Makai Sportfishing 

4.8
(235 reviews)
 Niumalu Road 2494, Lihue, HI 96766, United States–

Makai Sportfishing 

Lihue, HI, United States
–
42 ft
6
4.8
(235 reviews)

If you're up for some fun on Hawaiian waters off the coast of the island of Kauai, join Makai Sportfishing charters for an authentic experience! Captain Sean Lawrence, a passionate scuba diver and Captain Rob, an experienced fisherman who grew up on the water, are the charter owners. They'll make sure you have an unforgettable time.

Come fishing on their 42' Uniflite motor yacht, powered by twin Detroit engines. It's a comfortable boat that can accommodate up to 6 people for a day outdoors. There's a toilet and Fridge on board for your convenience, as well as air conditioning and a multimedia system to make your day that much more enjoyable.

You'll fish using 7 All Shimano reels with Custom rods provided by the crew. The captain is willing to cut any fish under 20lbs to enjoy while on the island. The crew takes the bigger ones to the market to cover the tackle. The main style of fishing is Surface Trolling Artificial Lures, trying to cover as much ground as possible with as many lines in the water as possible. We do not have a lot of structure, so looking for Birds and Debre are our main ways of finding the fish.

Depending on the season, you'll target the 5 main pelagic fish – Yellowfin Tuna, Skipjack Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Ono or Wahoo, Marlin, and whatever else is willing to bite along the way, including Rainbow runner, Barracudas, and a few other not so common fish. Your crew will make sure to take you to the richest fishing grounds to maximize your chances of reeling in some monsters!

Kids 5 and older are welcome on board, so you can have some family time and make great memories on your vacation. There are life jackets in all sizes, so safety is a priority.

We do provide everything needed to fish and take care of the fish. We also provide water, but you are more than welcome to bring any food or beverages you would like, just no glass, please. Also recommend hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, light rain jacket and easily removable shoes for the cabin.

If you're up for some fun on Hawaiian waters off the coast of the island of Kauai, join Makai Sportfishing charters for an authentic experience! Captain Sean Lawrence, a passionate scuba diver and Captain Rob, an experienced fisherman who grew up on the water, are the charter owners. They'll make sure you have an unforgettable time.

Come fishing on their 42' Uniflite motor yacht, powered by twin Detroit engines. It's a comfortable boat that can accommodate up to 6 people for a day outdoors. There's a toilet and Fridge on board for your convenience, as well as air conditioning and a multimedia system to make your day that much more enjoyable.

You'll fish using 7 All Shimano reels with Custom rods provided by the crew. The captain is willing to cut any fish under 20lbs to enjoy while on the island. The crew takes the bigger ones to the market to cover the tackle. The main style of fishing is Surface Trolling Artificial Lures, trying to cover as much ground as possible with as many lines in the water as possible. We do not have a lot of structure, so looking for Birds and Debre are our main ways of finding the fish.

Depending on the season, you'll target the 5 main pelagic fish – Yellowfin Tuna, Skipjack Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Ono or Wahoo, Marlin, and whatever else is willing to bite along the way, including Rainbow runner, Barracudas, and a few other not so common fish. Your crew will make sure to take you to the richest fishing grounds to maximize your chances of reeling in some monsters!

Kids 5 and older are welcome on board, so you can have some family time and make great memories on your vacation. There are life jackets in all sizes, so safety is a priority.

We do provide everything needed to fish and take care of the fish. We also provide water, but you are more than welcome to bring any food or beverages you would like, just no glass, please. Also recommend hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, light rain jacket and easily removable shoes for the cabin.

Sean Lawrence
Captain
Sean Lawrence
7 years of experience
ID & credentials verified

Select date to see availability

Trip date:
Group Size:
October 2026
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
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Group Size
2 adults • 0 children
Change
Almost there...
4 Hour Trip (AM) – Shared
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 5:15 AM
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
+2
US $466
Shared tour: 2 people
6 Hour Trip (AM) – Shared
Just booked! Last booked: 3 hours ago
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
6 hour trip starts at 5:15 AM
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
+2
US $584
Shared tour: 2 people
4 Hour Deluxe Shared (AM)
In high demand Last booked: 6 days ago
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 5:15 AM
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
+2
US $700
Shared tour: 2 people
6 Hour Deluxe Shared (AM)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
6 hour trip starts at 5:15 AM
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
+2
US $792
Shared tour: 2 people
4 Hour Trip (AM) – Private
In high demand Last booked: 3 days ago
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 5:15 AM
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Wahoo
+2
US $990
Entire boat: up to 6 people
6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
6 hour trip starts at 5:15 AM
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
+2
US $1,280
Entire boat: up to 6 people
8 Hour Trip – Private
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
8 hour trip starts at 5:15 AM
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
+2
US $1,624
Entire boat: up to 6 people
10 Hour Trip – Private
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
10 hour trip starts at 5:15 AM
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Tuna (Yellowfin)
+2
US $1,972
Entire boat: up to 6 people
There are 12 people looking at this charter.

