Tournament Fleet

Captain Reuben

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Captain Reuben, one of the best. Lives and breathes Kona Fishing, born and raised.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Kevin Hiney

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Captain Kevin Hiney, is a licensed master 100-ton Captian as well as a husband and father of two boys. Kevin has been fishing in Hawaii since 1993. He is proud to have made a living from the sea his entire life. In addition to his passion for fishing, Captain Hiney is also an avid hunter. Guests aboard his vessel will see that he enjoys sharing his experiences and showing clientele a positive and memorable adventure fishing off Kona waters, whether it is their first time fishing or have fished before. Captain Kevin Hiney, one of the best and funniest. Guaranteed to have a good time when you are hunting the Pacific on this boat.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Trevor Child

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

If you are looking for a charter boat captain with the land and sea of Hawaii Island as his home, playground and place of business, Captain Trevor is your guy. Trevor’s Big Island roots go back five generations in Hawaii. Born on Oahu and a Hawaii Island resident since age 10, Trevor is either fishing, hunting or competing in rodeos on any given day. Many captains come to Kona and learn how to fish; the Kona waters are where Trevor learned to fish as a child and continues to fish as captain of the Maverick. Experience, local knowledge and an abundant sense of Aloha make Trevor’s charters bountiful in catches and just a great day to be on the water. Trevor also brings to his charters some extra skills: he went to college to become a firefighter, attaining the level of Certified Firefighter and EMT-B.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain McGrew Rice

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

McGrew Rice is considered one of the best in the business! Frederick McGrew Rice AKA “McGrew”. I am a sixth generation Scottish American born and raised in Hawaii. Our family came to the Islands in 1838 as missionaries. My family has been involved in ranching and fishing all of our lives. My Grandfather fished as an angler in the International Billfish Tournament in the 1950’s & 60’s. My father bought his first Charter boat in Kona in 1968 and I caught my first marlin with him when I was 9 years old. I grew up cattle ranching and fishing and chose fishing as my full time profession. I worked as a crewman through high school and on week-ends and vacations. I was hired to travel to Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti to fish tournaments for my clients in the 80’s. I started to work for my father in 1986 on the “Ihu Nui” as a crewman and part time Captain and when my father retired in 1991 I became the Captain of the “Ihu Nui”. When my father sold the boat in 1993 the new owner said that if I came with the boat he would buy it! I have been captaining the Ihu Nui ever since.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Chip Van Mols

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Captain Chip Van Mols has been living and sport fishing professionally in Kona, Hawai’i since 1988 working as a crewman in his earlier years then following the natural progression to a professional captain. Chip has worked on and run several well know Kona charter boats including the Jun Ken Po, Rod Bender, Monkey Biz II and currently the LUNA. While Chip has spent most of his time fishing in Kona, he has also travelled the world in search of giant marlin and sharpening his skills and techniques with each regions best captain’s and crews. With trips to big fish hot spots like the Great Barrier Reef, Ghana and Ascension Island, Chip brings a huge amount of experience and expertise to the table which is reflected in his meticulous attention to detail on his top-shelf Kona operation. With four Kona granders to his credit and multiple 800lb+ releases, Captain Chip is always in search of his next giant blue marlin. Will you be the lucky angler in the chair when the next one shows up behind the LUNA? We sure hope so! You’ve got to be in it to win it – contact us today to book your trip.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Bomboy Llanes

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Captain Bomboy is born and raised in Kona, HI and has caught (2) Granders in his life, and at least (20) other marlin over 700lbs. Bomboy is a fish catching magnet, known worldwide for his angling skills and custom hawaiian big game lures.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Chuck Wigzell

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Captain Chuck Wigzell, owner and operator of Hooked Up, has been a captain in Kona, Hawaii since 1995, but his experience on the water in Kona began when he was just a kid. He first moved to Hawaii in 1985, when his parents took then-thirteen-year-old Chuck from his home state of Oregon to the Big Island. Together, Chuck’s parents opened a restaurant that is now a local favorite: Pancho & Lefty’s in downtown Kona. Chuck grew up in Hawaii, but chose to go to college at Southern Oregon University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. While receiving his education, Chuck also honed his skills as a fisherman; by scheduling classes every other day of the week, he was able to fish on the Rogue and other Southern Oregon rivers for salmon and steelhead on Tuesdays and Thursdays. As Chuck jokingly puts it, “I think I spent more time on the river than I did in class.” While his passion for fishing runs deep, Chuck credits the true start of his fishing career to his time in Kona in 1992. During the summer months of his college years, he and his brother would fish for the family restaurant’s local catch using their dad’s boat. Today, Chuck and his wife, Beverley, live on The Island with their two kids, Zac and Hana. Chuck’s parents’ restaurant, Pancho & Lefty’s, remains a downtown Kona establishment – and it still gets its fresh fish from Chuck himself. You can catch your own fish with Chuck and have it cooked for your very own fresh-caught fish dinner at Pancho & Lefty’s. Doing so offers you a 20% discount and a meal you won’t forget.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Dave Unger

