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…

In a mere 40-minutes, friends John Phillips and John Tyrrell of Florida reeled in an 884-pound blue marlin marking the largest blue marlin caught in Lahaina this year.

“I’ve caught my first blue marlin,” said Tyrell who has been on many sport fishing charters in Florida.  His seven-year-old son Reese joined him on this trip.

“This is actually my first deep sea fishing trip,” said Phillips.  “It is just an unbelievable experience.”  Daughter Carter also shared in the exhilarating experience, which was made possible by Captain Denny Putnam of Start Me Up Sport Fishing.

Even more unbelievable, the marlin bit two lures surprising even deckhand Randy Evans.

“This doesn’t happen often,” said Evans.  “The marlin bit the first lure – a nine-inch junior purple softhead – then jumped up and over the line to bite the second lure – a nine-inch disco ball. 

The marlin was caught about four miles outside of Lahaina Harbor during a four-hour afternoon fishing trip debunking the myth that morning is the best time to fish in Maui.

“Everything about this catch is remarkable,” said Doug Armfield, owner of Start Me Up Sport Fishing.  “I always tell my customers that they don’t have to wake up at 2 A.M. to catch the fish of a lifetime.”

Start Me Up also makes a $300 donation to a local charity whenever a marlin over 500-pounds is caught.  In honor of this catch a donation will be made to the Maui chapter of the American Cancer Society.”

“We chose the American Cancer Society because nearly everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer,” said Armfield.  “In fact, the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 4,700 people in the Hawaiian Islands will be diagnosed with cancer, so donations are very important.”

Start Me Up Sport Fishing is the largest sport fishing company in Lahaina Harbor on the island of Maui. Combined, the captains and crew have more than 10 decades of experience fishing in Hawaii and around the world frequently catching marlin, mahi mai, ono, spearfish and aku.  You can follow the company on Facebook, Twitter and BD Outdoors.

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.

We’ve got a banana ban going on people, and it’s in effect in waters all over the world.  Who’s to blame for the insanity? Fishermen – both those from thousands of years ago and those that just hopped aboard yesterday.

Haven’t heard about it yet?  Book a Maui sport fishing trip – or anywhere else for that matter – and you’ll be warned: no bananas allowed on board. Yes, we get many a puzzled look when we tell people they can’t bring bananas or banana-themed items aboard (going as far as Banana Boat sunscreen).  Some laugh thinking we’re fooling the tourists, but this is serious business.

There are a variety of stories about how the “no bananas” rule came about, but the one we hear most often in Maui goes something like this: in preparation for a long trip at sea, fishermen would pack a variety of food and fruits  - including bananas - in their boats (then typically made of wood).  However, after weeks passed, the bananas would rot thus causing the other food to rot as well.  Without food, the fishermen starved and ultimately died.  Of course, what other explanation could there be besides the bananas?

Not convinced?  Well, other stories say that bananas attracted a variety of unwanted pests including spiders, mice, flies and snakes that also caused destruction and death aboard the old, rickety boats.  The ultimate cause? Duh. Bananas.

And last but certainly not least, leave a banana peel on deck and you’re setting yourself up for a hard fall (and a lot of laughs).

All joking aside, this strange superstition is abided by throughout Hawaii and respected by nearly all captains and deckhands of Maui fishing boats. Each has his own version of the legend and each his own rules for how far he’ll go to respect the legend.  Don’t believe us? Book a trip with us and pack bananas – they’re not the only thing that will go overboard.  Just kidding!  Or are we?

3ADK7R8MJWUV