Skillet Sportfishing

4.9/5 (414 reviews)

Kealakehe Parkway 74-380, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, United States–

Kailua-Kona, HI, United States

–

32 ft

4.9/5 (414 reviews)

Meet the Captain

Angler's Choice

Trips & prices Targeted species Boat info What's biting What's included Contact captain

Trips & prices What's included Targeted species Boat info Reviews Contact captain

Booked with us before? You may qualify for a Loyalty Discount. Sign in to check.

Skillet Sportfishing and Captain John Burke wish you a warm welcome to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Captain John is a seasoned angler with over 5 decades of fishing, the majority of which he has spent fishing in Hawaii. He invites you to join him aboard on a trip to the areas' beautiful offshore waters and discover the richness this fishery has to offer. Captain John will do everything he can to provide an enjoyable and productive trip for each of his guests, regardless of their skills and fishing experience. Bring your family or friends and have a memorable time sportfishing in Hawaii.

Captain John owns and runs a 32' Topaz saltwater fishing boat that can safely take up to 6 guests. It is powered by twin 370HP Cummins engines and equipped with extensive navigation technology, making your ride to the fish smooth and quick. There's a very nice bathroom on board as well as a table and seating downstairs. The rest of the onboard amenities include a fighting chair, a livewell, an ice box, and various fishing gear.

Kona is the billfish capital of the world. There are more thousand pound marlin caught here than anywhere else. You and the crew may catch many other pelagic species but large blue marlin are what most anglers come to Kona to catch. To reel them in, you use heavy tackle/ trolling.

The crew will have all the fishing tackle and bait(provided they are biting). You should only bring food and drinks to stay energized while on the boat.

Upon request we will cut up a designated portion of the catch per charter to provide each charter guest onboard. Just enough fish to enjoy for a few meals while on island. Ahi over 100 pounds stays with the boat. Blue marlin over 100 pounds is strictly catch and release.

Fishing License (Nonresidents Only) – Visitors to Hawaii must have a Nonresident Recreational Marine Fishing License (NRMFL) to fish. Licenses are available online. PASSENGERS MUST BE 10 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER.

The crew will have all the fishing tackle and bait(provided they are biting). You should only bring food and drinks to stay energized while on the boat.

Popular features

Live bait

Toilet

Air conditioning

Ice box

Rods, reels & tackle

Popular features

Live bait

Toilet

Air conditioning

Ice box

Rods, reels & tackle

Customer reviews

Rating

4.9

414 reviews

4.9

Boat & equipment

5.0

Captain & crew

4.8

Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (349)

What anglers say

96%

Great experience

85%

Family friendly

100%

Friendly captain

100%

Good boat

97%

Recommended

67%

Caught fish

All reviews (414)

Filter

Sort by: Featured

Frequently mentioned

Showing 1 – 5 of 414 reviews

Joseph Gil

Seattle, WA, US

•

Member since 2026

5.0

Verified

New

Great Day on the Water – Highly Recommended Charter

6 Hour Trip on June 10, 2026 • 2 adults

I took my dad on a 6-hour fishing trip with Captain John Burke and his deckhand, Shawn, and it was an outstanding experience. I would definitely recommend booking a 6- or 8-hour trip, as the additional time significantly increases your chances of hooking into more fish. For anyone prone to seasickness, bringing Dramamine is a good idea, although the ride itself was quite comfortable and not rough at all.

During our trip, we fought four fish in total—a wahoo, a spearfish, a striped marlin, and one fish that unfortunately came off after an impressive jump and head shake before we could identify it. We successfully landed two fish and released one.

Captain John and Shawn did an excellent job throughout the day. They thoroughly explained the fishing process, demonstrated how to use the equipment, shared techniques, and taught us what to watch for while trolling. Everything was organized, prepared, and ready to go from the moment we stepped aboard.

The crew was professional, knowledgeable, well-prepared, and personable. They made the trip both productive and enjoyable. Great people and great company.

As a bonus, I even learned a new phrase from Shawn: “cuddle and release” instead of “catch and release”—which definitely gave us a good laugh!

Highly recommended.

