Donavan Cole

Rating

Anglers' gallery (193)

What anglers say

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  Thomas Halda-rieger

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  Germany

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  Member since 2026

  5.0

  Verified

  NEW

  Perfekt time

  Inshore Fishing (PM) on September 30, 2026 • 3 adults

  Serious fishing at the Cape: The crew—Donavan and Mike, both true-blue South Africans—are professional tuna hunters. You sense this the moment you step onto their fishing machines. We aren't exactly novices when it comes to fishing in Europe, but we realized immediately that the fishing experience with this crew is in a league of its own. It was only when we first headed out that we truly grasped the fantastic marine world we were entering; the area teems with wildlife, from fish to whales. And whenever these animals are in the bay or near the coast, these two specialists know exactly where to find them. They are consummate professionals—no gimmicks, just the real deal. Even the boat ride itself, without the fishing, was magnificent. We enjoyed perfect weather in September; there were three of us plus the crew on what we would call a 28-foot big-game fishing boat. We tried both trolling and reef fishing, catching about eight fish. We were accompanied by dolphins, very large sharks, and countless seals. Occasionally, tell-tale bubbles and small fins betrayed the presence of yellowfin tuna; even the crew would get excited, and the thrill of the hunt was palpable. The price was very fair for the experience. Thank you, Donavan and Mike, for your time, your professional expertise, and your genuine, friendly nature. My son will be in touch with you at the start of the tuna season; I hope you have a spot for him. Best regards, Thomas, Isabella, and Philipp.

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  Response from Captain

  October 1, 2026

  hi Thomas, thank you for your kind words and review! we absolutely love sharing our love for fishing and the amazing scenery and marine life with our guests! looking forward to having your son on board for some big tunas! Enjoy the reat of your vacation! regards Donavan

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  Jarno Järveläinen

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  Finland

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  Member since 2026

  5.0

  Verified

  NEW

  Great Trip !

  6 Hour Trip - Inshore (AM) on August 31, 2026 • 5 adults

  Trip was great, we where kind of early in the season, but these guys really hunted fish for me ! It was my 50 th birthday and that was very nice present. We did also reef fishing, I would say that then its 100 % to catch fish as we did and a lot and all sort of species. Then whale came to see us ! and also we went to see seals and heard horror stories what had happen to white sharks that used hunt for seals. Then we got great tip from Captain Donovan about shooting range near by! So of course we went there as well, I got to shoot with UZI and Desert Eagle .50 cal. So pretty decent birthday !! Thanks a lot.

  

  Response from Captain

  September 12, 2026

  thanknyou Jarno, glad that we could celebrate the special occasion with you guys and hope to see you for the next one! Regards Donavan

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  Cindy Esterhuizen

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  South Africa

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  Member since 2026

  5.0

  Verified

  More Than Just Fishing – An Incredible Day at Sea!

  6 Hour Trip - Inshore (AM) on July 18, 2026 • 4 adults

  What an incredible experience with Ocean Life Charters! A huge thank you to Donovan and Mickey for making it such a memorable family day. The fishing was great, but honestly, the entire experience was so much more than that. We were lucky enough to see whales, dolphins, and seals in their natural habitat, which made the trip absolutely unforgettable. We also caught some beautiful fish, tagged them, and released them back into the ocean, something we really appreciated as it reflects their respect for marine conservation. Donovan and Mickey were friendly, knowledgeable, professional, and made everyone feel welcome from start to finish. They went above and beyond to ensure we had an amazing time. Thank you for a perfect family day out. We made memories we’ll treasure for years to come, and we’ll definitely be back!

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  Response from Captain

  July 20, 2026

  Thank you Cindy! We had a great day out with you amd your family, we look forward to having you with us again! Regards Donavan

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  Gillian & Pieter Steyn

  Repeat angler

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  South Africa

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  Member since 2024

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  2 trips

  5.0

  Verified

  Best Charter Ever

  Half day – Inshore Fishing (AM) on January 2, 2026 • 2 adults

  Cap Don has a well established and professional business operation. Accommodating and friendly. Problem solving on bad weather and rebooking us on the perfect day. Mikey and Jason were our guides for the day. These guys just nailed it each time with exceptional knowledge of False Bay and fish finding. We caught 4 different species on the day. Yellow Tail x 4, Red Roman x 1 which we released to honour the years it takes this fish to grow. Panga x 1 and finally 4 x Smooth Hound Sharks. What an epic day. We highly recommended this company and the Team for a fun day out on the Big Blue.

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  Response from Captain

  January 3, 2026

  hi Gillian thank you so much fo your kind words! the guys had a wonderful time with you on board, was reaply a trip to remeber for them! safe travels back home and hope everyone enjoys the fish when you get home! regards Donavan

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  Graham Erskine

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  United Kingdom

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  Member since 2025

  5.0

  Verified

  what a great way to spen a day!

  6 Hour Trip - Inshore (AM) on December 4, 2025 • 2 adults

  It was a privilage to be in the company of Donavan and Mikey. The charter boat was clean and well organised. plenty of tackle and bait for all levels, and on hand instruction from the crew for all levels and size of angler. Both Donavan and Mikey know there stuff and will also talk about the history of the area as well as the marine life it contains. Catch and release operated on the boat with some species being tagged for marine research. you are able to take what you need to braai later! plenty of fish caught and sone really goid conversation. i will definitely be looking this charter up again when i return to capetown and hope to catch that big one that got away. thank you both for a stunning day.

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  Response from Captain

  December 9, 2025

  thanks Graham, we had a awesome time with you guys on board, look forward to having you with us again!