Captain: Russell Tanaka
Russell Tanaka, whose talents many captains' worldwide aspire to attain, is the heart and soul of Magic Sport Fishing. At the young age of 9, he caught his very first Blue Marlin and ten years later began running his own boat, called The Mary I (Mary "Eye"). In 1995 Russell moved on to the Charter industry, becoming Captain of the Magic, which would soon become the best kept secret in Hawaii fishing. Year after year Capt. Russell has maintained and upgraded her to his most prestigious standards, uncomparable to any other fishing vessel offered on Oahu.
Capt. Russell goes beyond the industry standards, performing meticulously and to his best ability every single trip. His methodical attention to every detail, is reflected by a quiet disposition, Magic’s beauty and performance, our diligent crew, right down to the gear we use. With eyes constantly scanning the seas for signs of fish, he holds a 90-95% catch rate. Every daily ritual before, during, and after a fishing trip serves a purpose.. to produce fish. You will not find a smarter, harder working Captain or crew anywhere in the Sport Fishing world. There's no "cutting corners" here with Magic. Need proof? Read on.
Captain Russel Tanaka has had:
The most Yellowfin Tuna weighing over 100 lbs every year, since 1981
The most Blue/Striped Marlin since 1996
The most fish weighing 100+ lbs every year, since 1991
The most fish weighing over 1,000 lbs (1,174/1,106/1,032 lbs.)
Twelve days with 10+ Yellowfin Tuna weighing over 100 lbs.
The most Yellowfin Tuna caught in a day, on three occasions (14, 16, and 17 Tuna)
The most Mahimahi (Dorado) in one day (147)
The most Blue Marlin in a day (7)
In two consecutive days, Magic brought in 6 Blue Marlin; [2] 538 & 425 lbs then [4] from 180 - 287 lbs!
He holds the distinction of being the only Captain in two different tournaments whose fish weighed in at over 1,000 lbs!
"The largest Blue Marlin in the 1982 Pokai Bay Fishing Tournament, weighing 1,032 lbs."
"The largest Blue Marlin in the 1997 Lahaina Jackpot Tournament, weighing 1,106 lbs." This fish was also the largest Blue Marlin to be weighed in a tournament where two other fish were brought in that same day, at over 1,100 lbs!
No matter the day, no matter the season.. Capt. Russell will seek out whatever fish are in the area. All those achievements and numbers are by no means the only ones accredited to him. Being a humble man in this business, you would be hard-pressed to learn them from him. He is fully aware of his capabilites and doesn't feel the need to elaborate. What he will do is give his best efforts on every trip, even if it means staying out a bit later. So we hope you won't make any dinner plans or have a flight to catch, because he will not cut off any fish.
Here at Magic, we recommend our Full Day trips. In fact, Capt. Russell believes even 8 hours of fishing just isn't long enough. Exclusive Charters take precedence over other trips, and anything shorter than a Full Day may be moved to another date or placed on one of few boats we work with in the same harbor. "Why?", you ask. The answer simply is, he feels that if you're going to pay for his time and experience, it had better be time enough to for your best chance at catching fish. It doesn't make sense to spend 4-6 hours travelling and chasing trophy fish.
So much more could be written about Capt. Russell's experience at sea. The best way to find out more is to get your reservation in and ask him personally.