What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii for the first time?

Hard to say. We got lucky. We had a great crew and time. We went with the expectation of just having a good boat ride with the hope we could land some fish. We got lucky. They did all they could to make it happen. Most of all be wary of the reviews. I wanted to fill my freezer and you get caught up reading negative peoples reviews on all the different charters. Even though there aren't many. Go out with the expectation for a great day on the ocean and if you are lucky like we were you might land some fish. Three out of 5 of us had zero experience but my out of town buddies have family that run commercial fishing boats on the east coast. Not that my friends did this but if you think you should be the captain or know more than the deck hand maybe a charter isn't a good idea. However. Captain Jim will allow you to leave the deck hand and run it yourself to a certain degree. Then you can blame yourself for catching nothing. I tried to get my buddy to be the deck hand and he just laughed. Point is just go to have a good time.

Listen to what the crew is telling you. They are a wealth of information and only want you to have a fun time and catch fish. This was my first time sitting in the chair waiting for a hit on a line. It's pretty darn exciting when it finally happens and you get to start reeling in your catch!!

Try a half day trip here before going on longer ones if you’ve never tried. Seasickness is real and miserable. Luckily I was ok but it was there. Someone else on our boat started puking 15 min in. Poor girl. At least she caught a fish too.

You are not going to find a more picturesque and idyllic place to fish than right here on the Big Island. From the crystal clear deep blue waters to the deep ocean just mins from the harbor, Kailua-Kona is among the best places that I have fished in the world.

Always remember why its called fishing, not catching and think of catching as a bonus, because it should be about the moments you share with family and friends, old as well as the new you meet and make on your adventure. We met some of nicest,friendliest new people on out trip!

Go out for a bucket list trip. Fishing starts right out of the harbor. The boat also stays close to shore due to the very close deep water so should be especially easy for most people prone to motion sickness.

Just get out there! Book ahead of time - they fill up quickly. It is great fishing conditions most days, and any bad weather tends to blow through quickly. I was there 12 days, and could have fished every day with no problems. Bring your own food and drink, but dont get drunk - if you aren't used to the water, you will likely get sick if you are drunk.

Get a captain that will stay awake and that wants to put you on fish. I love to fish, grew up in South Florida fishing all the time, I've been looking forward to coming out here fishing for over a year now, and it was nothing but a waste of time and money. Thank you fishbooker

Listen to your captain and deck hand! Otherwise you might not have the strength to get that trophy to the boat.

Fishing was really slow and would recommend another time of year to come out but the experience was great!

Not sure as it was our first trip out of Kona. Didn't see other fishing boats out and we didn't catch anything or even get a nibble.

I don't get see sick,but my graddaughter got very sick ,so bring something fot it.

Two separate charters of 4 hours each. One bite and fish got off immediately. No other action.

I got skunked on an 8 hour trip, i dont know if that is typical or not. But i was very disappointed

Yes, save a little money and go with Captain Jay - He is budget friendly and knows his stuff!

If you go out with the expectation that you are going on a sightseeing trip and fish are just a bonus, you’ll have a great day.

First angler should in prime season for fish they targeting for the best success most species. All species here eound but rhere prime season for most

Relax and enjoy the day it's fishing....The Captain's are doing there best to get you fish we were lucky enough to get 3 Skip Jjacks Mahalo

Check the fishing calendar . I knew I could still catch a blue marlin in September . But June and July are better .

Don’t expect to catch the trophy fish but the captain will do everything he can to put you on the fish. Bring lots of snacks, food and drinks.

They told us that not much was biting but they would give it a try for us. 2 hours we had fish on.

Always remember that fishing is not all about catching, but meeting new people and making friends for life.

Bring plenty of drinks, take your anti nausea pills BEFORE you go out ( there are waves, it is the ocean afterall ) and prepare to have fun and catch fish. Enjoy the ride as well!

Blue waters and calm seas in May. Blue marlin are just showing up and many other species are possible.

Know what you want to catch, whether you want to keep any fish and let the captain know ahead of time. We did and were very happy with the level of effort the captain exhibited.

Follow instructions by crew and have a great time. They're there to help all the way through the fight, of a fish and to give you an awesome experience.

Don't expect to catch something, expect to have a great time on the water, then if you do catch something......Bonus!!!

Just like fishing anywhere. There’s a reason they call it fishing and.not catching…. Lol. It’s still a great time.

Cant give a great thumbs up since we didn't even see anything or get a bite in 6 hours. But it was nice out.

You are able to have lines in the water right out of the harbor. Beautiful scenery. Great place to fish