Customer reviews

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Rating

4.8
235 reviews
4.8
Boat & equipment
4.9
Captain & crew
4.7
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (238)

What anglers say

90%
Great experience
82%
Family friendly
98%
Friendly captain
98%
Good boat
94%
Recommended
74%
Caught fish

Reviews (235)

  • Robert Duncan
    Robert Duncan
    Repeat angler
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2022
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Great Boat and Great Crew

    6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private on July 6, 2026 • 6 adults

    Captain Rob and Sean were awesome. The boat is large, comfortably fit all 6 of our family. Had a nice cabin, couches and plenty of room in the back for fishing and talking. We loved talking with Sean while we fished. We talked about Kauai, fishing, politics, conspiracy theories, family, you name it. Made the day go faster and fun while we’re waiting for fish to hit the line. And what a day fishing, we caught 2 Tuna over 100 lbs., about a 10 pound skipjak tuna, and a small Marlin that we lost on the way in the boat. The cost was amazingly reasonable for a 6 hour trip. I would highly recommend Rob and Sean and Makai sport fishing.

  • Jeremy Day
    Jeremy Day
    Repeat angler
    us
    Nevada, US
    Member since 2026
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Great crew, great boat and a great time

    6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private on July 1, 2026 • 2 adults

    Made 2 trips with Rob and Shawn this week. Took my Father in law, my brother, my son, my brother in law and 3 of my nephews fishing. Only caught a few fish but that's fishing. We had a great time and caught fish including a yellow fin that weighed in at over 100 pounds. When we make it back to Kauai we will be booking with you again. You guys have an open invitation if they ever come to Las Vegas. We can hit up Lake Powell or Lake Mead for some bass or Utah for some trout.

  • Tim Donnelly
    Tim Donnelly
    us
    Oregon, US
    Member since 2026
    4.7
    Verified

    Fishing with the Makai is da ono!

    6 Hour Deluxe Shared (AM) on July 5, 2026 • 5 adults

    Capt Rob and First Mate Mana were the best - super knowledgeable, friendly and hospitable. It always helps to get on fish - and we hit a big marlin early and finished with a world class ahi - but Rob and Mana made everything else super easy and fun. We had three teenage boys with little or no experience and the crew were great with them. The boat itself is a working fishing boat. It’s solid, stable and well equipped to fish. it is not apointed with high end luxuries. Come ready to fish and have a great time with an amazing crew.

  • Cherise Herrera
    Cherise Herrera
    us
    Utah, US
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Fishing trip

    4 Hour Trip (AM) – Shared on November 3, 2025 • 4 adults • 1 child

    Although we had no luck in catching anything the experience was good. Three out of 6 of us were pretty sick the entire time despite being prepared with all the meds. The crew was amazing, they explained everything which made me feel safe for myself and my family. We had my two boys with my 9 year old being the youngest and he did amazing. When the waves felt a little intense the crew came down and reassured me this was a good day. I had no concerns after that. He was also very fun to chat with. The overall experience was good. We will try deep sea fishing again one day. Thank you to the crew !!

  • Scott Knight
    Scott Knight
    us
    Idaho, US
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Had a great time despite seasickness

    6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private on November 1, 2025 • 2 adults

    Sean and Rob were awesome. They got us on fish right off the bat, caught a nice mahi mahi, then hooked up on three skipjacks all at the same time. Since there were just the two of us, that was a little bit problematic but skipjack #2 helped us out by letting go of the hook pretty quickly, so I was able to shift over to #3. Got those fish in quickly and then got hit pretty hard with seasickness, so I was out of action for a large portion of the rest of the day. Despite that, Sean kept us entertained while Rob kept us on the hunt for more fish. No marlin blessed us by grabbing our bait, but we came back with a good haul of fish and at Sean’s recommendation, we took them to the Port Allen Sunset grill and had our catch prepared right off the boat. It was amazingly good. We will definitely book again with Sean and Rob if/when we get back to Kauai. Thanks again for a great day

  • Mark Ferreira
    Mark Ferreira
    us
    California, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Amazing fishing adventure!

