Archives: Testimonials
Journey.
We booked a half-day afternoon fishing charter on the Swell Chaser. Booking was easy and communication was great. We were in town for a family reunion over the Christmas holiday and didn’t have high expectations for that time of year, but we wanted to get out on the water anyway. Capt. Hale texted me and let me know that they had better success in the morning the day before, so we showed up a couple hours earlier and were rewarded for our efforts. We landed yellowtail and rockfish and were able to leave the dock with fish taco and ceviche ingredients for the rest of our vacation. We had three adults and three teenagers on the boat and we all had a blast! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Coletta Sportfishing to anyone planning to be in the San Diego area that wants to have a great time on the water. We’ll definitely be back!
Sharon P.
What a great experience! I booked this trip as an anniversary surprise for my husband and it did not disappoint! I relied 100% on the feedback and reviews from other clients since I am no expert when it comes to fishing. Our captain, Nick and deck hand, Matt were awesome! They had us on fish quickly and made decisions to move when the timing seemed right. We only did a half day trip so they made sure we only spent time where the fishing was hot! This was my first deep sea fishing experience and they were both so patient with me. My husband was able to enjoy some great fishing and I learned a lot in a short time. These guys truly care about giving you a memorable experience and all attention was on us. The whole process was really seamless – from pre-booking questions to after the trip pictures, this group definitely pays close attention to detail and ensure their clients are well taken care of. Worth every penny spent and look forward to another trip with them in the future. Thanks Coletta! You guys rock!
John J.
What a fantastic day we had with Coletta Sport Fishing. Capt. Jon and First Mate Hale clearly wanted to give us a satisfying fishing adventure, but with Military personnel onboard, we were reluctant to hit Mexican waters. Undaunted, the Crew worked their tails off to find fish! They were constantly scanning with binoculars, seeking intel from their well-developed stash of seafaring cronies, and reading the fish finder gizmos on this well-equipped vessel. Again and again we stopped at the kelp beds that litter the coastline and hit fish! It only got better on the way in when we found a school of hungry Yellow Tail. The crew truly enjoys what they do! We stayed out an additional hour and a half as we doubled our morning take and filled the bag. True fishermen, Brian and Hale couldn’t find it in themselves to quit when the catching was so good! Should you be interested in a kid-friendly boat, it was noteworthy that no F-Bombs we heard the whole day; the crew was not opposed to helping bait hooks and untangle little mess ups; and, fist-bumps and photos abounded. What a memorable time we had! Thank you Chris, Jon, and Hale! Oh, did I mention, 35 Pound Yellow Tail!!!
John A.
Looking for a top rated charter for my son-in law’s birthday and his first fish. Didn’t want to chance another party boat which we have already tried with no luck and lots of tangled lines. After fishing all over the mainland US and Hawaii for 50+ years I recently moved to San Diego so I wanted to find someone interested in repeat business as well. Coletta ratings were very good, reviews were as well. I called and left a message for Chris before booking, he called me back within 10 minutes and asked me all kinds of questions about my fishing experience and expectations, not just about my credit card numbers. He set us up for a 3/4 day local on the Wanu with Capt. Hale and mate Nick. Hale and Nick both grew up locally, were impressive in their fishing knowledge and fun to fish with. As soon as we would reach a spot they both worked to setup our lines and kept us engaged with tips, tricks and local info. We were on fish on the first drift! Over the course of the day we caught 21 rockfish + Mako and had a heck of a time! We are already planning for an off-shore trip. Chris & his team lived up to the “top rated” reviews, book early!
Nora D.
We chartered a 1/2 day trip Saturday the 30th, and it was amazing. Captain Chris made easy arrangements and John and Hale ran the boat. We worked pretty hard for rockfish, but my son made everyone’s day by hauling in a 30 pound yellowtail! The kids had a blast on the way in by throwing the remaining live bait to the swarms of pelicans and gulls! Couldn’t have been better.
Michael W.
Had an awesome afternoon fishing with Hale and Chuck. It was nonstop action particularly with calico bass with an added challenge of competing with a harbor seal :). We learned a lot about using live bait, casting and reeling techniques and the different kinds of fish we caught and had a really great time. True professionals and down to earth so I highly recommend these guys to anyone looking for a charter. We’ll be booking again for sure.
Tom.
ooked a half-day charter for May 25 for myself, son and his friend. Cap’n Chris and first mate Chuck were great. We hooked up some small/medium-sized rock fish despite windy conditions. Then anchored nearer shore for some sea bass angling. I was happy they were so helpful with us novices, explaining gear and technique. We made a nice little haul-enough for a few fish fry’s. Thanks, Coletta Sport Fishing!
Jason C.
I reached out to Chris at Coletta Sport Fishing to see what trips he might have available on short notice and what fish may be running. Chris was very personable, offered me some times of open and recently rescheduled trips and described the conditions. He said we could fish for rock fish and other bottom dwellers, or Tuna was running, a little further out, no guarantee to catch one (nor did I expect a guarantee), but the better target for real fishing was the Tuna. My son and I showed up for the morning for a 1/2 day trip, The Captain Brian, told us the same thing, and off we went for Tuna off San Diego. About 1 hour out with Brian’s watchful eye and binoculars he spotted a school/swarm of Tuna, and with their help we got hooks in the water quickly and nailed a small yellow fin. Then they moved away, we kept on their trail, by the end of the 1/2 day we had caught 8 Tuna, 7, blue fin, one yellow fin, over 200 pounds of fish. It was a great time. Excellent service, and I highly recommend Coleta and Chris
Vinne A.
We had a blast with Coletta Sportfishing! We caught 35 Rockfish during our 1/2 day trip! Captain Hale & Nick were awesome and extremely helpful with our young kids. They were unbelievably fast at getting poles back in the water after each catch. We plan on coming back next year for sure!
Melissa M.
My husband, in his early 30s, had never caught a fish before so for his birthday I set up a trip with Coletta fishing. We are local to San Diego and, although we’ve been on the water plenty of times, we’ve never been fishing! We had such a blast with Captain Jon and Hale. It felt more like hanging out with friends and fishing, which we really liked. They were both super helpful and patient with us newbies and even offered to take us back for some bay fishing after we both started feeling a bit seasick. Captain Chris was super communicative and very helpful during the scheduling and up to the trip. I look forward to setting up another trip with them in the future (this time with dramamine)! Thanks again!