Disappointing and Overpriced Halibut Charter Experience Our…read moreexperience was poor to average. We are a family of four with two girls, ages 11 and 14, and this charter was not a good fit for us this past August, 2025. We were surprised to learn that guides were not allowed to help reel in the fish until they could actually see it at the water line. When fishing for halibut, the line is dropped over 300 feet with a two-pound weight to reach the bottom. Between the weight, the depth, and the rocky waves, it was nearly impossible for our daughters--and admittedly myself--to reel in a fish without assistance. For the price we paid, and after several conversations with the owner before booking, we were disappointed this was never explained upfront. It would have been helpful to know this charter was not ideal for families with kids or teens. We were also frustrated by the lack of basic amenities. The toilet on board was broken, leaving only a bucket with no toilet paper as the option. For almost $2,000, this felt unacceptable. No bottled water or beverages were provided, and the only snack was a single granola bar for a five-hour trip. For a premium charter, this fell far short of expectations. Another disappointment was with the fish processing. We paid the owner in advance for our three fish to be filleted and shipped home, only to be asked again for our credit card later to cover separate shipping charges. This was never made clear and felt misleading. Lastly, we did not catch our limit, and both the guide and captain repeatedly mentioned that a large fishing competition had just taken place in the area over the previous three days. Their exact words were: "It's not good fishing today, it's been way overfished the last few days and it will take about two weeks to get the halibut back to this area." It left us questioning why guests were still being booked at full price when conditions were known to be poor. In the end, we spent a lot of money for what turned out to be an average experience, with limited access to fish and very little in the way of customer service.

Great customer service - Adam and Andrew are true professionals that will guide you in the best…read morepossible direction for fishing and whale watching. Adam is responsive, trustworthy and despite it not being the best time for fishing we came away with a great experience and memories to last a lifetime.

Steve was absolutely fantastic!! My family and I were visiting Juneau by way of a cruise, and…read moreJuneau was our first stop. What a first stop it was! From the very first moment, Steve was extremely professional, knowledgeable, and hospitable. He started off the tour talking about Juneau's history and giving us an origin story of the Alaskan Native Indian population known as the Tlingit. Once we got to the docks, the true wonderment began. On our way out to the heart of Auke Bay, Steve continued with information about the local wildlife population, sharing fun facts about humpback whales, harbor seals, bald eagles, and more. The highlight of the trip had to be the humpback whale breaches. We got very lucky - there must have been 10-15 separate full-body jumps out of the water! Our presence was graced with several playful whale calves, many of them performing chin straps (a term I had never heard before ) and several full-body breaches. Thanks again Steve for helping make our trip to Alaska so special. I would strongly recommend his tours to anyone looking for something special to do in Juneau!

This was the best excursion we had all week when on our cruise in May. Captain Steve was so nice,…read moreaccommodating, and knowledgeable. We saw so many humpbacks and orcas and learned a lot about them. We saw several starfish when boarding the boat, and many Stellar Sea Lions. This was a small boat with a total of 6 on the excursion. So much better than large excursions. Captain Steve also stopped by Mendenhall Glacier for a few minutes before heading back to our ship. He told us a lot about the area and the natives of the area. I thoroughly enjoyed our day!

OMG, not cheap, but beyond worth it…read more Where to start. We booked this with PCL as an excursion while in Alaska. Tamara was our shuttle driver to & from the pier. Friendly, outgoing, w/ lots of knowledge of the area. She made the ride to & from the Yacht seem like it was shorter than it was. Jen (our captain) & Katie (naturalist) were wonderful. These ladies know how to make a trip enjoyable. Was almost like family outing. Although the whale spotting started off slow, it really picked up in the 2nd half. I had the best time, even though on this adventure I was the only Man. 2 Ladies, 1 Lady and her Daughter, and then my Wife and I. Would do this tour again in a heartbeat, and if I could request these two bonus points for sure. The boat has own restroom, drinks provided, and a couple charcuterie boards made for an enjoyable time on water. Highly recommend, and a hidden gem for sure. Enjoyed it so much I am still talking about it to all my coworkers. You have to do this...

What a wonderful adventure! We loved every moment of this tour. Intimate, personal and the ladies…read moredid such a wonderful job telling us all sort of facts. No doubt they are all passionate about their job! Would definitely do again!

Wow Juneau Whale Tours small local company. Absolutely the Best…read moreTJ, Alan and Andrew were professional respectful and funny! This tour is a must! Saw 12-15 whales during the tour. They not only put us on whales but were informative and entertaining. I would highly recommend. Boat was 20 max passengers and very safe and stable. You can walk around the boat for better views! Absolutely super. Thank you JWT!

Oh my Gosh if you're in Juneau take this tour if you want to see whales! We saw multiple whales…read morebreach and some came so close to the boat that even our naturalist was in shock. My camera was zoomed in so much that I didn't take any great photos do to them being so close when they breached. Use this company. I will use them again when in Juneau.

