A couple of months back a friend of mine asked if I wanted to go on a 'serious' charter fishing trip for halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepsis) and ling cod (Ophiodon elongatus) with some yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) thrown in. Since the date was two weeks after my daughter's wedding, I said, "Sure."

It was a 'long range' overnight trip that would start on June 30 and end on July 1 since July 1 was the day the sport-fishing season opens on ling cod. The trip would start out of Homer, about 280 miles from my door.

The guy that invited me was "Grant". His brother Gerry was 'up' from Texas helping him finish the cabin Grant was building in Skwenta that Grant, Gerry, and I had started last fall. The charter was a gift to Gerry in thanks for helping Grant with his cabin. There was another fellow along, Caleb, that used to work for Grant. Gerry and Caleb had never been on charter fishing trips before and Caleb wasn't even really an 'outdoorsman', but willing to learn.

It was just supposed to be us four and a two-man crew for what the Coast Guard calls a "6-pack". However, as is OFTEN the case, charter services tell you one thing then do another. They "decided" since they had "offers" from more people to go on the over-nighter, that they would switch to the "bigger boat" and take more people. (We found out while out at sea that the other people didn't even realize that the trip was an "over-nighter", and had NOT requested that.) The other party had seven in it: Three men, three kids, and a woman. They all knew each other, but two were from Alaska, one from Texas, and four from Indianapolis. The two of the kids and the woman were not really "into" fishing. The three men and one kid - the youngest - were 'fishermen'.

The boat was scheduled to leave the dock at 0700 and it was going to be at least a five hour drive, so Grant, Gerry, Caleb and I loaded my Highlander with our gear and three coolers and headed for Homer at 2315. We didn't find out about the "change of plan" until we got there.

We headed out of Homer at the scheduled time. It was going to be a two-hour drive to the first fishing spot so Grant and I 'hit the sack' to try to get some shut-eye before the fishing started for the day.

Here are some pictures of the scenery on the trip out.















By the time we got to the fishin' hole, we were all ready to fish. However, while the  fishing was 'good' the catching wasn't. An hour and 45 minutes later, (19+ man-hours of fishing) we had one halibut in the boat. So we weighed anchor and took off for another spot.

This spot produced fish right away, but they were what are called "chickens". Fish in the 10 to 25 lb range. We fished there for another couple of hours, and everyone put a "chicken" on board, and one fellow got about a 50-pounder. Still this wasn't what we had paid "the big bucks for". In the mean time, the wind had whipped up. It was now about 30 knots. While the wind itself didn't bother me, the combination of wind and high tidal current made drifitng (a method of fishing) a challenge. We moved over to shallower water where we could anchor up.

This place didn't produce anything but 'chicken's either. Everyone was getting a bit discouraged. The captain again weighed anchor and set off for a secluded (from the wind) spot. His intent was to let us off on shore and do some shore fishing for a little while and then set off for the evening's anchorage and dinner. However, on the way to the shore, he spotted a trough, and thought it might be worth trying for a few minutes.

Only Grant, Caleb, Gerry, one other fellow, and I were willing to continue to fish. (You have to have "it" in you if you want to be a successful hunter or fisherman.) Anyway, Grant got a fish on right away, and it was clearly a "big one", but it got off. Not two minutes later, my rod tip dove for the bottom, and I definitely had a big one on. Twenty minutes later, I landed a very nice halibut.









The boat didn't have a scale on it, (I know... How in the world could a charter fishing boat not have a scale on it), but based on a length/weight chart, (they're pretty accurate actually), it weighed 129 lbs. That seemed about right to me. I doubt it weighed over 150. Nonetheless, it was the biggest halibut (and fish) I had ever caught. :D

Not five minutes later, Caleb hooks into another "big fish". When that fight was over, he had pulled in a fish that based on its length was 80 lbs.





Here the fish are side-by-side:


As you can imagine, those two fish generated some "interest" in fishing by most of the other people on board. Still two of the 'kids' remained below in their racks. In spite of the elevated interest and effort, no more fish were caught, and after about an hour we weighed anchor and headed for dinner and our evening's berthing in a little cove called Port Chatham. We had fresh-caught halibut, niblet corn, brown rice and salad for dinner. It was excellent!



Here's what Port Chatham looked like - sorta.



We were all in our racks by 2200.

The next morning - July 1 - was the opening morning of the ling cod fishery. Personally, I prefer halibut to ling cod, but I am in the minority on that issue for the most part. Everyone was excited to get to the ling cod grounds, so we got underway at 0500. It was a two-hour steam to the cod grounds, so most - everyone but me - stayed in their beds 'til we got within about 10 minute of fishing.

The weather had calmed over night, and while there were a few clouds in the sky, it was generally clear and very calm. Drifting would be the technique for the ling and when the captain said "drop 'em", we were in about 140 feet of water. As soon as the jigs hit the bottom there were fish on. It was very fast fishing for the next half hour. The daily bag limit is two ling cod over 35". I had two in the boat in the first 15 minutes, and they were both well over 40". Grant caught the big ling:



And the little kid got a great one too:


But we all got good fish. In two hours, everyone had "limited out". It was time to go back after halibut and maybe some yelloweye. On our way steaming to the next halibut place, the captain saw a place that looked like it might have some good yelloweye so we slowed and dropped some jigs into 100' water. Immediately we had good fish on. The daily bag limit for yelloweye is one, so it wasn't long before everyone had their limits. Gerry and I caught the biggest yelloweyes.



