Extreme Sportfishing is a straightforward, fish first private boat out of Nawiliwili, a classic 35 foot Bertram run by Captain Harry, who has more than 25 years on Kauai’s waters. It posts its prices, lets you keep your catch, and does the basics well, which is most of what a private charter needs to do. The trade offs are plain: the hull is an old, slow one, and the review rating, while solid, sits a notch below the island’s leaders.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.1 Extreme is a strong choice and the sixth boat we rank on Kauai. It clears the bar on a veteran captain, posted prices, and a keep your catch policy, but it does not have the comfort of Imua or Apex, the value flexibility of Breakaway, or the depth of record of Makai and Captain Don’s. Book it for a no frills private day with an experienced captain at a fair price, when you do not need a cabin or the newest boat. The full field is on our Kauai rankings.
The boat
The Extreme is a 35 foot Bertram, a classic Pacific offshore hull rigged for fishing with outriggers, a fighting chair, and a head aboard. It is a proven boat, but an old one, built in 1976, and a slow one, so the run to the grounds takes longer than on the newer diesels in the harbor. There is no air conditioned cabin. None of that stops it fishing well on Kauai, where the deep water is close, but it does mean you book this boat for the captain and the price rather than for comfort. The honest read is a workboat that catches fish, not a ride you choose for the amenities.
The fishing and what you target
Extreme fishes the Nawiliwili grounds for the full Kauai spread: blue, striped, and black marlin, ahi and bigeye tuna, aku, mahi mahi, and ono on the troll. Captain Harry, a Puerto Rico native with more than 25 years fishing Kauai, is the asset, and the reviews credit him with knowing the water and running a good trip. The catch tracks the season here as it does for every boat, building through the summer for ahi and holding much of the year for mahi mahi and ono, and the crew fishes what is in front of them.
Trips and prices
Extreme is private only, sold by the whole boat for up to six anglers, with posted rates: $825 for a 4 hour half day, $1,225 for a 6 hour three quarter day, and $1,600 for a full 8 hour day. Rods, reels, tackle, and catch cleaning are included, and free cancellation applies with three days notice. You keep your catch, with Captain Harry using ethical discretion on what is harvested, which is a fair policy and a point in the boat’s favor against those that keep the bigger fish. The Hawaii nonresident license is the main extra. The price is mid range for a Kauai private boat and fair for what you get. Our cost guide sets it in context, and the shared versus private charter guide compares a whole boat against a shared seat, which Extreme does not offer.
The crew
Captain Harry runs the boat, and the reviews, 90 of them at a 4.6 average, describe a capable, friendly trip and a captain who puts in the work. That rating is solid, but it is the lowest among the boats we rank on Kauai, and the trail is more workmanlike than glowing, which is part of why Extreme sits where it does. There is no recurring red flag in the reviews, just a steady, unspectacular record from a veteran operation, which is a fair thing to book and an honest thing to rank in the lower half.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator’s FishingBooker listing, which carries the posted rates and the free cancellation. The boat leaves from Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor in Lihue, close to the airport. Buy your Hawaii nonresident fishing license online before the trip, since anglers 15 and older now need one and the boat does not supply it. Bring sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, food and drinks, a light layer for the run, and motion sickness medication if you are prone to it, since there is no cabin and the older hull rides a bit more in a chop.
How we scored it
Extreme scores 7.1, sixth on Kauai. Captain and crew at 7.5 reflects a 25 year veteran captain, and value at 7.0 a fair, posted price with a keep your catch policy. Boat and equipment at 7.0 is the old, slow hull with no cabin, and trips, track record, and service all at 7.0 a solid but unspectacular private only operation with the lowest rating in the ranked field. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric, and compare it with the rest of our Kauai rankings.