Canoe Alley
FISH TALES:
Chasing Ulua The conditions looked promising as Outrigger member Titus Salter and his dive partner arrived at Diamond Head Lookout. By Rachel Wagenman
➳ After coming up empty at two North Shore spots this was their last-ditch effort before conceding to malasadas. The wind had died down, and visibility toward the buoy seemed decent. Once in the water, however, the reality was less encouraging. The visibility was murky, and while marine life was abundant— schools of barred papio and vecche fish—finding a worthy catch proved challenging. Still, they pressed on, pushing about half a mile offshore, the long swim back already lingering in their minds. While his partner became
Sure enough, as they swam, a shark appeared in the distance.
preoccupied with a yellow spot papio, Titus decided to explore a different section of the reef. About a hundred yards away, he encountered a massive school of toau—hundreds of fish carpeting the reef. As he watched, he noticed the entire school parting for something larger moving through the water. At first, he assumed it was a small reef shark, but then he saw it: an ulua, a 30-pound white giant trevally. The ulua made a pass beneath him, causing the smaller baitfish to scatter. It seemed to vanish, but then it reappeared,
swimming toward an overhang in the reef. Predicting its movement, Titus dove down, aligning himself with the fish’s trajectory. As the ulua entered the overhang, he moved closer, hoping to get a better view. Then, suddenly, it emerged beneath him, just five feet away. Without hesitation, he aimed and squeezed the trigger on his speargun. The shot struck near the back of the ulua’s head, momentarily stunning it. Then, it began to move, shaking once—then twice. Titus started his ascent, pulling the fish up by the line as it slowly regained its senses. As the fish dove deeper, the line slipped through Titus’ hands. For a moment, it seemed like he might lose the gun. He managed to grab the handle just in time, but now, with the
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker