Warm clothes, a Lunch, Fishing License for non-residents 16 and older, and a Great Attitude. This trip is not a hardcore fishing trip, it is about experiencing halibut fishing in Alaska and is suitable for kids and people that may have never fished before. This is a large vessel that is Coast Guard inspected allowing up to 30 passengers. Our Half Day halibut trips max out at 21 anglers, however we can accommodate larger groups if all one party by custom reservation. 

At the meet time, crew will be prepping the boat and welcome you aboard. We will get you familiar with the boat and go over a safety briefing. Please arrive promptly but for those early birds, the crew will be prepping the boat and not quite ready for you until the time of departure. From there, the fun begins and we leave the harbor to head out into beautiful Kachemak Bay. The views are spectacular; filled with snow-capped mountains, glaciers, Islands, otters, birds (such as puffins), and often sightings of Humpback Whales, Dall Porpoise, and Orcas. The fishing grounds can be up to 20 miles out or as close as 6 miles. This all depends on the weather and where we have been catching fish. Unless it is foggy, land is always in sight. Once the fishing grounds are reached, we will walk you through the basics of Halibut Fishing 101. The crew will get your gear ready and show you how to use it in the safest manner. Don’t worry, you will not be expected to memorize everything as this trip is designed to be fun and educational for even the beginning angler. We are there supporting you with our version of on the job training. Our goal is for you to have an amazing time and get your confidence up for a full day trip with our affiliate O’Fish’ial Charters on your next trip to Homer!

This trip caters to people that are looking for a short day on the water with interactive fishing. Full day trips will almost always put you on bigger fish however the bite is much slower when looking for big fish. Travel time can also lengthen on full day charters so we tailor this for quick fishing as best as the seas allow. We are primarily fishing areas with fish in the 10-25 pound range. Although these are not huge halibut, they are in fact, some of the best tasting by far. Even a halibut this size can surprisingly put up one heck of a fight. To assist with that, we have rod holders around the boat and we untize two-speed reels making it easier on the shoulders. When we change the gear ratio, slow & steady reeling will get the fish to the boat. If need be, we have a crew member ready to help hand-line ensuring the opportunity for as many types of people as possible to experience catching an Alaskan Halibut aboard our spacious vessel. 

The Jackpot is a 55′ vessel that has a full walk around deck, providing a spacious layout for anglers with room to spread out and see the best of Alaska. Large boats have additional benefits, especially in stability. If you are concerned about getting seasick, you will be far less likely to experience that uncomfortable feeling on our large, extremely seaworthy vessel. Mathematically, that is the equivalent to 6′ spacing from angler to angler on our boat…not many can offer that luxury!  Also, the answer is YES, there is a bathroom. No embarrassing small boat bucket commode here! 

You are allowed two halibut per day which breaks down to one halibut of any size but the second will need to be 28″ or under. We do often catch other fish on this trip such as Spiny Dogfish, Sculpin, Greenling, and even Skates. These fish are mostly a nuisance and not something most people would want to keep. What can be an added benefit is we often catch Pacific Cod which are great eating! Your crew will help guide you on species of fish caught and the viability and healthiness of keeping them! When in doubt, listen to the Captain.