Homer Halibut Fishing

Homer is the undisputed Halibut fishing capital of the world and our #1 recommendation for Halibut fishing on the Kenai Peninsula. Wouldn’t you like to become the “undisputed Halibut fishing champion of the world”?? Remember to purchase your ticket for the Homer Halibut Derby to ensure your winning fish pays it’s way!

Homer is our favorite Halibut fishing destination because of it’s beautiful location, proximity and reliable marine conditions that result in few cancelled trips over the course of the entire summer. Halibut charters depart like clockwork at 0600 all summer (everyday except Wednesday’s now unfortunately due to a new regulation). The backdrop to Homer is purely Alaska — glacier capped mountains, the unique “Homer Spit” where you’ll depart from the Homer Small boat harbor, and water and marine life like Sea Otters, Bald Eagles and a huge variety of shore birds abound. Homer even has it’s own Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival every spring. We’re so sure you’ll have a great fishing experience with the bonus of touring this interesting fishing town, that we rank it #1 in fishing aside from our own resort on the Kenai River. In the winter and spring, “feeder King Salmon” fishing can be excellent as well, with the annual Winter King Fishing Tournament taking place in mid-March–the first opportunity many of us have had to pull our boat out of storage since last season. The focus most of the year is Halibut though, and they can be found near Homer in the protected waters of Kachemak Bay.

Homer charter boats typically just an hour or so to the fishing grounds that they prefer, depending on the time in the season and the weather conditions. As the season progresses, and salmon spawn in the surrounding streams, the Halibut are drawn closer to the Homer Spit, and fish are caught in waters as shallow as 20~30 feet at times. Early in the season, boats tend to travel further as the weather conditions allow, in search of fish in deeper waters, up to 250~300 feet.

Homer trips range from $200~$300 per person depending on the time in the season and length of trip (1/2 day options and “kid’s rates” are available with some charter outfits). They typically depart at 6:30 am and return around 4:00 pm.

Two types of boats are found in Homer, “Six Pack Boats” carry a maximum of 6 fishermen, and generally are a smaller boat (25’~30′) and have limited cabin and bathroom facilities. The larger “Party” boats can carry up to around 20 fishermen and have more generous cabin and bathroom facilities. We prefer the latter for families, elderly, and children who want to have a more comfortable fishing experience. For privacy and small groups, the six pack option is a better choice.