We had a great day on the water in nice company of Dave. We got 3 good skipjacks 11 kg each. Originally I asked to target tuna to make sashime, so really glad with our fishing today.
It's been a dream of mine to go fishing in Hawaii and Captain Dave and his boat, A'u Struck, provided an incredible experience to fulfill that dream. Reserving was easy. He was quick to verify the booking and responded to my questions in a timely manner. He let me know we would be targeting/trollling for larger trophy fish. Trolling takes time and patience (well, all fishing styles do, right?) and he promptly had us out on the water and wasted no time setting out the lines. Dave was attentive to checking that the lures were operating as they should. I was personally impressed by the care he took with his gear, tackle, and boat--a true experienced captain working with neat and efficient harmony. Then the waiting game. Light snacks and a cooler of bottled waters are on board. Our group enjoyed having a cabin to relax (we took turns napping it was so comfortable) as we waited for a bite. Landed a beautiful ahi tuna and a majestic blue marlin. We enjoyed being able to be part of the process of catching the fish and getting them on the boat. There is no deck hand which made the experience more hands-on which we loved. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and we all had a new found appreciation for the work, dedication, process, and time it takes to bring food to the table. Having those first bites of our catch just minutes after we get off the boat--chef's kiss! A few notes about the trip. We parked close to the restroom entrance. He will be parked in the lot and he is parked with his truck and boat on a trailer. It was pretty dark, but he was easy to find in the parking lot. The boat is not docked. Wear/bring clothes and implements to protect you from the sun/wind. If you are prone to sea sickness prepare ahead of time. If you aren't sure if you get seasick, don't wait until you are on the boat to find out. Personally, I am prone to seasickness on boat trips and always take preventative measures to address this. A few in our group worked through their seasickness and still had a great time and insist they would do the trip again! If you don't have a cooler, Captain Dave will put your catch (cut) on ice. There are some restaurants that will cook what you catch. Call your favorite restaurant to verify. Cash is preferred. Dave is an utmost professional, patient and knowledgeable. Follow his instructions and guidance to ensure a great and safe time. Nice bonus: spotted a turtle sunbathing and spinner dolphins welcomed us back to shore. Overall, don't hesitate to book a trip with Captain Dave. You are sure to be A'u Struck! 🐟🎣🎏
Couldn't ask more from Cpt. Dave! He communicated with us prior to the trip very well and the setup was very quick. We met early in the morning and it was clear he has a passion for fishing, which was awesome. The entire time he made it feel like my son and I were friends out on the water, not clients. We ended up have some great catches and even hooked up with a marlin which ensued a long battle to reel him in. Ultimately ended up coming off the hook within the last 50', but amazing. My 9 year old son is now hooked on fishing and we will definitely use Cpt. Dave again!
We had the greatest time! Dave was awesome and so helpful. We were 4.5 hours into the trip and no fish, but then my husband caught a shortbill spear fish, and a short time later my son caught one! Captain Dave was very helpful through it all. We came home with enough fish to get us through the last two nights here on Hawaii. Loved the snacks and water, nice restroom on board too. We would definitely recommend!
Awesome experience for my sons and I. We trolled all morning and caught two skipjack tunas, one mahi mahi and one 265lb Blue Marlin! Epic morning of fishing. The captain knew where to put the boat and put us on some fish!
Dave is a great guy, he has that down to earth, dry sense of humor that all great captains have. when the fish is on, dave is all business. he jumps into quarterback mode and uses the boat to help you get that fish in; it worked out great for us as we pulled in a 140 lb blue marlin within 20 minutes of the day starting.
