Best Of Alaska! Fishing, Sightseeing, and Kayaking Day Trip
Wildlife Boat Tour - Fishing - Glacier Kayaking!
Quick Details
Trips & Duration:Full Day
Charters:Fish, Sightseeing, & Kayak
Ages:Best for 8+
Timing:
Begins at 6 am, and ends between 5 and 7 pm
Offered:
April 15th - September 8th
Food:
A small breakfast, healthy snacks, and lunch are provided
What we Catch:
Pelagic rockfish, non-pelagic rockfish, and salmon when in season.
Plan Ahead:
This trip is offered *only by the seat on Wednesdays* when we cannot fish for halibut, book the whole boat any other day of the week and you may target halibut.
Difficulty:
Very easy, see below for details.
Meeting Place:
Meet at the main office, 13880 Beach Drive Seward, AK.
Party Size
if booking 3 or fewer people
$525
Party Size
if booking 4 or more people
$525
$500
Exclusive - Only your party!
Up to 6 passengers
$3550
Exclusive - Only your party!
Up to 14 passengers
$7000
Exclusive - Only your party!
Up to 18 passengers
$9000
Miller’s Landing’s “Best of Alaska” Tour is just exactly that
We asked ourselves: What’s the best possible way to spend a day out of Seward Alaska – and this was our creation!
Enjoy a four-hour paddle in the Kenai Fjords at one of the amazing tidewater glaciers, and four hours of sport fishing on the way home for salmon and rockfish. If you’ve only got one day to spend in Seward and want to do it up, this is the trip for you!
Come fishing and kayaking with us for the best of both experiences in a fun-filled day!
Want to do a little of the best Alaska has to offer but only have one day? Do some people in your group really want to do some fishing, and others really want to sea kayak? Are there elderly people in your party that can’t participate in one experience or the other, but want to stay together or just do some sightseeing? Do you want to avoid large groups of people? This is the trip for you.
Board our full-day fishing charter and water taxi boat for an all-day experience – 4 hours of sport fishing, 4 hours of guided sea kayaking, and 4 hours of sightseeing on the way to and from the Kenai Fjords National Park! Paddle in front of calving tidewater glaciers, catch salmon and rockfish, and view all wildlife the Fjords has to offer on this incredible trip! No experience necessary!
Lunches, fishing equipment, bait, kayaking gear, guide, etc. are all provided. Dress in layers, bring a fishing license, and don’t forget the camera!
We have 3 vessels available for this experience that can be booked exclusively or all together – a 6 person, 14 person, and 18 person custom built landing craft can take you and your party or parties out for an experience of a lifetime!
It best to dress warm and in layers so you can add or take away as needed. Be ready for different weather conditions and avoid cotton. It’s okay to bring extra items, there’s plenty of storage inside the boats. Below is a list of important items to bring on this tour.
A water bottle
Medical necessities
Synthetic/wool layers
Rain Gear
A water-resistant or proof shoe is ideal. But tennis shoes work okay. We pull and launch your kayaks from shore so you should not be stepping into any water.
Depending on the weather consider bringing gloves, beanie, sun hat, extra socks, sunglasses, sunscreen.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
We provide breakfast, lunch and snacks throughout the day. All carefully prepared in our own cafe.
Our sit-inside tandem kayaks are stable and well maintained. They come with a rudder for steering, spray skirts, life vests and paddles. Your guide is also fitted with necessary safety and first aid equipment.
Let your guide know before the trip if you need:
Extra rain gear
Pogies to protect your hands (paddling mittens)
Neoprene Booties
A dry bag
A butt pad
TIPS FOR A GREAT TRIP
Clothing and shoes: Be sure to pack comfortable shoes that could get wet, and good layers. It’s never a bad idea to pack extra socks too, and to avoid cotton for longer kayaking trips, especially if it’s raining.
Packing: There is plenty of storage in the boats for spare layers, and other items if packed into small bags around 25 oz. Each guest also gets a dry bag to use during the trip if needed. Reach out if you have questions about gear.
Bringing a Camera? We use sit-in kayaks for this trip, you can have your camera around your neck or in a dry bag. Which can sit in front of you, on the kayak, under bungie cords.
THE GLACIERS
On this tour the captain and crew will choose which glacier to paddle depending on weather, tides, recent wildlife sightings and seasonal trends.
