We felt good about our trip because Captain Mike had 5 Stars, but when we got to the dock it wasn’t Captain Mike it was someone else. Our Captain that day was very kind with great manners but he did not know where the fish was located that day. We did try three different places he thought maybe they were located. For the money we paid this wasn’t good. I’m thinking, maybe Captain Mike didn’t care enough about us catching to share this information with the captain who took us out that day. Just not sure to be honest. But for sure, their excuse of TIDE issues just wasn’t the truth because lots of Halibut and King Salmon was caught that day. As a matter of a fact the two couples we spoke with limited out on fish and one was an excursion with the cruise line and the other charter a private boat like we did except it was much cheaper.
If you use this company make sure you understand their clients catching isn’t always a priority. A positive, I alway felt safe. However, I was told a restroom was available but there wasn’t a restroom, it was a bucket placed in the middle of the boat with no privacy and the waste was thrown overboard. Very embarrassing.
When you spend $1800 for two people, that’s $900 per person for 5 hours, you expect the charter company and the Captain of the boat to have fish located. This was not the case at all… the excuse was the tide, but it didn’t keep other companies from putting their clients on fish.
We have always caught fish when using a guide, I realize fishing is fishing and not necessarily catching but I’m telling you, something was not right with our trip. I would research other companies or have a better understanding with Captain Mike before I used this company. My bad for not asking the right questions upfront.
Right question example:
1. Do you have fish located everyday before taking your clients out?
2. If you the owner will not be guiding, then do you share the location of fish with the other guides so they know where to fish?
3. Is the restroom a bucket in the middle of the boat or a private restroom?
Відповідь від хоста
Jul 2023
Of course, we enjoy reading our hard earned 5-star reviews, but our potential clients can learn a lot from reviews like this one. So let me take the time to go over your trip and let's use this as a coachable moment.
Let me start by saying that fishing in Alaska is as unscripted of an excursion as you can take, no matter the cost. It’s not a trolly ride, totem park, or lighthouse tour. There are no guarantees. However, you do get to spend the day on the ocean in real time, with real weather, real tide conditions, and real fish and wildlife migrations happening all around you. And every single day is different.
To say that our company doesn’t care enough about catching fish or that catching fish is not a priority is quite honestly out of line. I understand that you were disappointed by not catching halibut. As you mentioned, Cpt Joey took you to multiple locations targeting halibut. The tide brought in the spiny dogfish sharks, and they can simply beat the halibut to the baits when they show up in large schools.
After pulling anchor by hand at three different locations, Cpt Joey then offered to take you salmon fishing, at no extra charge, and you were able to catch and retain keeper salmon. That’s called caring that our clients DID catch fish. That’s showing you that catching fish IS a priority.
You arrived via cruise and booked the 2-person, 6-hour private halibut fishing excursion through a 3rd party booking platform. You generally always pay more when using a 3rd party to book any excursion. We always recommend booking directly with us for the best price, flexibility, and potential to customize your trip.
Our company operates a fleet of 6 boats in the 24’ and 32’ size platforms. The 24’ platform offers a covered cabin and a porta potty with privacy curtain. The 32’ platform offers a private bathroom with a flushable toilet and diesel heater for maximum comfort. (We only offer our 24’ platforms to our 3rd party OTA’s, you must book the 32’ boats directly.)
Captain Joey mentioned that while on the trip a guest may not have made it to the bathroom in time. Sensing the urgency, he removed the potty from its location behind the curtain and moved it in the center of the cabin for easier access. I agree that this scenario can be embarrassing. Thankfully you had booked a private boat with no other guest onboard and had the entire cabin to take care of business.
We do our best to accommodate our guest requests. You did not request a specific guide on your reservation. Often our repeat clients form a relationship with our guides and share unforgettable moments on the water. We cannot always guarantee a certain guide but booking directly in advance is recommended if you have a preference.
I read in your text messages and again in your review, that you had a good time with Cpt Joey and that he was very professional, knowledgeable, and polite while with your group. This is great to hear. At The Alaska Catch we aim to give our guest the best chance to succeed, work hard when the fishing is tough, and treat our guest like extended family visiting town. Captain Joey did all of these things.
Respectfully,
Mike Fleece
The Alaska Catch