Best Maui Fishing Charters for 2023

How to pick the best sport fishing charters while visiting Maui?

Aloha Maui travelers!  E Komo Mai (welcome!) to LetsgoTRAVELMAUI!  Sport fishing on Maui is some of the best deep water fishing in all of the Hawaiian islands.  LetsgoTRAVELMAUI will give you an insider's perspective on how to pick the Best Maui fishing charters for 2023.  Maui has an abundance of charter companies to choose from but how do you know which one to pick?  In this article we "cut-bait" so you can get out there and start trolling for that Ono or maybe that big monster Blue Marlin !  Read on  and we will make it super easy for you to get the most out of your Maui sport fishing charter adventure.

Sport Fishing Charters on Maui

There are more than 20 companies on Maui that offer fishing charters.  Most of these focus on sport fishing and a few others also offer bottom fishing.  This article is focused on sport fishing so we will talk about bottom fishing in another blog.  

Something to remember is the best fishing charters go out everyday. These charters  stay focused on where the fish are hitting as well as keeping their gear in tip-top condition.  It's not a 100% guarantee that you will catch fish but the boats with captains and crew who fish daily usually know where to go.  So just keep that in mind when you are picking your charter. Before you book be sure to ask when they went out last and what they caught.    

The Best Adventure on Maui!

Sport fishing on Maui is an amazing activity and can be one of the most thrilling adventures you will do on the island (actually off the island!).  When the big fish strikes the line, your adrenaline starts pumping, everyone on board jumps to attention and the battle begins as you wrestle to land that big boy on the boat.  You and your family/friends  will be feasting on some of the best fish in the world!  Maybe you will be a lucky angler and catch that 500lb Blue Marlin...Wow! Now that would make for a great selfie and likely get your picture in the Maui News or MauiNow.

Private Charter vs. Share Charter

Okay, first things first.  You need to get some basics figured out before you contact the charter companies.  How many in your group are going fishing?  If there are just 2 to 3 of you then doing a "share" charter is the best fit.  If you have a group of 4-6 then it would be worth hiring a "private" charter to take your group out.

Next, decide how long you want to fish.  Some charters offer a 4 hour fishing option.  Forget that, that doesn't give you enough time to fish and is a waste of money.  A  6 hour or 8 hour trip is a perfect amount of time to sport fish on Maui.  There are some extreme charters that go on 10-12 hour trips and you launch anywhere from 2am to 4am.  This may be a better choice if you are a deep sea sport fishing enthusiast.  The longer the trip the less it costs per hour (for a private charter). Keep that in mind. Also, paying all CASH will likely get you a 10% discount.  Be sure to ask when booking.

How Much Should I Pay?

Here are the average rates you will expect to pay on Maui:

Private Charter (4-6 people)

This will give you a good estimate on what costs to expect for this type of fishing.  Taxes are additional (+4.166%).  The private charter is a great way to go with a group of people because you will have the entire boat to yourselves.  The shared charter will be based on individual seat availability.  A good plan would be to have this all planned out before you arrive on Maui, especially if you are doing a shared charter as seats tend to fill FAST!...remember this is big time fishing...think BLUE MARLIN!!!  

The Fish Bounty

The way it works in Maui is the bounty is owned by the captain of the boat.  Tipping and gratuity of 15% - 20% is common and expected on these types of adventures.  Bring cash to tip out the captain. We recommend if the fishing is a successful bounty to tip out the captain 20% when you pull into the slip.  This will let the captain and crew know that you really appreciated their efforts.  You will likely walk away with lion's share of the bounty.  The crew will be happy to cut and clean the fish for you on the dock while you wait. It doesn't hurt to offer the captain and crew some cold beverages while they clean the day's keep.

Two Harbors - Lahaina & Maalaea

There are two harbors to choose from when picking the charter boats.  Most of the charter boats depart out of the Lahaina Harbor which is located up on the West side of Maui.  The other harbor is Maalaea harbor which is located more in the middle of the island on the West side.  You may want to go out of the harbor that's closet to where you are staying.  

However, it's best to just pick the charter boat that fits your profile and expectations.  You will be getting up well before the crack of dawn and you will have a 30-60 minute drive time depending on where you are staying and which harbor you will be departing from.

Which Maui Fishing Charter do I Choose?

Okay here is Maui insider scoop.  LetsgoTRAVELMAUI recommends using only one fishing broker to take the hassle out of trying to decide which charter company to use. FishMaui is the one and only broker to use when deciding which charter company to use.

Here's the reason why...

 FishMaui knows all the captains and the boats on the island.  They know how to match you up with the best boat and crew for the adventure you seek.  FishMaui has been fishing on Maui for decades and is an expert on who to pick, what conditions the boats are in, what kind of equipment and facilities they have on board, what boats and crew will align with your group, etc..  This will take all the guess work out of you trying to figure it out on your own and spending lots of time on the phone and researching The Google.  Take our recommendation, call them, visit their website and save yourself a bunch of time.  Link below.

What to Bring and How to Prepare

Being prepared and ready to meet your fishing journey will be incredible when you plan accordingly.  If you don't plan accordingly this could be a loooooooong day on the water for you and not very enjoyable experience.  LetsgoTRAVELMAUI is here to educate, entertain and give you the current inside scoop to make this an AMAZING adventure you will remember for a lifetime!  

Here are the basics you need to bring: