fish landed are 20lb-50lbs, with my largest being close to 70lb. Usually the giants we hook plugging from the shoreline are lost to the caves and ledges. The underwater terrain here is very difficult to deal with casting from the lava rocks. The rod/reel in some of the pics is an Avet MXL 5.8:1 and a Lamiglas 1322M blank. The conventional reel allows for very long distance casts as well as the ability to cast a 40ft long leader through the guides. Fishing here claims the lives of many plugs, so we like to throw the cheapest most and most beat-up lures we can find.
Aloha!


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Mark Harris

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 21, 2011, 07:38:35 PM
Great stuff Nathan and welcome to the forum.  Utmost respect to those who can land decent GTs from the rocks.

A couple of questions if you do not mind:

1. Popping with an overhead/conventional set up as you do, how do you lay the line at the same time as getting decent action on the popper?  Seems like you would need three hands for that!

2. How do you go with releasing the GTs in that sharp, rocky environment? Quite a challenge I would think.

Lee Younan

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 21, 2011, 11:27:58 PM
Crazy!
Im guessing landing them would be as dangerous as the release!

kriss brown

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 22, 2011, 01:54:51 AM
wow.awsome.respect for land base GT.great effort .u encourage me more land base .painful isnt it fighting with long rod??:D

Juan Sala

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 22, 2011, 06:25:01 AM
Max respect for shore fishing!!!!!
i hope i could land a decent Gt from shore.

Dan Smith

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 27, 2011, 09:16:53 AM
Which island is that?  Big Island?

Nice catches from shore.

Scott Maybury

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 28, 2011, 08:13:01 AM
Great fishing from some gnarly terrain, awesome stuff thanks for sharing

Nathan Tsao

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 28, 2011, 05:32:42 PM
Thanks for the kind words guys. Most of the time the shoreline GT plugging here is really frustrating since our fishery is so poor. Even during the peak season, landing one fish per week would be doing very well.
Releasing the fish is alot easier than landing them. The shoreline allows you to plunge them off the low cliffs into the water headfirst for a clean release. Landing them can be tough since i dont like to carry a gaff or other device. Usually once the fish surfaces i try to guide them up onto a flat spot with an incoming wave, then cradle the fish and carry it into a tidepool. Often times the high surge on the deep shorelines here in Hawaii makes this pretty dangerous. Its a balancing act of controlling the fish and getting hammered by waves. Only on the calmest days can you wrap the leader and drag them up onto the shoreline. Here are some pics of releasing them.


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Thanks for your questions Mark Harris, about plugging with a conventional. I grew up using them since i was a little kid fishing for striped bass. When i moved to Hawaii i was getting cut off alot on the reef using spinning gear, and realized the only way to maximize casting distance with a heavy duty leader was with a non-levelwind reel. As far as laying the line with your thumb; it's really pretty easy. After one day of fishing with one you wont even know you're doing it, it will be completely natural.
Another thing i like about the conventional reel is that if the fish is digging hard, you can put heavy thumb pressure on the spool and stop that bastahd dead in his tracks.
This morning i was fortunate to hook up to a good fish in this off-season on the new Daiwa Saltiga Hyperspeed Leverdrag 30. UNfortunately i hooked the fish on a maxed out cast of about 120meters and wasnt able to boost him in quick enough before it wrapped me around and old sunken standing pipeline. Played with him for about 5 minutes wrapped on the pipe until it finally cut clean on a barnacle or sharp edge. Other than that, the reel has been performing excellent so far. Hopefully the upcoming season will give it a good testing.
Aloha!!

Mark Harris

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 28, 2011, 06:17:48 PM
Many thanks for that Nathan.

Whilst laying the line with a thumb is normally no problem at all, I am still thinking it would be a challenge whilst you are imparting a sharp down and across popping motion on the rod.  Obviously it is something you get used to, as you clearly have no problems!  Some great release pics by the way.

Scott Maybury

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 29, 2011, 07:57:15 AM
Cool stuff. I am guessing, particularly with casts that long, that the lure is probably worked by dragging the rod tip back and forward in a fairly elevated position, which might make laying the line easier?

George Relf

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 29, 2011, 03:26:39 PM
Looks like awesome fun Nathan. Thanks for sharing  :)

Alex Stuart

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
November 29, 2011, 07:38:50 PM
That's fantastic mate... Keep the reports coming!

Mike_Tan

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
December 06, 2011, 01:37:51 PM
Very nice Nathan!! Do you use heavy nylon or braid for mainline?

Charles Cintron

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
December 06, 2011, 07:00:15 PM
Howzit Nate,

Dude your everywhere man, nice job representing the Hawaii shoreline effort. I just joined a few weeks ago myself lol!
GT FIGHT CLUB

Luke Wyrsta

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Re: Hawaii GT Fishing
December 07, 2011, 10:05:33 AM
Nice work Nathan. I did plenty of stickbaiting on two trips to the Hawai'i, Oahu and Kauai. No luck for me though  >:(