Honolulu, HI

Recently my wife and I decided to try fishing out of Honolulu. We are not experienced fishermen, and do not own our own boat (except for a kayak) or serious fishing gear, so we were looking for an outfit that would be able to provide expertise, equipment and a good time. We decided to go with a boat called the Sashimi II, out of the Ala Wai Harbor in Honolulu. The Sashimi II is a 65′ Delta, 49-passenger Coast Guard Certified professional fishing boat.

The type of fishing the Sashimi II practices is known as “party fishing” because it is an open boat for whomever wants to pay, as opposed to a private charter for a small group (which are more expensive and tend to be geared toward more experienced, serious fishermen). On a party boat, the captain takes his anglers to spots of his choosing—you cannot specify exactly what type of fish you want to catch as with a charter. Our party boat was going bottom fishing for a half-day, which is about four hours. We left at 11:30 AM and returned to the harbor at 3:30 PM. There is also an early morning half-day trip for you early risers.

It should be noted that this party boat fishing cruise is not for serious, avid fishermen. This is a boat for people who just want to do some casual fishing while taking a relaxing boat ride off Honolulu and Waikiki. It is also an excellent introduction to fishing for those who have never tried it before.

After a safety briefing by the captain, we motored out of the harbor as the deckhand prepared a simple but filling barbecue lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, rice and beans. We motored past Waikiki beach and around the famous Diamond head volcano landmark, to our fishing grounds. There are some nice views of the coast along the way—it’s a great way to see the island. Plus, we even saw some dolphins following the boat! Then the boat anchored about two miles from shore, and we began to fish.

The rods and reels are prepared by the crew beforehand and ready to fish. Cups of cut squid are passed around the boat to use as bait. We dropped our weighted and baited lines to the bottom. Then we waited…and waited…and waited some more. Then we’d hear some excited chatter as someone reeled in a fish. Unfortunately, my wife and I didn’t catch anything that day, but we certainly had a good time. One minor complaint overheard was that there wasn’t much actual fishing time on the site, but the captain said he wanted to take a chance going a little farther around Diamond head to where they had been making good catches lately.

Note that if you go during the winter months, there is a good chance you will see Humpback Whales!

After fishing , the crew collected the catch from the lucky anglers, and grilled them up for everyone to share on the barbecue as we headed back to port. One of the best tasting fish was called the “table boss.”

Info and tips:

To book a fishing trip with the Sashimi II, call 808-955-FISH.

What to bring:

-sunglasses, hat

-sunscreen, BUT: apply early because you do not want to have any of it on your hands when you touch the bait—the fish hate it!

-you are allowed to bring a cooler with snacks and beers, if you want (there are limited beverages and snacks provided on board, in addition to the included lunch)

-camera

-seasickness medication if prone