Heeia Kea 10/25

ahi lawaia · Oct-27-2009, 04:07 AM

It’s been pretty discouraging seeing how slow the trolling has been around Oahu for the average guy not lucky enough to find a log or something. But, when a buddy can go and the forecast is for decent weather, got to go give it a shot, right? Garanz no can catch if no go and the worst day fishing still mo’ bettah than the best day working, right?

So…we went to Heeia, figuring a change of venue might be nice, especially since Waianae seems mo’ slow, and, just like winning the megabucks, had chance (slim and none) to maybe run across a log loaded with mahi. Well, the seas were running an easy 6-8 feet and choppy but thankfully the wind was on the light side, so no problemo off we go; bumpy but fishable. Fuggedabout finding any logs though, unless we collide with one, ‘cause the big seas make it hard to see the next boat, much less a submerged log unless there are birds marking it.

We see a big bird pile by U buoy but they’re not working, just bunching up occasionally, and they ain’t marking a log. Got three other boats working the pile and we make a few passes but mea o’le, nothing. We keep heading toward offshore Kahuku, run across a couple more bird piles but same thing – birds not really working, no splashes underneath, make some passes, mea o’le.

So, we’re rocking and rolling along when I see that the rubber band holding the stbd corner line down is all stretched out. Now there’s a Fred Archer meatball spreader bar on that line and it don’t pull hard enough to stretch the band like that so that gets my attention and sure enough there’s an aku on. Small buggah, but hey – no bolohead! No birds, nothing in the area to play, so we keep on going.

A little while later – tock,tock,tock – the center starts grudgingly letting out line and a mahi starts jumping. Yee-ha, hanapa’a! ‘Nother blind strike and no others follow it in, so we settle for the one. That mahi hit another Fred Archer bar, the JT Special. Those Archer bars were pretty amazing in that rough water. Not only did they not tangle but they ran true even when pulled through some of those waves, and they caught fish when the other traditional lures didn’t get a sniff!

Anyways, now we’re past LL buoy area looking at the prospect of a long up sea slog to get back, so we make the turn and head for the Sampan Channel. Just a roller coaster ride all the way back but it’s all good, we got fresh fish to eat! Those Archer bars saved us from a bolohead!

This photo of my buddy holding the mahi was taken after we got inside the Bay – we were rocking and rolling too much to take a photo outside.

Hope the trolling picks up for everyone…or the wind and seas lay down so we can go hit the bottom! Tight lines to all, aloha.

russell kato · Oct-27-2009, 08:16 AM

[QUOTE=ahi lawaia;1528684]It’s been pretty discouraging seeing how slow the trolling has been around Oahu for the average guy not lucky enough to find a log or something. But, when a buddy can go and the forecast is for decent weather, got to go give it a shot, right? Garanz no can catch if no go and the worst day fishing still mo’ bettah than the best day working, right?
Fresh fish...umm! That is the way to hang in there and pull something out of the not to generous ocean. Going out hopefully on Thursday so I'll let you know how it is.

aj1976 · Oct-27-2009, 05:30 PM

Nice to hear about those archer bars working good for you. Capt. Fred would be very proud!

wisebob · Oct-27-2009, 05:35 PM

Nice! I hope I can get one of those tomorrow when I go out.

So Waianae is slow? I thought someone said the Aku were past the pinnacle to CO? I'm glad I haven't made that 100 mile trailer trek recently...

bob

**Fred Archer** · Oct-28-2009, 10:10 AM

Ahi Lawai,

More happy than proud. Waytago on a tough day!

Good to see you running them in rough stuff and really getting a look at that "no tangle angle", too. Best wishes for calmer stuff next time, though.

Sounds like they might be on bigger baits? Otherwise those Little Meatball Bars clean house.

Keep up the good work and yes, I'm proud of ya!

Picts...Sometimes they come in bunches...

And sometimes they come in bunches of big ones!

More bars = more multiples!

cheehuli · Oct-28-2009, 02:35 PM

Quick question. Are the archer bars only available through Capt Fred's web sight or do they sell em through any retailers in Hawaii? I want to pick up a brace of those bad boys after seeing how they run on Fred's youtube videos, Good stuff.

jonesd055 · Oct-28-2009, 08:39 PM

I'm sure Captain Archer will respond but from past experience all of their business is done through their website-good bunch of guys working with him, excellent customer service and great products.

