I just returned from a 3-day trip out of Seward aboard the Sound Crazy with Captain Butters, and it…read morewas an incredible experience. We were very fortunate with calm seas and great weather, but we still had to work hard to catch high-quality fish--which made the success that much more rewarding. I've lived in Alaska for over 10 years and have been on several fishing charters, but I've never been on one where both the captain and deckhands worked so relentlessly to give their guests the best possible chance at catching fish. On many charters, you'll hear, "This is fishing, and sometimes they just don't cooperate." That's absolutely true, and I understand that patience is part of targeting larger halibut. What set this trip apart was the dedication of Captain Butters and his crew. Seeing the captain himself up at midnight chumming and soaking lines to improve our odds was something I've never experienced. He wasn't satisfied with us catching a couple of small "chickens"--he wanted to help create memories. Thanks to that extra effort, the last two halibut we landed became fish that my family members, who traveled all the way to Alaska for this trip, will never forget. The team at Crazy Rays is first-class, and their commitment to their guests is obvious. They genuinely care about providing the best experience possible, and it shows in everything they do. Going forward, this is the charter company I'll recommend to friends and family and the one I'll choose whenever I book another trip. Thank you, Captain Butters and the entire Crazy Rays crew, for an unforgettable adventure and memories that will last a lifetime.

Ray I tried calling…read moreyou, left you my number so you can call me back all I got was your automated email asking for a review....So here you go! Fishing Experience what it comes down to is a Minimalist as you described in your email by checking the boxes vs Maximumizing the experience which is my goal. I take 10 to 15 Fishing Charters per year all over North America, I am taking 5 this week. I don't book party charters because I want to ensure I control who I fish with, I often fish a 6 pack with only myself or 1 or 2 friends. FV ICrazy 2 was disappointing and did not measure up to expectations. 1. Mechanical Failure at 1:00pm Prop fell off the engine. Then we spent an hour looking for a spare prop and contacting you. 2. One windshield wiper working, other completely missing. All of the compartment doors are held shut with a dish rag folded over 2-1/2 times and jammed in the crack to keep the doors from falling open since none of the latches would hold the doors closed. 3. The water hose did not work, so everything had to be washed down with a bucket on a rope. 4. The bathroom door would not latch and had to be blocked so it wouldn't keep swinging open. 5. Seat back in the cabin across from the driver would not stay in place 6. And in general the boat lacked good maintenance that you would expect from a 1st class charter operation that is charging its customers premium rates for a full day of fishing. 7. Next issue, I booked a Private 6 Pack Fishing Vessel, only to be told by the captain that the boat could only handle 4 rods at a time plus it was only him no deck hand. So in reality we got a 4 pack and our catch was limited by only having 4 people fishing at any given time. 8. Next, we wasted valuable time in 2 ways, 1st we didn't depart the boat dock until 7:30am and 2nd we went on a wild goose chase scouting a waypoint for the Captains "Boss" on the way down that he never intended to fish because it was too deep, this was over an hour of time we could have been fishing. My points are we could have fished more rods earlier and limited on Halibut sooner, moved on to Rockfish sooner and limited and had time to target cod and other species to Maximize our Fishing Charter had it not been for the limitations within the control of Crazy Rays Charters. The way I see it is I got 2/3 of a Charter for 2/3 of the Time, so I should pay 44.4%. Jeff Miller

Repeat customer and I can't say enough good things about these guys! We had the best time on our…read moreJuly 4th fishing trip with Clay! Everything was well-organized and welcoming. We've had a Clay as our guide a few times before, and he's always fantastic--knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely fun to be around. He made sure we were in the right spots, gave great tips, and kept the energy up all day long, even at 4am. The owners, Lori and Travis, clearly care about their business and their guests. You can tell they've put a lot of heart into making sure every trip is a great experience. The boat was clean, well-equipped, and comfortable, and we came back with not only a great haul of fish but also memories we'll talk about for a long time. If you're thinking about booking a fishing trip, we absolutely recommend Fish Em. Clay, Lori, and Travis make a great team, and we can't wait to go out with them again!

We were visiting Alaska and wanted to get some ice fishing exposure. We went out for the 2 hour…read morefamily experience and I couldn't believe my 6 year old kept focused and enjoyed it. Jake did. Fantastic job putting us on the fish. We all caught fish totaling a couple dozen. If you're looking for a friendly knowledgeable Alaskan book a trip with them.

Good place overall to go kayak around a smaller lake. The lake is close to the highway so you can…read morehear all of the highway noise so its not as peaceful.

