Maui Fishing Tips & Techniques

I write this on December 30. Christmas Week. One of Maui's busiest weeks of the year. Maybe it's the holidays, but this week alone, I've had two groups arrive late to the dock, one couple "miss the boat" entirely, and another arrive to the dock a day early. While the latter only suffered minor embarrassment (and now feels more prepared because he knows where to go), the one that failed to show up was unfortunately charged the full amount of the trip as per the boat's cancellation policy. They … [Read more...]

The second most common question I hear from prospective clients starts with   “Can I sportfish if...” (for the record, the first most common question relates to Maui's fish policy – what happens to the fish you catch –but that's another post). So I'm going to take a stab at addressing some of the more common concerns people have. If I haven't covered your question, feel free to reach out. I've never sport fished before, will the crew teach me? Rest assured, the captain and crew are very … [Read more...]

Here on Maui, the subject of keeping the fish you catch comes up again and again, year after year. I'd really like to put the matter to bed, once and for all. So here goes... Can I keep the fish we catch? BOTTOM FISHING Most bottom fishing boats on Maui allow you to keep whatever fish you catch (unless they plan on using it as bait). The captain/crew will let you know which are tasty and safe to eat. Maui's bottom fish are usually small - under 3 pounds. We don't have halibut on Maui, and the … [Read more...]

Your Maui fishing charter is not guaranteed. Bottom fishing does have slightly better catch odds than sport fishing, but even on bottom fishing trips you might not catch a single fish. Fishing is fishing, after all. It is beyond my (or the captain's) control, and no refunds are provided if you don't catch a fish. Your odds of catching While the following statement is by no means scientific, over the years we've come up with a pretty good formula: A sport fishing boat's catch odds are roughly … [Read more...]

How much does it cost to charter a fishing boat in Maui, Hawaii? There are 3 main criteria affecting the cost of a Maui fishing charter: The type of fishing charter you book (private or share boat, bottom fishing or sport fishing) The length of a charter (4 hours, up to 9+ hours) Boat characteristics (size, bells 'n whistles, operating costs, reputation, etc.) Shared fishing charter rates If you plan to share a charter – that's when you pay a per person rate and share the boat with … [Read more...]

So, your Maui fishing charter was a success. Whether that fish was a record breaker, or simply the largest or most beautiful thing you ever landed, you earned bragging rights!  On Maui, you have three options available to you: Mounts, Prints, or Photos. Fish Mounts / Taxidermy In Hawaii, fish aren't "stuffed" anymore. Virtually every captain I know uses fiberglass fish replicas rather than traditional skin mounts. Unlike stuffed skin mounts, a fiberglass replica won't deteriorate over … [Read more...]

Here are my general recommendations for fishing with kids off Maui Hawaii, broken down by age groups... Kids aged 0 - 3: Keep them back on shore. A Maui fishing charter is not a place for toddlers. If you do plan on bringing a toddler out on any kind of charter, I'd recommend bringing your own PFD (personal floatation device). Most boats don't carry life jackets that will fit children that young. There are places that rent them. Kids aged 4-7:  In my opinion, a Maui sport fishing charter is … [Read more...]