A Faster Way to Book the Emma Nalani

The new GoFishKauai.com is live. Nothing about the actual operation has changed; Gina is still running daily charters on the Emma Nalani out of Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor, with the same 6:00 AM push-off every morning. What’s new is how you get on board. Gina answers the phone directly at 808-652-4556 and will walk you through anything you need.

Emma Nalani Go Fish Kauai

Kauai's Only Woman-Owned Sport Fishing Charter (And the Only Boat on the Island That Lets You Bring the Dog)

Gina took over ownership of Kai Bear Sport Fishing Kauai in 2014 and, in the years since, rebranded the operation as Go Fish Kauai, Inc. She is the only woman-owned sport fishing charter owner-operator on the island of Kauai, and she is also the only captain on the entire island who lets guests bring a dog on board. Every trip on the Emma Nalani is pet-friendly, so the whole ohana is welcome on the water, including the four-legged members of the family.
Every booking goes straight through Gina — by phone, email, or in person at the harbor — and she runs each trip personally with her crew on the same boat every day. Pricing is transparent with no hidden fees, and weather cancellations are never charged to the guest.

Meet the Emma Nalani

The Emma Nalani is a 41-foot, 17-ton Bertram 38 Convertible III Sport Fisher, USCG-licensed as a six-pack charter — the Coast Guard term for a licensed six-passenger sport fishing boat, and the legal maximum in Hawaiian waters. Only 331 of these hulls were ever built, between 1978 and 1987.

  • On board:
  • Twin turbo diesel engines and a 22-degree deep-vee hull built for trade-wind chop
  • 16-foot shaded flybridge with seating for six
  • Large indoor cabin and an indoor flushing bathroom
  • Spacious back deck with a 109 square foot working cockpit
  • Professional big game fighting chair, mounted and rigged for trophy marlin
  • Blue Water rods and Penn International Gold 2-speed reels, maintained to tournament standard

Because Kauai’s shelf drops a thousand feet a quarter mile from shore, the Emma Nalani is on the offshore ledges within ten minutes of leaving the slip.

Four Trip Lengths on the Emma Nalani

Every charter departs at 6:00 AM from Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor with a 5:30 AM check-in, runs on the Emma Nalani with six guests max, and includes fishing tackle, bait, gear, large coolers, ice, and bottled water. You bring food and drinks for the day.
  • Half-Day — 4 hours. $950 private, or $190 per person shared.
  • Three-Quarter-Day — 6 hours. $1,225 private, or $270 per person shared.
  • Full-Day — 8 hours. $1,575 private, up to six guests.
  • Custom 10 or 12-Hour — from $2,000 private. Call Gina to book.

Compare all four trips side by side here. A private charter is usually the better deal for groups of three or more, while a shared seat makes more sense for couples and solo anglers (four-guest minimum required to launch a shared trip).

What You're Fishing For

The Emma Nalani is rigged for Kauai’s offshore sport fishing, with target species including:

Pacific Blue Marlin and Striped Marlin

Ahi (yellowfin tuna)

Mahi Mahi (dorado) — year-round, peaks March through August

Ono (wahoo)

Aku (skipjack tuna)

A full breakdown of what’s biting and when is on the Kauai fish species guide.

Website Built by GoFish.Rocks

The new GoFishKauai.com and the online booking system behind it were built by GoFish.Rocks, a team that designs websites and reservation software specifically for sport fishing charters. Any other charter operators reading this who are tired of fighting their own website or paying a percentage of every booking to a reservation platform should take a look at what GoFish.Rocks is doing ,they’re the team that built ours.

Book Your Trip on the Emma Nalani

The tagline on the boat has always been “Fast. Exciting. Unforgettable.” — and the goal of the new site is to make getting onto one of those trips just as quick.
  • There are three ways to book:
  • Book online through the reservation system on any trip page
  • Call Gina directly at 808-652-4556 (the fastest option for same-week bookings)
  • Reach out through the contact page for detailed inquiries or anything that needs a conversation

The dock address is Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor, 2494 Niumalu Rd, Lihue, HI 96766.

Mahalo, and welcome aboard the Emma Nalani.