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Fishing area
Lake Michigan Fishing Charters
68 fishing charters and guides in Chicago, Michigan City, Grand Haven, Ludington, Milwaukee and Sturgeon Bay, each listed A to Z on its town page with boats, trip types, published prices and direct phone numbers. Lake Michigan charters troll for salmon and trout from ports in four states. Spring and fall fish closer to shore; summer trips often run well out to find cold water.
Towns
Fishing charter towns on Lake Michigan
Typical half day is the median published price for a private trip of about 4 hours, where at least 3 boats in that town publish one.
| Town | Captains | Typical half day | Charters | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Chicago, Waukegan and Hammond | 15 | – | All 15 | Conditions |
| Michigan City Michigan City and Portage on Lake Michigan | 9 | $700 | All 9 | Conditions |
| Grand Haven Grand Haven, Muskegon, Holland and Saugatuck | 8 | $605 | All 8 | Conditions |
| Ludington Ludington, Manistee and Pentwater | 14 | – | All 14 | Conditions |
| Milwaukee Milwaukee, Port Washington and Racine | 13 | $660 | All 13 | Conditions |
| Sturgeon Bay Door County, Algoma and Kewaunee | 9 | – | All 9 · Inshore | Conditions |
What you can fish
Deep sea, inshore and party boats: Lake Michigan
The water: open-lake trolling for salmon and trout, plus harbors and piers in spring and fall.
6
Inshore and bay guides
Inshore trips fish calm bays, flats, marsh and the passes close to land. Short runs, smaller boats and steady action make them the usual pick for kids and first-timers.
1
Party boats
Party boats (head boats) sell spots per person, bait and tackle included. They are the cheapest way onto the water, and the crew helps beginners.
Fish the Lake Michigan captains list most: Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead, Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Yellow perch, Walleye, Salmon, Trout. In season in October: Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake trout, Steelhead, Brown trout, Yellow perch, Walleye.
Prices
What a fishing charter costs: Lake Michigan
Calculated from the private-trip prices captains publish, as of October 2026. Prices are for the whole boat, not per person.
| Trip | Median | Range | Boats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private half day (about 4 hours) | $660 | $425 – $950 | 24 |
| Private full day (about 8 hours) | $950 | $625 – $1,375 | 13 |
Compare: fishing charter prices across the US.
Questions
Lake Michigan fishing charter questions
How many fishing charters are in the Lake Michigan?
We list 68 captains and guides across 6 towns. Chicago has the most, with 15. Each town page lists them A to Z – not ranked.
How much is a fishing charter in the Lake Michigan?
Among 24 boats that publish a private half-day price, the median is $660 (from $425 to $950), and the median full day is $950. Prices are for the whole boat and vary by town, boat and season.
Which Lake Michigan town should I fish from?
Pick the town closest to where you are staying – the runs to the fish are short from all of them. For offshore trips, look at the towns with the most deep sea boats in the table above; for calm water and kids, pick inshore. Inshore vs offshore explained.
Does Gone Fishing HQ take a commission?
No. You book with the captain directly by phone or on their own website, and they keep 100% of the trip price.
More fishing areas: Florida Keys · South Florida · Florida Gulf Coast · Lake Erie · Outer Banks.
For captains and guides
Your boat, listed free. No commission, ever.
Anglers call you or book on your own website, and you keep 100% of every trip. Want more detail or the one Featured spot in your town? Enhanced is $19/month and City Spotlight $49/month.