Benzie Fishing Service is owned and operated by David Kane. I have been a professional fishing guide and charter boat captain for over 20 years.
I offer half and all day fishing trips on the Manistee River, Crystal Lake and Lake Michigan, from the port of Frankfort.
From drifting down the river to prowling the depths of crystal lake, we have an adventure for the novice to the expert.
With our custom built boat, and all the tackle provided, I have the equipment and experience to put you on the fish.
we now have two boats and can accommodate up to six anglers..
There are fish waiting to be caught just about year around in northwestern Michigan.
When you are ready to book your date or need additional information please call me at 231-510-2527 or Send an Email.
· US Coast Guard Licensed
· Michigan DNR Inspected Vessel
· US Forest Service Special Use Permit
· Fully Insured
· Experienced
· We are located in NorthWest Michigan(
Spring
Our boat is docked on the river at Potters Landing a private camp located between Bear Creek and Rainbow Bend in the heart of Steelhead Country. No waiting to launch and private secure parking.
Our season begins in late February for steelhead on the Big Manistee and runs through April. There are Steelhead in the river all winter long, but as the days become longer and the weather starts to warm, they become more active.
Most of our time is spent drifting spawn bags in the slow deep water. When the spring runoff begins we will do some plug fishing, using baits such as hot n tots and wiggle warts, fish hit the plugs with a vengeance, no question about having a bite. lure fishing provides us with the opportunity to fish more water and get into some of the spots that are not for bottom fishing, such as snag infested waters filled with woody debris.
As the spawning run gets under way the number of fish in the river increases dramatically these fish can be found in runs and holes, so most of the time we can catch them with plugs or spawn. When the fish are actively spawning on their nests they can be viewed with the aid of polaroid sunglasses, but remember when you see them they see you.
When they are done spawning they go on the bite again on their way back out to the lake. My idea about sport fishing is not to kill everything you catch but i am not opposed to keeping a couple for the table. river trips are a minimum of 7 hours on the water, with all bait and tackle provided.
Fall
As the Summer begins to wind down big things start to happen on the Manistee River.
The King Salmon run starts, by the end of August , good numbers of fish are in the river. These fresh run fish have a taste for spawn and we are there to offer it to them. A big chunk of spawn about the size of a golf ball behind a half an once of lead drifting through a big deep hole is a good way to get the rod ripped out of your hand.
Twenty pound fish are not uncommon and much of the time a limit catch of three apiece is the norm. with the salmon keeping your limit is up to you , i will fillet them for you. This is my favorite type of fishing , I wish it would last six months, but about six weeks is all we get. From late August until early October the are on the bite. We start our salmon trips just before daylight so we are at the secret hole and ready to go at daybreak, this is the time of day when the bite is at its peak. These dates go fast , many are booked from year to year.
By early October the Salmon are spawning and there are still fresh fish moving up the river, but our attention turns to Steelhead. It seems as soon as there are salmon eggs in the river the Steelhead are there to eat them. When we start to catch steelhead while fishing for salmon it becomes time to change tactics. At this time we break out the spinning rods and start casting spawn bags. We rig up with eight or ten pound line a number six hook and a couple of splitshot . These fish are eager biters and jumping is their favorite sport. When fishing for steelhead we often move around the river, making a few casts here and there. It is more like hunting than fishing until you find them, they tend to be in the runs below areas where the salmon are spawning. It is not uncommon to find find several in a small area. We continue to fish for steelhead until about Christmas time , with October and November being the peak months. December can provide some excellent fishing and there are far fewer anglers on the river.
Fishing on Crystal
Our season on Crystal begins around the middle of May, with several species to fish for and different methods to catch them. we will be fishing onboard the tadpole , a 17ft. custom built boat with a 60 hp four stroke motor. Perch are available just about year around and provide entertainment for anglers of all ages. However if you wish to keep some , the cleaning is up to you!
Whitefish go on the bite just prior to the Mayfly hatch, which occurs in early summer. The last few years the whitefish have been on the BITE. The number of whitefish in crystal lake appears to be on the increase, and that is reflected in our catch. Our methods for catching the whitefish are anchoring and fishing near bottom with wigglers or jigging. when the weather is calm it is possible to drift over the schools in deeper water.
lake trout begin to bite in may when the water begins to warm. most of our fishing is done in 50 to 100 feet of water. slow trolling with live minnows is are best producer. this type of fishing is done with fireline a six to ten ounce sinker and bouncing the bottom., however jigging and trolling with downriggers is another good way to get at the fish.
our trips on crystal lake depart from the public boat launch in beulah. i like to get an early start as the best fishing is in the morning. all trips are five hours and the cost is $250 for two anglers and $300 for three. all fishing equipment and bait is provided on all trips. i will clean and package lake trout and whitefish, perch cleaning is up to you! you will need an all species fishing license, available by the day or year.
Lake Michigan fishing begins in April. We start our season trolling for Brown Trout in and around the Frankfort Harbor. The Browns show up with an appetite for smelt and alewives, so we use minnow imitating baits such as Rapalas and Bombers. We use long lines attached to planer boards for maximum water coverage. Find the baitfish and you will find the Browns, usually where the river water meets the big lake is a good place to start. They average three to six pounds but fish to 15 pounds are caught and occasionally fish in the 20 pound range are brought to the net. last year the new world record brown trout was caught in these waters. . The smaller fish from the cold water make for excellent table fare. These trips are run aboard the 17ft. Tadpole , a DNR inspected and licensed vessel. the cost is $250.00 for 2 persons and $300.00 for three, all trips are 5 hours and include all bait and tackle , cleaning and packaging your catch.
JULY AND AUGUST ARE THE BEST TIMES FOR SALMON FISHING ON LAKE MICHIGAN. AT THIS TIME OF YEAR WE OFFER TWO FIVE HOUR HALF DAY TRIPS DAILY. MY FAVORITE IS THE EVENING TRIP BEGINNING AROUND 5 PM AND FISHING UNTIL DARK. AS THE SUN GOES DOWN THE SALMON BECOME VERY ACTIVE AND DOUBLE HEADERS ARE COMMON IN THE EVENING. ALTHOUGH THE SIZE IS DOWN THE NUMBERS APPEAR TO BE HOLDING UP AND A FEW FISH IN THE COOLER AROUND TEN TO FIFTEEN POUNDS IS A GREAT WAY TO TOP OFF A DAY IN BENZIE COUNTY. OUR TRIPS ALL DEPART FROM THE FRANKFORT CITY PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCH, LOCATED ON MAIN STREET IN FRANKFORT. YOU WILL NEED A FISHING LICENSE AND I WILL PROVIDE THE BOAT , ALL FISHING TACKLE AND CLEAN YOUR CATCH AT THE END OF THE TRIP. THE COST FOR THESE TRIPS ARE $250 FOR TWO ANGLERS AND $300 FOR THREE.
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