comments: Dear Capt. Jesse...first, I'd like to say after reading the
response you wrote to a young man named "Sean", I am convinced you must be
one of the most ethical business men I've ever come across.  How very
gracious you were to share all that information and the time you invested
in answering his questions. How enlightening.  Chupu Charters is the ONLY
place I'm going for my "memory of a life time".  My 3 girlfriends and I
will be reserving an afternoon in June very shortly now and my question is
this:  I'm a big old lady.  I can bend my knees a little, I don't fall
down on land, I love the ocean, and I want to go fishing in the Pacific
more than I can say... do you think I'll make it on the trip?  Honestly,
do "big" people fare well on the Foxy Lady?  I don't think I'd be a
liability, but am curious as to any physical limitations you may have  on
your clients.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed until I hear from you....

Hi Susan,
Thanks for the inquiry and comments. My suggestion for you would be to come
down to the harbor and check out the boat before you book a trip. That will
give you a better idea as to weather you will be able to safely get on and
off the boat and also how comfortable you will be while we are out fishing.
Your comfort and safety is very important to us and we want your day on the
water to be a positive experience. We don't want to discriminate against
anyone but we are also limited as to what we can do based on the size of our
boat and the fact that we are at the mercy of "Mother Nature". Please keep
in mind that on most days the ocean is not flat and calm in our area. The
motion of the ocean can effect anyone regardless of age or size. And one
draw back with having limited space on a boat is the size of our head
(restroom). It's pretty small and also down a short flight of stairs. If
after taking a tour of the boat, you feel like giving it a try we would love
to have you on board.
Hopefully your honesty and candidness about your physical abilities will
help others make better decisions regarding activities like ours. And if you
have any other questions, please let me know.

name: Patty Herndon

comments: We will be there! When do you suggest we book our fishing
trip?. We arrive 4/4/2007 @ 3:30 and depart 4/9/2007 @10:25 pm. I was
thinking Thursday to beat the rush but is that to soon? After a long
flight from Minnesota? I am thinking you will be good sources of
information about where to go and what to see while we are there. But
I am always thinking...

Hello Patty,
I would suggest booking as far in advance as you are comfortable with. Here
is our online calendar http://www.chupu.com/calendarrms.html
Booking a day early in your trip gives you the advantage of having time to
reschedule for a later day if the weather is bad. All you have to do is be
at the boat at 6 am, your jet lag will have you up early anyway. You will
get plenty of rest on the boat. Naps are a part of deep sea fishing and are
quite popular with our guests. And yes we can give you all kinds of tips
and info on what else to see and do here.
Keep thinking and let me know if you have any other questions. Looking
forward to fishing with you.
Aloha,
Capt. Jesse

Subject: Question


 Hi, my name is Chris Salak and I will be in Oahu for
 spring break(March 18-24) this year.  I have been
 researching trips because me and a couple of other
 people I am going to be with(maximum of 4 people) were
 wanting to charter a boat for a full-day trip.

 We are pretty much down to two charters.  You and a
 charter service in Waianae.

 They offer a 8 hour trip for $600 plus tax and tip.  I
 noticed that you offer a trip 8-10 hours for $700 plus
 tax and tip.

You are located on the North Shore and they are on the
Western Shore.  What would be the advantages to
fishing on the North Shore as opposed to the Western
Shore?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Chris Salak
Columbus, Ohio

Hi Chris,
We know the boat you are talking about (it's a small island). And can only
say this. We are who we are and do what we do. And vise versa. It's all up front and honest
on our website. The choice is up to you.
The west side (Waianae) of the island can be a good place to fish and it's
calmer, most of the time. If price is a major issue, check www.live-bait.com
in Waianae. They have been around a long, long time and are worth a look.
But if you really want to fish in less crowed, more productive waters. The
north shore is a better area. Rougher more often, but better. Our photos
should speak for themselves.
If you have any other questions, please let us know.

Aloha,
Chupu Charters

name: Meg

comments: Do you take kids fishing often?  We have 3 boys
8,8 and10...are they too young?? Never been fishing before but always talk
about it..

