Big Dan’s Fishing Charters runs the best boats in Homer. Its two aluminum catamarans, the 50 foot Double Down and the 42 foot Game Changer, are built for the open water of Cook Inlet, where the twin hulls ride flatter and stay fishable in the 5 to 8 foot seas that turn a monohull into a rough day. Owner Capt. Dan Spies bought his first boat in 2013 and built the operation around comfort, range, and consistent limits, with a riverfront lodge and trips out of Seward and the Kenai as well. The reviews back it up: a 4.9 average across more than 160 Google reviews and a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award in 2025.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.7 Big Dan’s shares the top of the Homer field with Maverick Charters, and it is the pick when the boat itself matters most. The catamarans are a genuine step up in ride and stability over the monohulls the rest of the port runs, which counts for a lot on a long halibut run or a rough morning, and the long range and overnight program reaches grounds a day boat cannot. It edges just behind Maverick only because Maverick carries more total reviews and a slightly broader per person and private mix. The honest things to weigh: Big Dan’s is a multi port business that also fishes Seward and the Kenai and Kasilof rivers, so confirm your trip is the Homer one, and the price sits at the upper end of the port. One pointed review described the owner reacting strongly to a critical Facebook comment, which is worth noting on the service side. See the Homer ranking for the full comparison.
The boats
The catamarans are the story. The Double Down is a 50 foot by 18 foot Brix Marine aluminum cat, splashed in March 2022 and nominated by WorkBoat magazine as one of the significant boats of that year; the Game Changer is a 42 foot by 15 foot cat with four big outboards. Both fish up to 12 anglers, both have heated cabins, and both sleep up to 12 for the overnight trips. The width of a catamaran is what makes the difference here: the boats sit flatter at rest and pound less in a chop, so a full day of jigging in open water is more comfortable than it is on a deep V monohull. Reviewers routinely call them the best boats in Homer, and on the boat and equipment factor they are the strongest in our ranking. A third boat, the Blackjack, also runs in the fleet, though its specifications are not published.
The fishing and what you target
Big Dan’s fishes Pacific halibut as the mainstay, on full day trips of 5 to 7 hours out to 30 to 50 miles and long range multispecies days of 8 to 12 hours that push 80 to 100 miles for the bigger fish and a mixed bag. The 2026 Area 3A charter halibut limit is two a day, one of any size and one under 27 inches, with retention closed Wednesdays and on Tuesdays from June 2 to August 25. Combo trips add silver and king salmon and the boats run lingcod and rockfish days once lingcod opens July 1. Winter king salmon trolling fills the off season. The overnight trips are the differentiator: 24 to 30 hours on the water fishing double limits, sleeping aboard, which reaches the far grounds and is hard to find elsewhere in the port. The long range and overnight depth is why trips and access scores high here.
Trips and prices
Pricing is posted in full and per person. A Homer halibut day is $395, a halibut combo $445, a long range multispecies trip $565, a lingcod and rockfish day $445, and winter king salmon $325. The early season overnight is $995 and the multispecies overnight with double limits and meals is $1,425. The $20 daily halibut stamp is built into the trip price, which is a fair touch, while city taxes, credit card fees, and a possible fuel surcharge are added on. The booking terms are spelled out clearly: a 50% deposit holds the date, the balance is due 30 days out, cancellations outside 30 days are refunded minus 15%, and weather or captain cancellations are refunded in full. It is the upper end of the Homer market, and the catamarans and the policy are what you pay for. The cost guide sets the price in context against the rest of the port.
The crew
Capt. Dan Spies runs the operation with his wife Sarah on the office side, and the deck is worked by named captains including Brandon, Billy, Tanner, and David. The recurring praise in the reviews is for the boats, the consistent limits and big halibut, hardworking and knowledgeable crews, and a family feel that brings anglers back year after year. The crews emphasize safety, which suits the long runs the catamarans make. The one critical theme worth flagging is on the service side rather than the fishing: a customer who posted a negative experience described the owner responding sharply on Facebook, which is a reminder to take any dispute to the office directly. Against a 4.9 Google average over 160 plus reviews, the on the water reputation is strong and consistent.
Booking and what to know
Big Dan’s books online and by phone, with the Homer catamarans in slips C12 and D11 at the Homer Boat Harbor. Because the business also runs Seward and river trips and a lodge, be clear you are booking the Homer charter when you reserve, and read the deposit and cancellation terms, which are stricter than some. Bring warm waterproof layers, food and drink, and motion sickness medicine, and buy your Alaska license ahead; the halibut stamp is already in your trip price. For an overnight, pack for sleeping aboard. Confirm the day before, since even a catamaran answers to a Cook Inlet weather call.
How we scored it
Big Dan’s earns its 8.7 on the best boats in the port by a clear margin, a deep long range and overnight program, consistent limits, and a fully posted price and policy. Boat and equipment is its standout factor. It is held a hair behind Maverick by a smaller total review base and the price at the top of the market, and the service score reflects the one account of the owner handling criticism poorly. See how we scored this boat and compare it across the Homer charters we rank.