Why a Lake Michigan Fishing Charter is Worth the Money

To understand why a Lake Michigan fishing charter is worth the money, you have to see the view from the other side of the boat.  It may seem like a lot of money for a few hours of fishing, and you may be wondering how anyone can justify charging that much to putt around in a boat all day and pick on defenseless fish.

I can hear you ladies now.  I can hear you because I have been you.  Many years ago before my husband became a charter boat captain and before so much of my life focused around the Michigan seasons, I wondered the same thing. Now I sing a different tune because I have lived on the other side of the boat.

Our side of the boat includes all the things that happen behind the scenes.  Our work begins in the Spring when the signs of a cold, hard winter have taken their toll.  The bottom of the boat has to be painted.  And this is a special, smelly, very expensive paint.  The temperature has to be above 60 degrees so you give up the first beautiful weekend of the Spring and lay on your back on the cold ground and spread black paint all over the hull.  The wood has gone from a golden brown to a cold grey.  So we spend hours sanding, steel wooling and teaking – not just to make it look pretty but to give it a coat of protection.  Everything in the salon is damp and all the work has to be done before we get dropped in the water so we work in a cold shell for days.  We steam the bilge, buff the bow, polish the cockpit, and raise the bimini.  It takes hours of work in a not very suitable environment.  We are under the gun to complete it because we have one day that the Coast Guard can inspect the boat.  If we miss the inspection, we can’t charter.

There are the everyday expenses such as gasoline.  Our boat has never seen a full tank…it would cost us over three thousand dollars.  We are constantly replacing gear and lures lost at sea.  There is engine maintenance, ice for the fish, and repair and replacements of rods and reels.  On our side of the boat the expenditures never end.

And, then there are the special challenges like yesterday.  At the end of the season last year, our antennae broke.  A part of the replacement included feeding wiring from the antennae down through the boat to the receiver.  Sound easy?  I thought so, until we worked for over four hours trying to force the wire through a channel barely big enough to allow it through.  My hands are cut and scraped – they look like something out of the “Chucky” movies.

The final assault comes when we arrive home at 7PM to find that all of our neighbors have cut lawns, planted flowers, and a home that looks like it came out of a gardening magazine.  Our lawn, the only one in the neighborhood, will have to have the grass baled, the weeds harvested, and it looks like a poster child for the Halloween haunts.  I could crawl in a hole.

But, I remind myself that it is a choice.  We choose to spend a frantic Spring and Fall so my husband can do what he loves and what he does well.  I never see him as intense and focused as he is when clients are on board.  Yet in the tension, he clearly chooses to make it a memorable time. He takes his obligation seriously…to catch fish.  He loves his boat and he loves to share his passion.

A lot of money?  Maybe…especially in these times.  You have to trust me when I say most Captains don’t do this to get rich.  It is that passion that drives them on.  It is the challenge of outwitting a fish by knowing exactly where to fish, what time to fish, what color to fish, and how fast or slow to troll the boat.  I can tell you from first hand experience, yes it is worth it.  When the Captain yells, “Fish On!” and six men scramble to grab the pole, to the grand finale sometimes up to thrity minutes later when the prize is netted, to fish stories told long after the lines have been pulled and tucked away for another day.  It’s about the challenge, it’s about the competition, its about the comraderie.  It’s about doing something men have done for ages.

Conquer!

Lake Michigan Fishing at Its Finest

When you book a Lake Michigan fishing charter with Water Waltz Charters, you aren’t just booking a fishing trip, but a fishing experience.  You will enjoy a fun-filled day trolling Lake Michigan for Salmon, Lake Trout and Steelhead at the hottest fishing grounds of the season aboard Water Waltz, a 36 ft. Trojan cabin cruiser.  Owned and operated by Captain Ed, a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain, the cockpit of Water Waltz is outfitted with the best fishing equipment and the roomy deck and cabin offers amenities to keep you comfortable all day long.  Read More …

Water Waltz Charters launches new website

Welcome to the new home port of Water Waltz Charters on the web!

A full service Lake Michigan charter fishing and cruise service, Water Waltz Charters is ready to fulfill your itch to fish.  Located in the quaint lake-side town of South Haven, Water Waltz Charters is convenient from Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and even Chicago.  From Water Waltz’s home at the River Noir Yacht Club, your group of up to six persons will embark on a trip down the Black River channel to the open waters of Lake Michigan.

Fishing isn’t our only specialty.  We offer sunset cruises along the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan with complimentary wine and fruit or cheese.

Contact us today to make a reservation!