Hawaiian Fly Fishing

For many years anglers have stopped over on Oahu on their way to Christmas Island. A few anglers would fish for a day on the stop over as a novelty. More recently many anglers are coming to Hawaii specifically to fish for bones and not making the trip to Christmas Island.

It is my understanding that Coach Duff was the person that put Hawaii on the map for fly fishing. He is the first person I am of aware of who brought a flats boat to Hawaii to guide fly anglers for the large Hawaiian bones. Coach Duff also pioneered many of the fly patterns that are used in Hawaii. Many of the flies used today are variations of his original Spam and Eggs. Today there are probably 2-3 other guide services offering fly fishing trips on flats boats. I think all anglers can thank Coach for his work.

Hawaii offers a variety of fly fishing opportunities. There are flats that can be waded with anglers targeting tailing fish. Some flats are deeper and need to be fished out of a boat. There are mud flats, sand flats, coral flats...

Not all Hawaiian Islands are designed for the fly angler. The two Islands that offer the most opportunities for fly anglers are Oahu and Molokai. Oahu the third oldest Island in the chain has a large variety of fish-able flats. The South shore of Molokai is home to the largest contiguous fringing reef in the united states, creating miles and miles of flats. Both Islands and their flats have their pro's and con's. A discussion for another time.

Maui and Kauai have some limited opportunities for the do it yourself angler.