# ALOHA KĀKOU from East Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi



## Scrather

Wow, what a cool micro!!! A modern version of an ancient time and sea tested design. Welcome!


----------



## EvanHammer

Tell us what kind of fishing you do from your micro?


----------



## fishbone

Ahnko Chee said:


> Aloha kākou Gentlemen. I've been micro-skiffing since my youth several decades ago, and I hope I can contribute to this forum from a Hawaiian point of view. I just ordered my first Solo Skiff, and so did a buddy of mine so hopefully we can represent Hawaiian style micro-skiffing.
> Aloha a hui hou, Ahnko Chee
> View media item 4726


Cool ride


----------



## Guest

Welcome aboard!


----------



## Ahnko Chee

EvanHammer said:


> Tell us what kind of fishing you do from your micro?


Aloha Evan, I troll and I bottom fish. I like to troll in deep waters offshore usually running 2 lines. One line run on the surface and the second I run deep using a Luhr Jensen Jet Diver. I like to use what we call Opelu but I believe they are called Cigar Minnow on the East Coast. Fresh or live caught are best but a salted and frozen one works well in a pinch. I also troll jointed Bomber Long-A lures in the blue mackerel pattern the largest size available which are I think 8 inches. I usually catch Aku (Skipjack Tuna), Shibiko (Yellowfin Tuna under 30 pounds), Mahimahi (Dorado), Kahala (Amber Jack), and Ulua (Giant Trevally) with other species in the mix. My little boat only weighs 45 pounds empty. I want a boat that doubles as a dive platform so I ordered a Solo Skiff. I have 3 motors a 2.5hp Suzuki, and two 3.0hp Tanaka 2 stroke air-cooled outboards like the one pictured. I like the 2 strokes reliability, and centrifugal clutch. I have lifting limits so I think I'll stick with my light under 30 pound motors. A hui hou.


----------



## EvanHammer

Ahnko Chee said:


> Aloha Evan, I troll and I bottom fish. I like to troll in deep waters offshore usually running 2 lines. One line run on the surface and the second I run deep using a Luhr Jensen Jet Diver. I like to use what we call Opelu but I believe they are called Cigar Minnow on the East Coast. Fresh or live caught are best but a salted and frozen one works well in a pinch. I also troll jointed Bomber Long-A lures in the blue mackerel pattern the largest size available which are I think 8 inches. I usually catch Aku (Skipjack Tuna, Shibiko (Yellowfin Tuna under 30 pounds), Mahimahi (Dorado), Kahala (Amber Jack), and Ulua (Giant Trevally) with other species in the mix. My little boat only weighs 45 pounds empty. I want a boat that doubles as a dive platform so I ordered a Solo Skiff. I have 3 motors a 2.5hp Suzuki, and two 3.0hp Tanaka 2 stroke air-cooled outboards like the one pictured. I like the 2 strokes reliability, and centrifugal clutch. I have lifting limits so I think I'll stick with my light under 30 pound motors. A hui hou.


I can't wait to see some pics of Shibiko and Ulua caught from a solo skiff


----------



## fishnpreacher

Cool ride, great report!


----------



## Ahnko Chee

View media item 4728View media item 4730View media item 4732Thank you all for greetings and responses. I was just informed that my Solo Skiff is in a container in Georgia starting it's trip across country to California. From there a week long trip across the Pacific to Hawai'i, ETA early April. Can't wait. I also own a rowing dory I inherited from my dad. I used to use it quite regularly rowing out to my fishing grounds in Kailua Bay. I have rowing 20 miles in one day drag a line behind me. Great exercise and quiet solitude rowing in the open ocean. That boat was great when I lived along a stream that flowed to the ocean but I had to sell that home last year to divvy up the profits between my 5 siblings. The Solo Skiff should get me back on the ocean soon easily hauling it in the bed of my pickup truck using a bed extender frame. Can't wait. Here's a few pictures of my old dory.


----------



## Scrather

Nice dory, 20 miles of rowing, impressive! Is that a Pacific Barracuda?

In the first pic, is that ama from a kit, or something you made? I like the idea of a canoe with an ama for stability and the potential to stand and pole.


----------



## Ahnko Chee

Scrather said:


> Nice dory, 20 miles of rowing, impressive! Is that a Pacific Barracuda?
> 
> In the first pic, is that ama from a kit, or something you made? I like the idea of a canoe with an ama for stability and the potential to stand and pole.


The dory is such a easy smooth rower that I did not even realize how far I traveled until I got home and retraced my route. It also helps to have a calm and sunny day which just encourages one to stay out longer. 

