Manistee Fishing Charters & Guides

Find a local captain and contact them directly. We don't take bookings or fees.

Contact details checked on each captain's own website

Charters & Guides in Manistee

Call or visit a captain's website to ask about trips, dates and prices. If they're out on the water, leave a message.

24 charters and guides in Manistee

Where to find current Manistee fishing reports

We don’t publish a daily report and we won’t reprint one. What’s biting this week comes from the boats — here is where the Manistee fleet posts it.

Written, on their own site 1 active

Dated reports the boat publishes itself.

Handles and report pages come from each charter’s own website; every link goes to the captain and nothing of theirs is reproduced here. Boats are ordered by how established they are locally.

State records from the water off Manistee

Michigan's all-tackle list records 3 species taken on Lake Michigan, Saginaw Bay and Manistee River, which the boats here fish.

Heaviest on the list

Brown Trout

41.45 lb

2009

8 Manistee captains name brown trout

Why this one is here

The record was taken on Manistee River, which is the water the boats on this page fish — not Manistee itself. A record is what came over the rail once; it is not what to expect on a trip.

See the record
  • 26.5 lb Rainbow Trout · Lake Michigan · 1975 source
  • 6.44 lb White Bass · Saginaw Bay · 1989 source

From Michigan's own records page, linked on each row. Records are certified by the state and can be broken at any time.

Fishing trips in Manistee by type

Counted from what each captain lists on their own website.

Half-day and full-day fishing trips

6 charters list half-day trips and 4 list full-day trips. Trip lengths vary by boat, so ask the captain exactly how many hours are on the water.

Family fishing charters in Manistee

6 charters mention kids or families on their websites. Ask the captain about life jackets in children's sizes and how long the trip runs.

Planning a trip to Manistee

See the closest airports.

Closest airports

With airline service

  • TVCCherry Capital 50 miles away
  • GRBGreen Bay/Austin Straubel International 91 miles away

Local public airports

  • MBLManistee County/Blacker 4 miles away
  • LDMMason County 20 miles away
  • 7Y2Thompsonville 26 miles away

Straight-line miles from the centre of Manistee.

Airports: FAA airport registry for public-use airports and their locations, FAA CY2024 passenger boardings for which have airline service, town centre from the Census 2024 gazetteer, Manistee city.

Questions about fishing charters and guides in Manistee

What happens if the weather turns before my Manistee trip?

It is the captain's call on the morning, and the terms differ boat to boat: some refund the deposit, some reschedule. As Brown Bear Sport Fishing puts it: “This deposit is refundable with a cancellation of at least a one week prior to your trip or if the captain deems the weather is unsafe and you are not able to reschedule.” Worth reading the policy of the boat you are booking before you pay one.

Do Manistee charters clean your catch?

Most do, at the dock when you come in, and a good few say so plainly on their own sites. As Copperhead Sportfishing Charters puts it: “Your fish will be cleaned and packaged for you to take home.” Whether it costs anything is up to the boat, so ask when you book.

Are there family-friendly fishing charters in Manistee?

6 charters in Manistee mention kids or families on their websites. Ask the captain about children's life jackets, trip length and whether there's a restroom on board.

How do I book a charter or guide in Manistee?

Call the captain or use their website. CharterFishingBoat doesn't take bookings or payments, and there's no fee to use the directory.

What should I ask the captain?

Ask what the trip includes, how long it lasts, how many people can come, what you're likely to catch that time of year, and the cancellation policy if the weather turns.

What airports are closest to Manistee?

The closest airports with airline service are Cherry Capital (TVC), 50 miles away and Green Bay/Austin Straubel International (GRB), 91 miles away. Local public airports nearby: Manistee County/Blacker (MBL), 4 miles away, Mason County (LDM), 20 miles away and Thompsonville (7Y2), 26 miles away. Distances are straight-line miles from the centre of town.

How many fishing charters and guides are in Manistee?

This page lists 24 fishing charters and guides in Manistee, Michigan, each with a phone number and website checked on the captain's own site.

Fish you can catch out of Manistee

Counted from what each captain lists on their own website — the number is how many Manistee captains name that fish.

Salmon19Steelhead15Lake Trout11Chinook Salmon9Brown Trout8Walleye7Coho Salmon6Northern Pike5Bluegill3Smallmouth Bass2Catfish1Crappie1Carp1Bowfin1Freshwater Drum1Yellow Bullhead Catfish1Rock Bass1Rainbow Trout1

Charters & Guides near Manistee

Stronach27Onekama31Brethren32Fountain31Wellston28Ludington22

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