COVID-19 PrecautionsWe are in full compliance with both the CDC and State of Alaska guidelines in terms of COVID-19 protocols and have made the appropriate changes to our operations to ensure compliance. Community Workforce Protective Plans, as directed by the CDC and State of Alaska, have been developed for our vessels, crews, and passengers. We will abide by all Federal and State mandates/guidelines as directed in a timely manner to ensure the safety of our valued customers and crew. Please contact us if you have any questions. As you are well aware, guidelines and mandates are constantly changing as we work through these difficult times.
Please be safe and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Crackerjack Charters, has been fishing Seward Alaska for many, many years. We work hard every day to remain the first choice for quality Seward Alaska fishing charters for Salmon, Halibut and Lingcod. Our charter boats are state-of-the-art and specifically designed for saltwater fishing in Alaska. They are equipped with the finest halibut and salmon fishing tackle available: top of the line Seeker fishing rods, tournament tested Avet and Penn reels, and top quality terminal tackle from Mustad and Berkley. All of our charter boats are fully equipped with the latest fish finding, navigation and safety equipment from Simrad and Raymarine.
Our catch record speaks for itself: Our guests have broken over 30 IGFA line class world records in the last five years, so you can be sure we will put you right into some of the best halibut and salmon fishing action in all of Alaska.
Your Alaskan hosts – Captains Nik, Steve, Francisca “T”, Jeff, and Andy – along with their knowledgeable crews are simply some of the most dedicated sport fishing guides in Alaska. These guides love to fish! More than that, with over 20 years of Seward Alaska fishing experience, you can be sure we know where the fish are. Expect a 100% effort from all our crew on your trip. Crackerjack Charters offers a variety of different charters departing from Seward:
Alaska Representative
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, we have a fishing charter to make your saltwater fishing dreams come true.
Welcome aboard!
Captain Nik Ranta & Captain Steve Zernia
We put you on the fish!
Great charter. extreamly well run and or captain (Jeff) kept us safe and comfortable while putting us on the fish....read moreGreat charter. extreamly well run and or captain (Jeff) kept us safe and comfortable while putting us on the fish. Highly recommend!!!read less
John B.
9/09/2020
Absolutely Amazing My wife, stepdaughter and I chartered the 6 person boat with 2 others for the day.The staff were great, helpful...read moreMy wife, stepdaughter and I chartered the 6 person boat with 2 others for the day.The staff were great, helpful and very professional. answered any questions we had and reassured us they are the best in the business.
Started on time in the morning. Jeff our Captain was top notch. Explained due to the weather he was going to head in a different direction then the other boats. He did and we had Amazing weather while the other boats were in 25 knot winds. They ended up leaving and headed where were left. Very knowledgeable.
Fish didnt stop bitting. out of the 5 of us we didn't go long without a fish on. 1 time 4 of us had a silver on. i bet the capt was sitting back saying oh boy....
We all limited out on Halibut. salmon. ling cod. yellow eye. and a couple other rockfish.
Jeff was so patient. and helpful. Never once showed frustration and trust me a few times i was like oh boy...
The boat well equipped and safe.
I love Alaska. the people here should be so proud of what you have!!
And it is Jeff and Crackerjack why I'll be back. oh and yes another charter with the both.
It was a trip of a life time and I am glad that Jeff and Crackerjack were a part of it.
Thank you so very much!!!read less
Norbyg
8/16/2020
First fishing trip! We booked an all day fishing trip through Crackerjack and they were great to work with, had quick responses and...read moreWe booked an all day fishing trip through Crackerjack and they were great to work with, had quick responses and answered all my random questions leading up to our trip! We have never done anything like this and ended up getting sea sick but that didn't stop us from having a great day! Our captains were super helpful and let us take our time, showed us how to use things once we were comfortable, and were very personable! We were able to catch all our fish and had a great day! We ended up taking home 30 lbs of salmon and halibut! They helped us bring it to Captains where they were able to package and box up our fish to check home. Highly recommended! It was so slick for out of state travelers. Even though we got sick - it was totally worth it at the end of the day!read less
I6242BZrachelm
7/23/2020
Best fishing charter I have ever been on (again) I fished with Crackerjack and Captain Jeff for the second and third time last week. My previous review was "the...read moreI fished with Crackerjack and Captain Jeff for the second and third time last week. My previous review was "the best fishing charter I have ever been on" and that is no longer true, because last week was now the best fishing charter I have ever been on. Jeff is a world class fisherman, and not only did we all catch large halibut and king salmon with him, but I learned a lot as a fisherman.
He is a great captain for all skill levels, and puts everyone on fish. He works for everyone so that each fisherman has an equal opportunity to catch fish. I will never go with another charter company in Seward. Thanks again for the fantastic fishing, and I am still working on purchasing another freezer to accommodate my fillets.read less
Joe K.
