Yelp readers, please learn from my mistake and don't do what I did... I almost always book a vendor who has been rated / reviewed but for our family trip to Homer and the #1 event we had planned, a fishing charter, I thought I could save myself a few bucks and find a guy myself. I found a captain who had a boat and a website and a Facebook page and everything, and I paid in full in advance to reserve a trip with him... And the night before we were supposed to go, he bailed on us with a weak excuse of why he couldn't take us. We had a really set schedule and only the only possible day to go out fishing, so our chance to go fishing was almost ruined. At that late hour, I wasn't even sure I'd be able to reach another charter company, let alone find space for a party of 6 the next day. I am SO, so grateful to Homer Ocean Charters who took my call late in the evening and went above and beyond to be able to find a boat and a captain to take my family out the next day as we had originally planned. Especially Artis (my sincere apologies if I've misspelled that!) in the front office, who was so kind and helpful. Homer ocean charters got us all set up with Captain Brian and deckhand Ben, two of the most genuinely good guys you could ever hope to meet. They took such great care of us, made sure we had a great time, and of course, made sure we caught lots of fish!! Both guys were just incredible with the two kids in our group (ages 11 & 13). We really could not have asked for a better time! Please, please do yourself a favor. Stop looking now, and just book with Homer Ocean Charters. They will truly make your trip!! And whatever you do...DON'T trust a company not rated / reviewed! I never will again! read more

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We recently went out with Homer Ocean Charters on the Bay Explorer (Captain Max), and the experience was far below what we expected, especially compared to their older reviews. The boat felt oversold -- about 20 guests with only two deckhands to assist. That made the trip feel crowded and chaotic, with lines constantly crossing and several people losing fish. Between the long ride out (roughly two hours each way) and the large group size, we ended up with very little actual fishing time, maybe half an hour in total. Nobody in our group was able to hit their limit. Afterward, we tried to share our concerns directly with management, but instead of listening, they argued with us and came across as pretty rude. Overall, the trip felt impersonal and poorly run. For the price and the reputation, we expected much more read more

I think your experience here will largely depend on your captain. We had a very young captain that probably hadn't been a captain for long. He was friendly and amazing at remembering people's names! But he also wasn't great at finding fishing spots. The first few hours we caught nothing. He took us to less popular spots that were shieleded from the weather. But they were less popular spots because...there aren't really any fish there. Finally, he got on the radio and started talking to other captains. The weather wasn't that bad. So then he took us to the more popular spots and...we instantlly started pulling up hallibut! We also paid to get King Salmon and...despite the perserverence and elaborate rigging of the captain and deckhand...we didn't get any. I guess we should've held off on buying a King stamp. This isn't the fault of the captain and deckhand, but it is the fault of the company. They shouldn't have been charging for King charters if no one is cathing Kings yet. read more

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Captain Matt put us on the fish. The deck hands Mariana and both of the two girl deckhands were awesome at making sure we fished and not stand around waiting. Even Matt took the time to put a line out, let it sink to the bottom, and skip it till there was a fish on the hook. We moved several times but it was good because we didn't stay in one spot and not catch fish. Everyone on the boat was able to get their limit of 1over 28" and 1 under. There was a couple guys that caught Pacific Gray Cod. All in all it was a great day. We did have a little sprinkle here and there it most of all it was cloudy and in the mid 50's to 60's. We had one young man that had an upset stomach and lost it a couple times over the rail. read more

I caught the fish of a lifetime with Homer Ocean Charters - 150lb halibut! I will not be forgetting this day anytime soon. Outstanding captain and crew. read more

Very organized, friendly staff. And you'll for sure catch some big fish. My buddy caught a 150 lb halibut

Went on a charter with Dave on the Seahawk and it was awesome. Took us out and limited everyone on the boat out. Totally recommend this experience. Good jokes and epic weather, would definitely do again. read more

Was a good time; we had a group of ten of us and whole trip had good vibes. The captain dave and deckhand with the seahawk was on point with where they took us and kept it fun with their jokes. Once we did the fish dance we were in the honey hole of fish. Great time would highly recommend charter and go again a second time!! read more

