Captain Armelio Cabatingan

Fourth-generation Maui fisherman. Commercial and tournament experience. Knowledge earned across generations and years on Maui waters.

Check Availability

Captain Armelio Cabatingan at the helm on open water

Lineage: Fourth-generation Maui fisherman
Experience: Commercial fishing
Record: Tournament results
Home water: Kahului Harbor · North Shore

Fishing runs through the family.

Armelio grew up fishing Maui with his father and grandparents, who fished for a living.

The work, methods, and judgment were learned on the water and carried forward. The photograph in this section records the generations that followed: Captain Armelio, his son, and his grandson with a 110-pound ahi in 2017.

Family line: Father and grandparents fished for a living
Carried forward: Armelio, his son, and his grandson

Captain Armelio, his son, and his grandson with a 110-pound ahi — 2017 · Captain Armelio, his son & grandson · 110-lb ahi

Knowledge built method by method.

Across years of commercial fishing, tournament work, and everyday days on the water, Armelio learned to change the method with the target and conditions.

Explore the fishing archive

01
Trolling

Covering water and reading the day.
02
Bottom fishing

Working depth, structure, and current.
03
Baiting & FADs

Adjusting bait and technique offshore.
04
Jigging

Changing pace when the situation calls for it.
05
Green stick

One method in a much larger working archive.

Three fishermen with a 59.4-pound ono catch in 2008 — 2008 · 59.4-lb ono

2018

Rainbow Runner, open for charter.

On January 28, 2018, Rainbow Runner announced that it was open for charter business from Kahului Harbor.

The same working knowledge now leads one private party through a full day on Maui’s North Shore.

See the private charter

Rainbow Runner in Kahului Harbor beneath pink evening clouds — Rainbow Runner · Kahului Harbor · North Shore

A record built on the water.

2017 Hana Paʻa 1st · 219-lb ahi

2017 Mahi Classic Winning result

2019 Mahi Classic 1st · 33-lb mahi

2020 Hana Paʻa 3rd · 142-lb marlin

View tournament record

Angler seated aboard Rainbow Runner with a marlin catch in 2019 — 2019 · Marlin · Rainbow Runner

Seen from outside the boat.

01

2010 · Michael Andrew

An account of Armelio changing bait and technique at an offshore FAD.

Read the trip account
02

2019 · Columbia Sportswear

Makai: Towards The Ocean connects fishing, family, Maui, and a mahi caught on fly.

Watch the official film

No fixed script for the day.

Conditions, target species, and the guests on board shape the decisions. Armelio brings the range to change course without promising a particular catch.