Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 4, 1 April 1992 — Windward Fishing Supply a hit for Torres [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Windward Fishing Supply a hit for Torres

by Ann L. Moore Daniel Kamaka'ala Torres was still in the Army when the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund approved his business loan applieation. The 21-year Army sergeant first class (E-7) retired on March 31, 1990 and opened Windward Fishing Supply on Apnl 3 at 46 Hoolai St., Kailua. "It was a pretty hectic time for me. I didn't get to my own retirement ceremony. It was a month later before I had time to get my retired ID card."

While in the Army, Torres specialized in eleetronics; working on the space shuttle in New Mexico and the testing of the Patriot missiles. He did two tours in Vietnam (January 1970 to March 1972), also served in Germany, and was an Army recruiter in Houston and Kalihi. He was the non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) Army advisor to the "Tour of Duty" television series while it was being filmed in Hawai'i and before the Army withdrew its support of the production.

Ken Sato, manager of the NHRLF, said one reason Torres got his $50,000 loan was because of his "impressive" preparation. "Dan eame in early, planning ahead. He knew what he wanted to do and approached us early on for information on what was required to make the presentation for the loan." When Torres began planning for his retirement, he had considered two options. "It was either the real estate business or the fishing business," he said. "I got my real estate license. Then I thought about dressing up every day." A wide smile lit up his face. "After 21 years I was anti-uniform. So, fishing it was!" It was a happy ehoiee. Fishing was part of every day life when he was young and he often fished with his dad.

Torres was born in Ewa Beach, the son of George Torres Sr. and Isabella Kaneaku Torres. "My dad's family is from Kohala, Hawai'i, and my mother's from Kapaa, Kaua'i," he said. Torres graduated from Farrington High School, Class of '69, and later took courses at the University of Hawai'i and the University of Alaska. Before he approached the NHRLF, Torres had already invested $3,000 in equipment to make lead sinkers and he opened Windward Fishing Supply with a stock of hundreds he had made. "I had no business experience, really. The schooling 1 had was in engineering. I took courses in technical fields, like physics. What that taught me was discipline.

I did my own business plan by reading books on business and learning what was required and how to do it," Torres said. Just before retirement, he served as NCOIC at the office of media and public information for Westcom at Fort Shafter. As part of his job he had to read all the Island newspapers. He was casting about for help in opening a business and read about the NHRLF in the Maui newspaper. "It had a Maui number, I called and they referred me to OHA here on O'ahu."

The store stocks rods, reels, flys, nets, sinkers, line, in fact, just about anything the fisherman needs. Torres also makes custom poles from blanks for everything from poles for ulua to trolling and custom outriggers. "I didn't realize 'till I was working on this stuff that my physics would eome in handy," he said. "Most people buy for looks. They eome

in and say 'That looks about right,' until I point out the physics of the thing to them. "What they don't realize is that eaeh rod and reel has specific ratings for the lure and test line. They have to match, so the line won't break or the reel burn up. lt's imbalance that causes most problems, whether you're fishing

ultra-lite or looking for marlin. There are people who have fished for 20 years who tell me: 'I didn't know that.' "With the right equipment, the fun is in the skill of letting the fish nin, keeping him off the reefs, letting him wear himself out, reeling him in, getting him in the boat.

"We have even caught lobster with poles — down around the blowhole — you need a steady pressure because that ol' lobster is clinging to a rock. When he gets tired you reel him in fast, because if he grabs another rock — too bad." Like the tenacious lobster, Torres is holding on to his rock, making his NHRLF payments, enjoying his work, and looking to the future. Windward Fishing supply is open 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed Sunday. NHRLF's Sato said, "Anyone planning on starting a business should consider the example Torres set, and do their homework. One of the key reasons Dan got the loan was his preparation and planning."

Torres made one observation that seems to sums up his winning attitude in both business and fishing: "You've got to give yourself the best advantage. You're fighting the unknown." For information on the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund, eall OHA at 586-3777 and ask to speak to a loan fund officer.

Daniel Kamaka'ala Torres