Quick Details
Full-Day Halibut Fishing Charter Seward, Alaska
Come join us on a Miller’s Landing Full-Day Fishing Charter for halibut! You’ll have the opportunity to catch and retain nice-sized halibut, yellow eye, and black rockfish from our custom-built boats. Our catch records are among the best in the Seward area! We also often encounter whales and other sea life while fishing, and we always slow the boat down to take a closer look at wildlife. It’s a stunning environment in which to spend your day, rain or shine.
We offer these trips daily from April 11 – June 19 before the silver salmon arrive. Afterwards, we only sell per person season on our Combination Fishing Charters for all species. Once the season picks up we only offer this trip as a whole boat booking for anglers who JUST want to target halibut during peak season.
From June 20 – Sept 8 you can charter the entire boat to focus exclusively on large halibut if you like. If we limit out early, we can head home if you’d like or continue fishing for other species!
If group bookings are 6 or fewer, we reserve the right to move the trip to our 6 person 32′ Munson platform.
Non-Halibut Wednesdays
Note that Halibut fishing regulations for commercial operators are announced in March each year, and we will update this page as we learn these for 2025. If you’re planning to visit during these dates, or hoped to go fishing on a Wednesday, the most common closure day, the Best of Alaska fishing/sightseeing/kayaking tour or half day salmon/rockfish tours are other great options!
Our Methods
Our method of targeting halibut is different from many other halibut charters, and it’s worked well for us for over 40 years. We often drift over our fishing grounds, then move back over them and drift again. Although we do drop anchor when the captain thinks it’s the right thing to do, our angling is generally more dynamic. While anchoring is popular, often easier on the anglers, and can be very productive – our attentive guides (with engaged clients!) are often able to locate where the fish are on the structure while drifting, as opposed to sitting, chumming, and hoping.
When fishing on a drift, you must constantly be watching your gear, as the depth often changes while the boat moves over the structure. You catch fish all through the water column, on the way down at the start of a drift, along the rising and falling bathymetry, as well as on the way up which is something you can miss when sitting at anchor. This means that you are actively engaged in fishing; your rod is not sitting in a holder all day while you wait for something to happen, and most of our clients find this a highly rewarding experience. You always have the option to feel the fish bite with the rod in your hands, hook the fish yourself, and reel it up! While it sounds obvious, this is not always an industry standard for halibut fishing charters in Alaska.
Our method of fishing can be costly for an operator. Gear can get hooked on the bottom more frequently while drift fishing, mismanaged lines can get tangled, and it’s harder for the captain who has to control the rate of drift. We’ve found that by mixing it up, we can often put our clients on fish when others can’t.
So if you’re looking for a different kind of halibut charter service, one that is more active and engaging, give us a call. We know you’ll be glad you did.
Fuel Surcharge:
Please know that fuel is the largest expense we have as charter operators. Our prices reflect the price of fuel at the time of publishing. In previous years we have not added a fuel surcharge, however, due to the volatile and uncertain nature of fuel prices, Millers Landing reserves the right to add a fuel surcharge to the trip rates.
A fuel surcharge will only be applied in the event of soaring fuel prices based on the price of fuel at the time of your charter. Should the price of marine fuel remain under $4.50 per gallon there will be no additional charge.
This will ensure that we are able to take you to the best fishing grounds without regard for the cost of fuel or how far we must travel. By adding a fee schedule we can mitigate that concern, and provide you the ultimate fishing experience.
| PRICE OF FUEL | FUEL SURCHARGE |
|---|---|
| UNDER $4.50 PER GALLON | NO SURCHARGE |
| $4.51 – $5.00 PER GALLON | $10 PER PERSON PER DAY |
| $5.01 – $6.00 PER GALLON | $20 PER PERSON PER DAY |
| $6.01 – $7.00 PER GALLON | $30 PER PERSON PER DAY |
| $7.01 – $8.00 PER GALLON | $40 PER PERSON PER DAY |
More Information
Get ready for a day full of stunning views, good company, and a true Alaskan fishing experience that will leave you with several great fishing stories! Some halibut fishing charter departures can be booked to include a fully guided kayaking day trip to the glaciers, for those in your party not interested in fishing, but wanting to stay with the group. We also often use this vessel to drop off kayakers in the national park — this is the reason for the later return and does not cut into your fishing time, nor does it affect where we fish.
Below is more information about our itinerary, fishing regulations, and competitions.
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The store facility opens at 5AM each morning, to prepare for departure
Free coffee is available at the store for your enjoyment, and there are small snacks, but lunch and drinks should be planned. (Please refrain when packing meals from bringing alcohol aboard the vessel, as the official policy of Miller’s Landing for the safety of everyone is that no alcohol be consumed while aboard).
The Fox Willie departs at 6AM and returns by ~6PM and provides a fishing charter platform for up to 10 for an all day excursion, with the ability to carry 6 additional clients (friends and family of the crew or other passengers) in the capacity of a water taxi to the Fjords for guided kayaking among the glaciers.
The boat is comfortable and beamy at 36×13′ length overall. There’s room for everyone to sit inside during transit, and while the boat could be packed with 16 fishing passengers, the taxi portion allows us to let those extra people off, and open the whole boat up for 10. With over 30′ of rail space on each side of the boats full walk around cabin, it allows a generous fishing space for 5 on each side to utilize.
The kayaking excursions are offered to those booking the charter at a discount – if those in your family are interested in going on a kayaking/sightseeing tour, we can take them on the same departure and return.