The two deckhands were friendly and helpful. The captain was a grinch, yelling at customers at various different times throughout the day. Completely unprofessional. At one point he grabbed my pole out of my hands and asked one of the deckhands to replace it with one that wasn't his personal pole. Why would you have your personal pile mixed with all the other poles for customers' use? If not for the two deckhands offsetting the captain's nasty attitude, this would be a much worse review. The boat was pretty old, but comfortable. It could use a good cleaning and some renovations, especially for what you pay. Having only one other Alaskan fishing charter experience to compare this to, the other was much more pleasant. These guys also do not order your licenses for you. They give you instructions on where to buy them and how to order them online. Needless to say, I will not be back. read more

I hope Homer Ocean charters fires Max (aka Maxi pad which is what we nicknamed the jerk) today, he acts above everyone, fishes his own fish and makes everyone move by yelling at them when he has his personal fish on the line. We were on a 20 + passenger boat with 18 on board fished for 7.5 hours for very small halibut. I've been on charters and halibut takes an hour or 2 with a knowledgeable capitan. We spent more time undoing tangles than we did fishing. I can deal with nursery fish (better eating) when a captain is reasonable with his clients, but I won't ever book with these guys again and hope this review discourages many more. Fishing is Fishing but you treat clients with some respect. I do want to say Kat and Clayton the deck hands, were incredible. read more

Max and his crew were awesome! very knowledgeable and easy going! Everything was simple and taken care of! I would definitely recommend going with HOC! read more

Homer Ocean Charters - Hiking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

The Homer Ocean Charters experience was amazing. All their captains are very experienced and patient with novice fisherman and know the fishing spots for the different species. We booked the King Salmon, Halibut and Rock Fish and got our limits. The captain even slowed down so we could see Orcas, bears near the coast and humpback whales. I would book with this company again. And they even filets your fish! Great service and experience. read more

Homer Ocean Charters - Successful trip! - Hiking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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They put us on a boat that could hold 20+ people (there were 18 people fishing) and had us fishing on top of each other. Lines tangled and crossed frequently and you spent more time getting your line fixed than you did fishing. We even had captain Max fishing over the top of us with a lure and telling us to get out of his way. He was very standoffish and rude when interacting with people. Thank goodness Clayton and Kat were good deckhands and very helpful. They made for good conversions and jokes. read more

This company is very professional, friendly , and organized. We had 11 family members, ages 13 to 77, and everyone had a great day, limiting out on halibut. We also caught cod and even a small shark. On the way back to the dock, we stopped for some awe-inspiring whale watching. A great way to cap the a delightful experience! All of this took place On a well- maintained boat with a comfortable cabin. The crew was exceptionally friendly and supportive. read more

We walked in and were able to reserve a spot for kayaking the next day. We ended up with a windy day so our host gave us the option to cancel with no penalty or scout for a spot to kayak. We opted to go for it. Joel and Rochelle were pros, had back up plans in case we ran into something unexpected and made it very safe. They both gave us history and lessons in birds and wildlife. They were fun, friendly and professional. Wow are we tired today! read more

Homer Ocean Charters - Sea kayaking - Hiking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

Fished with captain Clay and Jordan. Both were awesome and I would not hesitate to go with them again. The boat limited out on rock fish and cap'n made sure everyone reeled in a king salmon. read more

Look no further....go fishing with homer ocean charters! My husband and I went out for halibut with captain Billy, Doug, and Chris and had the best time! These guys worked so hard to make sure that everyone had a safe, fun, and productive trip! Our boat included quite a diverse group including young kids and other inexperienced fishermen and everyone came home with their limit. The guys were patient and positive and did all they could to ensure that we were all fishing as much as possible despite the occasional tangled line or stolen bait. Besides being great hosts on an absolutely perfect day I was also thoroughly impressed by their commitment to sustainable fishing. I'm sure there are many guys out there willing to cut corners and compromise the rules but not these guys! read more

Homer Ocean Charters - The biggest catch on our boat weighed in ~80 pounds! - Hiking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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Amazing experience!! We went with Nick and Aidan who were very helpful, friendly, and led us to all the best spots. We all caught our limit of halibut and salmon. Can't wait to eat em!! The boat was comfortable enough for all 8 of us who went. Thanks again for a GREAT TIME! read more

We had a GREAT trip with Captain Nick. Caught tons of fish, Salmon and Halibut. The crew was patient and helpful with our group. We had experienced and non experienced people with us but the crew was awesome in helping and teaching when needed. Caught our limits of King and Silver Salmon, and Halibut. We will definitely fish with Captain Nick again. read more

Homer Ocean Charters - Caught our limit of King and Silver Salmon - Hiking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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Super accommodating, captain and deck hands rocked! The entire boat caught their limit. highly recommend!

