What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii for the first time?

There is everything here in kona. Shore casting, bottom fishing , wahoo, dorado, tuna, its a heck of a fishing ground. While you cant always target a specific species with absolute success there is always something swimming in the neighborhood.

Make sure to bring a hat and sunscreen. Pack a small cooler of your favorite drinks and some snacks for the trip. Not every time you will catch something but that’s why they call it fishing not catching.

You are booking a fish trip for a trophy fish; not everytime are you going to hook up. I personally have gone on 3 charter trips and this is the only one that ended in success. Its a great way to see the island and hear stories as well.

Find the crew at Fire Hatt. They are super professional and friendly. We brought our four- and six-year-olds. They might have been a bit too young. I think it might be better for, maybe, an 8-year-old or 10-year-old. Sean and Jason were great with our little kids, but the boys struggled a bit with four hours on the boat. But, all in all, it was a great experience for the adults.

Hard to say. We got lucky. We had a great crew and time. We went with the expectation of just having a good boat ride with the hope we could land some fish. We got lucky. They did all they could to make it happen. Most of all be wary of the reviews. I wanted to fill my freezer and you get caught up reading negative peoples reviews on all the different charters. Even though there aren't many. Go out with the expectation for a great day on the ocean and if you are lucky like we were you might land some fish. Three out of 5 of us had zero experience but my out of town buddies have family that run commercial fishing boats on the east coast. Not that my friends did this but if you think you should be the captain or know more than the deck hand maybe a charter isn't a good idea. However. Captain Jim will allow you to leave the deck hand and run it yourself to a certain degree. Then you can blame yourself for catching nothing. I tried to get my buddy to be the deck hand and he just laughed. Point is just go to have a good time.

Sea-sickness is real - please take some Meclizine (Bonine) the night before if you've never been on a boat. We saw lots of Marlin, but Mahi Mahi was scarce today, and Ono (Wahoo) is out of season in December mostly. Do not expect to catch fish all the time!! Sometimes the fish bite and sometimes they don't, it's just how fishing goes. There is nothing the crew can do about it except to keep trying!! The weather is fantastic, bring sunscreen, lots of water, and a windbreaker. The fish are incredibly strong, expect to be sore the next day and maybe need some help reeling it in.

Listen to what the crew is telling you. They are a wealth of information and only want you to have a fun time and catch fish. This was my first time sitting in the chair waiting for a hit on a line. It's pretty darn exciting when it finally happens and you get to start reeling in your catch!!

Try a half day trip here before going on longer ones if you’ve never tried. Seasickness is real and miserable. Luckily I was ok but it was there. Someone else on our boat started puking 15 min in. Poor girl. At least she caught a fish too.

You are not going to find a more picturesque and idyllic place to fish than right here on the Big Island. From the crystal clear deep blue waters to the deep ocean just mins from the harbor, Kailua-Kona is among the best places that I have fished in the world.

Always remember why its called fishing, not catching and think of catching as a bonus, because it should be about the moments you share with family and friends, old as well as the new you meet and make on your adventure. We met some of nicest,friendliest new people on out trip!

Go out for a bucket list trip. Fishing starts right out of the harbor. The boat also stays close to shore due to the very close deep water so should be especially easy for most people prone to motion sickness.

Just get out there! Book ahead of time - they fill up quickly. It is great fishing conditions most days, and any bad weather tends to blow through quickly. I was there 12 days, and could have fished every day with no problems. Bring your own food and drink, but dont get drunk - if you aren't used to the water, you will likely get sick if you are drunk.

Get a captain that will stay awake and that wants to put you on fish. I love to fish, grew up in South Florida fishing all the time, I've been looking forward to coming out here fishing for over a year now, and it was nothing but a waste of time and money. Thank you fishbooker

Not a ton of bites the day we went out, but the bite we caught was a big one! Short-billed spearfish :-)

Go out with an open mind and enjoy the time on the water! It’s beautiful and peaceful even if the catching isn’t going how you’d like!

If you have anyone within your party who may get seasick, be sure to take some sort of dramamine the evening before. Do not wait until you get on the boat. The crew was extremely understanding.

You may want to have some medicine for seasickness. Otherwise take your family and have a good time.

Really fun, just go into it understanding that the fish fight hard and that you may not catch anything.

Book with Kona Dice, great knowledge and they will put you on a fish. The captain and first mate work their tails off and make this the best possible decision.

Just go in with an open mind and know you might not catch fish but enjoy the day regardless

Just remember, it’s fishing, not catching sometimes you don’t always catch one.

Manage expectations, it’s not a guarantee. Work for it, it’s fishing, not catching.

Fishing in Kona is not always catching fish, sometimes it is just a long boat ride. The weather is usually great though.

If you're looking to land a trophy, Kailua-Kona is the place. But if you're a large group, looking catch a lot of fish this probably not the location.

Beautiful, warm days on the water! Fishing was slower than other months but you’re still chasing fish and enjoying beautiful views. Pick the right crew and any day is memorable.

Bring snacks and water. We didn’t catch fish but I don’t know if that was seasonal or weather-related.

Expect the unexpected. The Island has many varieties of fish and you never know what you are going to get at the end of the day. Just enjoy the moment and leave the rest to the crew.

Patience. You will spend a lot of time trolling around, but when you do hook up, it is pure excitement.

We didn’t catch any fish this trip, so I don’t have any recommendations for fishing at this time.

Listen to your captain and deck hand! Otherwise you might not have the strength to get that trophy to the boat.