**Fred Archer** · Oct-29-2009, 01:20 AM

Thank you for the kind words, Jonesy. Much appreciated. (Funny, we have a bunch of guys offering to deliver SuperBars free for us, but only to Hawaii? Hmm, I wunner whut dat be all 'bout?)

Cheehuli...Jonesy is right. We handle all sales of our products ourselves. Among other things, that lets us get to know our customers and many become good friends - the finest kind, fisherman friends! Plus, spreaderbars and dredges are new to many, and unfortunately there are some around that give bars in general a bad reputation, so we wan't to be there to dispell any myths and to help our customers with any questions, be they about bars or anything else. And we get a huge kick out of the pictures of the fish they've caught, which often wind up in magazine articles, books, and on our website. We not only like other fishermen, we LOVE ones with big smiles and fish caught on our products!

And finally, selling consumer direct allows us to offer regular fishermen the same basic pricing that we would to wholesale customers. Cuts down on our sales some, but it's very good for those fishermen I said that we like so much.

If and when you decide to order some of our stuff, please be sure to let our order staff know that I have authorized a free copy of our SuperBar Bible book to give you maximum insight into bar and dredge magic. Don't forget!

Thanks all, and good fishing and be safe!

Chasst · Oct-29-2009, 12:02 PM

Fred,

So, I saw a couple pictures of Albies in your section about superbars. I'm going to order at least a couple of them for next year. Can you recommend a setup for albacore?

Do you ever get multiple fish on the same bar? They look big enough that you could!

I know we regularly bring up three giant rockfish at a time while running 2 shrimp flys and a jig in deep water. You always thing you've got a ling until you see those big ol orange fish!

Chass
ct

**Fred Archer** · Oct-29-2009, 04:02 PM

Chasst,

Our Little Meatball or FryBar Meatball bars are the ticket for up in the PNW. The more the merrier because just like it is with the live stuff, the more "chum" you have in the pattern, the more likely that the fish will see and come up for them. Black and purple teasers are the most popular color up there. The chasebaits that come with them are light colors to help them stand out as targets. You can change the size of the chasebaits in seconds. They are available in 3, 4, 6, 9 and 12 inches.

If and when you order your bars, please inform the order person that I have authorized a complimentary copy of SuperBar Bible to help you get started right.

Here's a handful of the teasers that come on each bar.

And here's a cooler full of Nor Cal albies and one of the bars that did them in.

Chasst · Oct-30-2009, 12:35 AM

Thanks Fred, the black and purples were hot this year. Actually, just about everything we put out was hot. There wasn't much that didn't get bit. I sometimes wonder if you couldn't drag any piece of shop trash with a hook behind it and catch them when they are biting! Its the slow times that those bars will come in handy.

So how about those multiple fish on one bar? Does it happen? When we've got 4 or 5 fish on troll gear, it seams like they wouldn't hesitate to bit an extra lure next to a hooked fish . . . that could be exciting!

Chass
ct

cheehuli · Oct-30-2009, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Archer

Thank you for the kind words, Jonesy. Much appreciated. (Funny, we have a bunch of guys offering to deliver SuperBars free for us, but only to Hawaii? Hmm, I wunner whut dat be all 'bout?)

Cheehuli...Jonesy is right. We handle all sales of our products ourselves. Among other things, that lets us get to know our customers and many become good friends - the finest kind, fisherman friends! Plus, spreaderbars and dredges are new to many, and unfortunately there are some around that give bars in general a bad reputation, so we wan't to be there to dispell any myths and to help our customers with any questions, be they about bars or anything else. And we get a huge kick out of the pictures of the fish they've caught, which often wind up in magazine articles, books, and on our website. We not only like other fishermen, we LOVE ones with big smiles and fish caught on our products!

And finally, selling consumer direct allows us to offer regular fishermen the same basic pricing that we would to wholesale customers. Cuts down on our sales some, but it's very good for those fishermen I said that we like so much.

If and when you decide to order some of our stuff, please be sure to let our order staff know that I have authorized a free copy of our SuperBar Bible book to give you maximum insight into bar and dredge magic. Don't forget!

Thanks all, and good fishing and be safe!

Thank you for the offer of the Superbar Bible Capt. Fred. But I already have it as well as your Wahoo Trollers Bible. Both E-books. I enjoyed reading them and feel that I gathered alot of new insights from your extensive experience fishing in Cabo.

My uncle targets ono on the Big Island and he misses many strikes. I am going to have him try the dacron hammer and see if that doesn't blow him away! I will be placing an order for some super bars and spiders ASAP. Mahalo.