7/13/2020
Spent the day out with Captain Jack! Had an amazing day fishing for Halibut and King Salmon. He did an...read moreSpent the day out with Captain Jack! Had an amazing day fishing for Halibut and King Salmon. He did an awesome job running the boat and keeping everyone going and hooking the big ones! Thank you for the great day!read less
Efimia James-Platanitis
6/29/2020
We had an amazing day out with captain Jeff! He knew right where to go and worked his butt off...read moreWe had an amazing day out with captain Jeff! He knew right where to go and worked his butt off the whole day to make sure we had a good time. Great guy and great fishing. Couldn’t have asked for a better day.read less
Sydne Adams
6/08/2020
Spent the day with Nik on the Voyager, being a guide myself back home I can't say enough about how...read moreSpent the day with Nik on the Voyager, being a guide myself back home I can't say enough about how awesome the trip was, from the captain himself, the deckhands, the boat, all around amazing!! Top notch all the way around, went with 3 buddies last week, can't wait to bring my family back next year, thank you Nik for the trip of a lifetime, I'll never forget it!!read less
Brett Janicke
9/16/2019
Great Time Fishing!! I have fished Alaska for over 40 years I also owned my own Boat for 20...read moreGreat Time Fishing!! I have fished Alaska for over 40 years I also owned my own Boat for 20 years and Fished Seward thousands of times!Captain Jeff was a Great Captain and knew where the Lingcod & Kings,Seabass where at!! I had My 5 years old Grandson on the Boat and I was very Pleased to see Captain Jeff spend a lot of time with him fishing!!We caught Lots of Lings and also had a Great time trolling for Kings! I would Go with Captain Jeff anytime!! Also I booked a Boat for our Company Fishing Trip with Cracker Jack And they All Limited out on Halibut,Rockfish,&Silivers.They told me that the Deckhands where very Nice and Helped Them a lot!! It made a lot of my Employees very Happy!!! Cannot wait till next Year!! Clint Waggonerread less
Front Desk
8/12/2019
Fishing Charter On Aug 5, my brother in law and I chartered a “six pack” fishing trip out of Seward. Captain Jeff...read moreOn Aug 5, my brother in law and I chartered a “six pack” fishing trip out of Seward. Captain Jeff took us out far into the Pacific to “where the fish are”. A trip one way taking 2 1/2 hours. We had our halibut limit (2 each) in about an hour then on to other species - salmon, black bass (rockfish) and ling cod. A great day and experience.read less
ArkansasTraveler44
8/07/2019
Anniversary Celebration Continues After a 7 day cruise 3 couples flew off to Anchorage... first stop Crackerjack fishing in Seward. Jeff did not...read moreAfter a 7 day cruise 3 couples flew off to Anchorage... first stop Crackerjack fishing in Seward. Jeff did not disappoint us, despite the fog, we caught fish like they were waiting for our bait! A rookie caught a 92 pound halibut, my husband 80 and the rest of the group all caught at least 2 fish a piece. What a great day. This is the second time my husband went with Jeff and this charter and both times we’ve been more than pleased with the trips!! Keep up the good workread less
char252
7/19/2019
We limited out on Kings when everyone else was fishing Silvers. That feat alone deserves five stars. Glad we...read moreWe limited out on Kings when everyone else was fishing Silvers. That feat alone deserves five stars. Glad we happened into Crackerjack Charters and got paired with Captain Andy. He was no nonsense, knowledgeable, and a skilled fisherman with a great boat and gear. If you want a take charge Captain, this is your guy.read less
Dell Brown
7/15/2019
Great Fishing Experience My wife and I fished with Captain T and Sage on the Voyager today and had a great experience. ...read moreMy wife and I fished with Captain T and Sage on the Voyager today and had a great experience. The boat was well maintained and T/Sage made an immediately positive impression with clearly organized and efficient processes for basic boat operations and handling gear/equipment. The fishing was good and both Captain T and Sage were engaged and attentive to client needs. I would recommend this crew and this company. I would also rebook with them myself. Gregg Dudley Weirsdale Floridaread less
999greggd
7/08/2019
Great Fishing Day with Crackjack & Capt Jeff We traveled to Alaska with our two young grandsons and lucked out getting Captain Jeff as our captain for the...read moreWe traveled to Alaska with our two young grandsons and lucked out getting Captain Jeff as our captain for the day. We did a halibut charter and added some King Salmon in for good measure. The waters to the halibut area were pretty rough on our day (2.5 hours each way). Once we got there we got into some nice fish.
