Danel Sportfishing
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Danel Sportfishing

(48)
North Harbor Drive
Grand Haven MI, United States

“Kids welcome & adults tolerated” is the motto of Danel Sportfishing and what they are all about. This charter company has been a family business on the boardwalk at Chinook Pier Grand Haven since 1984 and continues the tradition today.

Danel Sportfishing was founded by Dana Bonney Sr over three decades ago but his same values are present today. They believe that kids are the future and offer family-friendly adventures on Lake Michigan.

Whether you are planning that get-away fishing trip, a summer vacation with your family and friends, or even want to entertain corporate clients, Danel Sportfishing and the Grand Haven area are all ready for you.

You will be fishing aboard the ‘Danel’, a 33’ Trojan boat. She provides a very stable trolling platform and more comfort than the 30’ boats in the area. Built back in 1985, she was overhauled in 2013 and can cruise at a top speed of 30 knits thanks to her twin 350 HP Crusader engines.

The Danel can comfortably accommodate up to 6 anglers and is rigged with modern electronics and technologies to save your time while searching for a big one. Her top-notch GPS and fishfinder build up a clear image of where the fish are hiding.

On your day out, you will be trolling for Chinook and Coho Salmon, along with Steelhead, Brown Trout, and Lake Trout. All trips include the use of quality rods, reels, and lures, as well as the assistance of the First Mate, who works for tips. Just bring a valid Michigan fishing license, your food, drinks, and hop onboard. The only thing that’s missing is you!

The crew also participates in the Catch and Cook program that allows you to bring your catch at select local restaurants. Just let the captain know that you’d like to take part in the program.

  • You Keep Catch
  • Catch cleaning & filleting
  • Toilet
  • Child Friendly
  • Ice Box
  • Rods, reels & tackle

Select date to see available trips and rates:

  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip - Weekend (AM)
    FREE Cancellation 30 days notice
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 6:00 AM
    Seasonal trip Apr 15 - Oct 31 (Sat, Sun)
    $599
    up to 5 persons
    + $75
    each additional person
    This is a weekend morning trip to the mighty Lake Michigan, where you will be trolling for Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, and Brown Trout.
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip - Weekend (PM)
    FREE Cancellation 30 days notice
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 1:00 PM
    Seasonal trip Apr 15 - Oct 31 (Sat, Sun)
    $599
    up to 5 persons
    + $75
    each additional person
    There is nothing better than spending your afternoon out on the water, especially after a tiring week at work. Have a family gathering on Lake Michigan and make a great catch possible!
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip - Weekday (AM)
    FREE Cancellation 30 days notice
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 6:00 AM
    Seasonal trip Apr 15 - Oct 31 (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri)
    $525
    up to 4 persons
    + $75
    each additional person
    This is a standard trip, which is great for any angler no matter the age or expertise. You will be targeting Salmon and Trout on Lake Michigan.
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip Weekday (PM)
    FREE Cancellation 30 days notice
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 1:00 PM
    Seasonal trip May 1 - Oct 22 (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri)
    $525
    up to 4 persons
    + $75
    each additional person
There are 4 people looking at this charter.

About the Captain

Dana Bonney
Grand Haven, Michigan, United States
Angler's Choice
2 Fishing Reports
ID & License verified
48 Customer Reviews
Response time within an hour
Member since May 2018
I grew up as a second-generation fisherman. I have fished Lake Michigan since 1981 and love sharing this incredible resource as a captain. I have fished and won tournaments on Lake Michigan but my focus is providing a great family fishing trip. Kids are the future and I will never forget the charter trips I went on with my dad as a kid. I was lucky enough to fish with some great captains not only here in the Great Lakes but the East Coast and Southern US. These experiences were incredible as a kid and now I am lucky to be able to share the same kind of adventures with my customers. My family moved to the Grand Haven area with the sole purpose of starting our charter business and I am proud to continue that tradition today.

About this listing

Targeted Species

Brown Trout Brown Trout
Lake Trout Lake Trout
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead) Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Salmon (Chinook) Salmon (Chinook)

Salmon (Coho) Salmon (Coho)

Boat Specs

Trojan 10 Meter (Offshore sport fishing) originally built in 1985, and restored in 2013. Powered by 2 350HP Crusader engines, with a maximum cruising speed of 30 knots.

Length
33 ft
Capacity
6 persons

Types of Fishing

Lake Fishing

Fishing Techniques

Trolling

Amenities

Toilet
GPS
Life Jackets
Fishfinder
Refrigerator
Multimedia System
Ice Box
Toilet
GPS
Life Jackets
Fishfinder
Refrigerator
Multimedia System

Trip Includes

Rods, reels & tackle
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
First Mate

Policies

FREE Cancellation
You can cancel or reschedule your booking up to 30 days before the trip. If the captain cannot run the trip due to unsafe weather conditions, your booking can be moved to another date or canceled free of charge.
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child Friendly
You Keep Catch
Catch and Release Allowed
Disabled Accessible

Payment

Book with 10% deposit
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 10% deposit to guarantee your reservation.
Pay remaining balance to captain
The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:
Cash
Visa
Mastercard
American Express

When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, there is a 3% fee.

Grand Haven Fishing Calendar

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Customer Reviews

Rating Summary
Photos by reviewers (39)
4.95
out of 5 stars from 48 reviews
See details
Boat
Crew
Experience
Half Day Trip
Half Day Trip
Half Day Trip
+36
Angler Rating
46
2
0
0
0
Anglers Claimed
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
98%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Catch intended fish
91%
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Showing:
5 of 48 reviews
Matty R.
Rochester, Michigan
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

Half Day Trip

VERIFIED   October 10, 2019
We started the day with a beautiful sunrise glow. It took a while before we got our first bite, but we managed to hit out limit...
Matty R. recommends Danel Sportfishing
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Matthew H.
The Bronx, New York
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

Half Day Trip on the Downtime

VERIFIED   August 25, 2019
Great time.  Captain and mate knew how to read the currents and kept us active.  It was a wonderful trip for the...
Matthew H. recommends Danel Sportfishing
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Richard H.
Fenton, Michigan
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

Half day 6am trip

VERIFIED   June 15, 2019
Captain Dana showed his years of experience by heading out to fish while other charters canceled.    Captain Dana...
Richard H. recommends Danel Sportfishing
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Eric H.
Howell, Michigan
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

6-hour Fishing Trip for son’s bachelor party

VERIFIED   August 24, 2019
Was a great day on Lake Michigan out of Grand Haven MI to celebrate with groom and groomsmen. We all had a great time and appreciated...
Eric H. recommends Danel Sportfishing
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2 persons find this review helpful
You and 2 people found this helpful
Eric H. recommends Danel Sportfishing
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Dana H.
Muskegon, MI
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

GREAT TIME HAD BY ALL

VERIFIED   September 7, 2019
This is our second year with Captain Dana.  My son just loves celebrating his birthday on Lake Michigan catching big fish! ...
Dana H. recommends Danel Sportfishing
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