![\"best-alaska-fishing-trips-homer\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventurousretirement.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/jake-with-big-halibut.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAlaskans\nfill their freezers with fish, and tourists mail their catch home, and if RVing,\nsome people bring a second freezer to fill while in Alaska. We filled our RV freezer with halibut in June\nand salmon in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What if you are not an experienced fisherman?\u00a0 You don\u2019t have to be!\u00a0 When going on an Alaska fishing trip, the good captains teach you everything you need to know.\u00a0 That\u2019s especially true of Captain Daniel of HomerFishing.com<\/a>. Daniel was voted the \u201cBest Fishing Guide\u201d by Alaska Magazine in 2018.\u00a0 When booking with Daniel\u2019s Personalized Guide Service<\/a>, we had no idea that he was considered tops among Alaskan fishing guides.\u00a0 On a later wildlife boat trip, I was talking with a Captain who asked, \u2018Who did you go halibut fishing with?\u2019\u00a0 When he heard it was Daniel, he said \u2018You got the best!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n DISCLAIMER: Many thanks to Daniel’s Personalize Guide Service for hosting us. While we were hosted at no charge, I received no payment for this post, and this post is my honest opinion.<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n We chose Homer Alaska with its large harbor, numerous fishing charters, and access to Kachemak Bay to try our hand at deep sea fishing. The Homer area is a famous destination for catching many types of fish throughout the summer. From Homer, you can go ocean fishing on a charter boat for halibut, salmon, or rockfish, surf cast off the Homer Spit for salmon, or cast a line from shore into Fishing Lagoon for salmon. Homer is buzzes with people who come from all over the world to fish in Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone talks about the fish they caught \u2013 reeling in the big one<\/em>. It seems like it\u2019s the only conversation amongst the visitors who flock to Homer in summer. Although most boats and accommodations were booked, Homer didn\u2019t seem that crowded. If you prefer having your feet firmly planted on land, there are plenty of places in Homer to fish from shore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We took a short walk from Homer Spit to the harbor where we found the boats headed out for a full-day or half-day of fishing. The sun was shining brightly and glistening off the harbor with snow-capped mountains of the Aleutian Chain bordering the sea. The sea was a mirror reflecting the mountain scenery and blue sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fishing generally starts out early morning for a full-day fishing\ntrip. I was happy that our start time was\nbumped later to 7 AM. We enjoyed the\nmorning sun on our short walk from Homer Spit to the harbor at 7 AM. It was a gorgeous, warm morning for\nHomer. Taking in the salty sea aroma as\nwe walked, we could see life waking up in the harbor as private fishermen readied\ntheir boats for a beautiful day on the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arriving at the Optimist<\/em>, our charter boat for the day, we were greeted by Captain Daniel. The other fishing boats are already gone. Since it was such a gorgeous morning and the seas were calm, Daniel explained that we didn\u2019t need to leave as early. He made sure we had everything we needed for the day \u2013 windbreakers, waterproof outerwear, food and snacks for the anticipated gorgeous day of fishing. The day was unusually calm for the Homer area \u2013 lucky for us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We met our group of fishermen and women and everyone settled in on the boat for the ride to the fishing grounds for the day. As expected, most of us were tourists to Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The group on the Optimist<\/em>\nwith us chose to fish exclusively for halibut, or \u2018buts\u2019 as they\u2019re called. One man is an Alaskan, and his sister also grew\nup in Alaska. They booked early with\nDaniel because the locals know how good he is at finding the fish and taking\ncare of his customers. We were happy to\nfish for halibut since it was something we had never done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Captain Daniel identified some spots that he was sure had lots of halibut. That\u2019s where we headed. Daniel prefers to fish in 100-200 feet of water, where he claims there\u2019s more action, although on average the fish are smaller. Or fishermen can choose to go for the bigger fish in deeper waters where there is less action throughout the day. Daniel goes with the preferences of his customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we headed out of the harbor, Daniel told us about the harbor and some of the boats. The sea was an enormous spectacle of nature, with the sea birds, sea-life, and surrounding snow-capped mountains. Spending the day in this incredible beauty was worth the trip for me, and we had so much more to come!