You have the chance to paddle by Aialik, Holgate, Northwestern, or Anchor and Ogive glacier. All amazing tidewater glaciers. Offering the chance to paddle through ice.
THE WATER TAXI
We utilize our own private 36-foot landing craft that can carry up to 24 passengers. With a 5-star safety rating and music, a heated cabin, windows for viewing the landscape or wildlife, and comfortable seating.
The water taxi ride generally takes 1.5 to 2 hours depending on weather, tides, and if we see any wildlife. While the water is usually calm, it can sometimes get bumpy if weather comes in. We do our best to make the ride comfortable, but we can’t control the weather!
DIFFICULTY
The paddle on this tour is very easy, taking place in a protected fjord on calm waters. It lasts 2 to 4 hours depending on the group. You generally go anywhere from 4 to 6 miles exploring the coastline as you approach a massive tidewater glacier.
More Information
We depart Miller’s Landing at 6 am, fully loaded with kayaks and bait! Keep a lookout for whales, porpoises, sea lions, and more as we ride.
The Thomas Sea or the Fox Willie ventures two hours to Aialik Bay or Northwestern Fjord arriving around 8 – 8:30 am, where the Captain and kayak guide determine the best kayaking destination, dropping you at a beach within a short paddle of Holgate, Aialik, or Northwestern. Here, we can kayak with ice floes and watch actively calving tidewater glaciers. Kayaking not your thing? Stay aboard and take pictures of the rest of your group and view the action from the deck of our custom-built landing craft!
By 12 noon we’re back on the boat after working up appetites. Lunch is offered to the group while the captain manages to navigate through the often ice-filled fjords toward the fishing grounds.
Fish until 4 – 4:30 pm Catch fresh, wild Alaskan fish, like Silver Salmon / Coho (in season late June – early September, limit six per person in the bay, three outside the bay), Black Rockfish, Yelloweye, and sometimes Ling Cod (after July 1, limit one per person and over 35″). Rockfish limits are four per person, (only one of which can be a nonpelagic such as a Yelloweye). Around 4 pm, the captain calls for lines up, and the vessel returns back to the Landing to hang your catch for photos and fillet them!
Trips are back at the dock between 5:15 – 6 pm depending on weather and fishing.
Each trip includes approximately four hours of sightseeing on the water taxi ride in and out. While we can’t guarantee wildlife, we do generally see sea lions, whales, puffins, harbor seals, sea otters, and all manner of sea birds. Our vessels travel nearly the exact same route as a sightseeing tour boat would on their full-day experience to the fjords.
There are approximately four hours of paddling with glaciers in the National Park.
There are approximately four hours of fishing for the target species before returning to the dock.
Fishing regulations change each year. For the most up-to-date information, please see the ADF&G website, at www.adfg.alaska.gov and the Southcentral Region, specifically linked HERE.
While we do hang your catch for photos back home and filet as part of the trip, we do not have a fish freezing and packaging facility on site. There are a few excellent options in town to pack your fish for shipment either via plane or FedEx — just check out our page on processing fish here!
The Seward Halibut Derby has been discontinued until further notice.
The Seward Silver Salmon Derby runs the second Saturday of August every year and is not only Alaska’s oldest fishing derby, but it’s also the highest-dollar cash prize fishing derby in Alaska. You can buy tickets right at the store, and it’s a blast!
A $10 cancellation fee is imposed for all reservations cancelled.
Cancellations must be received by email only to reservations@millerslandingak.com The cancellation notice date is the date the email was received at reservations@millerslandingak.com Phone cancellations will not be accepted.
Cancellations received by email 30 days prior to the first day of the reservation are charged a $10 cancellation fee and you will receive a refund of 90% of the total amount of the reservation.
Cancellations received by email 15 to 29 days prior to the first day of the reservation are charged a $10 cancellation charge and you will receive a 75% refund. of the total amount of the reservation.
Cancellations received by email 14 days to zero days prior to arrival are charged a $10 cancellation fee and you will receive a 50% refund onlyif we are able to rebook your camping, cabin, fishing, kayaking, watertaxi, shuttle, lunch, or activity. If we are not able to rebook your reservation then no refunds will be issued and. You must call or e-mail Miller’s Landing post date of cancelled stay in order for us to research whether or not your site booked. Sites that were booked of course qualify for the 50% refund, sites that were not unfortunately do not.
