Big Island shore fishing (Hilo, Kurtistown: buying, stores, to eat)

[JoDan]

Anyone knowledgeable about shore fishing on the Big Island? Techniques, locations, etc? (I promise I won't give away your secret spots. )

[hotzcatz]

I doubt you will get very many folks mentioning their secret fishing spots on line. Awhile back someone tried, but nobody was talking.

For general information, there is a series of books written by Jim Rizzuto, "Fishing Hawaiian Style" which is full of loads of information. Right now is a good time to fish since the water is fairly flat and big waves won't sweep you into the ocean.

[JoDan]

Thanks for the tip on the book!

[hotzcatz]

There are a couple of good fishing stores in Hilo, too, for buying fishing gear. Tokunaga's is in downtown Hilo: S. Tokunaga Store, Hilo, Hawaii - fishing, diving, archery, darts

There is also Dino's Fishing Supply in Hilo. His store is pretty good although not as extensive as Tokunaga's. Dino's Fishing Tackle - Hilo, HI

Itsu's is a cross between a fishing supply store and a shave ice store. One door is for the store and the other door is for folks waiting to get shave ice. Itsu's Fishing Supplies Inc - Hilo, HI

Up in Kurtistown of all places is a good fishing supply store - J.Hara's. They are also a general merchandise mom-n-pop type of store. Start in Hilo, head to Volcana and along the way is Kurtistown. It's a bump on the highway and J. Hara's store is right next to the post office.

Fishing gear in Hawaii is different than mainland fishing gear. Much longer and lighter poles for shore fishing. One of my favorite poles is about nine feet long and it's not considered excessively long. For slide bait rigs, they can run twelve to fourteen feet or so. Many times we are fishing off of a cliff or over a huge pile of rocky coastline so we have to get the bait or lure over the rocks and the fish back to shore. It's also almost all salt water fishing so your gear needs to be for ocean fishing. Sometimes folks are fishing with bait the size of what folks on the mainland are fishing for so the rigs have to be really strong, too. And a lot of the fish have teeth and some of the fish are eels. Ick!

[JoDan]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

There are a couple of good fishing stores in Hilo, too, for buying fishing gear. Tokunaga's is in downtown Hilo: S. Tokunaga Store, Hilo, Hawaii - fishing, diving, archery, darts

There is also Dino's Fishing Supply in Hilo. His store is pretty good although not as extensive as Tokunaga's. Dino's Fishing Tackle - Hilo, HI

Itsu's is a cross between a fishing supply store and a shave ice store. One door is for the store and the other door is for folks waiting to get shave ice. Itsu's Fishing Supplies Inc - Hilo, HI

Up in Kurtistown of all places is a good fishing supply store - J.Hara's. They are also a general merchandise mom-n-pop type of store. Start in Hilo, head to Volcana and along the way is Kurtistown. It's a bump on the highway and J. Hara's store is right next to the post office.

Fishing gear in Hawaii is different than mainland fishing gear. Much longer and lighter poles for shore fishing. One of my favorite poles is about nine feet long and it's not considered excessively long. For slide bait rigs, they can run twelve to fourteen feet or so. Many times we are fishing off of a cliff or over a huge pile of rocky coastline so we have to get the bait or lure over the rocks and the fish back to shore. It's also almost all salt water fishing so your gear needs to be for ocean fishing. Sometimes folks are fishing with bait the size of what folks on the mainland are fishing for so the rigs have to be really strong, too. And a lot of the fish have teeth and some of the fish are eels. Ick!

Great leads, thanks. Do you ever fish at South Point? I understand it's a long way to the water.

[JoDan]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

There are a couple of good fishing stores in Hilo, too, for buying fishing gear. Tokunaga's is in downtown Hilo: S. Tokunaga Store, Hilo, Hawaii - fishing, diving, archery, darts

There is also Dino's Fishing Supply in Hilo. His store is pretty good although not as extensive as Tokunaga's. Dino's Fishing Tackle - Hilo, HI

Itsu's is a cross between a fishing supply store and a shave ice store. One door is for the store and the other door is for folks waiting to get shave ice. Itsu's Fishing Supplies Inc - Hilo, HI

Up in Kurtistown of all places is a good fishing supply store - J.Hara's. They are also a general merchandise mom-n-pop type of store. Start in Hilo, head to Volcana and along the way is Kurtistown. It's a bump on the highway and J. Hara's store is right next to the post office.

Fishing gear in Hawaii is different than mainland fishing gear. Much longer and lighter poles for shore fishing. One of my favorite poles is about nine feet long and it's not considered excessively long. For slide bait rigs, they can run twelve to fourteen feet or so. Many times we are fishing off of a cliff or over a huge pile of rocky coastline so we have to get the bait or lure over the rocks and the fish back to shore. It's also almost all salt water fishing so your gear needs to be for ocean fishing. Sometimes folks are fishing with bait the size of what folks on the mainland are fishing for so the rigs have to be really strong, too. And a lot of the fish have teeth and some of the fish are eels. Ick!

Very helpful info at the Tokanuga site.

[darlaxox8]

Google ciguatera and Hawaii if you plan to eat any reef fish.

[hotzcatz]

There is a ciguatera test kit that is sold at some of the fishing stores, although I've never tried it myself.

[JoDan]

Originally Posted by darlaxox8

Google ciguatera and Hawaii if you plan to eat any reef fish.

Wow!! Nice to know that.........thanks.