Harders Charters is a personal, owner run six pack out of Homer, fished by Capt. Ethan Harders himself on the Zelie Rose. He started as a deckhand in 2010, earned his captain’s license in 2014, and began his own company in 2015, and the operation has built a loyal following since: across more than 110 TripAdvisor reviews the recurring note is that Ethan is patient, knowledgeable, and works hard to put people on fish, with a stream of repeat customers who come back year after year. For an affordable, personal trip with the owner at the wheel, it is a solid pick.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.7 Harders is a strong choice and one of Homer’s better small owner run operations. It suits an angler or a family who wants a personal day with the owner, a patient captain who is good with beginners, and a simple, fair price. It ranks in the strong tier rather than higher for honest reasons tied to its size and its transparency: it is a single boat and a single captain, so there is no backup if the boat is booked or the captain is out, and the company does not publish the boat’s length or make, which leaves a gap on the boat and equipment side. What it offers in return is consistency and a genuine repeat customer base. For another owner run six pack with a more fully documented boat, compare Jake’s; for the broader field, see the Homer ranking.
The boat
Harders fishes the Zelie Rose, a six passenger boat with a cabin to duck into when the weather sends you in and room on deck to fish. The honest gap is the specifications: the company does not publish the boat’s length or make, so while reviewers describe a comfortable, capable platform, the exact details are not on the site. As a six pack it is smaller than the big inspected boats and more exposed to the Cook Inlet weather, but it fishes an uncrowded rail with the owner aboard. The unpublished specs are the main reason boat and equipment is the lowest factor on this page, since we score what can be verified and say what cannot.
The fishing and what you target
Harders fishes Pacific halibut as the mainstay, on full day trips under the 2026 Area 3A charter limit of two a day, one of any size and one under 27 inches, with retention closed Wednesdays and Tuesdays from June 2 to August 25. Combo trips pair halibut with king and silver salmon or with rockfish, and private and custom charters can mix fishing with sightseeing and wildlife. As a single six pack the menu is focused rather than broad, without the long range and overnight options the big boats run, but it covers the core Homer fishery and the captain tailors the day to what is biting. Reviewers report limits of halibut and king salmon on good days.
Trips and prices
The pricing is simple and posted, which is a plus. A halibut trip is $350 per person and a combo is $375, with a private or custom charter at $2,750 for the boat. That makes it one of the more affordable owner run six packs in Homer, below the newest high end boats. Gear is provided, the Alaska license and the halibut stamp are separate, and processing is handled by a Spit processor for a fee. For a single angler or a couple the per person rate is fair, and for a small group the private boat is competitive. Our cost guide sets the numbers against the rest of the port, and the party boat versus private charter guide weighs a six pack against a per person seat on a big boat.
The crew
Capt. Ethan Harders is the operation, and the crew factor is its strength. The reviews are consistent and loyal: he is described as knowledgeable and patient, providing all the gear, good with beginners and kids, and willing to keep working a spot to get people on fish rather than heading in early. Several reviewers are repeat customers on their fourth, fifth, or sixth trip, which is the clearest signal a small operator can give. The honest qualifier is structural rather than about the crew: with one captain and one boat, the operation rises and falls on Ethan’s availability, and there is no second boat to fall back on. The depth of repeat business says that consistency has held.
Booking and what to know
Harders books through its own site and by phone out of Homer. Because it is a single boat, reserve well ahead for the summer dates, since a popular owner run six pack fills fast. Bring warm waterproof layers, food and drink, and motion sickness medicine taken before you sail, and buy your Alaska license and halibut stamp ahead of time. Gear is provided; arrange processing and shipping with a Spit processor if you want your fish cleaned, boxed, and sent home. Confirm the day before, since a six pack answers to the Cook Inlet weather.
How we scored it
Harders earns its 7.7 on a patient, knowledgeable owner captain, a loyal repeat customer base, and a simple, fair, posted price. Captain and crew is its strongest factor. It is held in the strong tier by a single boat and captain with no backup, and by unpublished boat specifications that leave a gap on the boat and equipment side. See how we scored this boat and the rest of the Homer charters we rank.