Top Catch Charters - Kaikoura.

DISAPPOINTING charter.

WHY? Boat is not made for 5 anglers. really cramped. Only 4 anglers could fish at a time; lines kept getting tangled up.

Was more a winching experience than a fishing experience. The fishing rods and gear were old penn rods and reels. When fishing at 89 metres you would expect that you would have a reel that had at minimum a 6.3 :1 gear ratio not the 1:1 that his rods provided.

No good for women. No fishing belt to help you hold or manage the rods. I came home with bruising all over my tummy, and legs. 2 of the other women anglers gave up and that was only after 1 hour.

We came in early which was a blessing in the end because none of us wanted to be staying in one spot for a 3 hour trip. Wouldn't recommend.

Really disappointed. Felt that this is just a revenue gathering charter as opposed to providing a genuine fishing experience of what kaikoura has to offer and that was what we were looking for. To top off a disappointing trip my husband caught the only blue cod and the skipper took that and the larger of the perch fish home with him. The saving grace was that we took home fish fillets but they were so small that we had to put two fillets into the batter to cook them up.

To improve, this charter really needs to update its fishing rods and reels; provide belts for women; no more than 4 anglers at a time and must go to more than just one fishing spot for a three hour trip.

Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in August 2020