Oasis Alaska Charters is the value pick among the private boats in Ketchikan for a group, with the clearest small group pricing in the port and a deep, well rated record. It runs two private boats with covered cabins out of the north end of town, fishes salmon and halibut in the protected Inside Passage, and posts a detailed per person grid where the rate drops sharply as your group grows. The record is strong across the open platforms, more than 190 Google reviews and a deep TripAdvisor base. For a private boat that gets cheaper per head with a full group, it is a smart Ketchikan call.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.0 Oasis is a strong choice and fourth in the port. Its case is transparent, group friendly pricing, two private boats, processing and shipping handled, and a deep, consistent record across Google and TripAdvisor. It suits a family or a group of four to six who want a private boat and the best per head price, and who do not mind starting from the north end. What holds it below the leaders is partly location and partly fleet. It runs from North Point Higgins Road rather than the downtown docks, so it is a drive or shuttle from the ships rather than a walk, its FishingBooker listing is thin next to its Google and TripAdvisor records, and the captain roster varies by trip. For a downtown walk on, Baranof and Ketchikan’s Finest are the picks. Compare the field on the Ketchikan ranking.
The boats
Oasis runs two private boats, a 27 footer and a 30 footer, each with a covered cabin and a toilet and each fishing up to six anglers. The covered cabin matters in Southeast Alaska, where a day on the water is usually a wet one, and keeping both boats to six keeps the trips personal. Running two hulls lets the operation take a couple of groups on a busy day while keeping each private. The boats are set up for the salmon and halibut fishing rather than for luxury, and the honest read is that the public spec detail is lighter than the pricing and the captain detail, so the case rests on the record and the value more than on a long boat spec.
The fishing and what you target
Oasis fishes the standard Ketchikan season in the protected Inside Passage. King salmon run from spring into July, silver salmon are the high summer mainstay into September, and pink salmon fill in through midsummer. Pacific halibut is the bottom fishing draw, with rockfish rounding out a combo day. The combo trip is the popular pick, letting the captain work salmon and halibut on the same day. The 2026 Area 2C halibut rule is one fish a day under a reverse slot, 34 inches or under or 80 inches or over, with no charter halibut retention on Thursdays from June 18 to September 10, so confirm the current halibut measures with NOAA Fisheries and the Southeast king salmon limits with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Trips and prices
Oasis posts the most detailed small group grid in the port, and the structure is the selling point: the per person rate falls sharply as your group grows. A 4 hour salmon trip is $430 each for two guests but $270 each for four to six, and a 6 hour halibut or combo trip is $730 for two but $430 for four to six. A 9 to 11 hour full day combo is $525 per person with a four guest minimum. Trips are private, with a 15 percent deposit to book and processing and shipping handled. The add-ons are the Ketchikan standard, the borough sales tax and the $20 per person federal halibut stamp on halibut trips. For a full boat of four to six, this is among the best per head value in Ketchikan, which is the heart of the score. Our cost guide sets these rates against other ports, and the party boat versus private charter guide explains how a private boat price works per head.
The crew
The guides carry the score, and the record across the open platforms is deep and consistent. Across more than 190 Google reviews and a 4.9 on Birdeye, the recurring themes are knowledgeable, personable captains who work hard to put the group on fish and handle the catch well. Captain Mark is born and raised in Ketchikan, and the roster includes Danny, Drew, and Jarom. The honest caveats are that the FishingBooker record is thin next to the Google and TripAdvisor depth, and that with a rotating roster the captain varies by trip, so the day is a little less uniform than a single owner boat. The weight of the evidence is clearly positive, and the score reflects a deep record with the normal multi captain variation.
Booking and what to know
Book direct through the Oasis site with a 15 percent deposit, and reserve early for the summer, since the value pricing fills the good dates. The north end departure at 708 North Point Higgins Road is a drive or shuttle from downtown and the cruise docks, so confirm transport when you book if you are on a ship. Bring warm, waterproof layers, since Southeast Alaska fishes wet, plus a hat, sunscreen, and any motion sickness precautions. The gear is aboard, an Alaska sport fishing license is your responsibility to hold before you board, and Oasis handles processing and shipping for your catch.
How we scored it
Oasis earns its 8.0 on transparent, group friendly pricing, two private covered cabin boats, and a deep, consistent record across Google and TripAdvisor, held below the leaders by a north end location that is not a downtown walk on, a thin FishingBooker listing, and a rotating captain roster. Value and track record are its strongest factors, with boat and service the ones location and fleet hold back. See how we scored this boat and the Ketchikan ranking for the rest of the field, including Alaska King Charter and The Bites On Charters.