Maui Fishing Charter - Kihei/Wailea Area

[Monaro21]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a fishing charter in Maui, specifically in the Kihei/Wailea area? I know there are lots up in Lahina but I am hoping to avoid driving up there to get out fishing for a day when I am there in November. There will be four of us and we are looking for a 6 hour trip or so.

Thanks.

 

[tubber]

Maalaea has this one for mostly bottom fishing. There may be others.
http://mauifuncharters.com/
others:
http://hawaiideepseafishing.com/collections/maalaea-harbor-1


Lahaina is not that far.
http://hawaiideepseafishing.com/collections/lahaina-harbor-1

 

[jimbob]

Agree that Lahaina is note far to drive especially in the early morning when you would be going for a charter. 35-40 minute drive. I have taken several charters out of Lahaina with Start me Up charters. Results are totally dependent upon the captain. Some are great and some are not. The best charter to take is the one that leaves at 200 a.m. and returns around noon. It is a 3 hour trip just to get to one of the off shore bouys where bait and fish tend to congregate. In foul weather this trip can be an endurance test but the results can be great. on our best trip we hooked 19 mahi mahi and landed 13 of them. Also hooked up with a good sized marlin on our way back. Saw it twice during a short 5 minute encounter and then it got off. Too bad.

 

[Seafever]

We took a charter out of Maalaea harbor just down the road from Kihei when we were there.
The boat was called The Rascal. (32 ft).
We trolled around all over the place in that area. They never caught a single thing. This was in November.
When we got back I checked other charters online for reported catches that day.
They all caught fish.
So it sure pays to know about which charter you're going with.

Check out charters from Lahaina.

 

[ericl]

Fuzzy Alboro runs an outfit called Die Hard. They are in Lahaina. This guy does whatever it takes to get fish. We ran from Lahaina to a FAD bouy north of molokai - like jimbob says it is a 3 hour run. Brutal conditions; never been so seasick - would NEVER do it again. I could not even stand. Caught a 30# Mahi; a big wave off the stern threw it into the boat right after hooking it; never fought it. I would predict that in November water conditions will be brutal at this FAD.

I also went out of Lahaina 30 years ago on a boat called the Finest Kind. We fish at a FAD south of Lanai that the Kona fleet fishes. On the run back I caught a 465# Marlin on the troll. Water was much more reasonable on this trip.

Have been Mahi Fishing out of the Florida Keys & Tuna fishing in the Cook Islands and in Mexico out of San Diego, I see Hawaii as a waste of time & money; just not that many fish.

 

[trophywife]

the fall sucks in hawaii.

 

[SpringVelocity]

the fall sucks in hawaii.

Fishing is awesome in fall there, and it is way less busy. Just pick the right boat. This was Kauai island a few years ago. Monaro go and ask some of locals. That to me was the best way, and how I found these guys. Lot of bad charters in some of marinas.

 

[Monaro21]

Wow that sure looks amazing! Thank you for all of the advice, I will figure something out and hopefully fish for a few hours even if it is not spectacular.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Wow that sure looks amazing! Thank you for all of the advice, I will figure something out and hopefully fish for a few hours even if it is not spectacular.

Btw one piece of advice. A lot of these captains go out even if it's ripping wind and very rough seas. The weather off the islands makes wcvi seem like nothing. If you get slightest sick in swell just be prepared. I couldn't believe the swells there.

 

[trophywife]

View attachment 29871


Fishing is awesome in fall there, and it is way less busy. Just pick the right boat. This was Kauai island a few years ago. Monaro go and ask some of locals. That to me was the best way, and how I found these guys. Lot of bad charters in some of marinas.

i went out with some top boats as every halloween i am there for a lax tourney... all of them said it is a bad time of year for tuna and billfish. nice dorados!

 

[Seafever]

On average the northern side of any island in the chain is rougher on the water than the south side because of the way the tradewinds work there.

On Maui for example, tourists like the south shore (Kihei etc ) because it is calmer. Kiteboarders, surfers etc. like the north shores more because that is where the wind and waves are moreso.

We're headed for the Big Island in November ( never been to that island before). Plan to do some fishing charters there.

 

[Bait&Sea]

Big box of squid from the grocery store, a heavy casting reel in the suitcase and the cheapest surf rod you can buy at Walmart over there. Cast as far as you can and prop it against your chair as you drink MaiTai's, you may be surprised..

 

[Pippen]

You can find numerous fishing calendars on the web but here is one from a Kona charter company.

http://fishinkona.com/calendar.htm

Or another one here.

http://www.konahawaiisportfishing.com/page2.html

I've kind of given up fishing when we are usually there around Christmas (Kauai) as far too many trips out with Captains (or hired Captains) that didn't seem to give a sh*t....and the fishing has been barely mediocre except for one charter we did in February.

A few "charters" that I would more aptly name "boat ride".

One key thing....and we did this MANY years ago was used the concierge at our hotel to recommend a charter. Do your own research and don't rely on that type of booking as it was a joke on our first one. I went back to the hotel (very nice hotel brand) and gave the concierge sh*t as the boat was ridiculous and the hired gun Captain and crew were atrocious. They actually ended up crediting a fairly good dollar amount on our bill as the General Manager was familiar with the operation we had been "recommended".

 

[scotty]

I spent many mornings casting off the beach in Kihei last winter. Had squid and some big surf casters. My hooks were to big, too many small fish. Maui I don't think is a good fishing island. Talked to a local diver/ sushi chef and he said go to the island off Maui, the volcano. Can't remember the name right now.

 

[scotty]

I spent many mornings casting off the beach in Kihei last winter. Had squid and some big surf casters. My hooks were to big, too many small fish. Maui I don't think is a good fishing island. Talked to a local diver/ sushi chef and he said go to the island off Maui, the volcano. Can't remember the name right now.

Molokini is the island

 

[Seafever]

Well..not Maui..but-- just got back from two weeks on the Big Island. Most of the charters leave from dock a couple miles north of Kona.
There is a charter association there with an office.

Went there and told them we were looking for a charter that would get us some decent fishing. Didn't have to be huge Marlin or anything...just something in the way of say 2o to 40 lbs.

Was told the boats weren't catching much at all right now of anything. Was actually talked out of booking a trip by the person there. ( A trip that would have cost us 500 to 700 dollars U.S. at least for just a half-day)

"Shared" bookings were not easy to come by at this time.

I phoned up "Captain Jeff" who charters there and has a reputation for catching fish when others don't.

He told me he did get fish the day before, but not anything noteworthy and he had to resort to bottom-fishing.

I said " well...I'd be happy with just a couple of Mahi-Mahi". He laughed and said " If you catch a couple of Mahi-Mahi right now you'll be the talk of the harbor".

He too advised us to save our money and do something else.

Which we did.