What To Bring On Your Charter
- PAPER COPY of your Wisconsin fishing license and Great Lakes Stamp (I do not have the ability to sell licenses, but they can be purchased online or at a local bait shop)
- Comfortable clothing (It can be chilly on the water even when the temps are in the 90s on shore – pack a sweatshirt or jacket just in case!)
- Sunglasses
- Rain gear (just in case)
- A small cooler with food and beverages you plan on consuming on your trip (alcohol is permitted on the vessel. Please drink responsibly.)
- Large cooler to bring home your catch (or drop off to smoke at: Schwarz Fish Company or The Wharf )
Q & A
Q: What is the best time of day to fish?
A: Larger numbers of Chinook Salmon bite early and late in the day, with the largest-sized fish feeding midday. Coho salmon, lake trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout bite at any time of the day!
Q: Level with me: Do I need to tip? If so, who and how much?
A: It is customary to tip the first mate about 15% to 20% of the total trip cost if you believe he has earned it. The mate who will be fishing with you has experience not just as a fisherman, but as a trained first mate for charter fishing. Tipping the captain is not necessary.
Q: What is the best way to pay?
A: Cash and Check are preferred. All rates subject to 5.5% WI sales tax. Credit Card payments are subject to 3.5% service fee
Q: How many people can come along on our fishing trip?
A: The U.S. Coast Guard allows charter fishing captains to bring up to 6 patrons at one time. This means that even if passengers are not fishing, the maximum number of patrons aboard is still 6. If your party is larger than 6 we can make accommodations with other businesses in the area to get everyone out. Even extra-large groups can be accommodated.
Q: Will we still fish if the weather is bad?
A: All final decisions about whether or not the boat leaves the dock due to weather will be made by the captain. The captain will take into consideration the experience, age, and physical ability of the group before making a final determination. We want you to have fun, so you return to us in the future.
In the event we cannot get out fishing at your scheduled time, we can hold the deposit to reschedule. If you are unable to fish at another time, the full deposit will be returned to you. We will not fish in any dangerous weather.
Q: Do I need to pay for fish cleaning?
A: No, fish cleaning and bagging is taken care of in the total cost of the trip, and will be done on the boat by the first mate or at the local bait and tackle shop.
Q: Is alcohol permitted on board?
A: Yes, please consume responsibly.
Q: Do we keep the fish we catch?
A: Yes.
A: We Typically run into 5 main species:
- Chinook (King) Salmon
- Coho (Silver) Salmon
- Lake Trout
- Rainbow Trout
- Brown Trout
- Sometimes we run into pink salmon, especially after July during even numbered years
A: Check out Captain Dave’s TOP PICKS
Chinook (King) Salmon
Chinook are the true king of the Great Lakes trout and salmon species. They’re known for their line peeling runs both away from and toward the boat. A king salmon lives four years, and if you’re lucky enough to do battle with a four year old fish, HOLD ON TIGHT!!! You may experience a fight of 20 to 30 minutes as they reach weights of 25 to 30 pounds quite often. In recent years, several fish over 30 pounds were caught in Sheboygan. This year we could see even larger fish due to a better balance between the chinook and alewife, the main baitfish of the salmon. Depending on the year, chinooks can start showing up as early as early May or as late as early June, and the bite can be hot any time until the end of their spawning run in early October. Prepare smaller king salmon on the grill, but save the larger ones (over 10 pounds) for smoking! YUMMM!!!
Lake Trout
At one time, native lake trout thrived in Lake Michigan waters. The commercial fishery, along with the unintentional introduction of the sea lamprey, decimated native numbers. Today they are mainly stocked by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, although some natural reproduction still occurs. We rarely specifically target lake trout, but will attack the same lures we use for the other species of trout or salmon. Decent numbers of lake trout can be caught at any time of the year. Lake trout are fantastic table fare. They sometimes get a bad rap because their flesh has the highest fat content of the targeted species on Lake Michigan, but it’s difficult to notice that in the smaller fish. Prepared just about any way you choose, you’re sure to enjoy fish under 8 pounds. For the larger fish, it would be a real shame to prepare it any way other than smoked (a true delicacy - even better than smoked salmon).
Brown Trout
Brown trout typically stay in shallower waters of lake Michigan (less than 25 feet of water) but you may find a stray one wandering the deeper water from time to time. Lake Michigan has been known to produce some fish over 40 pounds! Anything over 15 pounds should be considered a real trophy, though. The best time to target brown trout on Lake Michigan is early in the fishing season, typically March, April, or May. Prepare smaller brown trout on the grill, and consider conservation and release the larger fish to get even bigger!
Coho (Silver) Salmon
The smaller of the two salmon species in Lake Michigan, coho salmon live only three years before making their only spawning run up a tributary just after the chinooks in fall. They are known to swim in large schools and can provide some insanely fast action when those schools can be located, typically in May and June. Because of their smaller size and bright orange meat, coho salmon are most prized for their clean fresh flavor. There’s no way to ruin this great tasting fish!
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Rainbow trout, steelhead, skamania trout, or their scientific name Oncorhynchus mykiss - you can call them whatever you want, but I call them tasty! Rainbow trout can live ten years or more in Lake Michigan and make many spawning runs into tributaries throughout their lifetime. Shore fishermen have ample opportunities to catch this abundant sportfish. They have been known to reach the 20 pound mark in Lake Michigan, but anything over ten pounds is a real trophy! It is common to catch fish in that weight class in May, June, and July in the open waters of Lake Michigan, and they can provide some real fast action! Rainbow trout slam lures with reckless abandon and rely on their huge, paddle-like, square tail to propel them out of the water and shake violently if they feel a hook in their mouth. Many times you can see the fish dancing on the surface before you even realize you have a fish on the line! Rainbow trout love brightly colored lures. If you’d like, you can pick one out yourself from our large selection of baits for the mate to tie on! Rainbow trout are fantastic any way you’d like to prepare them, but they’re best grilled. Make sure to have melted butter handy for dipping!
Pink Salmon
Just like the other salmon species, pinks are not native to the Great Lakes. However, pink salmon were never stocked in Lake Michigan. In 1955 about 20,000 pink salmon were put into a tributary on Lake Superior when a stocking airplane failed to pick up all of the fingerlings at a hatchery. Instead of watching the small fish die, hatchery workers released them into the river. As the decades went on, pink salmon expanded their range and they finally made it to Sheboygan. During even numbered years we see quite a few pink salmon, but during odd numbered years we see only very few. Each pink salmon only lives two years, which means that they are the smallest salmon species in the Great Lakes, and they really aren’t big enough to eat lures in their first year of life.
