About Us

Owner/Captain : Raymond Nix or “Crazy Ray”

USCG Certified Master 100 Ton License with Offshore endorsement

Captain Crazy Ray was born and raised right here in Alaska. He has a true passion for the outdoors and enjoys year round activities such as fishing, hunting, trapping, snow machining, and Snowboarding.

He is a family man and shares three children with his wife and first mate Brenda and they reside in their home in the Matanuska Valley. He formerly worked in the oilfields of Alaska as a Driller and then moved his professional career into the safety management field. This is a great added benefit to our clients as safety is a top priority when traveling the vast distances we do to target trophy Alaskan fish. Ray finished his career in the oilfield as a Rig Manager and then retired from the oilfield to pursue full time fishing.

His experience is quite extensive in the Alaskan outdoors and he has been fishing the offshore waters of Alaska since the age of five. At a very young age he decided that owning and operating a charter fishing service would be a dream come true and in 2012 this dream became a reality.

Prince William Sound offers an experience that is truly once in a lifetime and Captain Crazy Rays true passion is assisting his clients in receiving an adventure that they will never forget.

Captain Crazy Ray will be operating the F/V Strait Crazy

Owner,Barista, Admin & First Mate : Brenda Nix

Brenda was born in San Diego, California, though she has been living in Alaska for the past 30 years in the Anchorage area.

Anchorage is the city where she met her captain at the age of 11, while he was living in her neighborhood and attending the same schools.

Brenda has a background in the medical field and worked as a certified medical assistant for 14 years and her favorite outdoor activity is none other than fishing.

Some have said she is even more passionate about fishing than Captain Crazy Ray.

She has a true love for the outdoors though and she enjoys hunting, trapping, and snow machining.

Brenda brings that special touch to Crazy Rays and she is always up for a good chat about the current fishing report while booking a charter.

Captain: Manuel Billegas or “Manny”

USCG Certified 100 Ton Master License with Offshore endorsement

Manny joined the Crazy Ray crew after multiple years fishing in the charter industry in Kona, Hawaii and later in Southeast Alaska. Manny is a passionate fishermen and brings the “Island Style” to Crazy Rays Adventures.

He is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys spending his time fishing and hunting among various other outdoor activities. Manny serves as our Assistant guide on our winter boat based live aboard, Guided Sea Duck Hunts and although he does an amazing job as a Guide he is an excellent chef as well.

Manny will be operating the original vessel this season the F/V Crazy Ray and relief Captain on the F/V Strait Crazy

Captain: Aaron Tompkins or “Butters”

USCG Certified 100 Ton Master License with Offshore endorsement

Captain Butters has been a Charter Captain in Alaska for the past 15 years. Formerly operating vessels out of Seward, Alaska he joined the Crazy Rays team in 2022. Butters is an extremely passionate fishermen and has a great sense of humor. He operates all three of our vessels during our season and serves as a Marine Engineer in the off season. He’s our Maguyver for the team and can pretty much fix about anything that breaks down.

Butters is an outdoor enthusiast as enjoys hunting and fishing as well as many other outdoor activities. You may even find him at the occasional RAVE in the off season.

Butters will be operating all three Whittier vessels this summer but primarily will be on the F/V Strait Crazy

Captain: Jon Black or “Black Sparrow”

USCG OUPV License with Offshore Endorsement.

Captain Jon has joined the Crazy Rays Adventures team this season after a long career as a Captain operating out of the Florida coast. He doesn’t do boring! In fact he holds the title to catching the world record Goliath Grouper out of a Kayak.

Jon is a fishing fanatic in fact if he isn’t running one of our boats he is probably fishing anywhere he can wet a line.

Jon will be operating the ICRAZY II this summer.

Captain: Dave Fox (Foxy).

After putting himself through 4 years of college playing baseball and studying criminal justice he made it to the professional level with the Joliet Slammers near Chicago Illinois. A few years and a championship (2011) later he saw his dream of baseball declining while his passion and opportunity for hunting, fishing, and the outdoors take off!

“Foxy” is going on his 10th season of owning Hitlist Outfitters, guiding Merriam’s turkeys, deer, elk, and antelope out of Colorado, as well as, guiding duck and goose hunters 4 months out of the year in Wyoming/Nebraska.

This will be Dave’s 10th summer fishing out of Seward, Alaska. He has worked his way up from new Alaska deckhand to currently holding a 50 Gross Ton captains license.

Dave strives to be the best he can be in the current situation and has expressed his enthusiam to join Crazy Ray’s Adventures!

Dave, his wife Natalie and their newest addition, Oakley Irene Fox, are excited to start their new chapter with Ray!

Dave will be Captaining on the F/V Sound Crazy this summer.

DeckHand : Reichen Anwiler

Reichen joined the Crazy Rays Adventures team in the 2022 season and worked as the primary deckhand on the F/V Strait Crazy.

He hails from Minnesota and works as a Lake Guide for Northern Pike and Walleye while there in the offseason. He also is an avid waterfowler and works as a Guide for waterfowl as well. Reichen is a die hard outdoor enthusiast and enjoys spending all of his leisure time hunting and fishing.

Reichen will be deck handing on the F/V Strait Crazy this summer.

Deckhand Noah

Deckhand Noah will be joining us again this season. He has been working on fine tuning his deckhand capabilities all winter and is now ready to step up to the role.

Noah brings with him great experience in boating and fishing and has been on the water since the age of 3.

He is knowledgable of Prince William Sound and all forms of Alaska saltwater fishing.

Noah enjoys spending his free time doing none other than fishing.

In fact if you would like to know where the hot spots are in Whittier for fishing he can assist you.

He even knows the coordinates for the “Honey Hole” in the Whittier Harbor.

Noah will be relief Deckhand for all three vessels