Hawaii Bonefish?

The surf tends to be a lot bigger in the winter. Oahu is bigger, population wise, which means more traffic, more people, and it can be a lot busier, so keep that in mind as well if you are looking for a relaxing vacation in Hawaii. When friends ask which island to go to I usually direct them to Maui, the Big Island, or Kauai. Outside of fishing I'm not sure what type of vacation you and your wife are looking for.

With that in mind I believe the bone fishing is the best on Oahu, not sure what it is like in Kauai, but believe there is some good bonefishing in Maui, or out of Maui to one of the nearby islands. There are some really big bonefish on the Big Island, but from my experience it is tough to fish for them with a fly, and I'm not sure if there are any guides on the Big Island. I had a few chase my fly when I was there last, but all of the bonefish I have caught where dunking squid in 30ft+ water as a kid.

Generally spring to fall is the best time to fish in Hawaii. Partially this is when there are calmer conditions and also some fish come inshore to spawn in the summer months. Other fish like trevally can be fun to target. If you can fit it in your suitcase I recommend bringing a stripping basket if you are doing the walk and wade thing. The lava can be a pain at times when trying to cast, even the small rocks in the sand, and choppy water or small surf can be annoying too.

Aloha A A, I live on the Big Island and do some guiding over here. You have some great advice for possible guides on Oahu. Mike Henessey is an awesome guide and is fun to fish with and a good friend of mine. Ed works for Nervous Waters and has lots of experience. There are some others on Oahu if you are interested. The outer islands have less guides but some fish that are not quite as educated as the Oahu bones. Molokai is probably your best bet if you want to get a 10lb bone. Clay Ching is the only guide there on a regular basis. You should plan on fishing in the morning and on a negative low tide. It is very windy on Molokia after 10:30 am. Maui has Jon Jon Tabon and he likes to use a kayak to access some remote sand bars. Kauai has Rob Aritta and he fishes Anini beach on the north shore. You have guides and options on all the islands. I am getting a hip replacement in three weeks and will be out until December. Let me know when you will be here and where you will be staying and I should be able to help you out.
Word of warning. If this is your first bonefish experience, you will have some difficulty catching a Hawaiian bonefish especially on Oahu. the fish are very smart, think trout on the henry's fork at the ranch. They are very big and strong and like to break you off. You will see large fish, if you get the fly in front of them and they are feeding you can catch one. It is not like Christmas Island or the Bahamas with lots of hungry small fish. An 8wt with a floating line is the best way to go. Your guide should be able to give you flies that work. It is a fun thing to do while here and there are some monster bones here. Good luck and email me at [email protected] if you have more questions or need more help. Mems.