We stopped by here on our way to Denali, it is was a random stop but turned out to be absolutely…read morebeautiful. We were here on Thursday afternoon and there was no one here. We had the lake to ourselves. The area around the lake was clean, there are plenty of picnic tables, bbq pit and kids play area around as well. They also have a boat launch area on the other side. Tip: Come here during week day to enjoy the quaint lake, 'cause when we stopped by on our way back on Saturday, the place was fully packed.

Ray is a POS (period). Rude and unprofessional and his other charter guests were also embarrassed…read morewith his unprofessional demeanor. In fact the few chum we pulled out of the river had more personality than Ray. His website also claims numerous awards over the years - fact check it, as it just isn't true. Save yourself the embarrassment and go somewhere else!

Not trying to ruin this business, but I would be doing a disservice to other customers if I wasn't…read morehonest with my experience with Fisherman's choice. We got completely skunked (zero fish) during peak season; first warning sign should have been when they had availability (unbooked) for the entire week I inquired about, and they were also the cheapest. You get what you pay for, this is an inferior guide. Second red flag I should have noticed was when he took us fishing in a river that absolutely nobody else was fishing in; now keep in mind that this isn't some small secret hidden lake nobody else knows about, it's a huge river that nobody else chooses to fish in. And we learned that too late, for good reason. The lake is dead. Completely dead. Lake may have been good back in 1987 when he may have started fishing in Alaska, but now, the lake is completely dead. Guide probably keeps fishing this dead lake because he lives close by and is the only lake he can access, rather than more productive lakes like Kenai. Don't come fishing here with this charter. He blamed Chinese people for illegally fishing his waters, and said that we weren't catching anything because we were right in between the King and Silver runs. Bullshit, saw folks catching so many silvers yesterday at Ship's Creek. Just a bad guide taking none-the-wiser customers' money and fishing a dead lake. Their website goes on and on about how customers need to tip, even if the guide doesn't put you on any fish, that it's not the guides fault. Well, it sure as hell ain't the customer's fault, either. The customer is already paying upfront the fees, why should the customer pay for getting skunked too? Business owner chose to go in to business that has uncertainty, the business should eat the costs (tips) when the conditions aren't ideal, not expecting the customer to pay for that too. Yet his website goes on and on about tipping 20% to 50%, even if they don't get you any fish. What kind of participation trophy did these guys grow up depending on? Plus, they complain about their "good reviews" being intentionally hidden by Yelp. I find that hard to believe, the more likely explanation for their "good reviews" "hidden by Yelp" may be due to them writing fake good reviews about themselves, and Yelp recognizing the fake reviews and thus hiding them, appropriately. Plus, this guide hadn't caught a fish in over three weeks, just duping and collecting fees and tips from unsuspecting out of town visitors. Not like he made the trip enjoyable, he had the personality of a wet log, he ignores your questions, and plays with his phone while you try for fish. Absolutely do not recommend, this is a inferior, cheap, not booked up charter that fishes a dead lake that every other fisherman was smart enough to abandon.

A bit smelly but hey, it's pretty cool to see some live Alaska salmon!…read moreAndrew enjoyed it so much as he loves fishing.

Let's get one thing straight: I ain't no fisherman…read more I'm a...well, I don't what the term is in fishing circles. In gaming they call 'em "newbs". In sport climbing they call 'em "gumbies". Whatever they call that in fishing, that's what I am. I don't know anythign about knots, hooks, bait, etc. I just do what my brother tells me. This is a good place to watch other people fish. It's not all that scenic, it's pretty much a wet, muddy, mucky area with little-to-no views of the mountains. (Seriously, you'll want some serious boot/wader action to fish here) However, it is a fun place to walk to from downtown and see something different. The main novelty, of course, is that you can fish while still technically being "downtown". You can also eat at the nearby "Bridge" restaurant which used to be quite good but now is an overpriced tourist trap. If you're a tourist, you'll love it. If you're a local, don't bother.

This playground/lake park is busy from sunrise to sundown, when the weather is good…read more It consists of a large pavilion/shelter, big kids playground, toddler playground, open green field, beach/sand/lake, and a kids' zipline. A few sitting areas are sprinkled throughout. As someone who avoids small talk and parent interactions, I try to show up at the crack of dawn. There will still be folks here, but at least you aren't elbow to elbow. It's difficult to bring my kids to these swimming areas without the intention of swimming. I prefer for my kids to swim at Little Campbell Lake (near Kincaid Park), instead.

A nice spot just off Dimond. The park has two parking areas- one just off Dimond on the south end…read moreof the lake that can be a little crowded and a larger one at the northeast side of the lake. Here, there are picnic areas and a playground area for kids. The lake is supposedly stocked with fish, so you usually see folks ice fishing in the winter. The south entrance has a small dock that is also good for fishing in warmer weather.