<\/p>\n\n\n\n On our way out to the best fishing waters, Daniel drew our attention to the sea animals that he spotted as he drove. Of course we saw lots of otters, some mamas and pups rafting together or hanging out in the waves. Daniel pointed out the flocks of Common Murres, a fishing bird that can dive to 400\u2019 for food. As we took in the vista, we watched for seals, sea lions, and whales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For one of the best Alaska fishing trips, we traveled the length of Kachemak Bay, leaving it behind as we headed toward the Gulf of Alaska. Arriving at a fishing spot that Daniel likes, we are surrounded by the sea, mountains, and Seldovia in the distance. Seldovia has no road system connecting it to other communities, so it is accessible only by boat or plane. While anchoring, Daniel explained that over the past week, his customers caught their limit of halibut here. We are amazed that we have the spot to ourselves with no other boat in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All around us the sea animals were out looking for their morning meal. We saw otters in the distance and Common Murres diving for fish. As the otters got closer, we watched them rafting together. Some otters had pups on the chests as they floated on their backs. What a beautiful spot!<\/p>\n\n\n\n We learn that halibut love octopus and that\u2019s what they feed on here. This spot offers a 200\u2019 – 220\u2019 shelf where the halibut like to hang out at the bottom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel tells us that halibut have a great sense of smell, good eyesight, and good hearing. He instructed us in the fine points of attracting, hooking, and reeling in halibut, demonstrated the technique. We were fitted with rods and weights, and Daniel talked to us about fishing here while he cut up the bait and baited our rods with a halibut\u2019s favorite meal, octopus. We asked lots of questions while he set up the rods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once set up with a halibut hook, weight, and bait, he passed the rod to one of us and told each where to stand in the stern of the boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before putting our lines in the water, Daniel gave us a lesson in catching halibut. Let the line out quickly but controlled so the sinker drops to the bottom without jamming the reel. Then slowly lift the rod to pull it a few feet up and gently drop it back down again. Jigging that 2-3 pound lead weight, 2 or 3 HUNDRED feet down soon began to wear on us novice halibut fishermen and women. It\u2019s hard work on the shoulders, and even more tiring when bringing in that fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Very shortly after we dropped our lines, someone yells, \u201cFISH ON.\u201d Daniel went to see what the line looked like and very quickly said, \u201cIt\u2019s not a halibut; reel it in.\u201d None of us wanted to believe that it wasn\u2019t a halibut, but Daniel was correct. Up came a beautiful looking fish called an Irish Lord, from the sculpin family. We learn that they are not fish we should eat. Back it goes into the deep blue sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel knew who needed to adjust their reel\u2019s drag, and whose rod tip was vibrating from a nibble. He moved us around while we fished to help us avoid tangling lines. Daniel never stopped, as there is always something to do, like helping with the reeling-in technique, bringing a fish onto the boat, re-baiting hooks, measuring, and storing the fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All six of us were soon lining the stern deck, rods smoothly bobbing up and down again. Daniel reminded us, \u201cWhen you feel a nibble, let them chew on it for a bit, then give a strong, smooth pull \u2013 don\u2019t jerk it.\u201d It\u2019s not long at all before someone else yells \u201cFISH ON\u201d and now the fun begins. Pulling the rod up smoothly, then winding the reel as you lower the tip back down. Repeat, repeat, repeat (200 feet down, remember?). We all wanted to watch, while we\u2019re still working our own rods. Eventually \u201cCOLOR\u201d was called out as the fish was close enough to the surface to see. Daniel prepared his gaff to pull the catch on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel kept us all busy fishing unless someone wanted a rest or snack break. We all got our limit, and finished fishing by 1 PM. Being so early, Daniel was kind enough to give us an opportunity to do something else by boat. One choice was to visit Seldovia by boat, something that was on my list for Homer. Since the others simply wanted to go back early, that\u2019s what we did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On our cruise back to Homer, we watched the sea-life, sea birds, and looked for a whale that had been hanging around the cruise ship dock the previous day. Once docked, Daniel went to work cleaning the fish. He put each person\u2019s or couple\u2019s catch in a different bin. Then he asked if we wanted it prepped for travel. After everyone said yes, he called the fish store and packer on the pier; a guy came to the boat with a wheelbarrow to transport our catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the packing side of the store, we were asked the weight size we preferred for each package, and if we wanted it flash-frozen, shipped, or held in their freezers. I had them make \u00bd lb. packages, vacuum seal, and flash freeze them. Tom and I returned at the end of the week, after we\u2019d eaten everything from our freezer, to pick up our catch. We happily filled our RV freezer with halibut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Homer has 75 licensed charter fishing boats, and when we were\nthere in late June 2019, only 50 were active. \nThe halibut season runs from mid-May to August 15. In 2019, boats went out daily except on\nWednesdays. The Alaska Fishing and Game\nCommission regulations call for one day with no fishing for halibut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most boats are full, especially the smaller charters with personalized service; they are 6 and 8-pack boats. There are some larger charters that take larger groups. We lucked out when Captain Daniel Donich of Homerfishing.com<\/a> responded to my request. We felt lucky to be fishing on the Optimist<\/em>, a 6-pack charter fishing boat, with Captain Daniel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Halibut\nare found in the Northern Pacific along the continental shelf. Various\nfish species abound in the waters around Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet, including\nlingcod and rockfish. While there are\nplenty of places to fish in Alaska, Homer is best known as the “Halibut\nFishing Capital of the World.