Crazy Rays Adventures
Crazy Rays Adventures
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Are you looking for a fantastic time with your family and friends? Then look no further. Come join us for a day on the water that will have you bragging to your family and friends for years to come. A typical day on Crazy Rays Adventures begins at the dock in a beautiful little town called Whittier which is located approximately 45 minutes south of Alaska's big city, Anchorage. Whittier is known as the western gateway to Prince William Sound. The Sound boasts one of the largest Pink salmon runs in the world which provides for an overabundant food supply for the Sounds vast ecosystem. Our clients typically catch the 6:30am Tunnel from Bear Valley to Whittier (Appx 2.5 Miles through a Mountain) then meeting up with the Captain and Crew at the boat at about 7:00am. The trip is an all day charter (10-12 hrs)reaching deep into the outer limits of Prince William Sound where we will target Barn Door Halibut, Trophy Lingcod, and succulent Rockfish. When in season Salmon will be added to the menu as well, so long as time permits. The fishing isn't the only fun to be had for the day, make sure you bring your camera along as there is a great chance to catch a snapshot of Whales, Sea Otters, Puffins, Sea Lions, Seals, and much much more. On arrival back at the dock, join our Captain and Crew for group photo's of the Catch then while the crew fillets your catch you can grab dinner at one of the local restaurants that are within walking distance. If you would like your catch vacuum sealed and frozen, arrangements can be made at the local fish processor.
Whittier, Alaska
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
501 reviews
Excellent
487
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
6
Terrible
5
Kyle H
Dallas, TX22 contributions
Jul 2020 • Friends
We just returned from a week of fishing on the Kenai Peninsula and we chose Crazy Ray for our saltwater charter.
My wife and I have been on a dozen or so saltwater charters which is enough to know that this is a top of line operation.
Why I liked it:
1. The fishing is great. Our boat kept 20 halibut, 20+ cod, a few yellow-eye and a salmon. Ray knows his waters and filled up our freezer.
2. The Strait Crazy is a beautiful (and newer) boat with plenty of room and space to comfortably spend the day. Kept very clean too.
3. Father/Son operation of Ray and Noah worked hard all day (650am to 650pm) to ensure we all caught our halibut limit and did so with a smile.
4. BONUS—the Prince William Sound waters are very flat. Zero swells means the whole boat was enjoying their day.
Many of the other parties we met traveling this week were taking halibut charters out of Seward or Homer, but I would encourage folks to take a look at Crazy Rays in Whittier when building out their ideal itinerary.
If you tip a bit extra he will tell you how he became so crazy...
My wife and I have been on a dozen or so saltwater charters which is enough to know that this is a top of line operation.
Why I liked it:
1. The fishing is great. Our boat kept 20 halibut, 20+ cod, a few yellow-eye and a salmon. Ray knows his waters and filled up our freezer.
2. The Strait Crazy is a beautiful (and newer) boat with plenty of room and space to comfortably spend the day. Kept very clean too.
3. Father/Son operation of Ray and Noah worked hard all day (650am to 650pm) to ensure we all caught our halibut limit and did so with a smile.
4. BONUS—the Prince William Sound waters are very flat. Zero swells means the whole boat was enjoying their day.
Many of the other parties we met traveling this week were taking halibut charters out of Seward or Homer, but I would encourage folks to take a look at Crazy Rays in Whittier when building out their ideal itinerary.
If you tip a bit extra he will tell you how he became so crazy...
Written July 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey Kyle,
Thanks for taking the time to give us a review, its a great way for other folks to see how we run our operation. We try hard every day to give our clients a fun and memorable experience and it sounds like that is exactly what you folks had. Prince William Sound is definitely one of the most beautiful places on earth and we love having the opportunity to show people all of it's beauty. Glad you folks were happy with the fishing and the new boat. We'll see you guys on the next one!
Written January 27, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Patrick5451966
Lincoln, CA186 contributions
Jul 2020 • Friends
At the Fred Hall show in Long Beach I ran across a lot of outfits offering their trips in Alaska and once I stopped by Crazy Rays booth and talked with Raymond and Brenda about what I was looking for and they talked about what they had to offer and during our conversation I felt a connection but I walked around the show looking at my options and after several hours I returned and booked a trip for the 12th of July for 3 of us. Well today we had the pleasure of fishing with Captain Manny aboard a 6 pack. My daughter and fellow veteran Bob and from the start Manny our Captain was very safety conscious, interactive with us all, and informative with the species of fish we were targeting, and tackle used. He briefed us all on the game plan and executed it flawlessly given the winds and seas. Bob and I come from a background of special warfare combatant craft operators and we interacted with Manny about his boat and subconsciously observed his boat skills and we were impressed. Manny is a professional who is very safety conscious and client oriented with a great personality. Our fishing adventure could not have been more successful with the size and quality of halibut and other species of fish caught. Manny made every client feel important and he interacted well with all of our individual skill sets. My 21 year old daughter was equally impressed and throughly enjoyed todays adventure. Thank you all and BZ to Manny for making todays adventure a most memorable experience.
