Maui here I come....

[Tino Bernazzani]

Just wanted to start my research on any good diving while in Maui next February. I was hoping I might get a day of blue water boat diving in, but heard mixed reports about there being slim pickens for charters. Maybe someone would not mind taking a main-lander out for a true Hawaiian experience (willing to pay more than my share of gas and rations). Otherwise I may just have to wing some shore diving. Most likely it will be a camera trip, but I would love to get the inside scoop on what fish are the best to eat and any tips on how to prepare them. I don't want to piss any of the locals off by any means, and just want to be respectful of any traditions, rules or the reef, etc. Please help a brotha out. Thanks and looking forward to visiting the place that got me hooked on diving when I was a kid.
Santino

[Ironhed]

I am heading to maui in january, there is a great shore dive at black rock. I was freediving it as a kid when I was there and remember the great structure there. we will be right there in january. if I can afford it i hope to head over to see my buddy daryl I am sure he will make it worth my while of coming over but at this point i will be happy just to dive the shore there it is quite awesome to see lava structure

[MauiFreeDiver]

Sonny it depends were you stay, most of the hotels are on the south and west shores, and in Jan, the water is usually flat on those sides of the island, there is some decent shore dives on the south side, if you bring a camera youll have fun on the south side if you bring a gun then you will need skill, luck and a good bottum time.....believe it or not weve shot ukus (gray snapper) right in front of the hotel beaches in about 40-50 ft of water. There are some good links to the fish but I cant find them right now.....

Ironhead, in front of black rock is not good for spearfishing anymore, the fish have pretty much been fished out, and also a lot of tour boats dump boat fulls of tourist in there every day, along with all the people on the beach, makes for low fish stock....however your right there is some nice reefs and caves to look at..

[HHEAD]

For all those going to Hawaii make sure you pick-up a "KAPU STICK" it's a regulation guide that you can buy at all the dive stores. I think they are only a few bucks and all the revenue from that project went to supporting fishing access rights in Hawaii. Also no trip to Maui or Oahu is complete without going to Maui Sporting Goods. The Oahu store probably was the 1st spearfishing only store in the US. Anyways, get the "KAPU STICK" .... gotta support the locals.

[Mauiinfinity]

Hey Sonny I can help you out Go check out
www.mauispearfishing.com

[Tino Bernazzani]

Thanks guys,
That is good info. I can't wait to dive every day, in warm clear water, with a gun or camera, its all good. If any of you locals want to hook up, Im sure it would be a great day of diving. Im a really easy going guy, with some good diving talent. Really just want to make sure I keep to the ideals of the local environment, and get a chance to see some tasty critters.
Tino

[Mauiinfinity]

Hey if you want to dive just hit me up my contact is on my website.
I am leaving on the 9th for the scramble meet in LA. I will be back on the 16th. L8ters

[balder]

Bumping this thread for some more info, I am coming over on the 19th. Big fish are nice, but mainly this trip I just want to serve a few meals for the five of us coming over.

How about some Hawaii specific tips and some Maui specific shore dives or snorkels for spearfishing. I am coming over in a little over a week. I spear alot in the Pacific NW here, but I had a helluva time last time in Maui.

There is a spearfishing guide outfit on the internet. They said hide on the reef at 50ft or so and throw sand and scratch the reef. Is that real?!?

[MauiFreeDiver]

There is a spearfishing guide outfit on the internet. They said hide on the reef at 50ft or so and throw sand and scratch the reef. Is that real?!?

Is what real, the diving to 50ft, or the tossing sand and scratcing rocks?

[balder]

Is what real, the diving to 50ft, or the tossing sand and scratcing rocks?

The toss sand and scratch the reef part. It almost sounds like their pulling someones leg with that. But I see that it is actually mauiinfinity that is the website I am talking about. So he, or someone, let me know.

50 ft I understand, and though I dont freedive regularly, I should be able to have a bit of bottom time towards fifty feet pretty quickly. I will be doing some SCUBA and my air consumption is pretty low, but also some freediving/ snorkeling everyday, I pretty well live in the water when there.

I am fishing with a pole spear only (it's my preferred weapon here at home too, and that's what the condo is stalked with)

[float 'n stalk]

They said hide on the reef at 50ft or so and throw sand and scratch the reef. Is that real?!?

They are not pulling your leg. It can be a good technique for drawing fish in to you....

[MauiFreeDiver]

Well whether you care or not, you will notice that spearfishing with scuba here is not completley accepted. But anyway Mauiinfinity is a idiot, thats all I got to say about him. However scrathing the rocks and throwing sand while laying silently on the bottom works real well over here. Scratching the rocks mimics the feeding behaivors and sounds of alot of fish here so it makes the fish curious, also throwing sand mimics fish digging up the bottom looking for crabs and other food items and it also provides a little blind for you to hide behind. The other technique is grunting if done properly and a at the right fish it works well.

If your place has oceanic cable then watch channel 16 the Hawaii Skin Diver mag has a tv show that airs throughout the week, and a new episode airs monthly.

3 Prongs and hawaiian slings are the roots of spearfishing here, so you wont be the only one in the water with it. Look up the Hawaii Dlnr website and look at the species regs, and take only what you need not what you can.

Oh and good luck our reef fish may be small but they are some of the smartest fish around.

[thecrab87]

I am fishing with a pole spear only (it's my preferred weapon here at home too, and that's what the condo is stalked with)

Good luck... I've been diving on Maui for almost 29 years and have only poked one fish over 10# with a pole spear.

You might want to swing by Maui Sporting Goods and pick up a cheap euro gun, maybe a 110cm.

