Deep Sea Fishing Kauai is the longest running charter on the island’s south side, Captain Jude Schwarze’s 32 foot Blackfin Connie Claire out of Port Allen, owner operated since 2002. The draw is the captain: raised on Kauai, more than two decades fishing these grounds, and posted private prices. What keeps it at the bottom of our ranked field is the service side, where a recurring overbooking and crowding complaint runs against an otherwise good record, on a boat that is the smaller of the south side options.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.0 Deep Sea Fishing Kauai is a strong choice, but the seventh and last boat we rank, which needs explaining. On the captain and the fishing it would sit higher: Captain Jude’s experience out of Port Allen is genuine and well reviewed. It lands here because the reviews carry a recurring service complaint, including reports of extra anglers added to the boat shortly before departure, which is a real mark on a 32 foot hull where space is tight. Book it for the captain’s knowledge on a private trip out of Port Allen, but confirm your group’s headcount and the total aboard when you book. For the other Port Allen boat, with a deeper record and a shared option, see Makai. The full field is on our Kauai rankings.
The boat
The Connie Claire is a 32 foot Blackfin, a capable offshore sportfishing hull with a marine head and a privacy door, fishing up to six anglers. It is the smaller of the two Port Allen boats we rank, and on a full charter the cockpit is tight, which is exactly why the overbooking complaints sting: a 32 foot boat does not have the room to absorb extra bodies the way a bigger hull does. As a fishing platform for a group of four or so it is fine, well rigged and proven, but the size is a real constraint, and it sits below the larger Makai on comfort and capacity.
The fishing and what you target
Deep Sea Fishing Kauai works the deep water off Port Allen, which falls away fast on the leeward side, for the full island spread: blue, black, and striped marlin and shortbill spearfish across the seasons, ahi and bigeye into the summer, and aku, mahi mahi, and ono on the troll much of the year. Captain Jude’s long tenure on these specific grounds is the real product, and the positive reviews consistently credit his knowledge of where the bite is holding. As on every Kauai boat the catch swings with the season and the day, and the captain reads that water as well as anyone on the south side.
Trips and prices
Deep Sea Fishing Kauai is private only, sold by the whole boat at posted rates: $950 for a 4 hour trip, $1,200 for 6 hours, and $1,600 for a full 8 hour day. All tackle and equipment, island fruit juices, ice, and bottled water are included, and the Hawaii nonresident license is the main extra, bought online before departure. The pricing itself is clear and mid range for a Kauai private boat. The value question is not the sticker but the experience behind it: paying a full private rate and then finding more people aboard than you booked, as some reviewers report, is the opposite of value, which is why the service issue weighs on the score. Our cost guide sets the numbers in context, and the shared versus private charter guide is worth reading, since the appeal of a private boat is precisely that it is yours.
The crew
Captain Jude Schwarze, who goes by Captain J, owns the operation and is the reason for its strong reviews, with additional captains, named as Bill, Josh, and Rob across the trail, running some trips. The split in the sentiment is the story. On the water, reviewers praise the captains’ work ethic and knowledge and report good fishing. Off the water, a recurring strand complains about booking and management, the overbooking incident being the sharpest example, where a party booked for four found the boat carrying eight. One complaint is noise, but the pattern recurs often enough to count, and it is the clearest reason this veteran operation ranks at the foot of the field rather than nearer the top.
Booking and what to know
Book direct through the operator’s site. The boat leaves from Port Allen Small Boat Harbor in Eleele, about 40 minutes west of Lihue, so factor the drive from the east or north side. Buy your Hawaii nonresident fishing license online before the trip, since anglers 15 and older now need one. When you book, confirm the trip is private to your group and ask how many will be aboard, given the reviews. Bring sunscreen, a hat, food and drinks, and motion sickness medication if you are unsure of your stomach, since the deep water sits close to the harbor on this side too.
How we scored it
Deep Sea Fishing Kauai scores 7.0, the bottom of the ranked field. Captain and crew at 7.5 reflects Captain Jude’s genuine experience and the strong on the water reviews. Boat at 7.0 is the smaller Blackfin, and trips, value, and track record all at 7.0 a sound, long running private operation. Service and booking at 6.0 is the drag, marked down for the recurring overbooking and crowding complaints that undercut a private charter’s main promise. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric, and compare it with the rest of our Kauai rankings.