Captain Travis and his deckhand Deb did an excellent job getting us on the fish and made sure we had our limit!

Went on the sea hawk, it was great trip. The captain and crew were very friendly and knowledgeable. They knew exactly where to take us to catch what we were after. Seen lots of whales and porpoises. The fishing was the best fishing experience I had ever had on a charter service. Highly recommend and will return and it will be the only charter service I will use. I have been on many charters and these guys are the most skilled I have seen in their line of business. read more

Amazing staff, booked hiking in the state park, fishing trip, and kayak trip in otter cove. Highly recommend for any outings while you are in Homer. read more

If you are a smoker and like throwing your cigarette butts in the ocean then this is the charter company for you. I mean, seriously, throwing cigarette butts in the water while the crew just turns a blind eye is ridiculous! As far as the fishing goes it was ok. Much more boat riding than fishing but a couple of people caught some big fish. I wouldn't choose this company again. read more

Great place for fishing charters. Janine and Tyler did a great job finding fish. Everyone we dealt with here was very nice and helpful.

OK Yelpers, here's the real deal. We needed our trip to Alaska to be awesome for my family of 4. We have had good and bad experiences with fishing charters over the years being long time Alaskans - but we went 'all in' with Homer Ocean Charters by booking two fishing charters (halibut one day and salmon/rockfish day following) as we currently live in Texas. Net of it is this: if you want to catch fish, create life long memories with family/loved ones, rely on boat captains that *know their shit* and consistently put you on the fish, this is your charter company. Look no further. You won't do any better than Homer Ocean Charters. Book them, pay the money, you won't regret it. read more

Homer Ocean Charters - Hiking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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If yah want a nice half day of Halibut fishing on big boats, Homer Ocean is your best bet. The Bay explorer is there main boat for Halibut Charters, I have floated on it a few times. The crew was amicable and helpful, but Captain needs a shave, he is hairy. Fishing is easy. Pro tip, if the fishing is slow KEEP your first halibut. You may not see another. However most times when I have gone everybody catches their limit. DON'T forget your derby ticket! read more

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The staff was so helpful and friendly. We hit our limit on a morning charter. My wife is afraid of touching fish and bait so this was great for her since they do that for you! read more

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My husband and I went on a halibut/salmon combo trip 8/12/2016 and we had such a good time with Captain Harvey and his deckhand Ed. We were fishing over 10 hours! Everyone on our 6-pack boat caught a large halibut and some rock fish, then we switched tactics to fish for salmon. We didn't catch any salmon but it wasn't for lack of trying on the crew's behalf- they were tireless in their quest. We were content enjoying the views in the most beautiful coves with otters everywhere, whales breaching and we were so lucky that day- the ocean was like glass. I highly recommend Homer Ocean Charters, total professionals, We couldn't have asked for a more competent and polite captain and crew. read more

Great day out with Cap'n Charlie and First Mate Travis. Weather couldn't have been better and the boat was well outfitted. The crew was super helpful and dedicated to making sure everyone had a great time. Charlie went the extra mile with our kids. And Travis hustled to help everyone and keep the gear and boat in order. They were friendly and fun. And super knowledgable! An unhurried trip that resulted in everyone catching plenty of halibut. Highlights included the huge haul of under appreciated dog sharks, the epic halibut that ended the day in release, catching a STARFISH!, and the glorious clear views! Don't forget you have to bring your own food and drinks on board. We could have used more water. And make the most of your shipmates! They can be annoying or funny - your choice! We would highly recommend this outfit. And buy your Derby tickets to support local businesses! read more

I used Homer ocean charters to get over to Glacier spit for an overnight backpack trip. The main office service was thorough and friendly and were able to accommodate a 1 p.m. pickup the following day. Because of the tides, we had to be picked up from Saddle cove opposed to glacier spit, but it worked out perfectly, as we were able to see more of the Kachemak bay area. The boat left promptly on time and the pickup was perfectly on time (if not a few minutes early). Alex was our captain and he was super laid back and friendly. His mom joined him on the pickup and me and my boyfriend sat inside and chatted with them all the way back. It was a great experience for us! would definitely recommend them to anyone. read more

