Humdinger Sportfishing carries the deepest billfish pedigree and the largest review base in Kona. It is a classic 37 foot Rybovich, a tournament rigged hull first built in 1958 and kept in beautiful order, run by Captain Jeff Fay and his son, Captain Brett, out of Honokohau Harbor. Jeff Fay is one of the most decorated marlin captains on the coast, the boat is a genuine tag and release operation that asks anglers to let the billfish go, and it holds one of the biggest, most positive review records in the port. For a serious, conservation minded marlin day in Kona, it is a benchmark.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.9 Humdinger is third in the Kona ranking, a strong choice and the veteran’s pick, a hair behind the co leaders Skillet and Hooked Up. Its case is the captain and the record: a deep billfish reputation, a real tag and release ethic, and the largest, most consistent review base in Kona. Two honest trades hold it where it is. It is marlin first, so an angler who wants a bottom or reef day or who counts a trip by meat in the cooler can come away disappointed on a slow billfish day, a note that turns up plainly in its reviews. And the boat, beautiful as it is, is a 1958 hull rather than a modern sportfisher like the 40 foot Hooked Up or the 43 foot Fire Hatt. For a shared seat, look to Bite Me, High Noon, or Camelot. Compare the field on the Kona ranking.
The boat
The Humdinger is a 37 foot Rybovich, hull number 33, built in 1958 by the famous Florida yard and rigged for big game off Hawaii with a full electronics suite and Fin-Nor and Penn International tackle. A Rybovich of that vintage is a piece of sportfishing history, and this one is kept in show condition, but it is honest to say it is a classic rather than a current boat, so it does not have the deck space or the modern comforts of the larger hulls in the fleet. It fishes up to six anglers as an exclusive charter, never shared, so the boat is yours for the day.
The fishing and what you target
Humdinger is a billfish boat first, and Kona is the place for it. Blue marlin are caught year round in the deep water off the coast, biggest from June into September, and the winter brings striped marlin and the prized shortbill spearfish, one of the few fisheries in the world for them. Ahi (yellowfin tuna), ono (wahoo), and mahi mahi fill out the spread through the seasons. The defining thing here is the release ethic: the operation states it strongly encourages releasing all marlin, tags and releases its billfish, and lets you keep the edible fish within the size rules. That makes it a clear choice for an angler who wants to fish for the thrill and the conservation rather than the kill, and a poor fit for one whose day is measured only in fillets.
Trips and prices
Humdinger books exclusive private charters only, one price for the whole boat for up to six, booked direct through its own site rather than a marketplace. A 4 hour half day runs about $824 to $849, with a web special as low as $699, a 6 hour trip $949 to $974, and an 8 or 10 hour day $1,185 to $1,485, as of June 2026. Read the fine print: those figures are before Hawaii’s 4.712% general excise tax, a 3% harbor tax, and a 3% processing fee, so the total runs roughly ten percent higher, and gratuities are extra. All the tackle and bait, ice, and fish cleaning are included, and a GoPro rental is offered. Our cost guide puts a Kona day in context, and the party boat versus private charter guide weighs an exclusive boat against a share boat seat.
The crew
Captain Jeff Fay is the reason to book, a captain with one of the longest and most decorated billfish careers in Kona, and the operation cites a deep tournament and world record history. His son, Captain Brett, runs many of the trips now, and the reviews single out Brett and the crew by name for knowledge, hard work, and a clean, professional boat. The review base is the largest in the port, several hundred across TripAdvisor with award badges through 2024, plus a strong Facebook and Yelp record, and it skews very positive. The recurring honest note, the one weakness the reviews surface, is the flip side of the boat’s strength: it is marlin focused, so a guest expecting guaranteed meat fish or a variety day can feel let down when the billfish are slow.
Booking and what to know
Book direct through the operator’s site, early for the summer marlin season and the winter billfish run. Bring sunscreen, a hat, a light jacket, and food. The tackle, bait, ice, and cleaning are covered, and gratuity is extra. Hawaii now requires nonresident visitors 15 and older to hold a state marine fishing license, in effect since 2024, so check with the boat on how it handles that, and set your expectations for a release first billfish day.
How we scored it
Humdinger earns its 7.9 on a standout veteran captain, a real tag and release ethic, and the largest, most positive review base in Kona, held just behind the co leaders by a classic rather than modern boat and a marlin first focus that does not suit every angler. Captain and crew and track record are its strongest factors. See how we scored this boat and the Kona ranking for the field.