Skillet Sportfishing
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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.
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.

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Excellent charter with experienced and professional crew. I’ve done a lot of offshore fishing on my own boat and charters, but the kids and family have not and this crew went out of their way to make the experience perfect for everyone. We’ve been on a Kona charter that has been nothing more than a boat ride, but Skillet was different in that they worked hard to get us on fish. We found some beautiful ahi to round out an exceptional day on the water. Don’t hesitate booking with Skillet.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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 .

I've gone out on Skillet with Capt John a number of times and highly recommend him. He's a great person who has like kind people crewing with him. Top notch equipment and John's experience gives you the best chance to catch fish. This time we came home with 3 big beautiful tunas! Last time, Marlins Just do it!
The Angler's Choice Award is given to listings that consistently deliver a high-quality service and earn great reviews from customers.
Captain John's interest in fishing goes back to early childhood. He's been a fisherman for the past 50 years, 35 out of which in Hawaii. He holds a Captain's License from the US Coast Guard and has made a living in the guided fishing industry for the past 30 years. The four types of pelagic fish in the area that he loves to catch are Marlin, Mahi Mahi, Ono, and Tuna. Captain John treats everyone that steps foot on his boat with dignity and respect, and expects the same from each charter guest. He never assumes people have done this before and tries to show them the best time they can have while they're here fishing in Kona.
John B.
Captain
The Angler's Choice Award is given to listings that consistently deliver a high-quality service and earn great reviews from customers.
Captain John's interest in fishing goes back to early childhood. He's been a fisherman for the past 50 years, 35 out of which in Hawaii. He holds a Captain's License from the US Coast Guard and has made a living in the guided fishing industry for the past 30 years. The four types of pelagic fish in the area that he loves to catch are Marlin, Mahi Mahi, Ono, and Tuna. Captain John treats everyone that steps foot on his boat with dignity and respect, and expects the same from each charter guest. He never assumes people have done this before and tries to show them the best time they can have while they're here fishing in Kona.
John B.
Captain
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.
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Pay online in full
Pay online in full through FishingBooker and save on credit card fees at the dock.
No additional fees.
