United States
Hawaii (HI)
Island of Hawaii
Kailua-Kona
Things to Do in Kailua-Kona
TOPSHAPE Kona Sports Fishing
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TOPSHAPE Kona Sports Fishing

See all things to do
See all things to do
TOPSHAPE Kona Sports Fishing
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About
Imagine a day on a luxurious 43' Cabo trolling the world-famous fishing grounds of Kona, Hawaii with Owner/Operator, Captain Al Gustavson. Our immaculately maintained 43' Cabo is an epitome of luxury gamefishing in Hawaii. With an air conditioned salon, Wi-Fi, master stateroom, shower and state-of-the-art amenities, TOPSHAPE is one of the most comfortable fishing charters you will ever experience. Captain Al Gustavson, the owner and operator of TOPSHAPE, has been fishing the waters off the Kona coast for over 25 years. So, whether you're seeking an elusive grander (1000+ lb billfish) or are looking to catch some of the Ahl (tuna), Mahi Mahi (dolphinfish), Ono (wahoo) or other gamefish in Hawaii, TOPSHAPE fishing is where it's at.
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
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Travelers' Choice
2022
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TOPSHAPE Kona Sports Fishing
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(54 reviews)
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
522 reviews
Excellent
518
Very good
2
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
SN
4 contributions
Best day on the TopShape!!
Mar 2023 • Couples
Best day on Kona waters with TopShape!! Beautiful Boat!! Captain Al and John were fabulous, very skilled in their jobs!! We caught a Mahi on a windy day when no other boats brought in a fish! That says so much!!
Written March 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Customer S
Kailua-Kona, HI13 contributions
Wonderful boat and crew! Couldn't have asked for more
Feb 2023
We charted TOPSHAPE for a 3/4 day charter at the end of February 2023. While we didn't catch any fish, we had one Marlin strike.

Our goal was to have a nice day with family, and the crew and TOPSHAPE boat made for a wonderful morning and early afternoon on the water. One thing the boat has, which very few do, is a Sea Keeper gyrotonic stabilizer, which made for an incredibly smooth ride, even though it was a bit choppy on the water. If you're prone to seasickness, this is probably the best boat in the Kona fleet.

Some of the other high points of the boat; are the air-conditioned cabin, lots of shade, a head, and a lot of high-tech fish-locating electronics, and all of this is spotless.

The crew, Capt. Al, John, and Noah were a delight to be with for six hours on the water. Very professional, yet approachable, and just an overall nice group of people.

So, no fish, but I still give it five stars for the experience.
Written March 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dan O
1 contribution
Best crew, boat, and fishing experience we have had!
Feb 2023
We have been on many different fishing charters out of Kona looking for the perfect one and we FINALLY found it in the Top Shape with Captain Al and First Mate John. The boat is immaculate with a large interior cabin, clean restroom, galley with refrigeration, A/C, and a stabilization system to reduce motion -- which makes the trip incredibly comfortable and safe for family members and provides a great place to relax out of the sun or rain. The tackle and gear were first class. But what makes Top Shape the best is Captain Al, John and (newbie) Noah--these guys are very friendly, responsive, helpful, and made us feel welcome. We have been on other charters where the crew treated us like "dumb tourists" or acted as though they didn't really want to be there. So it was a refreshing change to have the Top Shape crew who were excited, engaged, and took the time to show us the ropes. They are extremely experienced and know the waters well, which paid off when we landed a 450 lb blue marlin (tagged and released). One tip -- do the full day, it's worth the extra time and cost and significantly increases the likelihood of a hookup. Overall A+++ for the Top Shape -- we will be back!
Written February 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Fiona B
wellington5 contributions
Best of the best. They know these waters
Jan 2023 • Couples
The pandemic put a hold on my quest to catch a world record spearfish on 8kg (16lb) tackle, so I was delighted to be back on Topshape again in January 2023 with Capt. Al and Mate/Capt. John in Kona. These guys are a superb team and over the years have become firm friends. Over 4 days on the water we tangled with 2 big blue marlin, tagged and released 3 spearfish and kept a nice mahimahi for dinner – all on light tackle. They supply amazing gear and are really first rate in their approach. Another great trip and I can’t wait to be back again in 2024 for another chance at that record. Al and John are totally committed to helping me achieve that goal. Fantastic to be back on board again guys!
Written February 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ben B
9 contributions
Doesn't get any better!
Jan 2023
Cant's ask for a better fishing experience! Captain Al and first mate John have been doing this a long time and it shows. Both are very personable and are very good at explaining the fishing process and what to expect when you get a bite. They have a beautiful boat that they put a lot of love into, and the gyro is pretty impressive. We were fortunate enough to land a 500+ pound beautiful blue marlin which was quite the experience. Fish or no fish it was an incredible day on the water with two great people who love what they do. Can't say enough good things. 5+ star charter. Will be fishing with them again next year!
Written January 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Scott S
1 contribution
Excellent Charter Excursion!
Jan 2023
All my son and I can say is "Wow"! TopShape Fishing is a first-class charter operation. Captain Al and first mate John are very professional and personable. They welcome you aboard with open arms and did a great job communicating what their plan of action was for the day. This wasn't just another fishing trip where some charters just go through the motions to collect their payment. Captain Al was very active looking for bird and surface activity while monitoring his electronics to find the bait that predator fish follow. Once he found the bait, we trolled and were lucky enough to fight and land a 550-600 female blue marlin! This was a fish of a lifetime! This was our only fish of the day, but we were grateful! It's called fishing, not catching! Luck happened to be on our side on January 18, 2023. Even if we didn't land a fish, I would still give 5-stars as Al and John treated us like family and worked relentlessly to get fish under our lures and the boat is 1st class and very clean. Overall, we were very pleased.
Written January 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Middleofiowa
Santa Rosa Beach, FL9 contributions
Trip you dream about
Jan 2023
Captain Al and first mate John run a first class operation. They have a beautiful boat that that was immaculate and well organized. Everything about the trip was as described. They explained everything in detail before we left the dock and things went very smoothly. Not many marlin were caught that day but our boat was one of them.
It was the trip of a life time.
Written January 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Rick S
36 contributions
Excellent charter operator with a beautiful boat!!
Jan 2023 • Friends
Captain Al is fantastic and and first mate John really know their stuff. Great time had by all of us. Will definitely fish with these guys when we get back to Kona!!
Written January 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Gabrielle W
1 contribution
Fun Day on the Water
Jan 2023 • Friends
Captain Al donated the trip we were on to help raise money for breast cancer awareness. We had a wonderful time. The captain and his crew made us comfortable and made sure to get us out where the fish were jumping. The boat was so nice. We felt like we were on a yacht!
Written January 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Shannon R
Island of Hawaii, HI3 contributions
Great Day on The Water
Dec 2022 • Couples
We had the best time on our fishing trip! John and Captain Al welcome you on the boat, tell you all about the island, and most importantly help you catch that fish! Couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Written December 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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TOPSHAPE Kona Sports Fishing (Kailua-Kona) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go