Hello Meg,
Sorry for the delayed response. Your email got spammed.
Regarding kids and deep-sea fishing. We generally say that 7 is about the
youngest we recommend. BUT you know your kids better than we do so we leave
it up to you as parents. The main thing is the waiting, if you have patient
kids or ones that can take naps- that works well. Kids that get bored
quickly usually don't enjoy this type of fishing.
We advise a 1/2 day for starters, if they like it, next time try a full day.
And motion sickness medication is a must- ask your doctor for
recommendations.

If you have any other questions, please let us know.

Aloha,
Jesse

comments: hello. i am coming to Hawaii the later part of may and am
looking into going fishing. i've been doing some reading on your site here
and learning about the we keep #50 rule. (which seems quite reasonable to
me. i just want to FISH). i'm just a little iffy on the marlin thing. if by
some miracle i did catch a marlin, would i be able to let it go, or would
you need to keep it to sell it? if i was able to let it go, would that be
considered my #50 worth? thanks. p.s. i am embarrassed for that whiney lawyer
that was ranting and raving. i haven't even gotten on the boat yet and i
figured out more than he did. thanks and hoping to save up enough dough to
do business with you :)
 jane

Hi Jane,
Thanks for the inquiry and thanks for doing some reading! ;-)
Here's the deal with the Marlin. You can request the we release any billfish
caught. We are agreeable to this, as long as the fish has a better than
average chance of survival (not hooked in a bad place). You are letting a
fish go that may or may not be of some commercial value to your crew. The
value part we don't really know about because the fish here are auctioned
and the price varies greatly. A gratuity with consideration to this issue
would be appreciated.
Now if the fish comes up dead or dieing OR if it's anywhere the magic 1000
pound mark, that fish will be coming home with us. Releasing a fish in bad
shape is cruel and I haven't caught my 1000 pounder yet. So that's where we
stand on that issue. A released fish would not count as part of your 50#s
of fish. But that's a really good question- believe it or not, no one has
thought of before.
We don't get may catch a release anglers and if we do, for the most part
they understand that since the fish is going to be eaten and isn't just a
trophy to be photographed and discarded they don't mind taking a Marlin.
Kind of like "when in Rome, do as the Romans". But the decision is up to
you, we would just like to know your position before hand.

Keep the questions coming!

Looking forward to fishing with you.

Aloha,
Jesse

comments: Jesse,
My wife and I went out with Dave on the Foxy Lady last summer.  We had a
great time even though both Marlin spit the lures before I made it to the
chair.  That's just how it goes sometimes.  We tried to rebook a trip for
the same week but you were booked up.  You were kind enough to recommend
Shannon from Live Bait.  We went out and had a great time with him as well.
Thanks so much for that.  I was planning a trip to the Big Island this
summer and was wondering if you had any recommendations for me.  I would
really like to find a boat that provided as enjoyable an experience as we
had with Dave.  Thanks.  Dan

Hi Dan,
Kona in the summer. Ooooo...Prepare to be amazed- hopefully. Here are my
recommendations:
Scott Pruner on the Lady. Absolutely awesome boat and a super hardworking
captain. His cell # is 808-960-3705

Another good friend of ours should is Erik Rusnak. He is more relaxed skipper a bit laid back and mellow, but very knowledgeable and a great teacher. His Cell # is 808-227-2882 his website www.alohalures.com .

These guys WILL be booked this summer so as soon as you know your dates,
get on their calendars. Some people like to fish different boats others like
to stick with on capt. What ever you decide, multiple days in Kona is a good
idea. If not, at least 1 full day.

Best of luck.

Aloha,
Jesse

 comments: Hi Capt. Jesse,

we will be in Hawaii March 4/March 11
2006.Looking for a fishing charter for my wife and I. She does not
fish(picture taker)we are experienced big game fisherman. I am mainly
interested in Blue Marlin as I have caught most all the bill fish except Mr
Blue. Have fished all over the place Mexico,Hawaii(maui),Jamaica, Bahamas
etc. and just can not find Mr Blue Please advise if good time or bad. I do
want a full day private charter maybe two with just one fisherman.. Tight
Lines  Dave

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the inquiry. Blue Marlin in March... To be honest with you I
can't remember many Marlin being caught in March. That's kind of a
transition time of year for us. But in Hawaii you never know what is going to happen.