Written July 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey Patrick,
Thanks for taking the time to give us a review. Captain Manny does his best to show everyone a good time and get you folks on fish. Glad it all worked out and you had a great time. When you come back up look us up for another great adventure!
Written January 27, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kodiak Fishing ... A
1 contribution
Jul 2019
We set our sights for Whittier Alaska to test out some of our new fishing gear and booked a trip with Crazy Rays Adventures. It was all just a blur from that point on. Crazy Ray put us on the sweet spot and we hit a Hog Gusher! There were 40 - 70 lbs. halibut hitting the deck for everyone onboard and it didn't end there. We caught our limit of halibut then Crazy Ray shouted, "Who wants salmon and rockfish?" Next thing you know, salmon and rockfish were coming over the rail as fast as we could reel them in and the fish hold was spilling over! If fishing or hunting sea ducks out of Whittier, Alaska is on your bucket list, your trip will be a blast with Crazy Ray's Adventures!
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nathan O.
1 contribution
Aug 2020
There were a lot of things that conspired against us on our trip, some probably were not the charter's fault, some definitely were. Our trip was in the summer of 2019, and my friend and I booked two seats. We arrived at the office early as is our custom, but captain keith was over an hour late arriving. We weren't ever really given a reason why. After waiting in our car for 45 minutes we received a text message with an updated departure time. We were told that we would stay out a little longer to make up for the lost time. The weather was not ideal, but we ended up anchoring and fishing hard. Keith worked at it, and was enjoyable to fish with. We anchored in one spot the entire day, and caught one 12lb halibut for the entire boat of six, nothing else. We did not attempt to fish for salmon and caught no rockfish on our "combo" charter. We know fishing is fishing not catching, but have also fished in Alaska many many times and have a pretty good idea of what to expect and how to catch fish. Captain Keith didn't have a backup plan and swung and missed that day. At the dock, the other boat from Crazy Ray's had numerous fish halibut, rockfish and ling cod, the other boats had fish as well. We overhear Keith and Ray discussing their day and Ray asking Keith why he had not fished a couple of other spots given the rough day he was having.
All in all, we paid for the experience and no charter can guarantee fish. That being said, it is Alaska, and we were literally the only boat with five people that did not catch or hook a single fish. We probably hit the only day that season where Captain Keith did not catch fish, the weather, the fish not biting, all not controllable. It would have been nice to have had a backup plan to pick up some rock fish, a salmon or two, etc and to not have had to wait at the dock for an hour for captain keith to arrive to start our trip.
All in all, we paid for the experience and no charter can guarantee fish. That being said, it is Alaska, and we were literally the only boat with five people that did not catch or hook a single fish. We probably hit the only day that season where Captain Keith did not catch fish, the weather, the fish not biting, all not controllable. It would have been nice to have had a backup plan to pick up some rock fish, a salmon or two, etc and to not have had to wait at the dock for an hour for captain keith to arrive to start our trip.
Written January 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey Nathan,
Thanks for giving us a review, it's always helpful even when there are shortcomings to help identify issues so we can better our company. I had to do a little digging and contact some other clients that were on the bots that day to see what all transpired. I guess at first I'd like to address the issue of the tardiness of the skipper. The day of your guys trip was a bad weather day and this was the reason for the delay in departure. All 3 vessels left late that day as we were waiting on an updated buoy report to see if we would be able to make it out on the water. We believed that we had contacted everyone to notify that this was what the situation was, however it sounds like we may have overlooked contacting you specifically. Apologies for the miscommunication. Shortly before departing we gave all clientele the option for fishing or cancelling and rescheduling. The reason we do this, and as was explained that morning, adverse weather can greatly impact fishing success. I'm not sure exactly why Keith didn't move the boat that day as it is a little difficult to recall when this happened 1 1/2 years ago, but I can assure you if he thought he could do better somewhere else he would have made the move. Keith is a dedicated fishermen and wants the clients to catch good fish more than the clients do I'm sure. I looked back at the photos from that day and none of the boats caught ling cod and only 1 boat caught rockfish 4 total yelloweye's. When fishing in the region you guys were there isn't really much salmon or rockfish options at least not any that are reliable as a backup. Again this is why we have that discussion before departing. Apologies if this wasn't made clear enough, we will try harder in the future. Hopefully your next trip to Alaska is a bit more successful as sometimes it can be amazing. Good Luck!!!!