Capt. John and deckhand Dylan were sensational. They truly made our time together memorable. Both…read morelive and grew up in the area. John knew how to find the fish and Dylan was quick and dexterous with the gear

We had a crew of 4 and were taken out by Captain John and deckhand Dylan for a half day salmon…read moretrip. Captain John was there to greet us at the dock and was very friendly and welcoming. We went out on the Hi Time boat a 30' which had plenty of room for fishing and warmth inside. We made it out to the fishing area within 15 minutes and had 4 rods in the water right away. The fishing was a little slow as we saw other boats not bringing in fish either and whales had entered the fishing area. While it was amazing to see whales, they do not help fishing. About halfway through the day my son hooked into a nice fish that was a great fight! He ended up landing a 30" King salmon, the biggest fish of his life! I caught a smaller chum salmon but was still fun to catch! My mother and father in law didn't get a chance to fish as we had no other bites. Dylan was working hard and being helpful to make the trip enjoyable and fun for everyone. He's a good kid and his family should be proud. He even let my son try fresh salmon eggs and salmon heart which he loved! Overall it was a great fishing trip and an experience that my son will never forget! If we're ever back in the area, I'll definitely book another trip! Thank you Captain John and Dylan!

Peter is the best photographer tour guide! He is kind, knowledgeable, patient with kids, friendly,…read moreand great at creating interesting photos and sharing his tips. We're so thankful to have worked with him on Juneau. We went to a bunch of memorable places, including a retreat area with bald eagles and salmon, mendenhall glacier, salmon research area, and a relaxing break at a local favorite fish and chips place. Peter picked us up near juneau cruise dock, super convenient.

Thank you Peter so much for an amazing adventure/tour! First time in Alaska, on a helicopter ride,…read moreand on/under a glacier. Peter has a huge wealth of knowledge finding, navigating, and exploring ice caves. Peter was able to give myself and a few others a truly tailored experience which gave us an opportunity to photograph on/under the ice for close to 8 hrs. If given the opportunity I would definitely do this tour again!

Captain Shelby's charter service is excellent! Our skipper, Captain Tony, and her crew ensured our…read moreexperience was the best it could be. Besides limiting out with halibut, we limited on rockfish and caught a few good sized cod.

Captain Shelby is the best in Juneau. She actually won the awards several times…read more She knows the sea, loves her job and ensures clients satisfaction. Effort on the boat, is second to none. Great deckhands too! Kara Tradition 3 years going, blessings for the 4th. You will turn this charter into a yearly tradition too

What am amazing accommodating group. They nailed everything from flight changes to a Christmas…read morelight tour. Highly recommend.

We took a 2 hour tour last week with Mike. He arrived in a Lincoln Town Car punctually. He was very…read morepersonable and knowledgeable. He took us to several places including the old mine area, the Mendenhall Glacier and throughout town with historical sights. He was very flexible and his car was immaculate with water bottles waiting for us. It was a great way to see a snapshot of Juneau if you don't have much time. We totally recommend this company and driver.

From booking to the drive back to town, perfect! Quite an adventure to ride in a float plane and…read moreland in the water, to seeing bears catch fish approx. 100yards away! All the employees we dealt with at Wild Coast were super knowledgeable, friendly and lots of fun!

I had such an amazing time with Wild Coast Excursions at Waterfall Creek. As soon as we got off the…read morefloatplane and walked around the corner -- there was a bear right at the waterfall! It was truly one of the coolest and most unforgettable experiences I've ever had with brown bears. I felt completely safe the entire time, and it was absolutely incredible to watch these majestic animals in their natural habitat. Watching them fish was surprisingly fast, sometimes even hilarious! Wild Coast made the whole experience feel both thrilling and respectful to the wildlife. Wild Coast Excursions is the best opportunity to see bears in Juneau and probably Alaska! I cannot wait to go again and check out Pack Creek next time -- already dreaming of it! Don't miss this if you're in Juneau -- it's pure magic.

Captain Adrienne and her Deck hand Marlin led us on an epic fishing and whale watching adventure…read more Our hope was to catch king salmon and to see Orcas and Humpbacks. Adrienne and Marlin made it all happen! They are very accommodating and knowledgeable about fishing and about the wildlife. We plan to hire them again in the future!

Absolutely the best experience for the money in Juneau!…read more My wife and I have family connections in Juneau and we visit on a regular basis. One of the things we look forward to the most is a fishing/sightseeing trip with Rum Runner Charters. Captain Chris and crew have always come through for us. My only complaint is that they always seem to position my wife on the side of the boat that has the largest halibut. Oh well. We highly recommend Rum Runner Charters to anyone looking to fully experience the coastal waters of Southeast Alaska.