Five Star Sportfishing Hawaii is the boat we rank first on Oahu, and it earns the spot by doing everything well rather than one thing brilliantly. It is a veteran-owned operation out of Kewalo Basin run by Captain John Troutman, a retired Marine who built the business after moving to Hawaii, on a 38 foot Bertram restored in 2023. It runs both private and shared trips, posts the clearest fish-sharing policy in the harbor, and carries one of the deepest, most consistent review records on the island.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.2 Five Star is a strong choice and the top-ranked operator on our Oahu ranking. Captain and crew and track record are its standout factors: a named owner-captain and crew that reviewers praise for hard work and local knowledge, behind a rating that holds near the top of the scale across hundreds of trips. It is not the biggest or flashiest boat in the fleet, but it is the most complete package, and it is one of the few Oahu charters that is genuinely easy to book whether you want the whole boat or a single seat. Book it for a marlin and tuna troll with a crew that does the basics right.
The boat
Five Star runs the Ruckus, a 38 foot Bertram restored in 2023 with twin Caterpillar diesels and a full set of marlin and tuna tackle. It is a mid-size sportfisher rather than a 50 foot yacht, so six anglers is a working deck, not a roomy one, but the restoration shows and the boat draws strong marks for condition, with the FishingBooker boat-and-equipment score sitting near the top of the port. The fishing setup is the point here: this is a boat rigged to troll the deep water off Honolulu, not a comfort cruiser.
The fishing and what you target
The boat trolls the blue water off Oahu year-round for the island’s pelagic spread: Pacific blue marlin and striped marlin, ahi (yellowfin tuna), mahi mahi, ono (wahoo), and shortbill spearfish in the winter. The deep water sits close to shore here, so a half day is a real shot at a marlin rather than a long ride to the grounds. Reviewers report a high hookup rate, with the operator citing catches on roughly four trips in five, and the crew is upfront about matching the target to the season rather than promising marlin every day.
Trips and prices
Five Star is one of the few top Oahu boats that is straightforward to book either way. A private charter is booked by the whole boat for up to six: $1,250 for a 4 hour half day, $1,500 for a three quarter day, and $1,750 for a full day. Shared seats are sold per person, from $300 for a half day to $400 for a full day, with a four angler minimum to sail, which is the affordable route for a solo angler or a couple. Rods, tackle, gear, and bait are included, no license is needed on the charter, and the $300 deposit is refundable with a day’s notice. Our cost guide sets a private boat against a shared seat, and the party boat versus private charter guide weighs the two formats.
The crew
Captain John Troutman and Captain Chris Rubin carry the score. Across a large and recent body of reviews, the recurring themes are hard work on the troll, patience with first timers and families, and a professional, safety-minded operation, with the captain-and-crew rating sitting at the top of the port. The veteran-owned, no nonsense character comes through in the reviews, and there is no recurring complaint that rises to a pattern, which is rarer than it sounds in a fleet where slow-day gripes are common.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator’s site or FishingBooker. The fish policy is the thing to read before you go: you take home up to 50 pounds of fillet from fish under 100 pounds, and the bigger fish stay with the boat for the auction, which is the Hawaii norm but still surprises visitors. Bring your own food and drinks, since those are not included, and reef-safe sunscreen. Trips leave early, around 6 a.m., so plan an early start.
How we scored it
Five Star scores 8.2: a named veteran owner-captain, a freshly restored and well-rigged boat, both private and shared access, the clearest fish-sharing policy in the harbor, and a deep, consistent review record. Captain and crew and track record are its strongest factors, and there is no real weak spot, just a mid-size deck rather than a big one. See how we scored this boat, and compare it with the rest of the Oahu charters.