That fish is a Great Barracuda which I believe has world-wide distribution. We call it Kākū in Hawaiian. They get to 100 pounds in our local waters. This 40 pounder pictured still has a ways to grow. It was released right after the picture was taken. The larger ones are known to carry ciguatera toxin in itʻs flesh so they are rarely eaten except by the bold and not-so bright. We also have Hellerʻs Barracuda here which we call in Hawaiian Kaweleʻa. They are much slimmer, very silvery, max out at 3 feet, and travel in HUGE schools of hundreds if not thousands. They are better eating and not known to carry cigua-toxins.

That ama I made myself from PVC pipe and a large size pool noodle from Toys-R-Us. It worked great but the pool noodle was turned to power in a few monthʻs from the UV rays. I later made a more substantial, and UV restant ama using 4" thin-wall PVC drain pipe filled with urethane foam. This ama is still in great shape after 8 years.


----------



## 7WT

Excellent stuff, you might want to move to a different forum for more discussion. thanks, love it


----------



## Rich T

7WT said:


> Excellent stuff, you might want to move to a different forum for more discussion. thanks, love it


Hey, we ate neighbors!

I launch my porta-bote right at the edge of the beach park....12 foot, 6 HP motor, I pull it on wheelbarrow wheels clpef to sides from my home a block away...im overseas right now, youll see me on the water in a month or two there!


----------



## Ahnko Chee

Aloha Rich, That must be right at the Lanikai Boat Ramp. I should have my Solo Skiff all pimp'd out by the time you get back. See you at the weather buoy behind the Mokes when you return! 
Aloha a hui hou!


----------



## Flatbroke426

Ahnko Chee said:


> Aloha kākou Gentlemen. I've been micro-skiffing since my youth several decades ago, and I hope I can contribute to this forum from a Hawaiian point of view. I just ordered my first Solo Skiff, and so did a buddy of mine so hopefully we can represent Hawaiian style micro-skiffing.
> Aloha a hui hou, Ahnko Chee
> View media item 4726


Welcome. Would love to hear about the fishing there and your stories


----------



## Housemouse

ah, I'm just down from you all by flagpoles. let me know when you're going out, would love to join. I'm having an east cape built and going to bring it over.


----------



## Ahnko Chee

Housemouse said:


> ah, I'm just down from you all by flagpoles. let me know when you're going out, would love to join. I'm having an east cape built and going to bring it over.


I learned to surf at Flagpoles, and Kalama back when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. 
Which East Cape model you getting? Are you getting it mainly for fishing the flats here?


----------



## Housemouse

Ahnko Chee said:


> I learned to surf at Flagpoles, and Kalama back when dinosaurs ruled the Earth.
> Which East Cape model you getting? Are you getting it mainly for fishing the flats here?


I have a vantage now on the mainland, and am debating that or an evo x. I know I'd like to take it outside the bay on kona days, would be a blast to take it over to molokai. I have a some family over there, but I've never fished it, and want to everytime I fly in and see all the ponds on the south side. I've been waiting for slip space in town for 4 years, and I'm giving up on getting a bigger boat so just going to bring a flats boat over. Are you staying mainly around Kailua area? I've taken a pole a few times on the oc1, but no luck on it.


----------



## Ahnko Chee

Housemouse said:


> I have a vantage now on the mainland, and am debating that or an evo x. I know I'd like to take it outside the bay on kona days, would be a blast to take it over to molokai. I have a some family over there, but I've never fished it, and want to everytime I fly in and see all the ponds on the south side. I've been waiting for slip space in town for 4 years, and I'm giving up on getting a bigger boat so just going to bring a flats boat over. Are you staying mainly around Kailua area? I've taken a pole a few times on the oc1, but no luck on it.


I've sailed across the Ka'iwi Channel several times over the years to Moloka'i. First few times when I was kid the whole west end was still deserted, and we'd troll that coast from 'Ilio point to La'au point. We used to anchor either right below the lighthouse at 'Ilio point, and fish for Menpachi during the night, or we'd anchor overnight at Haleolono harbor. Back then everything was undeveloped and very secluded, very nice. Moloka'i as I'm sure you know has some opf the best quality bonefish fishing in the world along it's south coast. I'd love to try one day. 
I used to work for the DLNR Boating division that overseas Kaunakakai harbor. Good luck on getting a slip from that corrupt bunch of pirates. 
I've been fishing Kailua Bay since I was a kid 53+ years, and love the area even though it has changed drastically over the years. My backyard was the Ka'elepulu stream so a quick 1 mile paddle had me at Kailua beach. I sold that house so have been landlocked for about 2 years now. I bought my Solo Skiff to remedy that situation. The windward waters have been so stormy lately that I got tired of waiting and hauled my boat to the west side and launched there. Wai'anae's waters are so beautiful. I wish it wasn't so far away. Been fishing Wai'anae but hopefully, weather permiting I'll be out on the east shore waters next week.


----------