Grant got a good one too:


That was almost it for the "exitement", but there was a bit more on the way. One of the other kids hooked a "big" fish. After a long fight, a huge halibut was landed. Based on its length, it weighed 280 lbs.









THAT's a big fish! The sad truth is, one of the deckhands played the fish for most of the fight, and the kid didn't even really realize what he caught - a once in a lifetime fish. Oh well.

The 2nd days halibut fishing produced nothing noteworthy except the kid's big one and everybody's limit of 'chickens'. Here's an nice picture of one of Gerry's chickens.


Here's the carnage.









We got back to Homer about 1530, and after seeing to the fish and getting some good junk food in us, we headed back to Wasilla.

It was a good trip. It was a VERY expensive trip(about $900 per person all tolled.) I had a good time, but it was the last charter I will go on. There are many reasons why. Maybe we'll get into them in the discussion. Grant and I independently rated the charter exactly the same. He said "B-" and I said "80%". I caught "personal bests" on all three species - halibut, ling cod and yelloweye. That's not bad.

Paul

Switcjing with our consultation or notice so i could back out from private party (4) to head boat (7-10) would have greatly put me off my feed immediately. Cost of baot time should have been reduced per head for starters.
 
I have fished both private party and head boat charters out of Destin Florida pretty extensively for the 5 years I was stationed at Hurlburt Field. Yhey both have good and bad sides but are distinctly different in temperament.

With fish and food like that, the balance of the experience must've been pretty poor to rate an 80%.

Great "carnage" shot though.

I've never been on a charter.  We've always had our own boat or headed out with friends.
'Round here, us trailer sailors refer to the charters as "pukers," for reasons most landlubbers don't understand until they experience it.

Looks like a great time! Nice fish. How much fish did you take home?

That's a boat load of fish no matter how you look at it!!!

I love the picture of you straining yourself trying to hold up that fish. Pretty good for an old fart!!!

RJ

The 80% came from some more 'subtle' elements that tourists would never realize, but were done by the crew to make things 'easy' for them.

We split the take equally four ways. I walked in my front door with 75 lb of fish.

Hoisting that fish was no mean feat.

Paul

Have to say green with envy, no such sport here any more... even the 'chickens' have me thinking about buying potatoes for chips!

It's not tough to get a limit of the three fish we were focusing on - halibut (2/day), ling cod (2/day), and yelloweye(1/day). It is tough to get big halibut and big yelloweye without 'getting after it'. You usually have to shake off quite a few chickens to get a big one.

Had this not been a charter - where they were gaffing everything that came to the surface just so they could fill limits and quit fishing - we would have put back anything under 50 lb and would have come home with 16 fish of AT LEAST 50 lb each.

That's just one of the 'problems' I had with the charter. One of the others is that they made it very difficult to get pictures. They were focused on quantity, (limits), not quality. For some folks, and especially tourists, "limits" are usually the goal. However, we had made it very clear from the moment we started discussing the charter that the whole point of the trip was BIG fish.

All of it would have been 'just fine' if they hadn't charged us $350 per day - an EXTRA $100 per day to "go after the big ones".

It was fun, and we got good fish. Getting played for suckers and having to pay for it, just takes some of the 'joy' out of it.

Paul

Thats some serious fishing Paul, and some serious fish! Hope your family likes seafood.

Pity they gaffed everything they could. It's just killing them cause they can.

Fishing charters aren't for me, for one I get sick if I fish outside, and then I find its more of "catching" rather than "fishing".
But I'm glad you had a good time.

Paul that is awesome, how I'd love to do that.........Ron

As I have said before, and I am sure I will say again: I would rate Alaska in the bottom 5 states in the Union for hunting, and in the top 5 - maybe the best - for fishing. Fishing is good here. Hunting is REALLY BAD.

I add the following as a 'word to the wise' for those considering a charter fishing trip or a guided hunting trip.

The US is VERY bad with respect to 'tipping'. When got on the boat there was a sign, (on the entrance door to the cabin so you couldn't miss it), telling everyone that tips from $30 to $50 per day per crew member ($90 to $150 per day EXTRA), were "expected". It then went on to explain how hard the crew worked for these tips, outlining all the things they did. That chaps my cheeks because... it's just another way to charge MORE THAN ADVERTISED for the PROMISED SERVICE.

You hear this ALL THE TIME from hunting guides. "Oh poor me. The outfitter doesn't pay good wages, and I NEED the tips to survive." Then take your wage issues up with the outfitter instead of trying to shame me into giving you money AFTER I HAVE AGREED TO A PRICE FOR THE SERVICE!

It isn't the money, it's the dishonesty. Let me decide on what I'm willing to pay for a service before I contract for that service. "Hidden" additional charges are dishonest. It's dishonest to CONTRACT for a service at a cost of "X", then AFTER the customer is committed (on the boat), tell them that there will be a 10 to 30 percent "expected" increase in cost as a "tip". REALLY galls me.

Paul

It isn't the money, it's the dishonesty. Let me decide on what I'm willing to pay for a service before I contract for that service. "Hidden" additional charges are dishonest. It's dishonest to CONTRACT for a service at a cost of "X", then AFTER the customer is committed (on the boat or in the field or any place else where you are put into a social pressure to tip), tell them that there will be a 10 to 30 percent "expected" increase in cost as a "tip". REALLY galls me.
 
Galls me too and I guided geese around here till the subdivions ran them all out.

Quoteor in the field or any place else where you are put into a social pressure to tip)

Correct.

Paul

You need a bigger Photarium. :D

The good news is, the white side of the halibut has great spots, and there's no need for them to be under water.

Paul