Posted on: Sunday, May 9, 2004
BOOKMARK
Fishing tales, tips fill newest 'Chronicles'
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By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Big Island's Jim Rizzuto has evolved into the dean of fishing writers in Hawai'i, with his regular fishing stories and columns in numerous publications, the "Fishing Hawai'i Style" series, the classic "Fishing Hawaii Offshore," his annual series of books, "The Kona Fishing Chronicles," and more.
A couple of cookbooks with wife Shirley add to the list.
His focus is big-game fishing — marlin, big tuna, ono and the like, although he doesn't ignore bottom fish and nearshore species such as ulua and bonefish or 'o'io.
The most recent issue of the "Chronicles" is for 2003-04.
It tells hundreds of fishing stories, listed month by month, and includes tips on how to do less fishing and more catching.
One tip: When you catch the first one, check its stomach to see what it's been eating. That's a clue for how to catch them. He tells the story of Herbie Go, who found fresh shrimp in the belly of one bottomfish, and used it to bait his next hook — and it caught more fish.
Rizzuto's books don't spend too much time on any one subject. They tend to have a few paragraphs on this, a few on that. And if you're not into fishing, this won't be the way you want to spend an afternoon. But if you are, there's lots to enjoy, and quite a bit to learn — from getting a big marlin hook out of your hand to selecting lure colors.
Rizzuto said the books have an international appeal. "Our Web site has gotten orders from Australia, New Zealand, England, Italy and Brazil, as well as from 27 states outside Hawai'i," he said.
On the Web: www.fishinghawaiioffshore.com
