Recreational fishers and families, get ready. Catch-and-release fishing will return to the 32-acre Loko Waimaluhia at Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden beginning Wednesday, May 7.
The catch-and-release program was suspended when park closures related to the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020, a city spokesperson told Aloha State Daily.
With the return comes a new, free online reservation system developed as a collaboration between the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of Information Technology.
"This will help better manage the hundreds of eager keiki and adults looking to sink their hooks into some Windward fish," the city said in an announcement Monday.
Using the Parks and Recreation Online System, visitors can make a reservation for up to five people for two hours of fishing on Wednesdays and Saturdays — from 10 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3 p.m. Make your reservations here. There will be 200 fishing spots available per day — 100 per each two-hour time slot.
Fishing reservations are open at 5 p.m. two weeks ahead of the fishing periods, the city said in the announcement. For example, online reservations open at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, for the two-hour fishing options on Wednesday, May 7, and Saturday, May 10.
According to the website, "a simple pole with a line, a barbless hook and non-live bait — preferably white bread — are the main things needed for catch-and-release fishing." There are a limited number of bamboo poles that can be borrowed at no cost, but those are subject to availability, the site notes.
Organized youth and school groups can apply for weekday fishing permits by calling 808-233-7323 or emailing hbg@honolulu.gov at least 30 days in advance.
Located at 45-680 Luluku Road in Kāne‘ohe, the 400-acre Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden opened in 1982 and features plants from major tropical regions from around the world. According to the city, it was designed and built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to offer flood protection for Kāne‘ohe and now sees more than 650,000 visitors each year.
More information about the garden can be found online here.
Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