This could be a great year for Blue Marlin in March!

The Stripeys and Shortbill may or may not be
around, but as far as Blues go I could be tough. Now keep in mind that we
get very few anglers who want to specifically target Marlin. So that does
play a factor in our Marlin catches. All in all the summer months typically
are best here. Which is why all the big tournaments are held at that time of
year.
My suggestion would be to wait and see what the bite is like when you get
here. It may make more sense to get on a boat out of Waikiki if the fish are
on that side of the island. We know some really good guys on other parts of
the island and switching ports might pay off. Or, if your travel plans
aren't completely locked up, you might want to consider a day trip over to
Kona and give it a go over there. Again depending on the bite.
We'd love to take you out and give it a go, but if you REALLY want a big
Blue Marlin, don't lock yourself in just yet.

If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Aloha,
Jesse

name: Jeff

comments: Hi Jessie,
Happy New Year!!! Greg and I had a great time fishing with you and Dave.
The video of Greg's first fish came out really well.  The girls really like
the dolphins.

Do you have T-shirts?  I meant to ask that day but forgot.  If you do I'd
like to get a couple. 

Thanks
Jeff

Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the complements! Yes, we do have shirts. Just not right now. We
are doing a new design too. Give me a few weeks, if you haven't heard form
me. Send me a reminder.

Aloha,
Jesse

comments: My family is coming to Hawaii the Second week in Feb. We were
interested in going sportfishing but have heard that the waters off of
Hawaii were really rough in the winter months. Is this true? If not, what
kinds of fish do you fish for in Feb.?
Thanks, Taryn

Hello Taryn,
Thanks for the inquiry. The overall answer is that yes the water can be
rough in February, it can also be very calm. It all depends on how strong
the wind is blowing at the time. The wind makes chop and the chop is what is
uncomfortable.
We always have the option of fishing on the western side of the island where
it is for the most part calm, but the fishing is usually much better off the
north shore.
February should be fairly good for Striped Marlin, Mahi Mahi and school size
Tuna.

If you have any other questions, please let us know.

Aloha,
Jesse

Response by Chupu Charters, Inc.:
Hi Alan,

Thanks for the inquiry. Generally June is pretty rough on the north shore. It can get dead flat, but the odds are that it is gonna be choppy at best. Probably a lot like Kauai.

Dramamine type meds seem to help some but not all. One nice option we have is being able to fish the calmer waters of the west side. It's 9 miles down wind in the morning and 9 miles of chop in the afternoon. But 9 times out of 10 we can find flat seas to fish in. Just hope that the fish are there enjoying the clam water too. It's a good place to go to chase the larger Yellowfin and billfish around, not the best place for schooling species like Mahi, small Tunas ect.

If you are basing your decision to fish strictly on the weather, chances are good that you will be able to do a last minute trip on the Karlyn if the conditions suit you. But If you are planning on fishing the Foxy Lady, advanced bookings are highly recommended.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

Looking forward to fishing with you,

Jesse

It's the dude that got "fooled by the internet". That was funny when you said that to me on the dock the other day. Probably almost as funny as the look on my face when I saw the boat I booked online. Yep, I got fooled. But not next year, I'm watchin' chupu online now. Man you guys know how to catch fish! How long is your full day trip? I was home by lunch on my full day and you guys were still out. Is there a better area further out? Maybe I can talk the wife into going with me on your big boat. Any way just thought I'd say hi. See y'all next year.

Response by Chupu Charters, Inc.:
Hi Bobby,

I wasn't on the dock that day. It must have been Capt. Dave or Capt. Mark you talked to. Sorry to say you are not the first one to be "fooled by the internet". So don't feel too bad.

Here's the answer to your question. Our full day trips are at leas 9 hours and sometimes more than 10 or 11. It just depends on where the fish are and what you want to try to catch. If we have to go a little further or fish a little longer to get the job done it's fine with us. As you can tell we love to fish. Looking forward to fishing with you next year. Keep watching the website!