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n June is a good time for Halibut and King Salmon fishing in the ocean; other fish species found in the rivers on the Kenai Peninsula like steelhead trout, salmon, and Dolly Varden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Homer in June, the temperature generally ranges from the low 40s to the mid-60s F. It can be quite breezy on the water, and cool if the sun goes in. Captain Daniel recommended dressing in layers with the outer layer of pants and jacket being waterproof and good for breaking the wind. I was glad to have my Marmot waterproof pants that I purchased specifically for this trip. Waterproof non-slip shoes are recommended. Both Tom and I have waterproof Oboz hiking boots that we love for hiking; they were fine for standing in a fishing boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We needed all of our layers in the morning on the ride out to the fishing location. As the day warmed and the sun shone brightly, we peeled our layers and stowed them in the indoor area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are so many options when choosing a Homer fishing trip. Charter boat sizes range from a 6-pack (6 people) fishing boat to over 50-foot boats that hold 10, 12, 16, 18 or more fishermen. Some trips are 1\/2-day, \u00be-day, or full-day. There are overnight or long-range multi-day trips so fishermen can catch their limit for each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you choose your Alaska fishing excursion based on the lowest\nprice, likely you\u2019ll have more people on the boat or a shorter amount of time\nfishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Capitan Daniel of the Optimist<\/em>, came to Alaska from Seattle Washington in 1984 to work on boats (specifically boat building at that time). He left and came back in 1988 to work on fishing boats, and in 1992 he got his license to run his own charter company. As of 2019, he\u2019s been running his own charter fishing business for 27 years. Daniel knows his fish, their behavior, where to find them, what they like to eat, how to attract them to your line, the different methods required to actually hook and reel in the different fish. He even knows the health of the waters and the fish, plus what contributes to their health. Daniel has been working in fishing-related businesses in Alaska for 35 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel runs fishing excursions all year round, weather permitting. In winter, he takes charters out to fish for salmon as long as it is at least 30 degrees F, which is warm enough to go fishing in Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can certainly find fishing all over Alaska, like Seward, Valdez, Whittier, Juneau, in the rivers on the Kenai, and on the mainland. However, for a most memorable fishing experience, I highly recommend Homer and Captain Daniel on the Optimist<\/em>. His attention to every part of our fishing adventure made the trip special. Daniel takes people fishing year-round as long as the temperatures are above freezing. Homer, Alaska offers year-round fun for fishing enthusiasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We ate our halibut for 4-6 weeks, several nights a week. I found 7 different recipes for halibut to change it up. Halibut, especially fresh like that, is excellent eating! We were so pleased and feel lucky to have fished with Captain Daniel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We loved our 10 weeks in Alaska<\/a>, but Homer holds special memories for us because of the all different, exciting experiences we had there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Save as Pin for later \u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Where do you think the best fishing destination is in the world? Alaska is touted as one of the best fishing destinations in the world. We had one of the best Alaska fishing trips from Homer (Motto: Where the land … Continue reading Best Place for Fishing <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Homer Alaska – Best Alaska Fishing Trips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nGathering at the Fishing Boat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nChoosing the Fishing Destination <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe Boat Trip to the Fishing Location <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nTime to Fish<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alaska Deep Sea Fishing – Halibut\nFishing Technique<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nGetting our limit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/li><\/a><\/figure><\/li><\/a><\/figure><\/li><\/a><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nReturning to the Harbor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Fishing Capital of the World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat types of Fish are Caught in Homer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fishing\nAlaska in June<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Choosing an Alaska Fishing Trip Excursion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Our Captain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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