There is a reason Captain Mike is rated so highly. He is the Real Deal! He met my wife and me at the cruise ship as promised, as soon as we arrived. His boat was a short walk away and was newish, clean, and well equipped (including snacks and beverages). Our ship was only in port for 6 hours, so before setting out he briefly laid out what current fishing conditions were, what our options were on how we could spend our limited time, and his recommended on which would likely be most productive and fun for us. We followed his recommendation to focus on halibut fishing and off we went. A little less than an hour later we were at the "spot" and wetting hooks. Moments later we hauled in our first of 3 halibut! We also caught Pacific cod, rockfish, and a spiny dogfish, all in less than 4 hours. And Mike helped us arrange for processing and shipping of our catch.
We appreciated the fact that he was willing to take the time and burn the fuel to take us out to what he knew were productive waters. Local expertise is what you pay a guide for; otherwise you may as well just rent a boat. Captain Mike is knowledgeable, forthright, and personable and he truly strives to make your experience the best it can be. Yes, there are less expensive options out there, and you can choose to book with a larger outfit, or the one offered through your cruise line where an endless customer pool means you will likely get a "one-size-fits-all" charter with no motivation to provide a quality experience. Captain Mike and The Alaska Catch are a smaller outfit with a vested interest in providing a great experience. They rely on limited advertising, word of mouth, and positive customer reviews for their continued success. Me and my family were thrilled with our fishing trip, and we are planning to return to charter The Alaska Catch on a dedicated Ketchikan trip asap. Book with Captain Mike. He knows his stuff and you will be glad you did.