Kona fishing charters with Captains Robert and Cyndee Hudson
All successful Hawaii fishing charters start with the Captain. The fish are plentiful in and around Kona, but catching them requires experience. Robert and Cyndee Hudson are the owners of Camelot Sportfishing, and co-captains of the Camelot. Combined, these two Hawaii fishing experts have over 50 years of fishing experience, 30 of which was spent fishing the Kona Coast.
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For the Hudson family, fishing is a family business. Cyndee’s dad was a fishing boat captain, and their son, Christopher, earned his captain’s license in 2014. As a family, the Hudson’s have won countless sportfishing tournaments in Hawaii. This is important because the ability to win tournaments means the captain knows where to find, and how to catch, the biggest fish in the water on any given day, under any conditions.
Captain Robert and Captain Cyndee consistently rank in the top-five trophy fish catchers on the Kona Coast. They put guests on big fish and get them in the boat. They take great pride in their success and it’s just one of the reasons why Camelot has so much repeat business.
When you fish with us, you always have a chance of catching a true Hawaiian monster. Our biggest catch weighed more than 1,000 pounds, and there are more Leviathans out there waiting to be caught. Best of all, we cater to every level of experience. If you’re new to offshore big game sportfishing, Captain Robert and Captain Cyndee will take time to teach you everything you need to know to land those huge Kona fish.
Our goal on every one of our Kona fishing charters is to make sure our guests have an incredible experience on the water and take home a picture they can’t wait to show their family and friends. We realize there are lot of ways to spend your hard-earned money when vacationing in the islands, so we make sure that you get every penny’s worth on your Camelot Hawaii fishing charter.
Want to find the best Kona fishing charter? Always pay attention to the boat
When you’re spending money to go on a fishing charter, you’re primary concern is catching fish. One of the best ways to ascertain whether a captain is truly capable is to look at their boat. Quality captains own and operate quality boats. End of story.
Think about it: A captain is a person in command of a ship. If a captain’s ship is old and run down, messy, or under-powered, how does that reflect on them? Can you trust a captain with anything less than an exceptional vessel?
We gave our vessel the name, Camelot, which is fitting since it’s the king of the Kona Coast. It’s a 34-foot state-of-the-art pleasure craft fully outfitted for fishing success and customer comfort. With plenty of power to deal with any water conditions and enough room to make sure everyone has plenty of space to fight the big ones, the Camelot is truly something special.
The Camelot also features clean restrooms, a refrigerator, an on-board cell phone, and plenty of room to kick back and rest or even lay down for a nap. We also go to great lengths to make sure the Camelot is kept in pristine condition so that you enjoy every second of your Kona fishing charter.
Safety is also a primary consideration on every charter. The boat is kept clutter-free and tidy, minimizing the risk of an accident. The boat is equipped with life jackets and all of the gear needed to prevent an unexpected mishap from turning into a disaster. When you’re tethered to a fish weighing hundreds of pounds by nothing more than a hook and thin strand of fishing line, there are always risks that must be acknowledged. Our experience helps minimize these risks to ensure you go home just as healthy as you were when you boarded the fishing boat, although your muscles will probably be a little sore.
Always remember these words of advice: When you’re looking for the best fishing captain, always take a look at their boat.
Kona, Hawaii and our proud billfish history
It was in 1954 when news of a blue marlin weighing over 1,000 pounds was caught off the Kona Coast. Since then, Kona waters have become legendary for massive billfish, producing more IGFA blue marlin records than anywhere else in the world. Two or three blue marlin weighing more than 1,000 pounds are caught every year, and we can claim one of these amazing lifetime catches for ourselves.
Kona is considered one of the best places for novices to catch large billfish. One of the main reasons is because we catch big billfish near the shore, where waters are far calmer than offshore. Another reason is because we catch billfish throughout the year, so you have a shot at a trophy no matter when you choose to take your vacation. Because the prime fishing grounds are so close to shore, guests on shorter charters are often able to catch big billfish. In fact, fish between 500 and 900 pounds are caught every single week throughout the year.
Blue marlin made Kona famous, but we routinely catch other billfish like black marlin, striped marlin, sailfish, broadbill swordfish, and shortbill spearfish. This means you can catch every species of Pacific billfish right here in Kona, and it’s not uncommon to catch multiple species on a single Kona fishing charter.
Regardless, blue marlin are the “big show” here in Kona, and with good reason. Runs are good at any time of the year because of the currents that run near the coast. These currents bring in big billfish during times of the year when other locations are struggling to find success. Keep in mind that Kona’s all time record was a 1,649 blue marlin caught in 1984 because the next world record could be caught at any time. It may even be you.
We catch striped marlin throughout the year, but the best time is from December through March when we get multiple hookups on many of our Hawaii fishing charters. This is also the best time of year to catch shortbill spearfish, which some of our guests target with fly fishing gear.
Black marlin are far less common, but some big ones have been caught off the Kona Coast. The biggest black marlin caught in Kona weighed 1,205 pounds, and a 678 pound fish was caught just a handful of years ago.
If you’re a novice hoping to catch your first billfish, or a seasoned pro hoping to land a trophy fish or beat your personal best, we are more than happy to cater to your requests. Simply tell us what you hope to accomplish on your fishing charter, and we will go out of our way to make it happen. Certain times of the year can be quite busy, especially in August when Kona hosts the International Billfish Tournament, so reserve your spot today and put your fishing skills to the test.