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Third Generation Kona Captain Captain Bob Unger brought his family to Kona in 1961, specifically for Pacific Blue Marlin fishing, inspired by the book, “The old Man and the Sea”. Bob was a pioneer broadbill angler off the southern California coast and his oldest son, Rusty (David Unger’s dad), was his first mate. Bob was Captain of one of a handful of Kona’s first charter fishing boats; He even helped build the current Honokohau Boat Harbor. All three of Bob’s son’s followed into the fishing business, Rusty Unger Captained the “Malia” and “Lanaau” which raised the men’s world record Pacific Blue Marlin on 50# test in 1979. Rusty also enjoyed fishing the Great Barrier Reef where he boated a handful of fish over 1,000 lbs. Jimmy Unger was known for his Lolly Pop lures witch Dave Unger has some of the original molds and enjoys making his own custom lures and Johnny Unger was a all around man of the sea. David Unger, third generation charter boat captain was out fishing with his father as early as 1 year old. He spent his younger years fishing from skiff’s he restored from learning the fiberglass trade. David and Rusty ran a boat together for a few years before Rusty retired passing the torch over to Dave. Dave currently is running Kona Charters and he is a captain of “Nasty Habit”. Dave has accomplished the ultimate goal of any fisherman, landing a grander Blue Marlin. Coming in at 1211 lbs, it was the biggest in the world as of 2014!

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Kenny Llanes Sr.

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Great captain

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain

Since :

Select Certification Certification

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Chuck Wigzell

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Captain Chuck Wigzell is the owner and operator of “Hooked Up Sportfishing” and the Captain of “Ez Pickens.” Chuck has been a very successful captain over the years in Kona. In 2008 and 2009 he tagged the most billfish in the Pacific Ocean using the NOAA tags. In 2012 he tagged the most spearfish in the Pacific using the Billfish Foundation tags. In addition Captain Chuck has placed in many tournaments over the years, check out “tournament” section on the webpage for more detailed tournament winnings and or book up one of the upcoming tournaments and get in on the fun! Chuck moved to Hawaii with his parents in 1986. He started his fishing career out of Kona in 1992 during the summer months while he was going to college. He fished his dad’s 20? boat, “Bad to the Bone,” with his brother Jim Wigzell, together they supplied their family restaurant (Pancho and Lefty’s Cantina & Restaurante’) with fresh fish. They hustled the restaurants customers and would take them fishing for gas money and actually did quite well and caught a lot of fish. This is how they got started in the fishing business. When Chuck was in college he would schedule all his classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday so that would leave Tuesday, Thursday and weekends open for fishing on the Rogue River or other Southern Oregon Rivers for Salmon and Steelhead. He admits he spent more time on the river then he ever did in any class. Captain Chuck received his 100 Ton Captains License in 1994, graduated from Southern Oregon University in 1995 and has been fishing Kona every since… “My goal is to make sure you have the best fishing experience. I strive to run a first class, friendly, and affordable charter fishing service. I don’t forget who is paying for the boat… Customer Service and Professionalism is very important to me! You are paying for the charter and you deserve to have a good time. If for some reason I have to cancel your trip due to bad weather or mechanical problems or for any other reason I will refund 100% of your money. I truly look forward to taking you fishing”.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain James Dean

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

It has been my good fortune to be the captain of the beautiful Blue Hawaii for 21 years. Mike Jacobsen offered me the opportunity of a lifetime; to fish in the same harbor as some of the worlds greatest marlin fisherman. Some of the greats have come and gone, many are still here. Much gratitude to these men, whom I admire and respect, for the knowledge they have shared with me. I have been fishing these Hawaiian waters for 31 years and the learning never stops. Our guests come from all walks of life. This is truly the best part of my occupation; getting to meet the people that come aboard. Many life long friendships have been developed. They say choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. I am living the dream. In the years of captaining the Blue Hawaii I have won tournaments, caught many trophy Blue Marlin, Yellow Fin Tuna, Mahi Mahi and Wahoo. Some of which are hanging on walls in client’s homes. I keep a photo album on the boat and would be happy to share it with you and tell you fish tales as we wait for the bite. My crew and I enjoy sharing our fishing passion with you. My crew is highly trained and proficient in all aspects of fishing. Each Marlin feels like the first. Every catch comes with it’s own story and life long memories are made. Fishing with a seasoned angler has its benefits, but guiding a new angler and experiencing their first big catch with them never gets old. Reeling in any of our Billfish is just as exciting. Angling a large Tuna can be as much of a challenge as a Blue Marlin.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Marlin Parker