    6 Hour Trip (AM) – Shared on July 17, 2026 • 1 adult

    Great crew! Through briefings, both required Coast Guard as well as how fish would be brought in. During travel, lots of good information about the island, where we were fishing and the fishery. Dan, Sean, and Austin did a great job getting us on the fish and kept us informed the entire time about ocean conditions and were extremley attentive to guests. Will be looking them up again when we come back.

  • Daniel Orman
    Daniel Orman
    us
    California, US
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Rad trip with big fish and an awesome crew

    4 Hour Trip (AM) – Private on October 23, 2025 • 4 adults • 1 child

    We had a blast fishing with Captain Rob, Sean and Mana. They made us feel safe in big seas. We pulled up 5 yellowfin tuna. The crew helped us catch 3 at once which did not seem like an easy feat. It took some muscle and endurance to reel the fish in but luckily the guys were super helpful. We kept enough fish to eat on our trip and the crew took the rest to market. I like that we only kept what we could eat fresh since the fish would be wasted if we froze it to take home. We will never forget this trip!

  • Adam Van Winkle
    Adam Van Winkle
    us
    Missouri, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified
    New

    amazing trip!

    4 Hour Deluxe Shared (AM) on October 20, 2026 • 2 adults

    it was a lot of fun talked to the crew the whole time very awesome people! we caught a blue marlin and it was the coolest thing! first time offshore fishing and it was definitely a success!

  • Douglas Garland
    Douglas Garland
    Repeat angler
    us
    California, US
    Member since 2023
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Great trip!

    6 Hour Trip (AM) – Shared on May 23, 2026 • 3 adults

    My son was able to land a tuna on his first successful ocean fishing trip. The seas were rough for me (first time i ever got sick on a boat), but that’s the ocean for you. The crew were awesome. I would not hesitate to book these guys again, and I would definitely recommend them to anyone who asks. Awesome!

  • Jason Clow
    Jason Clow
    Repeat angler
    us
    Nevada, US
    Member since 2025
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Great Crew!

    6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private on May 15, 2026 • 4 adults

    Sean and crew were great! About two hours into the trip they put us on fish. I didn’t have very high hopes of catching anything, but after a ~30min fight we had 3 fish on the deck. 81lb, 100lb, and 110lb yellowtail. Even if we hadn’t caught anything, it would have still been a great trip.

Rating

4.8
235 reviews
4.8
Boat & equipment
4.9
Captain & crew
4.7
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (238)

What anglers say

90%
Great experience
82%
Family friendly
98%
Friendly captain
98%
Good boat
94%
Recommended
74%
Caught fish

All reviews (235)

Frequently mentioned
Showing 1 – 5 of 235 reviews
Rob Duncan
Rob Duncan
Repeat angler
us
Texas, US
Member since 2022
2 trips
5.0
Verified
Great Boat and Great Crew
6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private on July 6, 2026 • 6 adults

Captain Rob and Sean were awesome. The boat is large, comfortably fit all 6 of our family. Had a nice cabin, couches and plenty of room in the back for fishing and talking. We loved talking with Sean while we fished. We talked about Kauai, fishing, politics, conspiracy theories, family, you name it. Made the day go faster and fun while we’re waiting for fish to hit the line. And what a day fishing, we caught 2 Tuna over 100 lbs., about a 10 pound skipjak tuna, and a small Marlin that we lost on the way in the boat. The cost was amazingly reasonable for a 6 hour trip. I would highly recommend Rob and Sean and Makai sport fishing.

Reported catch:
Blue Marlin
Skipjack Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna
Jeremy Day
Jeremy Day
Repeat angler
us
Nevada, US
Member since 2026
2 trips
5.0
Verified
Great crew, great boat and a great time
6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private on July 1, 2026 • 2 adults

Made 2 trips with Rob and Shawn this week. Took my Father in law, my brother, my son, my brother in law and 3 of my nephews fishing. Only caught a few fish but that's fishing. We had a great time and caught fish including a yellow fin that weighed in at over 100 pounds. When we make it back to Kauai we will be booking with you again. You guys have an open invitation if they ever come to Las Vegas. We can hit up Lake Powell or Lake Mead for some bass or Utah for some trout.

