Kayak Fishing in Hawaii
Rob grew up in Florida, then made the move to Hawaii in 2008. He recently told us about his life there, especially his fishing life:
BB: What do you do there in Hawaii?
ROB: I’m a general contractor. My company is called Appreciating Homes.
Back in 2008, a roommate and great friend from the university invited me to renovate his new home on Oahu. So, I came here to help a friend out. I was then blessed to meet the woman of my dreams, andI never left! Ultimately, I decided to bring what I knew to Hawaii to provide homeowners with beautiful, quality renovations.
I also have a large reputation on the island for consistently landing large pelagic fish from my kayak! (‘pelagic’ refers to the open seas)
BB: When did you first go paddling?
ROB: I got addicted to fishing when I caught my first large mouth at the age of 5 on a homemade yardstick rod. I started paddling a canoe during my freshman year of high school in South Florida. I was involved in a high school 5-day Outward Bound trip.
BB: Where and in which seasons do you like to paddle?
ROB: We only have one season over here in Hawaii!
I typically paddle two miles or more out into the deep, blue ocean in search of fish to tow me around as I bring them in.
I start the day by catching the live bait, using my fish finder and chart plotter. I collect about 10 pieces of scad mackerel, close to a pound each, and hold them in my live well.
After stocking up on bait, I head out to deeper waters ranging from 200-2,000 feet deep in search of monster pelagic fish.
The action is intense and the conditions can be unpredictable. I’ve had breaching whales almost land on me. I’ve had sailfish over 100 lbs drag me out into deeper waters. I like to think I’ve seen it all!
BB: Do you like to paddle with others?
ROB: I like paddling with friends, but sometimes launch solo. I bring a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) and a VHF radio in my life vest, just in case something happens. Aside from my kayak, I depend heavily on my paddle to get me out there safely and bring me back home.
BB: How often do you get out on the water?
ROB: I fish whenever I can find time outside of my contracting business and the unpredictable Hawaiian weather. If I’m lucky, I launch once a week.
BB: What’s your favorite thing about paddling?
ROB: Paddling and fishing helps me clear my mind.
BB: What do you think of your Angler Pro?
ROB: The first day I got a chance to use my beautiful, new Angler Pro the surf was head- high on the way in and out. I was thankful for the extra power the paddle provided me with to push me through the sets to get to the outside of the breaks.
The waters were glassy out in the deep blue, but here in Hawaii conditions can change quickly. Around lunch time and out of nowhere, winds started pushing south around 25mph and land was east.
Within 10 minutes, my partner and I were getting slammed over the left side of the kayak with 3-4 foot open ocean wind swells. It was a brutal paddle back in, but something I'm used to since this is common here.
Overall, it was a good day. I brought up four tunas all ranging from 15-20 pounds. I hooked up on one single and three doubles (a double is having two fish on at one time when running two rods), pulled up an 8-foot Galapagos shark and lost two other tunas to sharks.
The Angler Pro paddle performed well.I am impressed with it. I really like the power of this paddle's face, and it has a flutter free stroke—well made for sure. Thanks for the awesome paddle, Bending Branches!
Check out more of Rob’s photos on his Instagram page.
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