Call us biased, but we love Maui.  Plenty of sunshine, teal waters, sky high sea cliffs, coastline as far as the eye can see and lots of delicious game fish.  And to confirm our opinion, the US News and World Report recently ranked Maui #4 in the top 16 “best adventure vacations in the USA.”

The report mentions Maui’s “plethora of heart-pounding options from sea kayaking to mule riding.”  Well if ever there was a can’t miss, heart pounding adventure on Maui it’s deep sea fishing with Start Me Up!

Whether you’re an avid fisherman (or woman), a novice or a family of four, we have a Maui fishing trip to suit your needs.  Just be prepared for when those fish start biting!  Typically here in Lahaina we catch Pacific blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi and ono.  These fish are constantly swimming and are caught by trolling (or trailing the fishing line behind the boat) Maui’s vast waters.  We’ve caught some amazing fish this summer including an 884-pound blue marlin and seven other marlin weighing over 500-pounds each.  When that happens we make a $300 donation to a local charity and give the lucky angler his/her trip for free.  We also caught the largest striped marlin in Lahaina this year at 138-pounds (shown above).  So what are you waiting for?  Book your trip with Start Me Up today and stop wishin’ and go fishin’!  We promise you’ll have more fun than riding a mule.

By the way, Maui was also ranked #1 for the best beaches in the U.S. in case you need to relax after hunting for the fish of a lifetime.

Over the past year, Adam Daniels of Oklahoma has fished with Start Me Up Sport Fishing 18 times! Talk about some serious dedication and passion for Maui fishing! Adam – along with his wife Tracy – first fished with Start Me Up in September of 2010 and has been “hooked” ever since.

On his most recent trip to Maui Adam decided to “mark” his biggest catch and one that he’s most proud of – a 137-pound blue marlin. For many anglers, catching an elusive blue marlin is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“I had to go out 16 times before I caught her, but it was worth it,” remembers Adam. “You have to be willing to put the time and work in.” While we agree with Adam, a little bit of luck doesn’t hurt either.

After all that fishing, Adam “relaxed” for nearly four hours at Mid-Pacific Tattoo in Lahaina last week for a more permanent memory of his big catch. Shop owner Tommy Tingle helped Adam design the marlin that now adorns his left calf – a definite conversation piece.

In between fishing trips, Start Me Up Captain Tim “Timster” Putnam stopped by Mid-Pacific to check on his friend’s progress. Timster had the pleasure of meeting the Daniels last September and has been their captain every time since – developing a relationship far beyond Maui’s fishing.

“They’re just great people,” said Timster.

Adam and Tracy are already planning their next trip to Maui in a few months and of course, their next fishing trip. We wonder how Adam will mark his next big catch…

Planning a Maui fishing trip?  Every day we hear about the “morning myth” from people looking to book a trip with us.  An avid fisher or not, you’ve heard the story before– that the only way to catch a fish is to hop on a boat during prime sleeping hours.  Yes, we offer 2:30 a.m. fishing trips that will cause you to get up before the sun, but if you’re not a morning person don’t sweat it – the fish will still be there in the afternoon (keep breathing, we’re serious).

If you want to get technical, you can begin studying the solar and lunar influences to determine when the best time to fish is, or you can constantly monitor the weather and water temperature of the Pacific Ocean.  Our suggestion though is to put your trust in the captains and deckhands who have been fishing Maui’s waters for decades.

In fact, our fishing has been red hot…in the afternoon!  In June alone, Start Me Up reeled in six blue marlins each weighing over 500-pounds, which means free trips for the anglers and $300 donations to local charities.  Guess when we caught all of those massive fish?  Yep, in the afternoon.

What’s also nice about taking an afternoon Maui fishing trip is having the morning fishermen do the work for you.  For example, if the fishing was hot in a certain area earlier in the morning, you can immediately head in that direction saving you time and possibly, frustration (due to another myth of thinking fish just jump in the boat all day long).

Now don’t get us wrong – we’re not saying morning fishing isn’t worth it.  Many fishermen love hitting the water before all of the activity begins and enjoy the peace and quiet under the stars.  But if you are trying to wake the kids at two in the morning, book an afternoon trip instead.  Didn’t you ever hear the story that crying scares the fish away?

A special thanks to Lisa Berkshire for allowing us to use her beautiful artwork – you can check out more of her work at www.lisaberkshire.co.uk.

If you ask the locals of Lahaina who Warren Keiley is, they probably will shake their heads not ever hearing of him.  But ask the locals of Lahaina who Deli is and they’ll smile and tell you to head over to Slip 12 at the harbor – that’s where you can find the man they call Deli.

Deli – a.k.a. Warren Keiley – has been living “on island” since 1982 and working for Start Me Up since 2007. His story begins, however, in Gloucester, Massachusetts where he began fishing in Stellwagon Bank – a much different place than the Hawaiian Islands.