And MFD is right, scuba spearing, although completely legal, is frowned upon here... hence the popular bumper sticker "Thanks, but no tanks... I'd rather freedive."

SonnyB and Ironhed, give me a call before you leave if you want to get up on the latest weather, gear, etc.... I've pm'ed you my cell phone number.

[joel mcqueen]

maui dive shop runs s good trip to molakeni crater the back wall was well worth the time no spearing but very good wall dive

[HHEAD]

Make sure you buy a couple of these:

[Tino Bernazzani]

Anywhere I could by a Kapu Stick online? I would like to get time to study the fish along with other research to make sure I am sure what I am looking at. That way there will be little hesitation when the right time comes for a shot with a gun or camera. Thanks for everyone’s help. I am so excited about this trip, I will most likely forget why I am going in the first place.

[balder]

Thanks for giving me some info guys, I will spend most of my hunting time freediving, (when in rome do as the romans) but I am going to have a couple of meals of fish, and if I have to resort to tanks for it I will. Again, I dont care if they are really big fish, as long as they are tasty and legal.

I will try the throwing sand and scratching rocks thing (does that technique have a name?) now that I know thats not just what you tell the mainlanders as a joke.(I have been around, in Sinai we used to tell tourists that the tuna we saw were blacktip sharks! It gave us a good chuckle and they could go home saying "I saw sharks")

Now for locations: I saw on here that going to the outside of Honolua Bay was good. Honolua is a preserve, and having a speargun in the water is illegal (Per DLNR website I reviewed) so is there other beach access (to the north) nearby to get to the area's next to the preserve? And I thought there where alot of fish at Makena Landing lasttime, I can easily beat the boats there from where we stay in Kihei, but is that part of Ahihi? I didnt think it was.
I've seen Fleming beach listed as good spearing, but last time I was there in winter it was BIG waves everytime we went up there. I am comfortable with surf entries and exits, but that stuff was a nobrainer to avoid. Hell, I watched the lifeguard bust his board rescuing the only surfer out there last trip.

I know you wont tell me your secret spots, but give me one more good beach to fill my platter with some fresh fish.

[balder]

maui dive shop runs s good trip to molakeni crater the back wall was well worth the time no spearing but very good wall dive

Oh yes, I know about that one, that will be probably the one paid trip I take, I just hate diving with the boneheads on the charters. But with no boat of my own over there, I'm stuck with the charters.

I've dove Panama, Roatan, Cozumel, the entire US west coast, Hi, NC, the med, and lived in the Red Sea for awhile, and that back wall at Molokini is one of the BEST dives anywhere. I'll let you know when I get to Palau and the GBR in a few years if I find anything I like as much. There where some in the Red Sea that where maybe equally as good, but none I can say where really better than that wall at Molokini.

[MauiFreeDiver]

I will try the throwing sand and scratching rocks thing (does that technique have a name?)
Now for locations: I saw on here that going to the outside of Honolua Bay was good. Honolua is a preserve, and having a speargun in the water is illegal (Per DLNR website I reviewed) so is there other beach access (to the north) nearby to get to the area's next to the preserve? And I thought there where alot of fish at Makena Landing lasttime, I can easily beat the boats there from where we stay in Kihei, but is that part of Ahihi? I didnt think it was.
I've seen Fleming beach listed as good spearing, but last time I was there in winter it was BIG waves everytime we went up there. I am comfortable with surf entries and exits, but that stuff was a nobrainer to avoid. Hell, I watched the lifeguard bust his board rescuing the only surfer out there last trip.

I know you wont tell me your secret spots, but give me one more good beach to fill my platter with some fresh fish.

Makena landing is not part of the reserve, but it still has no fish. At honolua bay, if you drive through the pineapple fields and walk down the cliff where the surfers walk down you will be right on the outside of the last reserve point (youll see the sign/map when you get on your way down the cliff). You can jump in there with no problem. As far as the waves at flemmings it depends on which way the swell is coming from and if there is waves there then theres usually waves at Honolua bay.

[thecrab87]

Anywhere I could by a Kapu Stick online? I would like to get time to study the fish along with other research to make sure I am sure what I am looking at. That way there will be little hesitation when the right time comes for a shot with a gun or camera. Thanks for everyone’s help. I am so excited about this trip, I will most likely forget why I am going in the first place.

I know Maui Sporting Goods has them. I probably have a couple in my garage somewhere. Quite frankly, the regs here are such that you should feel embarassed if you shoot something under the minimum size limit. Hopefully, I'll get you out on the north shore where you can get into some decent uhus at least, and we can check all the ulua holes and hope for the best. I got Jason Marggraf his first ulua this year (46#), and it was a great experience to watch him drop down and stone it. Hope to repeat that this year!

[Tino Bernazzani]

Willie, I can't tell you how excited I am about this trip.
Thanks for the hospitality.
When you make it to California, you will have to head to Northern Cali for some monster abalone and ling cod diving. I would be glad to be your host. Mauifreediver, the same goes for you, if you ever can make it over here.

[paulk1987]

I live in the Lahaina area in Maui. I do a lot of in shore spearfishing maily with a pole spear. still learning spots and what not. If anyone wants to spear some fish some time just lemme know !

peace
paul

[thecrab87]

I probably have a couple in my garage somewhere.

I found them. I've got two, so you are welcome to have one.

[Tino Bernazzani]

Nice,
I have been studying a few sites for the info as well as few books on reef fish.
http://state.hi.us/dlnr/dar/fish_regs/marfish.htm
Has some great info with basic pictures.
At this point Willie, I don't care what the weather is like, I will be in the ocean wind, rain, or shine.