Reported catch:
Yellowfin Tuna
Tim Donnelly
Tim Donnelly
us
Oregon, US
Member since 2026
4.7
Verified
Fishing with the Makai is da ono!
6 Hour Deluxe Shared (AM) on July 5, 2026 • 5 adults

Capt Rob and First Mate Mana were the best - super knowledgeable, friendly and hospitable. It always helps to get on fish - and we hit a big marlin early and finished with a world class ahi - but Rob and Mana made everything else super easy and fun. We had three teenage boys with little or no experience and the crew were great with them. The boat itself is a working fishing boat. It’s solid, stable and well equipped to fish. it is not apointed with high end luxuries. Come ready to fish and have a great time with an amazing crew.

Reported catch:
Yellowfin Tuna
Blue Marlin
Striped Marlin
Cherise Herrera
Cherise Herrera
us
Utah, US
Member since 2025
5.0
Verified
Fishing trip
4 Hour Trip (AM) – Shared on November 3, 2025 • 3 adults • 1 child

Although we had no luck in catching anything the experience was good. Three out of 6 of us were pretty sick the entire time despite being prepared with all the meds. The crew was amazing, they explained everything which made me feel safe for myself and my family. We had my two boys with my 9 year old being the youngest and he did amazing. When the waves felt a little intense the crew came down and reassured me this was a good day. I had no concerns after that. He was also very fun to chat with. The overall experience was good. We will try deep sea fishing again one day. Thank you to the crew !!

Scott Knight
Scott Knight
us
Idaho, US
Member since 2025
5.0
Verified
Had a great time despite seasickness
6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private on November 1, 2025 • 2 adults

Sean and Rob were awesome. They got us on fish right off the bat, caught a nice mahi mahi, then hooked up on three skipjacks all at the same time. Since there were just the two of us, that was a little bit problematic but skipjack #2 helped us out by letting go of the hook pretty quickly, so I was able to shift over to #3. Got those fish in quickly and then got hit pretty hard with seasickness, so I was out of action for a large portion of the rest of the day. Despite that, Sean kept us entertained while Rob kept us on the hunt for more fish. No marlin blessed us by grabbing our bait, but we came back with a good haul of fish and at Sean’s recommendation, we took them to the Port Allen Sunset grill and had our catch prepared right off the boat. It was amazingly good. We will definitely book again with Sean and Rob if/when we get back to Kauai. Thanks again for a great day

Reported catch:
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Skipjack Tuna

FAQs about Makai Sportfishing

Makai Sportfishing offers the following trips to customers:
  • US $233 per person - 4 Hour Trip (AM) – Shared (4 hours)
  • US $292 per person - 6 Hour Trip (AM) – Shared (6 hours)
  • US $350 per person - 4 Hour Deluxe Shared (AM) (4 hours)
  • US $396 per person - 6 Hour Deluxe Shared (AM) (6 hours)
  • US $990 per group - 4 Hour Trip (AM) – Private (4 hours)
  • US $1,280 per group - 6 Hour Trip (AM) – Private (6 hours)
  • US $1,624 per group - 8 Hour Trip – Private (8 hours)
  • US $1,972 per group - 10 Hour Trip – Private (10 hours)
When you book a trip with Makai Sportfishing, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • Toilet We have a full stand-up Marine Head. With an electric flush toilet and sink.
  • Air conditioning
  • Fighting chair
  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Flybridge
  • Refrigerator a fridge and a freezer for drinks and food
  • Multimedia system
  • Outriggers
  • Ice box
Trips booked with Makai Sportfishing include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle (Penn and Shimano reels, and custom rods.)
  • Lures
  • Catch cleaning & filleting (Yes, we will cut and clean any fish under 20lbs on the trip, usually while at sea. We also provide the ziplock bags for the meat. )
  • Drinks (we only provide water)
  • First mate (Tips are expected – 15%.)
Makai Sportfishing offers the following types of fishing:
  • Nearshore fishing
  • Offshore fishing (So we surface troll anywhere from half a mile offshore to 8 to 12 miles offshore. )
Makai Sportfishing offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Heavy tackle
  • Trolling
  • Jigging
  • Deep sea fishing
Top targeted fish species with Makai Sportfishing include:
  • Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
  • Marlin (Blue)
  • Marlin (Striped)
  • Rainbow Runner
  • Tuna (Bigeye)
  • Tuna (Skipjack)
  • Tuna (Yellowfin)
  • Wahoo