In some situations a raincheck worth 75% of your reservation may be issued at the discretion of Miller’s Landing management instead of the applicable cancellation charge. If this option appeals to you please suggest this at the time of cancellation. Rainchecks are good for one year and may be used for activities, camping or lodging owned by Miller’s Landing or towards the cost of hats, tee shirts, gifts, etc. sold in the Miller’s Landing store or items sold online. For items purchased online the customer is expected to pay for the cost of postage. Rainchecks may NOT be transferred to another person.
A 100% refund will be issued for any activity that was cancelled due to weather by Miller’s Landing. Miller’s Landing reserves the right to determine weather cancellations. Rain does not constitute cancellations.
Please note: Miller’s Landing encourages only guaranteed prepaid reservations. Unlike many other states, Alaska has a very short tourist season which can make it difficult for us to rebook when we have cancellations without ample notice.
If you are booking a charter and lodging and your charter , water taxi or kayaking is cancelled due to weather you are still responsible for the lodging or camping reservations and the normal cancellation policy applies. All of our activities are possible during rain, so rain does not constitute a cancellation. Miller’s Landing is not responsible for vehicle break downs, personal emergencies, flight delays, health issues or other unforeseen hardships. We will try very hard to work with you but the cancellation policy will need to be applied if we cannot issue a raincheck or find an alternative solution that appeals to both parties.
Please understand that Miller’s Landing also incurs a hefty financial merchant fee from our bank for the cost of charging your credit card and again for the cost of refunding it, and there is also a cost involved for the time involved in processing and refunding your reservation in employee costs. Our goal when taking your reservation is to have a solid, guaranteed prepaid reservation. We strongly discourage the practice of making reservations without having an airline ticket or making tentative reservations. Thank you for your understanding.
Our food is prepared in our cafe the day before the trip. We do our best to accommodate all allergies and food preferences. As well as build a delicious filling meal to keep you paddling all day.
Our kitchen is clean, certified, and modern. Please let us know about any medical or dietary restrictions before the trip!
Gratuities are not included in the original sale price. A suggested 20% guide tip is greatly appreciated! (Suggested tip $50 to $100/person) Our guides work hard on building their knowledge and creating a memorable experience for you.
About Our Guides
Our Guides come from all different backgrounds; from being ski instructors, snowmobile guides, wranglers, or passionate outdoor enthusiasts. Everyone comes from a customer service-rich background with a passion for interpretation, protecting the outdoors and safety. Our team is trained for two weeks to refine their skills together and learn all they need to know to safely guide our clients. We instruct and certify our guides as ACA II kayakers, practice cold water rescue techniques, and require that all guides have an up-to-date Wilderness First Responder Certification. Learn more about our training process by reading our blog from the 2022 training session!
Spend a summer outdoors and in the Stunning Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay, teaching, guiding, and enjoying all the amazing experiences Alaska have to offer. Miller’s Landing is a family-run business that started operations shortly after Kenai Fjords National Park was established in 1980 and the tourism industry began to form in Seward. We work hard to provide every guest with a memorable experience, with a focus on safety, education, stewardship, and fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment.
We begin our hiring process in the winter, between December and January, and suggest you apply in December. Our training begins May 1st and the season runs until September 15th. We ask that guides are able to attend training and can stay until at least mid-August.
Please know that fuel is the largest expense we have as charter operators. Our prices reflect the price of fuel at the time of publishing. In previous years we have not added a fuel surcharge, however, due to the volatile and uncertain nature of fuel prices, Millers Landing reserves the right to add a fuel surcharge to the trip rates.
A fuel surcharge will only be applied in the event of soaring fuel prices based on the price of fuel at the time of your charter. Should the price of marine fuel remain under $4.50 per gallon there will be no additional charge.
This will ensure that we are able to take you to the best fishing grounds without regard for the cost of fuel or how far we must travel. By adding a fee schedule we can mitigate that concern, and provide you the ultimate fishing experience.
