Aloha..... or Sweets Goes Fishing

I realize this is supposed to be a fly fish/hunting/back packing/dog training blog, but when Sweets wins a free trip to Maui, how can you not post up the vacation fun. We were able to spend 5 days in Maui, Hawaii. We hiked in a rain forest, snorkeled with spinner dolphins, saw hump back whales and free range chickens, barfed over the side of a boat, and watched Sweets fight a 44 pound Mahi Mahi. For those who live in Hawaii, you live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Feel blessed. Sunsets from our balcony, bath water seas, and the bluest ocean I have ever seen. Driving through a snow storm to get on a plane and driving with the windows down, the sunroof open 8 hours later? Priceless. Annnnnnnd, soooooo gratifying.
Lessons learned on this outing?

1. In Maui, add 27% to the posted speed limit and drive it.

2. They have free range grizzly hackle all over the island

3. There is never a bad sunset in paradise

4. It rains every day in a rain forest (go figure)

5. Sweets can barf 4 times, land a fish, then go barf again

6. No matter the water, no mater the species, no matter the gear, Sweets will always out fish you. Get over it. (I am really getting tired of typing that statement…)

The USS Minnow.  After watching walls of water rock this boat all over the sea (there were 20ft swells), I have no idea how Gilligan managed to wreck the Minnow.  This is the "No Problem".  She got us there and back, no problem.  Although it was a white knuckle ride.  This is the side of the boat that I yacked over.

The gear.

The enticer.  Wow, let's see, a whole package of crystal flash, some dumb bell eyes, and two really really big hooks.  Tie it articulated, fish on.  They use these for Blue Marlin.  That's a 400# test leader.  I use that stuff to rig my duck and goose decoys.

Fish on.  At this point, I was trying to battle the swell, the fish, and dry heaves.  Didn't know if I should reel or barf.  I can't begin to explain how big the waves were in the morning.  We were the only boat brave (or dumb) enough to venture out to the tuna fishing areas that day, the others trolled for Marlin close to shore.

Sweets 43.8 pount Mahi Mahi.  She barfed 1 time for every 5 pounds of fish.  She did become famous, the crew of the boat were still talking about her fish the next day to some prospective fisherman. 

The group with the mornings bag.  You can see the size of Sweets' fish compared to the other fish.  Everyone pictured here barfed at least once that morning, except two; the dude in the visor and the guy climbing on the boat in the background- Captain Ahab.

.... but you can while you're puking up breakfast off the side of the boat....

We had the Captain fillet up one of our fish and we took it back to the Luau that night, the hotel chef grilled it for us.  The crew of the boat sold the other fish to the local restaurants.  They were sold the minute our boat slipped into the... slip.  Being the only boat out that day with tuna, our catch hit the most wanted list.

Catch of the day, Mahi Mahi.  It tasted as good as it looks.

It was so nice of the fire dancer to make an "S" for Sweets

Boys will do anything to impress the girls in bikini's.... even belly flop.  That one looks like it's going to hurt.

Sweets wanted a picture of this girls tattoo.  It means "Angel of Heaven"

Apparently anything you do at the beach will kill you (see sign)

Just in case you didn't know.....

Some may see a chicken.  I see about one hundred Parachute Adams' and a few hundred Griffiths Gnats.  Grizzly hackle on the loose.

Oooops....

This little piggy.... had a really bad day.....

See?  The blog is still about fishing and backpacking.  Fun place to explore.

Spinner Dolphins.  Sweets was able to snorkel to within 5 feet.

Even dogs in Maui surf

This male hump back whale breached 20ft from our boat.