J-Dock Fishing Co. — Attraction in Seward

We recently chartered a salmon fishing trip and had a highly productive day on the water. The crew was energetic, enthusiastic, and clearly well-connected to where the fish were biting. Despite it being early in the season, everyone on board caught their limit, and the crew worked hard to get us on a variety of species throughout the day. Their hustle and local knowledge are a definite strength.

The atmosphere onboard was upbeat and social—pop music played loudly and the overall energy level was high. This vibe may appeal to some groups looking for a lively outing, but for others seeking a quieter or more traditional fishing experience, it may feel out of sync.

That said, the fishing methods and handling practices weren’t a great fit for our preferences. Fish were brought onboard and left to flop on the deck in the sun without being bled, cooled, or dispatched promptly. Billy sticks were never used on the salmon or rockfish. This raised concerns for us regarding both humane treatment and the preservation of meat quality. Additionally, fish were not consistently marked to separate individual catches, making it difficult to know which fillets came from which angler—a consideration that might matter more to some than others. Luckily we all caught our limit and most were roughly the same size.

While the filleting was done quickly and efficiently during the return trip, the processing left much to be desired. Several fillets had rib bones, stomach lining, and organ remnants still attached. Significant trimming and cleanup were needed before freezing.

In summary, if you’re looking for a fast-paced, high-energy outing with a young, hard-working crew and excellent odds of reaching your limit, this group delivers. However, those who place a high value on meticulous fish handling, personal catch tracking, or traditional fishery practices may find the experience lacking in...

Went on the Predator with Captain Kyle and his deckhands Zack and Justin. If I could give them 1 Star I would…

I don’t know if they are trying to make people tired right out of the gate or what. They put us on good size halibut at the first stop and the first one my 11 year old son caught was too big for him to hold up for the photo on his own. 1 Star.

We got to the rockfish spot and they seemed to want us to catch our limit super fast… the whole boat limited in what seems like about 20 minutes. I thought we were going to have more time to catch rockfish… but alas, we limited and had to move on to Silvers. 1 Star.

They obviously don’t care about health and safety either. We hit our limit of Silvers to end the trip and because they had us catching our limit on all three today, my shoulder and arm started to feel sore. 1 Star.

Also, there were so many fish on the boat that it started to smell fishy and there was blood and scales everywhere. Eww. 1 Star.

To end it all, Justin and Zack filleted all our fish on the ride back to Seward, so we didn’t get to hang around for an hour afterward waiting for our fish and because Kyle put us on so much fish, it was a bit pricey to process and ship all that meat home… 1 Star.

So all those add up to a 5 star day of fishing and my son’s current “best day ever” thanks to Kyle, Justin and Zack hooking us up. I guess if we ever want to have a tiring day of catching a bunch of fish we will probably come back to J-Docks and ask for Kyle...

Almost booked a bucket list fishing trip to Alaska in 2016 but backed out after learning the poor success rate on West side of the Kenai. After talking with an old friend who is a life long Alaskan he recommended J-Dock. Five of us booked the overnight trip for June 2017, staying at their lodge on each end of the trip. The crew at the lodge made you feel at home and provided outstanding food and service. Culinary chef Kara prepared very memorable meals. Our boat Captain was Butters and deck hand Matt. My friends niece had recommended Captain Will from the previous years outing but he was booked with another group. We were all extremely happy with Captain Butters and Matt (Minnesota). They made the trip fun and man did we get fish. Butters was spot on for knowing the holes for Halibut, both hogs and chickens. Salmon trolling was slow first day so we mooched for them day two. Had four nice Kings on the boat at once! Would have been five but I fell on top of my friend Johnny in all the excitement. Anything to beat out your buddy. Dianne and Matt (Texas) were great to deal with, very courteous and professional. Staff at the store and processing made it very easy to get our fish packaged and shipped. Also would like to say we loved the overnight lodging at the Jumping Salmon. Hard to believe it could have been better. I am already planning a bucket list redo for next year with my three sons and oldest grandson. The entire experience was way beyond...