Your captain

Sean Lawrence
Sean Lawrence
Lihue, Hawaii, United States
ID & license verified
235 Customer reviews
Typical response within 5 hours
Member since October 2019
Sean and Robert are the owners of Makai Sportfishing charters. Sean handles the business and is the deckhand, and Robert is the Captain. Sean grew up scuba diving, and he describes himself as an underwater hunter, whereas Robert is a local fisherman that grew up on the water. Robert got Sean into the fishing by taking him out with his dad on their private boat and the rest is history! They don't currently compete in tournaments but they are looking to compete next year in 3 local tournaments. They're very passionate about fishing and their business, and they love making their customers happy!
Sean Lawrence
Sean Lawrence
Fully verified
235
reviews
2019
member since
~6h
response
Sean and Robert are the owners of Makai Sportfishing charters. Sean handles the business and is the deckhand, and Robert is the Captain. Sean grew up scuba diving, and he describes himself as an underwater hunter, whereas Robert is a local fisherman that grew up on the water. Robert got Sean into the fishing by taking him out with his dad on their private boat and the rest is history! They don't currently compete in tournaments but they are looking to compete next year in 3 local tournaments. They're very passionate about fishing and their business, and they love making their customers happy!

The fish you can target

Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Blue Marlin
Blue Marlin
Striped Marlin
Striped Marlin
Rainbow Runner
Rainbow Runner
Bigeye Tuna
Bigeye Tuna
Skipjack Tuna
Skipjack Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna
Wahoo
Wahoo
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Blue Marlin
Blue Marlin
Striped Marlin
Striped Marlin
Rainbow Runner
Rainbow Runner
Bigeye Tuna
Bigeye Tuna

Real catches by this captain

  • amazing trip!
    Adam V.
    Adam V.
  • 150# yellowfin tuna!
    Pete D.
    Pete D.
  • Caught 220 lbs of tuna!
    Steve F.
    Steve F.
  • Daughter’s first catch!
    Tina S.
    Tina S.
  • Biggest fish ever!
    Garry B.
    Garry B.
  • Amazing fishing adventure!
    Mark F.
    Mark F.
  • Great Boat and Great Crew
    Robert D.
    Robert D.
  • Fishing with the Makai is da ono!
    Tim D.
    Tim D.
  • Great crew, great boat and a great time
    Jeremy D.
    Jeremy D.
  • Great trip, caught an 80 pound Yellowfin Tuna!
    Gilbert S.
    Gilbert S.

What is the boat like?

Boat image
Boat category
Sportfishing boats
Capacity
6 persons
Boat length
42 ft
Year built
1978
Restored in
2018
Boat manufacturer
42' Uniflite Sport Fisher
Boat type
Sportfishing
Engine model
Detroit 6-71s
Powered by
2 x 310HP
Max cruising speed
14 knots

What kind of fishing will you do?

Nearshore Fishing
Offshore Fishing

Which fishing techniques you can try

Heavy Tackle
Trolling
Jigging
Deep Sea Fishing

Which amenities are available onboard

Toilet
We have a full stand-up Marine Head. With an electric flush toilet and sink.
Air conditioning
Fighting chair
GPS
Fishfinder
Flybridge
Refrigerator
a fridge and a freezer for drinks and food
Multimedia system
Outriggers
Ice box
What's included in the trip price
Rods, reels & tackle
Penn and Shimano reels, and custom rods.
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
Yes, we will cut and clean any fish under 20lbs on the trip, usually while at sea. We also provide the ziplock bags for the meat.
Drinks
we only provide water
First mate
Tips are expected – 15%.

How cancellations work

Free cancellation up to 3 days prior to trip
You can cancel or modify your booking up to 3 days before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.
More details

What the listing policies are

Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child friendly
Ages 5 and up. No exceptions.
You keep catch
See policy: Under 20lbs cut and shared with guests

How you can pay

Book with 15% deposit, pay rest to captain
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 15% deposit to guarantee your reservation.
The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:
 Cash
 Visa
 Mastercard
 American Express
When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, an additional 2% charge will apply.

What’s biting in Lihue right now

Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
Marlin (Blue)Marlin (Blue)
Marlin (Striped)Marlin (Striped)
Tuna (Bigeye)Tuna (Bigeye)
Tuna (Skipjack)Tuna (Skipjack)
Tuna (Yellowfin)Tuna (Yellowfin)
WahooWahoo

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