What is a private charter?
A private charter is your own, personal fishing experience onboard the Top Gun, for just you and your guests. The captain and crew focus exclusively on you and your guests. With no one onboard other than your party, we can tailor your fishing experience to your skill level and needs. This is your fishing trip. Many of the other boats are “share boats,” meaning they put together a fishing trip with many different anglers. The only advantage we see to this approach is that it allocates the cost to each angler. We found it often is an unsatisfying experience for everyone onboard due to the inherent differences in needs, skills, timetables, and dispositions. While it is often fun to meet new people from different parts of the country while you are on vacation, it can pretty disappointing to watch them catch your 700 pound marlin; or, wait on board for them to show up so you can leave; or, have them beg you to go in because they are seasick; or, they are cranky or just not your type of people. For these reasons, and more, the Top Gun only offers private charters. We want you to get the most out of your experience with us and we know we do our best when we focus on your needs, exclusively.
How many people can go?
Six. Our commercial fishing permit, insurance policy and the Coat Guard limit the number of passengers onboard the Top Gun to six. You and up to five of your closest friends or relatives can enjoy fishing with us all day long.
Which charter should we take?
You can only catch fish with your lines in the water. The longer your lines are in the water, the better your chances of catching fish. I, personally, always fish for eight or more hours. When I go fishing I want to catch fish and not take a boat ride. While the captain and crew will do everything they can to insure that, I do my part by giving them the flexibility to maneuver and troll through more good fishing areas. Statistically, our most successful charters are eight hours and the ones that leave early. We recommend you take a full day charter and increase your odds of catching fish.
Do you always catch fish?
No, but most of the time. Fish migrate and run seasonally. They follow bait and move about rapidly based on tides, phase of the moon and time of day. To catch them, you have to drive the boat practically on top of them. The Pacific is a big ocean. That is why timing and experience are so important. The captain and crew have a financial incentive to catch fish.
How old must my kids be to go fishing aboard the Top Gun?
Children must be at least 10 years of age or older. Rolling seas and rocking boats are unsafe for younger children. They have a difficult time staying focused on safety and keeping “one hand on the boat at all times.” Additionally, they are not big or strong enough to catch the fish we hookup. Accordingly, if you have young children and you want to go fishing with us, please make arrangements with the concierge or the resort to check them into a fun activity for the day.
What should we bring with us?
The Top Gun provides all the fishing gear, tackle and bait. You do not have to worry about any of that. You should bring drinks, snacks or food, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and I always bring a camera.
What kind of fish do you catch?
We catch predominately pacific blue marlin, stripped marlin, mahi mahi, ono and ahi. We can catch any of these fish at anytime, but there are times of the year when one species is more likely to be caught than at other times.