Written January 26, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David G
Ames, IA6 contributions
Aug 2021
Great trip! This trip could have flopped with any other outfit. On August 10, my son and I were on the six person boat with Manny as our guide. In route to the fishing area we had to turn back due to bad weather and a rough sea state. Manny found a protected spot where we fished for several hours and the boat caught its limit of yellow eye. The weather cleared in the afternoon and Manny moved locations and we caught halibut, cod and then Silver Salmon. Some fishing boats didn’t leave Whittier due to the morning weather. I highly recommend Crazy Rays’s and Manny. They have excellent fishing equipment and Manny is a top-notch a guide who knows where the fish are and how to catch them. My number one choice in Whittier!
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adam N
4 contributions
May 2020 • Friends
Crazy Ray's is amazing. This was my first time ever halibut fishing and they did a great job showing me the ropes about how to fish for halibut. The crew was great and very motivated and friendly. They did a great job ensuring all government requirements for Covid 19 were followed. Their proximity to Anchorage was great. It took us 1 hour to get to Whittier. All 5 of us on the boat were satisfied because we limited out on Yellow Eyes, Halibut, and Black Rock Fish. I highly recommended Crazy Ray's for anyone living on Alaska or on a trip. You will have a trip of a lifetime. Thanks Captains Ray and Keith!
Written May 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zach M
Anchorage, AK4 contributions
Jun 2020 • Solo
Awesome time chasing halibut with Ray. We definitely targeted the larger fish and he didn’t waste any time getting there on the “Straight Crazy”. He definitely operates a top notch service with top notch equipment! He put our group of nine on the rock fish and everyone limited out within 20 minutes!
Written June 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg Foster
2 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
Had an excellent time with a ton of success fishing late in the season with captain Keith and his 1st mate Manny....the boat was 1st class and warm and comfortable. They put us on fish all day and everybody caught their limit. It was a full day of fishing and well worth it!! This was a bucket list trip for me and first visit to Alaska. They did not disappoint!! I highly recommend anyone looking to seriously have a once in a lifetime experience to use Cap Keith and Manny with (Crazy Rays)
Thank fellas !! Greg Foster....(Go Hawks!)
Thank fellas !! Greg Foster....(Go Hawks!)
Written September 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheryl M
2 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Five stars to Captain Kieth and Crazy Rays! We had a fun ride out to the fish on a very atypical day in Whittier with big 9’ waves and rough seas. He still managed to bring us right to the fish who met our arrival with big appetites and lots of biting. Keith kept the boat immaculate while continually helping us set the drag, keeping bait on our lines, netting, cleaning, gutting, more boat rinsing.. all while cheering us on and celebrating our catches. I learned a lot about all the different fish we were catching. He’s a master fisherman, boat captain, and master of fish puns. I was also impressed how quickly he filleted our 30+ fish and he even shared some tips and tricks. It was a fun trip with loads of fish caught. It was also the first time I completed an ocean trio without getting nauseas. I thought that would be a miracle when I saw the forecast, but it was a smooth ride with expert driving on a really nice boat that handled the waves with no problem.
Thanks for a great family and friends day!
Thanks for a great family and friends day!
Written August 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justin S
4 contributions
May 2020 • Couples
Went out with my girlfriend and coworker for a full day halibut charter on the strait crazy(12 pax vessel). Cannot express how highly i would recommend this charter. The owner and our captain for the day (Ray) was awesome. He was dedicated to putting everyone on the fish. I think Ray was more disappointed than my girlfriend when the 100+ pound halibut she reeled up broke the harpoon line swimming into the props and got away. At the end of the day we had a few 100lb halibut, everyones yelloweye rockfish limit and a bunch of cod. The group of 7 that was fishing all caught keeper halibut.
The boats were clean and organized. The deckhand stevie we had was awesome and was busting his hind end to keep all the poles baited and in the water. Save yourself the trip to seward, valdez, or homer. Its a 1.5 hour commute from anchorage and after the service and experience I was provided today I will be returning with out of town family. You will not regret this charter.
The boats were clean and organized. The deckhand stevie we had was awesome and was busting his hind end to keep all the poles baited and in the water. Save yourself the trip to seward, valdez, or homer. Its a 1.5 hour commute from anchorage and after the service and experience I was provided today I will be returning with out of town family. You will not regret this charter.
Written May 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Approximately how many pounds of fish are being caught? I know there is no guarantee and every trip is different. We are trying to get an estimate as to the cost of shipping the fish home and determine if this is really a feasible adventure. Thank you
Written May 19, 2018
Thank you for answering my questions. It sounds like you had a successful day of fishing.
Written May 21, 2018
What is the cost of the fishing charter and how far in advance do we need to book?
Written July 24, 2017
We booked the entire boat for 2 days and the total was around $4,300. The lodging was extra, but less than $200/nt pp incl dinner. A very good deal for the food and accommodations at a remote lodge
Written July 26, 2017
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