Honestly the best part was the communication and honesty from captain Harry (and great convo with his deckhand Tom). We were concerned with the conditions due to having kids and we were watching to make sure it was safe/comfortable. All went as planned, fish were caught (3 solid tuna!), and we saw whales, flying fish, and a giant manta ray. Sushi and poke dinner at home was awesome with some fresh yellowfin. Would book again next time we are on the islands!

Despite almost all of us getting severely seasick, Captain Harry went above and beyond to ensure we didn’t go home empty-handed. He tirelessly chased down the tuna, giving us a chance to fight not one but two big tunas. Although we sadly lost three other big fish after short fights, Captain Harry’s dedication and expertise made the experience unforgettable. His determination to give us the best possible chance, even under tough conditions, speaks volumes about his commitment to his guests. Highly recommend him for anyone looking for a captain who truly cares about the experience.

We went out with Captain Harry and his extensive knowledge of the waters east of Lihue was critical to the success of our voyage.  He started with a safety briefing, and then a lesson in off-shore fishing.  He managed our expectations by telling us that the fishing over the last few days had been a grind.  Nonetheless, with the mantra of “that’s why they call it fishing” we departed the harbor with hopes high that the fishing gods would grant the true desires of our hearts and bless us with at least one catch.  Not long after, as we were trolling out to the depths of the oceanic plates, the line snapped off of the out-rigger and the pole doubled over as line poured from the reel!!  The zipping sound of the reel was like a hiss of a giant sea monster, maybe one related to Nessy, our underwater ally.  Unfortunately, after running for a while, the fish spit the hook, and the once bent rod was standing tell, like a sentinel guarding the trophy fish swimming in the endless depths of the South Pacific.  Our hopes were dashed in an instant.  Suddenly, out of nowhere, like a thief in the night, another rod came alive.  It flexed over like a body builder ready to deadlift 400lbs.  The scream of the line flowing from the reel, like the running of cool runnings the movie.  Alas, the same result!  The rod returned to its upright position, like folding up the tray table on the final decent for a safe arrival to your destination.  The ups and downs of fishing like the ups and downs of us who were sea sick, and those who were not.  Captain Harry educated us that what likely happened is that a Marlin was smacking the baits with its bill to see what the bait would do.  Apparently this is a behavior observed by biologists in nature.  The use of the bill to stun prey.  I’m not sure if a Marlin’s bill has a stun setting similar to phasers used in Star Trek, but nevertheless we appreciated the expert knowledge of our brave Captain!  Captain Harry checked the baits and leaders for damage from the supposed Marlin encounter and we continued on in our quest for fish.  The trip and early excitement soon waned.  The ocean was angry that day my friends.  At least it was to us Utah boys.  (In reality it was probably really good conditions). Two of us became sea sick, whilst the other two remained upbeat.  We trolled for a little while longer and eventually heard a squeak on the radio (Captain Harry’s cell phone) about bird activity ahead.  Note: Captain Harry has a radio to hear from the coast guard and other vessels, but he communicates with other fisherman via cell phone.  We raced further east to look for a “bird pile.”  A bird pile is when the birds spot bait fish and begin feeding.  All the other birds in the area join in and start diving into the water to eat fish.  The big prey fish in the deep ocean also surface to strike bait from below, and they don’t care if they eat a bird, or fish, due to their taste buds not working well both taste the same to the fish.  Captain Harry, ever the able seaman steamed fast to catch the flying birds.  Eventually we caught them!!  We saw birds swooping and diving, gliding and swimming!  In a dance like Elaine from the office, twisting and jerking in random and uncontrolled movements, a symphony of chaos!!  Suddenly, like a forgotten Amazon order, our hearts jumped as a fishing rod bent in half and we heard the joyous sound of monofilament fishing line scream like a ticked off two year old not getting their way!!  Lincoln, our youngest and most sea sick fisherman sprung into action like a circus worker whose been down on his luck,  he manned the rod and waited patiently for the fish to stop running.  When that happened he began reeling for his life, all the while holding down the pot of burning stew ready to burst upward from his stomach and out his nostrils.  He began to weaken and slow.  Captain Harry gave him encouragement to continue the fight, and to never give up, never surrender!  To stay alive!  No matter how far, I will find you!!  After reeling for what seemed like an eternity, the fish was within sight!  We waited with baited breath and our Valiant Captain speared the fish with a giant hook and boat flipped a 25lb Ono/wahoo on board the vessel.  We stood in awe as the fish wriggled and twisted out of shock of being pulled from the salty waters below.  Captain Harry quickly ended the fishes torment with a swift blow to the head.  Into the cooler the fish went!  Sadly, our luck ended after that catch. We tried a little longer in the bird pile, but it was soon time to head back to shore from our three (4) hour tour. 

Harry and Moy are great and really know where to go. This was our first deep sea fishing trip and it was eventful, two skip jacks and a Marlin. The boat was excellent and our group had a wonderful time. There is a saying that there is no such thing as luck,  “luck is when preparation meets opportunity”. Knowing that there was something testing the equipment Mot used a new technique he had heard about and “bam” we were on. We could not have asked for more and to catch a Marlin on the first time out I should quit now!

Though the conditions were not perfect (December), Captain Harry put us on the fish and we had a blast.  He explained the things that he looked out for and shared his knowledge throughout the trip.  Even with the challenging conditions, we felt safe and we had an awesome trip.  Thank you Capitan Harry and we would absolutely recommend him to other folks wanting to experience an incredible day out on the beautiful waters of Kauai.