Anyone have experience with Homer Fishing Charters?

[TeeBuccs]

Looking for a recommended charter company who is reliable and good for a fishing adventure in Homer. Any recommendations are welcomed!

[fti]

Hopefully greatam will reply. She is our resident expert on Homer. She will probably give you her opinion on bear watching from Homer.

 

Glad that you scheduled your bear watching for the first day in Homer since it can often get postponed/canceled due to weather. That would give you a second chance the next day in case of cancellation the first day.

[TeeBuccs]

I am seeking information on fishing charters - there appears to be so many to chose from in Homer - it's overwhelming to know who is best to go with...

[steimey]

We are just back and went with Rainbow Tours 6am, 1/2 day trip. The half day trip only goes out for 1&1/2 hours as opposed to the whole day, which goes out 3 hours( and 3 hours back). Our boat was mostly locals getting their catch of Halibut for the year. You will probably not get a record fish on the 1/2 day trip but you should get two Halibut each (the limit.) We were also informed from the locals that the 25 lb. halibut are the best tasting. The largest fish caught was 55 lbs. We shipped our hailbut home and cannot wait to start cooking it.

The trip is $95- 6am and 12:30pm. Warm cabin. However, we had a beautiful sun shining day.

[vfb2girls]

We are booked with Diamond Cape Charters, this was on the recommendation of one of our friends who use to live in ND but moved to Homer 15 years ago. He works in a sporting goods store that sells the equipment to all the commercial fisherman so we are taking his advice.

[lthomas]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=373887&highlight=homer

 

 

this is information that Greatam gave me regarding fishing. Hope the link works.

[greatam]

Looking for a recommended charter company who is reliable and good for a fishing adventure in Homer. Any recommendations are welcomed!

 

Pretty darn expensive compared to others. Are you fishing for halbut or salmon???

 

The best day trip, IMHO, is on the MV Jackpot. Best crew, best boat, great prices. Nice warm cabin to relax or sit and read if you catch your limit early. Can be booked on the Spit at the office of Rainbow tours. Only a 1/2 day trip, but you will catch your limit (2). Be sure you have your fishing license. Can be purchased online for convenience. http://www.rainbowtours.net/Webpages/Halibut.html

 

The VERY best of all the fishing trips, IMHO, is the double limit overnighter. Saves you a day of hotel, too. Double the fish for less than double the money. And 1/2 the time of two days fishing. http://www.alaskacoastalmarine.com/overnight_fishing_trips.htm

 

The full day trips out of Homer are VERY tiring. The boats go a LOOONG way out searching for trophy halibut. If that is what you are after, fine. But most of the boats that do the full day tours are relatively small, not much for comfort and you can only get 2 halibut per day anyway. As someone posted earlier, the "chicken" halibut are the best eating-weight range 25-40#.

 

If you want to go salmon fishing, let me know and I will post some info.

[vfb2girls]

We will be fishing both salmon and halibut all day fishing trips. I agree that a full day of fishing can really tired one out, I am only do one day of fishing while the others are doing four. I just hope to at least catch something besides "crap" for my poor fishing skills.:cool:

[diverearl]

We will be fishing both salmon and halibut all day fishing trips. I agree that a full day of fishing can really tired one out, I am only do one day of fishing while the others are doing four. I just hope to at least catch something besides "crap" for my poor fishing skills.:cool:

 

I can guarantee you will catch a limit ( 2 per day ) of Halibut (it isn't if - it is how big and how many can you reel up a day). And there will also be plenty of King & Silver Salmon around the middle of June. We will also be fishing three days on a boat while in Homer and also bank fishing on the Spit for flounder and King Salmon. We arrive in Homer Monday June 11th - 16th. Maybe we will run into you guys on the Spit at the Coal Point Trading Co. or at the Salty Dawg Saloon or maybe at the Roadhouse ( a horn and antler art business).

[greatam]

And there will also be plenty of King & Silver Salmon around the middle of June.

 

No silvers until early/mid August. The reds MAY have started into the Kenai by then, but they are later in Homer (late June). The Kings in Homer are hatchery fish (can't remember the exact term DH uses).

 

If you want trophy Kings, go up north towards Soldotna and north. Fish either the Kenai or the Russian. The Russian will be wall to wall people on the banks. You will need a boat for good fishing on the Kenai. DH leaves next Friday for the first of his THREE fishing forays this year. Every year, it's just ONE more trip. I think we should just move up there for the summer. Beats the heat in Missouri or Arizona.

 

Enjoy Homer!!!

[usavvy2]

last August 2006 we used Rainbow tours for 1/2 day trip. As mentioned by others previously, it doesn't go out as far so the halibut aren't as big but they sure are good. Everyone aboard caught their limit with no problem. (See pix.) DH really enjoyed the 1/2 day and didn't feel like he was on a "head boat" as he does when he books a party boat at the Jersey Shore. Highly recommended! Now go fish.

 

We'll be back for the RED salmon run in Kenai this summer (last summer we went for the silvers - aka coho; two summers before that it was kings).

 

GO FISH!

[TeeBuccs]

Great information, very helpful. Now I can sink my teeth in and really get this thing planned ahead of time!