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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ImageShack.usThanks 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!!
