Crazy Ray’s Adventures has fished out of Whittier harbor for over two decades and carries the deepest review record in the port, and it ranks fourth in our field. Owners Ray and Brenda run a three boat fleet that spans the way most people fish Whittier: the 12 passenger Strait Crazy, an inspected boat that sells affordable per person seats, plus the six packs Crazy Ray and iCrazy 2 for private groups. Trips are halibut, halibut and king salmon, and salmon and rockfish combos at 10 to 12 hours, with a multi-day liveaboard for anglers who want a longer run, and gear and filleting come included.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.9 Crazy Ray’s is a strong choice and the high volume pick in Whittier. Its case is reach and record: a fleet that covers both a cheap per person seat and a private six pack, over 20 years in the harbor, and a TripAdvisor record of roughly 507 reviews, by far the largest in the port, that runs strongly positive on hardworking crews and capable boats. It suits a budget angler or a family who want a seat on the big boat without chartering a whole hull, and the included rod, tackle, and filleting keep it simple. Three honest caveats hold it below the owner operator boats above it. The captains rotate across the fleet and are not individually named, so you do not pick who runs your day. A recurring note in the reviews is that the long Whittier run leaves a limited stretch of time actually fishing, which is true of every boat here but comes up often enough to flag. And the operation splits its attention with a Seward base, so its large review count spans two ports. For a single captain you book by name, see Alaskan 4 Star Charters; for the cleanest record in town, Whittier Marine Charters. The full field is on the Whittier ranking.
The boats
The fleet is the reason Crazy Ray’s can fish nearly anyone who shows up. The Strait Crazy is an inspected passenger boat that takes up to 12 anglers on a per person basis, which is the affordable, steady way onto Prince William Sound and the better platform on a lumpy morning. The Crazy Ray and the iCrazy 2 are six packs that book whole for a private group. Reviewers describe the boats as well run and capable, and the operation provides bait, tackle, rods, and reels rather than asking you to bring or rent them. The honest note is that with a mixed fleet and rotating captains, the boat and crew you draw vary by date and trip, so the experience is less consistent than a single owner hull, even if the standard is good across the board.
The fishing and what you target
Crazy Ray’s fishes the standard Whittier season out of the sound and into the Northern Gulf. Pacific halibut is the mainstay from spring into September, under the 2026 Area 3A charter rules of two fish a day, one of any size and one no more than 27 inches, with keeping closed every Wednesday and on Tuesdays from June 2 to August 25. The combos pair halibut with king salmon early in the season or with rockfish and lingcod on the bottom, and silver salmon come on from August. The salmon and rockfish combo is the trip to book on a halibut closed day, and the multi-day liveaboard is for anglers chasing a longer run and a possession limit. Trips run 10 to 12 hours and take anglers ages 7 and up, so it works for families.
Trips and prices
Crazy Ray’s books through FareHarbor and does not post a full price grid on its own site, which is the main mark against its transparency. The figure it does list is a salmon and rockfish combo from $385 per person for a 10 to 12 hour day, and the tourism listings put its trips from about $415 per person, with halibut combos higher and the multi-day liveaboard quoted on request. The per person seat on the Strait Crazy is among the more affordable ways to fish Whittier, and the included bait, tackle, rod, reel, and filleting add real value against the boats that charge for gear. The $20 federal halibut stamp and the Alaska license are extra. Our cost guide sets the per person rate in context, and the party boat versus private charter guide weighs a seat on the big boat against booking a six pack.
The crew
The crew is where the deep review record speaks loudest and where the honest limits sit. Across hundreds of reviews the recurring theme is hardworking deckhands and captains who put people on fish, and the volume of positive sentiment over 20 years is the strongest in the port. The flip side is that the captains rotate and are not individually named the way an owner operator is, so you do not know in advance who runs your trip, and the consistency of the day depends on the draw. The other recurring note worth carrying in is that some reviewers feel the long run to the grounds leaves less fishing time than they expected on a full day, a fair point on a port where the grounds are a couple of hours out.
Booking and what to know
Book online through FareHarbor and reserve early for the summer, and confirm you are on a Whittier departure rather than the Seward operation. Check in is 6:45 a.m. at The Crazy Shack on the harbor front for a 7 a.m. departure, which means timing the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel from Anchorage and clearing the early eastbound opening. Gear and filleting are included, so bring warm waterproof layers, food and drink, and motion sickness medicine taken before you sail, plus your Alaska license and cash for the $20 halibut stamp. Ask which boat you are booked on if you have a preference between the big boat and a six pack.
How we scored it
Crazy Ray’s earns its 7.9 on the deepest review record in Whittier, a 20 year run, a fleet that covers both per person and private, and included gear. Track record and trips and access are its strongest factors. What holds it below the owner operator boats is captain and crew and transparency: rotating, unnamed captains and a recurring fishing time complaint pull the crew score down, and there is no full posted price grid. See how we scored this boat and the rest of the Whittier charters we rank, including Saltwater Excursions and Alaska Good Time Charters.