Response from Captain

June 14, 2026

Hi Joe. Thank you very much for the great review! It was such an awesome day and a real pleasure to take you and  your Dad fishing. Congratulations on your Ono and Striped marlin. we look forward to fishing with you again. 

Josh Holt

Repeat angler

Utah, US

•

Member since 2020

•

6 trips

5.0

Verified

New

hardest working captain and crew

6 Hour Trip on June 8, 2026 • 3 adults • 2 children

i have done nearly 20 guided fishing tours over the last several years and have generally always had a great experience….but this captain and first mate top them all. Captain John was great with me and my kids and worked hard to find us fish and made sure everyone was having a great time. And then there is his first mate Shawn, who worked harder than anyone i have been out fishing with trying everything under the sun to help us land a fish. He never stopped working, swapping things out, keeping the boat clean, trying something new, it was impressive. All while having fun, being very friendly, teaching me and my boys along the way. At the end of the day we were only able to land one Wahoo but that was not because of a lack of effort on the crew. And despite the slow day of fish, me and my boys had a wonderful day and really enjoyed being on the water with Captain John and Shawn.

Response from Captain

June 9, 2026

Hi Josh. Thank you very much for the great review. I would just like to say that you and your family were such a pleasure to take fishing and spend the day with. Everyone was extremely patient and a lot of fun. Congratulations on your fish and we look forward to fishing with you
 again!

Chuck Chiddix

Kansas, US

•

Member since 2026

5.0

Verified

New

For our first trip it was great and memorable.

8 Hour Trip on June 15, 2026 • 3 adults

Even though we did not catch any fish ( any real angler knows it does happen) it was still a wonderful day on the ocean.  Captian John and his crew mate Sean were knowledgeable and very friendly.  They tried just about every lure in their arsenal.   The boat was very clean and organized.  We would definitely recommend and book them again.  Thank you Captain John and Sean.

Response from Captain

June 21, 2026

Hi Chuck. Thank you very much for the great review. I really appreciate the honesty and positive feedback. I’m sorry it wasnt our day out there but I look forward to taking you and your party out in the future .

Robyn Miller

Repeat angler

Washington State, US

•

Member since 2018

•

3 trips

5.0

Verified

AMAZING!

8 Hour Trip on March 19, 2026 • 5 adults

Amazing experience. Highly recommend. Captain John was knowledgeable & helped us catch a 750lb Marlin. We also caught 2 spearfish.  Deion was a fantastic deck hand and very supportive. This was a great trip for both experienced & novices.  They were so funny, and kept us laughing throughout the trip. The weather wasn’t cooperating with the original date we booked, Captain John was wonderful about working with us to find another time during our stay in Hawaii.

Reported catch:

Response from Captain

March 22, 2026

Hi Robyn. Thank you for the great review! It was such a pleasure taking your family out fishing. Congratulations on the two spearfish and the 750 lb marlin they caught! Until next time!

Joel DAVIS

Missouri, US

•

Member since 2024

5.0

Verified

Beautiful Ono

4 Hour Trip on September 11, 2025 • 2 adults

We had an incredible morning on the water with Captain John and his crew. From the moment we stepped on board, they made the trip feel special with their great storytelling, humor, and deep knowledge of the ocean. They kept us entertained and engaged the whole time, turning the trip into more than just fishing—it was an experience.

The real highlight came when my wife hooked into a beautiful Ono. The crew’s excitement and encouragement made the catch even more memorable. Later, we prepared the fresh Ono into amazing blackened fish tacos with mango salsa—hands down one of the best meals we’ve ever had.

Captain John and his team go above and beyond to create not just a fishing trip, but a lasting memory. Highly recommend them if you want a fun, professional, and unforgettable day on the water!

Response from Captain

September 16, 2025

Hi Joel. Thank you for  the great review. You and your wife were such a pleasure to take fishing. Congratulations on your wife’s Ono! We’re glad you enjoyed it. 

Trip availability and prices

Trip Date:

Days:

Group Size:

Select date to see availability

June 2026

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa

Number of days

Group Size

2 adults • 0 children

Change

Almost there...

4 Hour Trip

4 hour trip multiple starting times (6:30 AM, 1:00 PM)

US $975