BOTTOM LINE: Captain Jeff used to work for Capt Andy when he owned Crackerjack Charters and learned from the best. He did a great job of finding the fish for us. After filleting, we ended up with 100 lbs of fish to send home. Overall we had a fun day despite the rough seas. MY RATING: 8/10
SHIPPING NOTE: FEDEX Shipping costs $8.50 per pound flat rate to the lower 48 states. Yep, it would have cost us over $1,000 to ship our catch, but we had Captain Jacks processing at the dock cut, vacuum pack, freeze and box our fish for us the take back on our flight (just the cost of an extra suitcase). A much cheaper way to get your fish back home. The prep & processing costs about $96 per 50 lb box.read less
midwaytoheaven
6/22/2019
What an amazing experience!
Took a friends and family trip to Seward the other week, while the girls were off hiking...read moreWhat an amazing experience!
Took a friends and family trip to Seward the other week, while the girls were off hiking and sight seeing the boys wanted to fish! We shopped around before the trip and booked two consecutive days of fishing with Crackerjack Sportfishing.
Disclaimer; They aren't the cheapest gig in town. However!
I've worked part time at H&M Landing San Diego for the better part of 2 decades and know, when it comes to fishing, you get what you pay for! and it definitely shows with the quality of service and professionalism, Nik Ranta and his employees show every customer.
We fished the first day with Capt. Jeff on the original Crackerjack with 2 other couples, the weather cooperated and we made good time to the fishing grounds. After a quick lesson on what and how to do it, Capt. Jeff explained how Halibut feed and that the larger fish will follow the smaller ones.. He was right! in a matter of 30 minutes we started catching "smaller" grade fish (that would be trophy size in Southern California!), then the larger ones started hitting, We ended the day with everyone getting their limit and 3 quality fish over 70lbs!
The following day we were on the big boat (Crackerjack Voyager) assisted by two deckhands, John and Sage, with none other than Capt. Nik himself at the helm. The weather had turned over night and as we headed out of Resurrection Bay the big boat handled the swells and chop with ease while still doing 15-18 knots! Capt. Nik explained that he was hoping to fish in a different spot, but that he had talked to other boats in the area and it was just too rough. He settled on his 'Plan B' area and dropped the anchor. Unlike the previous day we had to put a bit more effort into coaxing the fish to bite. After some initial apprehension from the crew, we started having a really steady "pick" of one fish hitting every 10 minutes or so.. Towards the end of the day I had released a few small ones but still hadn't caught a keeper. Nik handed me a jig rod with a giant plastic jig and said 'give this a try' not soon after the jig hitting the bottom the rod bent over and i was on the fish of a lifetime! After what seemed like an eternity (realistically only 20 minutes) deckhand John looked over the side to see how close i was, and exclaimed "Captain! we're gonna need a couple more gaffs!"
At 5 1/2 feet long and well over 100lbs that fish will probably be my personal best for many years to come!
A big thank you to Capt. Nik Ranta, Capt. Jeff, deckhands Sage and John and everyone at Crackerjack Sportfishing, for making a memorable trip to Alaska even more amazing!read less
Thomas Hatch
6/20/2019
World class fishing What an amazing experience!
Took a friends and family trip to Seward the other week, while the girls were off hiking...read moreWhat an amazing experience!
Took a friends and family trip to Seward the other week, while the girls were off hiking and sight seeing the boys wanted to fish! We shopped around before the trip and booked two consecutive days of fishing with Crackerjack Sportfishing.
Disclaimer; They aren't the cheapest gig in town. However!
I've worked part time at H&M Landing San Diego for the better part of 2 decades and know, when it comes to fishing, you get what you pay for! and it definitely shows with the quality of service and professionalism, Nik Ranta and his employees show every customer.
Book with them and you will not be disappointed!read less
SenorElFuego
6/20/2019
Wow! Two great days of fishing. Brought home 100 pounds of halibut!!! What a great charter! The boat...read moreWow! Two great days of fishing. Brought home 100 pounds of halibut!!! What a great charter! The boat was pristine and the crew knew their stuff. Captain Jeff was so great. Knew just where to go. Nick took us the next day on a different boat. Everyone had a blast! These guys are the best!!!read less
Beth M.
6/20/2019
Halibut and Salmon. Many and huge! My son and I are fresh back to the lower 48 after 2 days fishing with Capt. Jeff Seward. ...read moreMy son and I are fresh back to the lower 48 after 2 days fishing with Capt. Jeff Seward. Our arms are still aching. Capt. Jeff knows where the big fish lurk. We caught our limit of halibut and salmon both days and released so many other fish we stopped counting. Some of the large halibut were on salmon rods! We had only 4 fishermen on the boat so we got lots of attention and tips. If you are interested in a small boat, no crowds, constant water activity and the right charter company, I would strongly recommend Crackerjack Sportfishing Charters and Capt. Jeff. And this was not our first trip. We have fished from Ketchikan, Juneau, and the Bristol Bay area in years past. There was no down time with Jeff! Nothing can surpass fresh halibut, and we are surely enjoying it now!read less
Dan D.
6/08/2019
Everyone limited out on Halibut with Captain Tee! Perfect day on the water. Thanks!