“My real introduction to fishing was from 1975 – 1981 in Massachusetts,” recalls Deli. “But I had an older brother working as a farmer in Hawaii so I decided to follow him.”

In 1984, Deli’s landed his first job in Hawaii at Maalaea Harbor - about 20 minutes from Lahaina – working on a snorkel boat making deli sandwiches. Hence, his nickname “Deli” was born.  Even while making sandwiches, Deli kept his eyes on the water and ended up making his biggest catch on that snorkel boat – a 712-pound blue marlin. That was about the time Deli stopped making deli sandwiches and began a 10-year fishing career on three different boats.   He’s since fished on all of the Hawaiian Islands and in some of the most renowned sport fishing tournaments including the World Cup, the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT), the Firecracker Open and the Lahaina Jackpot.

Cool story, right? Well, Deli’s story takes a turn as he then started an 8-year career in real estate.

“Even though I thought I could do something else, the draw was still there,” he explains.  “I became a weekend warrior – someone who fishes only on the weekends.”

But as you may have guessed, you can take the fisherman out of the water, but you can’t take the passion out of the fisherman.  So Deli returned home – to the water, the boats and the game fish of Hawaii - and hasn’t looked back since. 

His favorite fishing memory?  Independence Day 2008.  While out on a six-hour trip he tagged and released two marlin – 275 and 700 pounds – while boating a 551-pound marlin.

You can now find Deli inside Start Me Up’s harbor booth doing what he does best – talking about fishing and encouraging both families and pros to embark on a Maui fishing trip.

“All of my experience for the last 25 years is in Hawaii,” said Deli. “The best place for me is in this booth talking about fishing and sharing my local knowledge.” 

He’s also passed on that knowledge to his oldest son Jonny – who now works as a deckhand for the Start Me Up family.

Talk about a great fish story.  In the month of June alone, Lahaina-based Start Me Up Sport Fishing reeled in six marlin that each weighed over 500 pounds.  Good news for the anglers who get their trips for free, but also for six local charities.

“We may not see this much activity for years to come,” said Doug Armfield, owner of Start Me Up.  “Some of my guys may not catch a marlin over 500 pounds for a very long time so June was definitely a fantastic month – both for the anglers and all of the crew.  Plus, as is customary when a marlin over 500 pounds is caught, we give the angler his/her trip for free and make a $300 donation to a local charity.  In this case, we donated to six great charities in June.”

Jarod Koldeway of Denver caught the first and biggest of the marlins – 647 pounds – on June 2 with Captain Tim “Timster” Putnam and deckhand Chris Kiser.  A donation was made to the Maui Humane Society as a result.

“I thought I had caught a sunken ship or something,” joked Koldeway. “Then I thought maybe the guys tied the marlin on (to the back of the boat) before we left as a nice gesture to a tourist.”

The very next day 13-year-old Zack Martin of Illinois reeled in a 576-pound blue marlin with the help of Captain Mike Tappero and deckhand Ryan Thomas.  Martin’s entire family was aboard to celebrate the big catch.  Start Me Up made a donation to the Maui Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Less than two weeks later on June 15 Michael Grayson of Arkansas caught his first marlin weighing in at 592-pounds again with the help of Putnam and Kiser.  Women Helping Women – a Maui non-profit dedicated to ending domestic violence among women and children – was the recipient of a $300 donation.

Grayson’s father Jim was possibly even more excited than his son about the enormous fish.

“The adrenaline rush when you’re dealing with a fish that size is incredible,” exclaimed Jim. “It’s three hours later and the adrenaline is still pumping through me.

On June 23 it was Bud Hamrick’s turn.  The Virginia native caught a 548-pounder that resulted in a donation to the Boo Boo Zoo (also known as the East Maui Animal Refuge Center) in Haiku.

“The trip was definitely one of the best family outings ever,” said Hamrick.

Less than 24 hours later, Terry Hoffman of Washington brought in a 552-pound marlin with Captain Denny Putnam and deckhand Randy Evans.  The donation went to the West Maui Senior Center.

Not to be outdone, Lucas Lange of Missouri landed a 621-pound blue marlin during an afternoon trip on June 30 with Captain Steve Cravens and deckhand Chris Gifford.  A donation was made to the Maui Chapter of the Boys and Girls Club.

And if those fish weren’t enough, Start Me Up also tagged and released a half dozen other marlin each weighing over 100 pounds.  And just for good measure the company reeled in the largest striped marlin caught on Maui this year – weighing 138 pounds – on June 16.

“This is why people love to fish,” said Armfield. “Most of these people probably will never have the experience again, but it’s one that is nearly unforgettable.  And these experiences are what make the Start Me Up crew hit the water every day with enthusiasm – you never know what’s going to bite the other end of your line.”