Aloha,

Jesse

Response by Chupu Charters, Inc.:
Hi David,

Nope. We really enjoy sleeping at night. But if the fish are biting and our anglers are willing to stay out late, we fish until the box is full or we run out of bait! Sometimes it take awhile to get home if we were way offshore when the fish started biting. But if you are up for the challenge, so are we. Aloha, Capt. Jesse

Response by Chupu Charters, Inc.:
name:John

type: Question

message: How is Marlin fishing the first week of January?

Chupu response: "How is Marlin fishing the first week of January?"

Hmmm. Let's look into the crystal ball...... sorry we're fishermen not fortune tellers. Marlin's come and go all year long. That's why it's called "fishing" and not "catching". Typically December and January are the 2 slowest months for fishing in Hawaii. BUT lots of very large Marlin have been caught at that time of year too. You just never know.

One thing is for sure, you can't catch a Marlin if you don't go Marlin fishing.

If you decide to book a trip we will give it 110% effort to catch you a Marlin or any other fish that crosses our path!

If you have any other questions, please let us know.

Aloha,

Chupu Charters

John's reply:Interesting how one can read on the website about how you and your crew were so interested in providing a great trip and yet you can be so rude when asked for information. The good news for us is there are lots of other charter operators in Hawaii.

Chupu's reply:Sportfishing isn't only about the fish that you catch it's also about the overall experience. Regardless of the catch, fun and laughter can make the day a whole lot more enjoyable for everyone. As you can tell from our photo's we know how to catch fish, but we like to have fun and enjoy the day too.

If you asked a hunting guide if you were going to shoot a trophy buck on a specific week several months in the future, or if you asked how many ducks were going to fly overhead a month from now? A humorous response should be expected. How can anyone predict these things? You should also be provided with any available honest information- which was provided.

"Typically December and January are the 2 slowest months for fishing in Hawaii. BUT lots of very large Marlin have been caught at that time of year too. You just never know. One thing is for sure, you can't catch a Marlin if you don't go Marlin fishing. If you decide to book a trip we will give it 110% effort to catch you a Marlin or any other fish that crosses our path!"

That is an honest response to your question.

Sorry to offend you and best of luck fishing. And please don't blame your crew if a Marlin doesn't bite in the first week of January. They might not show up until January 8th or 9th. But just for laughs, check back and see what we caught that week.

Aloha,

Captain Jesse

Chupu Charters

How come some of your catch of the day photos have long stories and others don't?

Response by Chupu Charters, Inc.:
The Foxy Lady's photos and comments are posted by Capt. Jesse and the Karlyn's photos are posted by Capt. Mark.

Both their mothers taught them that if you don't have anything nice to say...don't say anything at all!

Thanks Sean

Response by Chupu Charters, Inc.:
Hi Sean,

Thanks for the complement. A 26' powercat is an excellent fishing boat. I'm a big fan of the catamaran design. Here are my recommendations.

1) Believe in what you are doing! Every time you leave the harbor keep in mind that this trip could be the best trip of your life. I fish almost everyday and it works for me.

2) Make friends with other fishermen. Weather they are the top guys or just weekenders like you and your dad. Information is very important. It takes time to get a good network going, but it's well worth it. Remember that information is a two way street. If you are having a good day, make sure to let your buddies know what's happening. That way they will give you a heads up when they are catching fish.

3) Don't waste time trying to figure out your own lure sizes and color combinations. Go to the pros! The guys at your local tackle shop will get you set up with proven lures. Believe me it's money well spent. Sonny at Pacific Ocean Producers can show you lures that will catch anything that swims. Check him out. If you are an experimental person, run 3 winner lures and one experimental lure. Here's another thing to consider. We run single hooks on ALL our lures for safety. Double hooks are very dangerous and a good way to get hooked. If you decide to use double hook rigs, please be careful. Especially with Mahi Mahi and Ono. Our rule is "out of the water and in to the box" wait until the fish is DEAD before you try to get your hook out. Being hooked sucks- trust me I know.

4) Experiment with lure location and boat speed. When you get a bite take note of where the lure was and how fast you were going. Boat speed varies from Captain to Captain. I'm a big fan of 7.5 kts. on my GPS.