Excellent crew- great with our kids. Very patient with us to ensure that we got what we paid for! Absolutely recommend and would go back again! read more

Awesome! We were looking for a short tour around the bay and they were so flexible in scheduling. Alex took us out for 2 hours and it was amazing. He is so incredibly knowledgable - teaching us about the mountains, glaciers, different bays, birds and sea life. We were expecting just a drive around for the beauty and got much more. If you do it and can get him - take a tour with Alex! read more

Good people, Our Captain Tim made sure we had a good time and did everything to make sure we caught our fish

On July 30,2020 five of us booked a four day fishing trip on the Outer Limits at $3,400 per day.,which included the boat, captain, deck hand support sleeping accommodations and all meals. If you like to do everything yourself, net fish, untangle lines , bait your own hooks & cut bait etc, that is good because it seemed that when you needed the deckhand he was no where to be found or when he was there he acted very lethargic.You need to bring your own food and drinks as they ran out of almost everything for lunch & breakfast (no hot food) Dinner was what you caught-- very minimal food at that.The captain & his 15 year old son/deckhand barely spoke to you or showed any enthusiasm to why you were there (fishing). Yes you will catch some fish but the captain seems to only know the spots to catch smaller fish as the largest Halibut we caught was approx 35lbs, pretty poor for Homer Alaska. On the last day that we were paying $3,400 for, the Captain took us back to a spot to catch more Salmon, I asked him if we could catch rock fish as we had enough Salmon, he ignored this request & we caught over our limit but didn't find out why until we docked & saw two large bags of filleted Salmon marked CREW. So in other words we fished the last morning for the Captain & his son & we paid $3,400 to do that. We have all fished for years in Alaska but this trip was unacceptable/ trip from hell & none of us will likely ever return to Homer Alaska. We can't comment on the other crews at this company, I'm sure they are very good but this boat/Captain & son ruined are fishing trip. We would encourage you not to consider booking the Outer Limits with the captain & his son, total waste of time & a lot of money. read more

This is the worst charter that I have ever been on. The boat was nice , but the extension cords running across the walk way where not safe. The crew did not have the rods and reels ready to use , no excuse it was a 2 hr run to get to the common fishing hole. We had boats fishing right next to us . Ya that's why I came to fish Alaska to fish with the crowd. The crew made us keep tiny fish just so we would get our limit fast, I couldn't figure this out , until the Captain kept a salmon I caught told him I had my limit of silvers and I want it released . He said no the crew needs fish and he tossed it in the crews container, he just made me a poacher I am over my limit. The Captain of all people . I had to wait for a fishing pole all the time , here's the best we figured it out the Captain and crew are commercial fishing on our money. At one point only the crew could fish not any customers . What's wrong with this picture .The crew had one of there friends fishing free I over heard them talking. The only good thing is you can always book a trip with them , whys that? I read some reviews and knew better but I went They where the only ones who had an opening that day, now I know why. They have signs posted if you loose a rod there is a 250 fee , the poles are K Mart specials . Not the point but chicken s... . I hope AFAG read this review DO NOT USE THEM read more

Could halibut fishing have been any easier or comfortable? No! It was a great half day trip going halibut fishing. It was approx $120 a person to go on the tour (there were 4 in my group) and $20 for the day license per person. Upon getting on the boat, we were ushered into an inside seating area which was quite comfortable. We rode out about 1.5 hours on relatively smooth water. We then fished in multiple locations, basically followed the fish. The two deckhands couldn't have been nicer! The captain was a little gruff, but his job is to get you around safely and find fish. No one had a hard time catching their maximum of 2 fish. People were actually throwing fish back in that seemed to small. The deckhands/captain will also help you reel in your fish if it is difficult for you. After fishing for approx 2 hours, we had an hour long boat ride back. During this time, they filleted the fish for us. Once you step off the boat, there is someone to take your fish to vacuum pack your fish, freeze and ship. We didn't have to ever touch the fish, even to unhook. Each of us took 2 bonine and did not get sick. no one else got sick either. Wear warm clothes!! Couldn't have had a better time. Very highly recommended! read more