The boat will load everyone at the same time, depart at 6am, drop off crew (when aboard) by 8am, and will be within minutes of the fishing grounds and ready to start. The earlier departure time affords 1 hour additional boat time at no extra charge. I.E: When no such kayaking/taxi exists, the fishermen have the boat for the additional 1 hours to fish (if necessary) at no additional charge.
When you arrive back at Millers Landing, we hang the fish for pictures, filet them for you, or process them in any other specified way. Then we send you into town to a recommended packer to freeze, heat pack, cold pack, or ship your fish for you.
The early departure time is intended to be value added to the fishing crew at all turns – whether it’s having the opportunity to see a glacier or having an extra hour to fish, or just being able to keep the family or group with different interests together on the same day trip. The vessel’s high tunnel catamaran design allows for fast travel through choppy weather, as well as high initial stability for those who dread sea sickness.
The Thomasea departs at 6AM and returns by ~5PM and provides a fishing charter platform for up to 6 on an all-day excursion, with the ability to land on the beach as well for loading and unloading with its landing craft design. The vessel is 32×11′ length overall and is very capable in seas. The full walk-around house provides plenty of deck space for the fishing crew, while its cabin is cozy and dry during transit times or to make a snack. The 6 person’s capacity allows for a more private experience while out and about. Trips are due to return by 5 pm.
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Fishing regulations change each year- for the most up-to-date information, please see the ADF&G website, at www.adfg.alaska.gov and the Southcentral Region, specifically linked HERE.
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Buy your fishing and hunting license online at: https://www.millerslandingak.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3698/2018/05/badge-alaska-fish-game.png?auto=compress%2Cformat& these can be printed out ahead of time, but must be on your person whenever you fish!
*2021 Fishing Regulations Online – Full Sport Fishing Regulations for State of Alaska
*2021 Fishing Regulations Online – Sport Fishing Regulations for Seward Area (North Gulf Coast) -
The Seward Halibut Derby has been discontinued until further notice.
The Seward Silver Salmon Derby runs the 2nd Saturday of August every year, and is not only Alaska’s oldest fishing derby, but also the highest-dollar cash prize fishing derby in Alaska. You can buy tickets right at the store, and it’s a blast!
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Make sure you have comfortable shoes and warm layers for fishing outside on the bow, good rain gear is also essential. The boat is heated inside with comfortable seating so don’t worry, there is always a space for you to crash. We also recommend lunch, snacks, and water.
Don’t forget medical necessities, and if you get seasick and are using Dramamine, to take it an hour before departure.
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Enjoy world-class fishing for all species using Thrasher and Seeker rods, Avet and Shimano reels, and hand-tied gear using top-end components! Read more about our equipment here!
We have 2 full day charter platforms – Both are custom built landing craft and load directly off the beach either in front of Miller’s Landing or nearby at a public beach if the tide is excessively low (transportation is provided if this is the case). Both boats include a captain and deckhand, a marine toilet, full bottom fishing and salmon fishing gear, heated indoor seating, and all safety equipment.
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- A $10 cancellation fee is imposed for all reservations cancelled.
- Cancellations must be received by email only to reservations@millerslandingak.com. The cancellation notice date is the date the email was received at reservations@millerslandingak.com Phone cancellations will not be accepted.
- Cancellations received by email 30 days prior to the first day of the reservation are charged a $10 cancellation fee and you will receive a refund of 90% of the total amount of the reservation.
- Cancellations received by email 15 to 29 days prior to the first day of the reservation are charged a $10 cancellation charge and you will receive a 75% refund. of the total amount of the reservation.
- Cancellations received by email 14 days to zero days prior to arrival are charged a $10 cancellation fee and you will receive a 50% refund only if we are able to rebook your camping, cabin, fishing, kayaking, watertaxi, shuttle, lunch, or activity. If we are not able to rebook your reservation then no refunds will be issued and. You must call or e-mail Miller’s Landing post date of cancelled stay in order for us to research whether or not your site booked. Sites that were booked of course qualify for the 50% refund, sites that were not unfortunately do not.
- In some situations a raincheck worth 75% of your reservation may be issued at the discretion of Miller’s Landing management instead of the applicable cancellation charge. If this option appeals to you please suggest this at the time of cancellation. Rainchecks are good for one year and may be used for activities, camping or lodging owned by Miller’s Landing or towards the cost of hats, tee shirts, gifts, etc. sold in the Miller’s Landing store or items sold online. For items purchased online the customer is expected to pay for the cost of postage. Rainchecks may NOT be transferred to another person.
- A 100% refund will be issued for any activity that was cancelled due to weather by Miller’s Landing. Miller’s Landing reserves the right to determine weather cancellations. Rain does not constitute cancellations.
Please note: Miller’s Landing encourages only guaranteed prepaid reservations. Unlike many other states, Alaska has a very short tourist season which can make it difficult for us to rebook when we have cancellations without ample notice.
If you are booking a charter and lodging and your charter , water taxi or kayaking is cancelled due to weather you are still responsible for the lodging or camping reservations and the normal cancellation policy applies. All of our activities are possible during rain, so rain does not constitute a cancellation. Miller’s Landing is not responsible for vehicle break downs, personal emergencies, flight delays, health issues or other unforeseen hardships. We will try very hard to work with you but the cancellation policy will need to be applied if we cannot issue a raincheck or find an alternative solution that appeals to both parties.
Please understand that Miller’s Landing also incurs a hefty financial merchant fee from our bank for the cost of charging your credit card and again for the cost of refunding it, and there is also a cost involved for the time involved in processing and refunding your reservation in employee costs. Our goal when taking your reservation is to have a solid, guaranteed prepaid reservation. We strongly discourage the practice of making reservations without having an airline ticket or making tentative reservations. Thank you for your understanding.