PRICE OF FUEL
FUEL SURCHARGE
UNDER $4.50 PER GALLON
NO SURCHARGE
$4.51 – $5.00 PER GALLON
$10 PER PERSON PER DAY
$5.01 – $6.00 PER GALLON
$20 PER PERSON PER DAY
$6.01 – $7.00 PER GALLON
$30 PER PERSON PER DAY
$7.01 – $8.00 PER GALLON
$40 PER PERSON PER DAY
What to Catch
Pink Salmon
Humpy - Haddo - Gorbusch
These salmon do not reside in fresh water for any extended period, unlike coho, chinook and sockeye salmon. Their average length is 20 to 25 inches and their average weight is 3.5 to 5 pounds. We do not target pink salmon, but we do catch them while fishing for rockfish or silver salmon. They often get released when we are targeting silvers, it is most folks’ preference to keep silvers instead of pink salmon. They are great eating if cooked shortly after catching vs. freezing and eating later on. You can also catch pink salmon right in front of our main office, right on the beach, in the late summer.
Three fish per day outside of Resurrection Bay. Six fish per day, within Resurrection Bay. No annual limit.
Silver Salmon
Coho
Silvers start their annual return to their freshwater streams in mid-July and August. They average 8-20 lbs and are a lot of fun to catch. They put up a good fight and it’s exciting to watch the fish rip around the boat and leap into the air during the fight! People of all ages are capable of catching Silvers, and kids do very well with these fish. Seward has one of the better Silver Salmon sport fisheries on the Kenai Peninsula, and charter operators actually come from other towns to fish here. Silvers are remarkably tasty, and we take extra care with our salmon, keeping them in coolers with ice and saltwater so they stay firm and fresh no matter what time of day they were caught. Miller’s Landing has its own ice maker, and we outfit the charters daily with a stock of ice for the catch. When the bite is on, it’s a complete frenzy. Everyone on the boat can fish at the same time!
Three fish per day outside of Resurrection Bay. Six fish per day, within Resurrection Bay. No annual limit.
Non-Pelagic Rockfish
Yellow Eye - Red Snapper
Yellow Eye Rockfish are one of the tastiest fish we catch, and also one of the oldest. They are non-pelagic rockfish, which means they’re one of 32 different species in the same classification caught in Alaska. Other non-pelagic rockfish we catch are Copper, China, Silver gray, Tiger, et al. They are generally speaking all of the “colorful” species of rockfish. Red Snapper and their non-pelagic brethren live to be incredibly old – they grow about an inch per year, don’t start breeding until they’re 7, and the eggs have less than a 1% survival rate. They live where they are born, and as such are limited in most areas to 1 per person per day. They are incredibly good-eating, gorgeous fish which initially hit like a truck. Red Snapper can get up to 32 lbs, and we’ve had them swallow the whole salmon on halibut gear. They are generally caught while fishing for halibut and ling cod.
One per day, per person, we do not keep the little ones, but release them using deep sea release mechanism.
Pelagic Rockfish
Black Bass - Dusky - Widow - Yellowtail - Blue
Black Bass are both exciting and fun to catch. They are the most prolific of the pelagic Rockfish species and are found near shallow rocky areas. Fishermen are limited to a set number of pelagic and nonpelagic rockfish per day, and we make an effort to catch both to reach the limit. These fish average about 4 to 5 pounds but range up to 12 pounds. We often fish for them with light/medium-weight tackle. These fish are great fun for young and big kids alike as they hit fast and furious, are located all throughout the water column near rock structure, and can liven up a lull in the bite. They are excellent fried, baked, or blackened.
Three per day, per person, no size limit
Pacific Cod
Alaska Cod - Gray Cod - True Cod
While Pacific Cod are not the target species around here, they are great eating and fun to catch. There is never a guarantee of when we catch them. Some days we are “covered up with cod” while halibut fishing and it’s as fast as you get to the bottom. These fish live up to 20 years and grow up to 6 ft in length. Pacific Cod migrate as far as 490 miles in a year from the Gulf of Alaska to the west coast of Norway. Cod is quite healthy like most fish and is great cooked in butter on a hot skillet.
This is the perfect combination for the whole family or group of friends to do everything you could want!
Chose from two Boats! The Islay M (18 passengers) or The Fox Willie (16 passengers).
Offered April 15 – June 19
Our combination halibut and salmon fishing charters from Seward, AK, target everything that is in season June 20 – September 8. September 5-8, 2024 will be available as Book the Boat only.