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

In November of 1954, Marlin Parker's father, Kona charter Captain George Parker captured a 1,002-pound Pacific blue marlin. The first grander ever landed in U.S. waters, it smashed the All-Tackle world record. His first son was born shortly thereafter and was named in honor of the great fish. It was destiny that landed Marlin Parker in the world of big game fishing. Parker began chartering professionally in 1976. While at the helm of his first boat, the ISLANDER - only months after receiving his captain's license - he landed what, at the time, was the largest blue marlin ever weighed in at Kailua-Kona on 80-pound class tackle, a 1,257-pound monster. It was a prophetic beginning for this skipper who is regarded as one of the best marlin fisherman in the islands, and even worldwide. His largest blue to date hit the scales at an incredible 1,400 pounds. It still stands as the fourth largest Pacific blue marlin ever landed on rod and reel! Capt. Marlin Parker's tournament record is enviable. His teams have taken first place honors more than fourteen times in major tournaments in the last 15 years, in addition to numerous "top-five" finishes and individual angler awards. He is the well earned recipient seven times of the prestigious Richard Boone Award, given to the "top skipper" in the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, and second place skipper in the 2000 Rolex / IGFA Offshore Championship Tag & Release Tournament. In more recent years Marlin was the 2002 World Cup First Place winner, also in 2002 he placed first in the Shoot Out Tournament. The luck continued in 2003 with 5 First place tournament wins for the Marlin Magic including the HIBT Henry Chee Award. Capt. Marlin Parker has built a reputation on catching big blue marlin and has more experience catching big fish in Kona Hawaii than most any other captain in the Pacific Ocean. Today, Marlin's experience goes beyond Kona waters. He has spent 10 seasons fishing the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, 15 years fishing in Mexico, and has spent time in Florida and Costa Rica. He has carried on his father's tradition of building custom lures and is now a well known lure maker of Marlin Magic Lures that can be found world wide.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Carlton

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

great captain

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Jeff Kahl

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Born and raised in Maryland, It came natural to Jeff to have incredible passion and curiosity for the sea. This instinct led Captain Jeff to become a motivated explorer of the oceans. Jeff has logged over 6000 days on the high seas in search of giant gamefish. At the ripe old age of 19 Jeff moved to Maui with his surfboard and tackle box, and he was hell-bent on using them year round as much as possible! In no time at all Jeff found himself in the cockpit of a game boat! Jeff worked his way up to the Captains seat and has been there for 25 years plus! Its been his goal to assist each client in catching their biggest fish to date. Jeff caught Maui’s first Grander! The 1118 pound blue marlin was caught in 2002 and to this day still stands as Maui's record. Capt. Jeff has been in search of Granders from black marlin on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to giant bluefin tuna off the coast of Nova Scotia! Capt Jeff is a proven winner who fishes in as many tournaments as possible! In fact, he founded and hosts The Halloween Shootout which is one of Hawaii’s biggest marlin tournaments. With four children who share a passion for the ocean as much as Jeff, don’t be surprised to see one of them setting a pattern for you on board the Piper. Climb aboard Captain Jeff’s owned and operated 47 foot Cabo and head out on an unforgettable fishing journey!

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Tracy Epstein

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Born and raised in Kona Hawaii, Captain Tracy Epstein grew up fishing with his dad, longtime Kona charter captain Steve Epstein. He began his charter fishing career at the age of 15. Since then, Tracy has traveled to fish in the top destinations in the world for marlin fishing, including Madeira, Portugal, Cabo Frio, Brazil, Cairns, Australia, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. He has been an integral member of many tournament winning teams in both Kona and Mexico, amassing over half a million dollars in total winnings. In 2005, while working as a deckhand on the Northern Lights, Tracy and Captain Kevin Nakamaru tagged and released eight pacific blue marlin in a single day, breaking Kona's previous record of six. They went on to repeat the feat two days later, which helped catapult them to win the top blue marlin tag and release award for the Pacific. To date, Tracy's largest pacific blue marlin weighed in at 966 pounds. Tracy has also branched into the photography aspect of sport fishing. His spectacular images have been featured in multiple issues of Marlin Magazine and Australia’s BlueWater Magazine.

Tournament Results & Wins

Captain Kai Hoover

Since :

OUPV - 6 Pack Certification

Captain Kai Hoover is one of the rising stars of the Honokohau Charter fleet. Being raised in and around the harbor gave him a head start on a lot of the competition. He started fishing as a kid and was already working as a paid deckhand by age 12. Now as captain of the Waiopai He's ready to help make your fishing dreams a reality. Kai has worked for some of the best captains in the business and also fished commercially which has given him a lot of experience with many different fishing methods so whether you are after a light-tackle adventure, trying to catch some fish for your table or you are on a quest for a Beast blue Marlin you can be confident he has the skills and experience necessary for the job. Some of Kai's notable accomplishments include: Catching a 1,211 pound Blue Marlin as Deckhand aboard the Nasty Habit with Capt. Dave Unger. Catching 17 blue marlin over 500 pounds in one season some weighed and the majority Tagged and released while working aboard the original Northern Lights with Capt. Kevin Nakamaru. Helping in the capture of 2 Shortbill spearfish fly tackle records; also aboard the Northern Lights (still standing). Winning Multiple Billfish foundation Top Tag and Release awards on multiple boats he's fished on.

Tournament Results & Wins