There's fishcake in the near future.

[thecrab87]

I decided to go at the last minute yesterday after work, so I got into the
water late. The bay was suprisingly clean... really beautiful
actually. The life has really come back after months of rough water.
There were big balls of mamo and enenue everywhere, clouds of huge
opelu coming through, schools of 50+ kawalea... basically hopping with life.

I have a list of things that will get you killed, and I now have
another one to add to them. For all of my ulua holes, I've spent a
lot of time analyzing the best approach, how to set up your postion
prior to diving, mapping out how to swim the approach... even going so
far as which rock to grab as you pull your way to the hole. This has
involved a lot of repetive diving on an empty hole so that when it is
happening, I don't have to think about what to do. Well, there is a
typical current pattern for Haiku, but yesterday the current was 180º
opposite. I checked the shallow ledge hole, the deep three rock hole,
and the deep crack hole... nobody home.

So, I went out to the BIG rock. The ulua hang off the ledge on the
Kahului side. Last trip out there, I dropped down right on top of 3
white ulua and stoned one at 75 feet... feeling good. Now, the normal
approach involves fighting the current towards Hana, breathing up and
resting as you drift back, and timing your dive so that when you hit
the edge of the rock you are perfectly set to go over the edge and
drop down onto the fish down at 75 feet.

But yesterday, the current was BLAZING the other way. I had to fight
down at a 45º angle to get to the rock, then had to pull myself about
20 feet along the bottom because the current had pushed me back, then
hold myself in position against the whooshing water as I peeked over
the side. There were huge omilus... biggest I think I've ever
seen. The bigger one passed under me, and I had to wait for the next
largest to come into range. Fought to get the speargun in position,
and pulled the trigger just as I watched his eye roll up to look at
me. Took the top off of his head and he swam off. Damn, how can a
fish swim with no brain! Then my spear hooked on the bottom. Then I
was weighted heavier than normal. Made it to the surface but it was
too close for my comfort. I hook breathed for a minute to force oxygen
into my bloodstream just as a precaution.

So, what did I learn? First, there were the mistakes that I know better about.
1) goal fixation - I wanted that fish
2) laziness - I should have dropped my gun as soon as I realized the
spear was caught rather than trying to play it to get it loose.
3) I was overweighted compared to what I'm used to
4) I ate too much before diving and drank too little
and 5) my new rule... the conditions were dramatically different than
normal, so a dive that is normally no sweat was now a challenge.
Without #5, I would likely have been just fine, but it was enough to
push me over the top. Lesson learned!

I stayed at the rock after recovering trying to poke a big mu, but he
decided I had bad intentions. The current was just too much to fight.
By now, I'm completely demoralized, so I head in. At the point, I'm
swiming head down, when I turn to the side and spot a feeding awa. I
get a spear in him as he takes off. He immediately takes 150 feet of
line off of my reel.... what fun! I finally get my hands on him after
a really great fight and string him up. By now my tagline and reel
line and monofilament are one big tangle and by the time I get
everything untangled, it's dark... and I've got another 1/2
mile to swim. I start hauling in, but it gets
really, really dark. In the dim light, I notice that I'm schooled by
about 40 big awa. Awesome! I don't dare shoot one because I have no
idea how I'll untangle one if he hooks on the bottom that I can't see
in the dark 20 feet below.

I beach myself on the rocks in total darknesss, somehow find my bag in
the bushes, and pack my gear and fish. Then, I feel my way
up the stream bed and up the trail under the trees. I call Sierra
when I get to the top to tell her I'm OK, and she tells me I'm a
ding-dong to not bring a flashlight. I have to agree.

Pics below:
I love the way the flash makes the awa's eye glow.

[element]

Great story and fish. Thanks for sharing.

[SeaBass]

Cool ass story man, i do a ton of beach dives off south fl. but barely get anything too exciting. Beach diving in Hawaii must be awsome!

[Marcus]

Sweet! Had my heart pumping a bit reading about it.

[Bill McIntyre]

Great story Willie, but dammit, be careful. I need you to come back this summer and show me how to shoot white sea bass again. I didn't quite get it all in the last demo.

[undrH2Ohntr]

cool story Willie.....but what is "hook breathing" and why did you feel it necessry?
thanks

[thecrab87]

Great story Willie, but dammit, be careful. I need you to come back this summer and show me how to shoot white sea bass again. I didn't quite get it all in the last demo.

You know perfectly well, Bill, that I just got really, really, REALLY lucky. :thumps:

Don't worry, your season is just around the corner... you can make it!

[thecrab87]

cool story Willie.....but what is "hook breathing" and why did you feel it necessry?
thanks

I'm sure that there are technical freedivers that are better able to
explain it. It is a technique that I learned at the PFD clinic.

You do a series of quick but deep intake breaths. Each one is
followed by an intentional and brief tightening of your abdominal
muscles, followed by release of the air. It's supposed to get O2 into
your system quickly.

Supposedly, fighter pilots use it to keep from passing out from g-force.
Bill Mc might be able to expound on this one.

[Bill McIntyre]

Supposedly, fighter pilots use it to keep from passing out from g-force.
Bill Mc might be able to expound on this one.

I'll be damned- I never realized I was hook breathing.

But anyway, yes, pilots tighten the abdominals and their thigh muscles during high-G turns to delay passing out. However, it was presented to us as a technique to simply keep blood from pooling in the lower extremities and keep it up in the brain where it could do some good rather than pumping oxygen into the bloodstream.

Of course we also wore anti-G suits for the same purpose. It had air bladders across your abdomen and around your thighs and calves, with a hose connected to a fitting in the cockpit. The harder you pulled, the more air was pumped into the bladders to prevent blood pooling.

Of course it only worked so well. I used to play the edge where everything went grey (you loose color vision first) and then things start to get dim so that you can't see the instruments any more, and then let off just enough stick pressure to keep vision.

Sorry for the digression- blame it on Willie for tempting me to recall my glorious youth.:)

[KeiNine]

Willie, be safe out there!

Bill, don't worry about it. I'm sure all of us are envious of your flight days. :thumps:

[thecrab87]

Cool ass story man, i do a ton of beach dives off south fl. but barely get anything too exciting. Beach diving in Hawaii must be awsome!

Well, I do leave out the boring bits.

"Swam for half an hour over dead ground to get to the good stuff, didn't see shit."

LOL

[thecrab87]

Of course it only worked so well. I used to play the edge where everything went grey (you loose color vision first) and then things start to get dim so that you can't see the instruments any more, and then let off just enough stick pressure to keep vision.

Holy crap! Now THAT is nuts.

[Ron S]

Hey Willie, when you posted your last story I seem to remember you saying something about buying a flashlite...I don't know about Hawaii, but when you come to California, they sell some nice ones over here that are even waterproof. I'm sure Bill can find you one...
Awsome story, thanks for posting!
Ron.

[deepdestroyer]

great story Willie, I just got back from a week long stay on Oahu, and didnt even see a single fish that size. The fish over there are on speed or somthing, it was crazy.

[thecrab87]

great story Willie, I just got back from a week long stay on Oahu, and didnt even see a single fish that size. The fish over there are on speed or somthing, it was crazy.

The fish on Oahu are so smart they all have PhDs.

Here on Maui, they just have Masters. :D

Seriously though, Oahu diving is friggin' hard...

[thecrab87]

Hey Willie, when you posted your last story I seem to remember you saying something about buying a flashlite...I don't know about Hawaii, but when you come to California, they sell some nice ones over here that are even waterproof. I'm sure Bill can find you one...
Awsome story, thanks for posting!
Ron.

I know, I know.... got a nice LED head lamp for the next trip. Hoping for tomorrow.

[cantshoot]

Great Story and nice size awa, they pack a mean fight. Man with the Flash, almost looks like some kind of Obake fish.

I just saw on the headlines of HFN "Island of Maui Gill Net Ban Gets Land Board Apporval". Its baby steps but its slowly looking good for Hawaii. Hopefully Oahu will come around soon, we really need it.

Roland

[thecrab87]

> It's an awa, or milkfish. Chanos chanos, I believe.
>
> Very bony fish... usuallly dried or made into fish cake here.
>
> I gave the last one to someone at work that is willing to take the
> time to prepare it. They brought back a plate of seasoned meatballs
> (fishballs?..... lol), complete with dipping sauce. Delicious!

Just had some more for lunch.....

[Stretcharmstrng]

that looks really good! can you post a recipe in the recipe section? Im assuming you can make them w/ any fish w/ firm meat correct?

[fuzz]

Actually it's usually done with fish with soft meat &/or lots of bones like milkfish or bonefish.

[thecrab87]

Fuzz is right, you want a softer fish... it helps the pieces glob together better. Although... I suppose that you could try it with any fish. What the hell, it could be delicious!

All portions are "eyeball" i.e. to taste

The one in the picture:
finely chopped fish meat
chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic
scrambled egg (helps to bind everything together)
ajinomoto (or salt)
ground pepper
...then deep fry

The last time that I did it myself:
finely chopped fish meat
chopped onions, green onions,
char siu pork
scrambled egg (helps to bind everything together)
soy sauce
oyster sauce
salt
ground pepper
(maybe a small amount of finely diced ginger... don't remember)
...then deep fry

I suppose that you could use it as a won-ton or spring roll ingredien too.

[thecrab87]

Fuzz-

I finally got the new stainless through bolts, got the machine shop to put screwdriver slots in the heads, got all the pieces together, and put the band elevators back on the gun. Will take pics tonight and send over.

[fuzz]

Cool, thank you Willie! :cool:



Stretch,

Instead of filleting the fish & deboning, we take these softer fish(like bonefish) and after opening it just spoon the meat right off the bones in globs. I've seen the ladies in the fishmarkets cut fillets into strips then scrape clean. A little different procedure for bigger fish like milkfish, but same principle, ending up with a bowl of fish mush.

Another way that I saw on tv(Let's Go Fishing with Hari Kojima) was to freeze the fish then defrost. Cut the tail off generously & start rolling the bottle. Theoretically the meat is supposed to be squeezed out the tail... but both times I've tried this I've had to still open up the fish & spoon the leftovers.

For the firmer fish, my family has just run the meat through a food processor & add a bit of water. Same thing, but different taste. Still comes out good.

[thecrab87]

Another way that I saw on tv(Let's Go Fishing with Hari Kojima) was to freeze the fish then defrost. Cut the tail off generously & start rolling the bottle. Theoretically the meat is supposed to be squeezed out the tail... but both times I've tried this I've had to still open up the fish & spoon the leftovers.

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one that could never make this work! I even tried beating the crap out of the fish before squeezing it.