Captain Jack Leverone has been fishing the Kona coastline since before he could properly say the word “fish.” He and his friends would go on fishing missions in their 12’ Livingston, on the hunt for pelagic fish. Around age 10 Jack was promoted to first mate on his dad’s charter boat, a 31’ Bertram known as the Sea Strike, when he became more of a help than a nuisance. His dad, Captain Dale Leverone, is known for catching a 1,166 pound blue marlin on 50-pound test in 1993 aboard his vessel Sea Strike during the HIVT.

In 2014 Jack made his mark with his first record catch, landing a 547-pound Thresher shark off the Kona coast to secure the IGFA junior record. Over the 12 years since, Captain Jack has built his reputation by crewing alongside some of Kona’s most respected fishing legends, including Captain Gene Vanderhoek, and beginning in 2021 Captain Steve Epstein, aboard Huntress. His experience also extends beyond Hawaii, with seasons spent fishing the Great Barrier Reef in 2017 and 2022, and Cape Verde in 2019.

In 2023, Captain Steve “Stymie” Epstein passed the helm over to the capable hands of Captain Jack. In his second tournament season as captain, Jack and his crew won 1st place in two Hawaii tournaments and placed in others.