5) Go early and stay late. The more time you spend on the water the better.

6) Never give up! Some people are just plain lucky- others (like myself) have to work really hard to make the right move at the right time. Hopefully you fall in the lucky category.

7) If you want to eliminate tons of guess work and speed up the learning curve- charter is GOOD boat and watch everything the crew does. Pick your boat wisely and choose one that fishes in the areas you plan on spending time in. There's a big difference between the way we fish in Haleiwa and the way we fish in Waianae. So make sure you are getting a lesson you can use in the future.

8) Be respectful on the water. If there are other boats working an area, wait your turn. Pay attention to how everyone else is approaching the area and follow along. Don't just plow right through the middle on everyone. That's not the way to make friends.

9) The drop off on the Waianae side of Kaena point is a real good spot for all kinds of action. You will be able to see it on your GPS map and your depth recorder. Troll out to V buoy and then back towards land. Aim for the big ball on the mountain. Just pay attention to what the other guys are doing and Hang On! If that doesn't work run down the buoy line from V to S. That's good too.

10) Back to #1. Believe in what you are doing and enjoy your time on the water. Remember "Lines break, hooks pull and fish just get away- *#%$* happens". Learn form it and move on. Fishing should be fun, try to keep it that way.

This is the most important thing- DON'T GO OUT AND KILL A BUNCH OF BABY YELLOWFIN TUNAS!

Just because they are biting doesn't make it ok to kill them. And just because everyone else is doing it doesn't make it ok either. I know when you are starting out offshore fishing it's fun to find an area like a FAD buoy and catch a fish on every pass. Catch a few and move on. Remember these little 3-5 pound fish get to be big fat Ahi real quick. So let them grow- ok.

Good luck out there and be safe.

Aloha,

Capt. Jesse

Omaha, Nebraska

Response by Chupu Charters, Inc.:
Hi Mike and Jane, Well you are going to get me all riled up again. But it's for a good cause!

Bottom line on this issue is that the fishing population AND the Fish and Game Department in Hawaii is so short sighted that it's almost trivial.

1)The state record for Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi) is 324 pounds caught in 1990. Back in the 80's and early 90's Ahi over 200 pounds were very common. That's not the case any more. The average hook and line fisherman used to be able to catch over 100 Ahi in a summer. The good guys could land close to 300. Now the top fishermen are landing maybe 15-20. And lots of people are getting NONE! Why you ask? Who's responsible for this? There are lots of factors involved and I think that we are going to build a new page on the website dedicated to this topic. But the long and short of it is. No one releases any little Yellowfin.

2)You can sit at a FAD buoy and catch them all day long and it's legal. There are no bag limits and they only have to be 3 pounds to sell (legally)- so why not?

WHY? Because they grow up into 300 pound fish!! That's why.

I see people selling baby tunas for 50 cents to $1.00 a pound. If that fish was allowed to mature it would be worth anywhere from $3.00 to $6.00 a pound. And it only takes a few years for them to grow to 100 pounds.

Check back in a few months- hopefully we will have a new page dedicated to the negative impact FAD buoys are having on our fishery and more information on the demise of the "Buffalo of the Pacific".

Thanks for taking the time to educate your friends. Hopefully people considering chartering a boat in Hawaii will ask their Captain and Crew NOT to sit at a FAD buoy and kill the babies all day! Leave them alone and let them grow!!

We really appreciate it!

Aloha,

Capt. Jesse and Capt. Dave

Thanks, Rod

Response by Chupu Charters, Inc.:
Hi Rodney,

Good question. The long and short of it is, we don't target small fish. If we catch 'em we try to throw them back so they can get bigger. Of course it is your boat for the day and if you want to reel in a bunch of 1-2 pound fish... But wouldn't you rather try for something bigger?

Our tactics target larger fish. Espically the yellowfin tuna. Those fish can grow to over 200 pounds so killing a bunch of 2 pounders dosen't make any sense. We are interested in catching you quality game fish not quantity of undersized fish. We do want you to have enough fish to eat fresh so we will catch a few for the table and maybe more if you request it. Then it's time to go after something bigger. After all you can catch 2 pound fish in a lake. Aloha, Jesse