hawaiian Mu fish

BladeRunner · #1 December 2nd, 2006

What depths do you usaully find Hawaiis Mu fish? Are they only 50- 70+ depth fish or can you regularly find them in the shallower reefs?

island_sands · #2 December 2nd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by BladeRunner

What depths do you usaully find Hawaiis Mu fish? Are they only 50- 70+ depth fish or can you regularly find them in the shallower reefs?

BR, i have looked up Mu fish, cant find a decent photo. What are they?

Daryl Wong · #3 December 2nd, 2006

Aloha Blade runner,

Mu are also called Big eye emperor fish or porgy. You can find them in the Coral Sea and the Pacific and Indo pacific too.
Here in Hawaii they are one of the hardest fish to spear. One of our trophy fish. They taste great and usually have doube PHD's. You don't have to dive deep for them although most are in mid depths to 70 ft. You have to out smart them. Here are a few pictures of what they look like. I have speared them up to 15 lbs, but most are 2-5 lbs.

Aloha, Daryl

Ol Dirty Diver · #4 December 2nd, 2006

Wow, 15lbs. I didn't know they got that big. I believe the "official" Hawaii state record (by spearfishing) is just over 10lbs, caught by Da Hij.

Here's a nice movie ("

Got mu?

") I made of some nice mu piles at La'ie and Rabbit Island, where you get to observe them forgetting their usual stand-offish behavior and swimming right up to me. I usually need to be diving to at least 50ft to start seeing them. But there's a secret place on the south shore where I routinely see a pile (> 40) of BIG ones (up to 10lbs) in only 10ft of water...Here's a hint: fishing isn't allowed there.

Kurt
Honolulu, HI
http://www.myspace.com/oldirtysurfer

(on another note, check out what I saw on my dive yesterday, right off of Waikiki!...

BladeRunner · #5 December 2nd, 2006

what are the conditons like on southern end of Oahu during May time frame?
What are the currents like and the wind condtions. What fish would I expect to find during that time of year? My primary area I want to shore dive from is Makapu'u beach park and Halona blow hole park. I'm still looking at other locations that area to try.

BladeRunner · #6 December 5th, 2006

Bump!!!!!!!

fishon · #7 December 6th, 2006

In May south swells start to show, and there will likely be moderate trades (15+ mph) that blow from the NE. I don't really dive around the blow hole, but it has a reputation for having strong currents. If the wind is strong or if there is a decent south swell, I would guess there will be currents. Makapuu is subject to swells if the trades blow, but the water is usually pretty clean. I haven't experienced too much current, but the point where the lighthouse sits is known for it.

SBOffshore · #8 December 6th, 2006

Blade, check your PM. I'm looking for someone to train with in Atlanta.

BladeRunner · #9 December 6th, 2006

I sent you an E-mail today at 5:00 to the address you gave me.

magiatika · #10 December 7th, 2006

mu is monotaxis grandoculis.

see fishbase:
http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Country...es=grandoculis

15 pounds mu, that's awesome!

Daryl Wong · #11 December 7th, 2006

Aloha,

About 15 years ago, a Dive mentor took me to a place that is now restricted to dive because of 911. There was a huge resident Mu school there and we shot three trophy Mu that day. I shot a 15.5 lb Mu and a smaller 13.4 lb Mu to go along with my buddies 11 lb mu. He was a commercial spearfisherman then, and I gave him my fish to keep and sell. Later he told me the weights.
While looking at our local Hawaii Fishing news publication, I saw that we had broken the state record with all three fish. Of course by then it was a moot point. Since then I have eaten two state records. A Kawalea or night barracuda. And a Nohu or scorpionfish family fish. At least they fed us well.
Mu and Uku or Grey snapper are a few of my favorite fish to spear. Sometimes they are easy, but most times they have PhD's and live to torment another diver. Here is a picture of a mu that a shark bit and the left over half was 6.6 lbs. Another possibel record eaten! But the fun is in the hunt and that's what its all about anyway. Good luck to all you mu,Dentex and all those other hard to stalk fish hunters!

We should start another thread on fish that are hard to spear around the world and what makes them difficult to spear.

Aloha, Daryl

BladeRunner · #12 December 8th, 2006

I was watching a video filmed in Hawaii called Epic. I think it had alot of the guys that work at Hana pa stories in it. They were using technic they called Dusting Down. Is this what you usually use in hawaii to bring in reef fish?

I'm coming over to Oahu for the first time to do some spearfishing in may and need some help with knowing the local tactics in getting fish.

DeeperBlue