MAKA HOU II (Hana Paa Charters), Nawiliwili, Island of Kauai

Owners and Skippers: Tim Hale and Julie Hale
Boat: Bertram 38
Power: Twin Cummins BT series 270 hp diesels (new in 1998)
Maximum Speed: 25 knots
Cruising Speed: 20 knots
Largest fish to Date: Black Marlin 849, Blue Marlin 732, Yellowfin Tuna 310 lbs
Other Notable Fish:  In 1997, Tim caught a multitude of Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi) over 100 pounds.
Amenities: Tuna tower, VHF, CB, GPS with plotter, high-power depth recorder, radar (Si-Tex 24 mile), refrigerator, spacious bridge, stereo, large cockpit, large comfortable salon with plenty of seating, electric flushing toilet.  The 38 Bertram is legendary for its sea-keeping ability from the wide beam and deep “V” forefoot.  It has been well maintained and the new engines make the ride very quiet and comfortable.
Fishing Gear: A full set of five Penn International 80’s on Penn Hawaiian Gold rods is the principle gear, with several 12/0 Senators for backups.  They also carry several smaller rigs for baiting situations.  Multiple stick gaffs, flying gaffs, nets, lures and bait are also carried.             

Fish with experience.  Tim has lived in Kauai for most of his adult life, and if the hours of sleep are removed from the equation, it would be fair to say he has spent more of that time on the water than on dry land.  He has fished the island and surrounding areas such as Niihau, Lehua, Kaula Rock, the middle bank, Necker, and Nihoa for over twenty years and truly understands the ins and outs of this excellent fishery.  Professional fishing is a difficult way to make a living, and in order to be successful, a person needs to possess several key skills.  Determination, drive, keen knowledge of fertile grounds, and a multitude of back-up plans (including a little bit of lady luck) is crucial for survival in the commercial business, and Tim has them all.

Proven techniques and results, plus a little help from his friends.  Since Tim has fished the area for so many years, he has managed to build for himself a system of proven techniques that work time and time again.   Furthermore, he has augmented those techniques with a network of other anglers who will let him know where the fish are on a given day.  The Pacific Ocean is an enormous body of water, and though the tiny island of Kauai represents only 550 square miles, the amount of ocean surrounding it is immense.  Knowledge of the grounds and his network of peers have become Tim’s lifeblood, and his charter guests are fortunate to benefit from the many great relationships he has built over the years. 

Skipper Tim Hale

But Tim is an optimist, not a pessimist, and his success rate is excellent.  You can sense his determination and drive to catch a fish for his customers the moment you step aboard, and it remains as intense throughout the course of the day.  He remains on the bridge most of the trip studying the ocean and looking for signs that tell him where fish might be.  But regardless of how hard he looks for the fish, guests are always welcome on the bridge to spend time talking and learning about the things Tim is looking for. 

A fair fish disposition policy.  As we have mentioned throughout our website and other features on charter boats, the issue of fish disposition is something every potential charter customer should be aware of before making a decision on a boat.  It’s a simple fact that Hawaii’s charter fleet rates are on average the cheapest in the world for boats and skippers of this caliber.  It’s also a simple truth that Hawaii is one of the most expensive places in the United States to do business, and accordingly, charter skippers in Hawaii have for many years sold their catch as a way to defray the cost of owning and operating a charter boat.  Sportfish Hawaii recognizes that anglers spend a great deal of money on chartering a vessel to catch their dream fish, and it is our goal to educate our customers on this issue so informed decisions can be made.

Tim wants to share the experience of catching fish with everyone, but in order to do so and remain in business, he needs to sell fish when he can.  Accordingly, any single fish over 50 pounds will generally go to the market, while one, perhaps two fish under 50 pounds will be evaluated and distributed among the guests and crew in a fair manner.  Anglers who wish to fill coolers with fish to ship home or utilize for other means may do so, but should expect to pay a fair price for the fish.

Stand on Conservation.  Despite the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) official declaration for the past several years that Hawaii is a fishery that is not overfished (unlike many other parts of the world), Tim believes the resource cannot be sustained forever if people keep taking and taking.  And despite all skippers’ ability to readily sell Pacific Billfish in Hawaii, Tim will release Marlin for those customers who request it. 

Sportfish Hawaii is proud to represent the Maka Hou II in our fleet of high-quality charter boats.  Please call or email us to book your trip. 

Interior of Maka Hou II