Capt. Clayton Ching

Flyfishing never existed on Molokai, so when I started flyfishing back in 2005, everyone thought I was crazy to be releasing all these big Bonefish instead of keeping them to eat like the majority of locals. I’m self taught and had no one to mentor me and teach me anything so had to experience the difficulties and frustrations of learning to flyfish solo. My learning curve was almost vertical as I applied everything I learned day by day and gained the necessary skills to guide people to trophy fish.

What I did learn after a few years in business, is that you get what you pay for and buying cheap gear is only for rich people. One of the best investments was buying Hatch reels. I still use a Hatch reel that I bought ten years ago, and customers that are repeat clients, usually show up the next time with a Hatch reel on their rods. So, my motto is “buy right, buy wisely”.

I have the only flats boat of its kind in Hawaii. It has a tunnel hull which allows it to run in shallower water than it floats. The draft is six inches, so it can run in shallower water than that. For what I do as a guide, it’s the perfect tool for the job at hand. The name “Kui Kawa” means one of a kind. The boat was made in Texas by a woman boat builder named Beth Clifford. The brand is Prima Sea. The boat has no gunnels so getting on or off is extremely easy.

I take up to four anglers at a time, usually wading, as bone fishing on foot is the way to go. I do pole the boat and fish from the boat once in awhile, but for stealth purposes, wading is the method most anglers prefer. Come experience Molokai bonefish for yourself, you will not be disappointed!