Boom Boom Sportfishing is the boat to know on Oahu’s west side. While most of the island’s charters work out of Kewalo Basin in Honolulu, Boom Boom runs the Boom Boom II, a 50 foot luxury sportfisher, out of Waianae Boat Harbor, the harbor closest to the deep water where the marlin and tuna run. The boat is tournament-grade and the captain has fished since childhood, which makes it a serious option for a marlin day. A mixed service record is what keeps it in the lower half of our ranked field.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.2 Boom Boom is a strong choice and the seventh-ranked operator on the Oahu ranking, the only west-side boat we place. Boat and equipment and trips and access are its strengths: a big, well-rigged sportfisher and the shortest run to the marlin grounds on the island, with both private and shared trips. What holds it back is value and transparency and a bimodal track record. Prices land before a 4.7 percent tax and a 20 percent gratuity, the shared rate differs between the operator’s own pages, and the reviews include sharp negatives alongside the praise. Book it for the boat and the west-side access, with eyes open on the extras.
The boat
The Boom Boom II is a 50 foot sportfisher with a 16 foot beam, air conditioned, with three cabins, two heads, a full galley, and a Murray Brothers fighting chair under a tuna tower. It is built and rigged for big-game fishing, with a tournament day win in its history, and it is one of the more capable and comfortable hulls in the Oahu fleet. For a long day in the chair chasing marlin, the boat is a real asset, and it is the clearest reason to make the drive to Waianae.
The fishing and what you target
Waianae’s advantage is the water. The deep grounds sit close to the west side, so the boat trolls for striped and black marlin, ahi (yellowfin tuna), mahi mahi, ono (wahoo), and shortbill spearfish in the winter with less of a run than the Honolulu boats. The captain, Tony Brown, has fished these waters his whole life, and the operation’s pitch is simple, that it catches fish. For a serious marlin angler willing to drive across the island, the location is the draw.
Trips and prices
Private trips are by the boat for up to six: $1,000 for 4 hours, $1,150 for 6, $1,300 for 8, and $2,100 for 12. Shared seats run per person, from $275 for 4 hours to $350 for 8, with a four angler minimum. Two things to watch. The prices are quoted before Hawaii’s 4.7 percent general excise tax and a customary 20 percent gratuity, which one reviewer flagged as steep on top of the charter, so the real total is higher than the headline. And the shared rate differs between the operator’s own homepage and its shared-charter page, so confirm the number for your trip. There is a 10 percent discount for military, kamaaina, and repeat guests. The cost guide and the party boat versus private charter guide help you weigh the options.
The crew
Captain Tony Brown and his crew draw praise for being friendly, informative, and welcoming, with a strong following among military and local repeat guests. The honest counterweight is that the record is mixed: alongside the good reviews sits a strand of sharply negative ones, and the pressure around the 20 percent gratuity on an already taxed bill comes up more than once. The fishing competence is not the issue; the consistency of the experience and the cost transparency are, which is where the captain and crew and track record scores land.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator’s site. Budget for the tax and the 20 percent gratuity on top of the rate, and confirm the shared price, given the inconsistency. Waianae is about 45 minutes from Waikiki, so plan the drive and an early start. The fish policy is a capped share, up to 15 pounds of fillet on a private trip and 3 pounds per person shared, so know what you can take home.
How we scored it
Boom Boom scores 7.2: a big, tournament-grade boat and the shortest run to the marlin grounds on the island, with both private and shared trips. Boat and equipment and trips and access are its strengths. Value and transparency and track record are the weak factors, on tax and gratuity stacked over the rate, an inconsistent shared price, and a mixed review record. See how we scored this boat, and compare it with the rest of the Oahu charters.