Visiting Hawaii? Add a Fishing Charter in Waikiki to Your To‑Do List

The Captain and Crew – They were fantastic — professional, polite, and genuinely friendly. They were easy to get along with and made the whole day feel smooth and relaxed from the moment we arrived.

What really stood out was their experience. They knew exactly where to go and how to fish it, and they put us onto trophy fish very quickly — no wasted time, no guesswork, just straight into the action.

They were also great teachers. Throughout the trip they explained the fishery, the local area, and what we were doing (and why), so it felt like you weren’t just fishing — you were learning the whole time. Whether you’re experienced or it’s your first time, they make it easy to understand and keep it fun.

The boat itself – The Play’N Hooky boat was super clean and well set up. Everything had its place, it was comfortable and felt very safe, and it had all the little comforts you’d want on a proper day out: toilet, air con, fridge, couches, TV, and fans.

The gear – All equipment was top-tier — high quality, well maintained, and in excellent condition. It gave you confidence you were fishing with the right equipment, not worn-out hand-me-downs.

The location – The charter location was ideal. Being near Waikiki made it easy to get to, and the marina setup was great — loads of parking and a toilet block nearby. They were also right at the front of the wharf, which made meet-up and boarding simple.

Catching trophy fish – If you’re chasing trophy fish, this charter is set up for it — the combination of a great crew, a properly equipped boat, and quality gear gives you the best shot at landing something special. Whilst getting great information about the area and incredible views of Oahu from the water.

Book early (and stay flexible) – The booking process is straightforward, but it pays to book well in advance. Try to keep a few days open around your trip in case the weather turns and you need to reschedule. A bit of flexibility goes a long way and helps ensure you get the best conditions on the water.

What to bring – It’s a big boat with plenty of space, so don’t stress about packing light. A few essentials make the day more comfortable:

– Sunblock
– Hat and sunglasses
– Extra clothes (especially a warm layer)
– Food and drinks
– Camera or phone for photos

You won’t feel cramped, and having what you need on hand just makes the day more enjoyable.

Motion sickness pills (non-negotiable) – Even if you normally have good boating legs, take motion sickness tablets before you board. It’s a simple precaution that can completely prevent any chance of feeling off during the day — and it’s much better to be safe than sorry.

Understand the trolling style of fishing – This charter is primarily trolling-based, so patience is part of the experience. You’re covering ground, hunting big fish, and waiting for that explosive strike. Trust the process — this is how trophy fish are found and hooked.

Listen to the crew – The captain and crew know exactly how to run the spread and read the conditions. When they give guidance — whether it’s where to sit, when to get ready, or how to fight a fish — following their lead makes a big difference.

Settle in and enjoy the ride – Because trolling is less hands-on between bites, take the time to relax, take photos, enjoy the scenery, and soak up the experience. When a rod goes off, it happens fast — and that’s when the excitement really kicks in.

We run (5) 130 pound class rods and reels spooled with 150 pound mono connected to 200 pound spectra backing giving us about 1100 yards of line. The pacific blue marlin can get over 1000 lbs so we need to be prepared for one that’s why we use heavy gear with a lot of line. We generally troll lures, resin heads made by local Hawaii lure makers, and some chrome heads of various sizes depending on the fish we are trying to target.

We also have several 50 pound class rods and reels spooled with 80 pound mono that we usually pull out when we run across a school of mahi mahi or smaller tunas. They make the fight more fun with the lighter set up and easier for the kids to handle. We also use bait at times, our local mackerel or skipjack tunas. We put them on j hooks or circle hooks depending on the fish.

The gear is beginner friendly, we brief our customers right after we set the gear and demonstrate how to use it.

We usually get out 10-30 miles off of Waikiki depending on the length of our trip. We have deep water drop offs, seamounts and pinnacles, and fad buoys in different accessible locations that we go to depending on where the fish have been being caught at the time.

If its a windy day we generally run west putting our wind behind us making for a more comfortable ride for our guests while they get the feel of the boats motion. Also the west side of Oahu is generally calmer as its shielded by a mountain range so once we get to that side we can fish calmer water if its a windy rough day. The currents fluctuate and generally run east or west and can make the water choppy of flatten it down. I find the fishing is better when there is a current moving in one direction or another as opposed to days where there is no current moving. I position the boat at various angle to the current for comfort as well as optimal lure action/movement behind the boat.

We get blue and striped marlin all year but winter months are better. Mahi mahi all year as well but spring March/April are good months for them. Wahoo or “Ono” are usually good fishing April-July, bigger yellow fin, “Ahi” are generally more abundant in the summer months into the fall July-October. Skip jacks and smaller yellowfin are in and out all year.

If someone has never fished before the first thing they need to understand is fishing doesn’t always mean catching. Sometimes there’s just no fish around. Sometimes there’s fish around but they’re just not biting. Whether the fishing is good that day or not, the activity itself is an ocean experience where you get to see the island from a different perspective and an opportunity to see marine life like sea birds, dolphin, whales, manta rays etc…

I usually explain the plan for the day during the morning briefing before we head out. I explain to them what trolling is and how fast we will be moving and what the lures are doing behind the boat. What kind of fish we have been catching recently so they know what to expect. They know if we are covering ground looking for the fish or heading to a spot that has been productive recently. At times we bring in the lures and fish with bait and we fill them in as to what we are doing and why. I like to get them involved as much as possible even get them to help with catching bait sometimes before we head out to the grounds. Sometimes just the mackerel we catch outside the harbour are the biggest fish the customer has ever caught or the first fish.

We like to show them the sights we see out there like the other wild life, educate them on how large a particular whale is or how fast a mahi can grow, how a marlin uses its bill to catch its prey, what we are looking for with our binoculars to find them fish. We also enjoy hearing from them about where they come from, what their hobbies are back home etc… We like to get the kids involved with helping us catch bait in the mornings and then have them check up on the live bait throughout the day, the bait well can be like an aquarium to the kids.

We can usually target smaller fish for the kids if they are real little, but a lot of kids can still bring in big fish we just help them or their parents help them as well. Sometimes its a team effort to bring in a big fish, but we have had many kids do it.

I like to give them a local feel, being from these islands I like to recommend places to go or where to eat, history of Hawaii, the people, and how fish and fishing is a big part of the Hawaiian culture.

They get to see Hawaii from a different perspective, from out on the water with the chance of catching a once in a lifetime fish. They will be well cared for and entertained by our crew, and experience the suspense that waiting for a fish to bite brings. Hopefully get some good pictures of that experience.

A nice ride on a comfortable boat, sharing stories, and taking in the breath-taking views of the island from off shore on a sunny tropical Hawaiian day. Maybe seeing a humpback whale breaching or monster marlin grab a lure and run several hundred yards of line out jumping all over the place only to shake the hook loose and come off. Those kinds of experiences keeps people coming back for more.

This charter is perfect for groups of friends or co-workers, or family members that want to get out on the water and enjoy a deep sea fishing experience together. We get a lot of outdoors people who are avid hunters and fishermen but also many people who have never done any hunting or fishing and are thrilled and amazed when they catch their first fish.

Anyone interested in a charter can book with us through our website playnhookysportfing.com anytime. They can also email me with any questions at teoni@playnhookysportfishing.com