Big River Outfitters 

5.0
(68 reviews)
 Riverside Park Drive Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, United States–

Big River Outfitters 

Grand Rapids, MI, United States
–
18 ft
3
5.0
(68 reviews)

Big River Outfitters focuses on having fun, enjoying the day, and hooking as many fish as possible. Its captains are inviting you to Newaygo, Michigan to join them on exciting lake and river fishing trips. They're looking forward to fishing with you and will do everything for you to have a memorable day on the water.

You'll be using an 18' Woolridge jet boat powered by a 115 HP Yamaha engine. The boat's got Lowrance GPS and Garmin fishfinder systems, and it can accommodate up to 3 guests. It features a wireless trolling motor.

Big River Outfitters will take you to some of the most beautiful and rivers and lakes in Michigan. You'll enjoy the fascinating and serene nature of the Muskegon River, Big Manistee, Pere Marquette, and Grand River. Many intriguing fish reside in these waters, some of which include various Bass and Salmon, Sunfish, and Steelhead. Using light tackle, you can fly fish, spin, jig, drift fish, and ice fish. You can keep all the fish you catch, and you're free to bring along kids with you.

Included in the price is all the fishing gear. The tackle, live bait, and lures will all be waiting for you on board. The crew will clean and fillet your catch. You'll just need to bring licenses, food, and drinks.

Book a trip at Big River Outfitters and have a great time fishing and admiring the rivers and lakes of Michigan.

Big River Outfitters focuses on having fun, enjoying the day, and hooking as many fish as possible. Its captains are inviting you to Newaygo, Michigan to join them on exciting lake and river fishing trips. They're looking forward to fishing with you and will do everything for you to have a memorable day on the water.

You'll be using an 18' Woolridge jet boat powered by a 115 HP Yamaha engine. The boat's got Lowrance GPS and Garmin fishfinder systems, and it can accommodate up to 3 guests. It features a wireless trolling motor.

Big River Outfitters will take you to some of the most beautiful and rivers and lakes in Michigan. You'll enjoy the fascinating and serene nature of the Muskegon River, Big Manistee, Pere Marquette, and Grand River. Many intriguing fish reside in these waters, some of which include various Bass and Salmon, Sunfish, and Steelhead. Using light tackle, you can fly fish, spin, jig, drift fish, and ice fish. You can keep all the fish you catch, and you're free to bring along kids with you.

Included in the price is all the fishing gear. The tackle, live bait, and lures will all be waiting for you on board. The crew will clean and fillet your catch. You'll just need to bring licenses, food, and drinks.

Book a trip at Big River Outfitters and have a great time fishing and admiring the rivers and lakes of Michigan.

Big River Outfitters
Charter Operator
Big River Outfitters
15 years of experience
ID & credentials verified
responds within an hour

Select date to see availability

Trip availability and prices

Trip date:
Group Size:
October 2026
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
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Group Size
2 adults • 0 children
Change
Almost there...
Panfish
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 8:00 AM
Seasonal trip
Dec 20 - Jul 31
Bass (Largemouth)
Crappie
Sunfish
Bass (Smallmouth)
US $290
Entire boat: 2 people
Half Day Trip – Smallmouth or Trout
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 10:00 AM
Seasonal trip
Jun 1 - Aug 15
Bass (Largemouth)
Crappie
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Sunfish
+4
US $350
Entire boat: 2 people
Half day steelhead adventure
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Seasonal trip
Feb 1 - Apr 30
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Brown Trout
US $400
Entire boat: 2 people
Dry fly fishing adventure
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
6 hour trip starts at 8:00 AM
Seasonal trip
Apr 10 - Jun 28
Bass (Largemouth)
Crappie
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Sunfish
+2
US $450
Entire boat: 2 people
Smallmouth Adventure and/or trout
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
7 hour trip starts at 9:00 AM
Seasonal trip
May 1 - Aug 20
Bass (Largemouth)
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Bass (Smallmouth)
Brown Trout
US $450
Entire boat: 2 people
Giant King Salmon experience!!
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 3:00 PM
Seasonal trip
Aug 20 - Oct 30
Salmon (Chinook)
Salmon (Coho)
US $450
Entire boat: 2 people
7 Hour Trip – Steelhead Adventure
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
7 hour trip starts at 8:00 AM
Seasonal trip
Oct 23 - Apr 30
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Brown Trout
Salmon (Coho)
US $475
Entire boat: 2 people

Customer reviews

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Rating

5.0
68 reviews
5.0
Boat & equipment
5.0
Captain & crew
5.0
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (105)

What anglers say

100%
Great experience
96%
Family friendly
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Good boat
99%
Recommended
98%
Caught fish

Reviews (68)

  • Courtney Hunter
    Courtney Hunter
    Repeat angler
    us
    Indiana, US
    Member since 2024
    4 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Anthony is a worker!

    Giant King Salmon experience!! on October 14, 2025 • 3 adults • 1 child

    Taking a crew on the water who hadn’t been fishing for Salmon in a river is hard enough I assume, but Anthony also taught our kid how to fly fish, literally on the fly. He worked that boat like it had legs, instead of a motor. He gave us every opportunity to bring in Fish. Our son was like a sponge listening to every word he said. HIGHLY recommend Anthony for beginners to long time Anglers, He hunted those fish like a coon hound! Better than advertised and GREAT with kids!

  • Eddie Mercer
    Eddie Mercer
    us
    Michigan, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Awesome experience

    Smallmouth Adventure and/or trout on August 1, 2026 • 3 adults • 1 child

    My kids first time out fishing on a boat we caught tons of small mouth and rock bass was a fabulous experience for them and highly recommend to anyone with kids. Hats off to Anthony. Great guy very knowledgeable and really took care of us

  • Joshua Schuler
    Joshua Schuler
    us
    Indiana, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    was a great trip

    Half Day Trip – Smallmouth or Trout on July 24, 2026 • 3 adults • 1 child

    Anthony was awesome showed so much patience with my 9 year old son an put us on the fish the whole time! highly recommend!

  • Tanner Chester
    Tanner Chester
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Steelhead Adventure

    7 Hour Trip – Steelhead Adventure on November 2, 2025 • 1 adult

    Anthony knows the river very well and is a extremely experienced fisherman. I had an amazing trip 10 out of 10. highly recommended

  • Rich Halsall
    Rich Halsall
    us
    Indiana, US
    Member since 2024
    5.0
    Verified

    Great learning experience!

    Giant King Salmon experience!! on October 20, 2024 • 3 adults • 1 child

    My husband and I took our 6 year old on this king salmon adventure. He had never been on fishing boat and was used to mostly pan-fish at home. Anthony let him sit near me while we were moving, even let him sit on his own cooler. He answered all the random questions a 6 year old could spout and even listened to a child's "fish tales" from home catches. He helped get fish on the line when needed and worked on a new skill with my husband learning to use the fly rod which he had never done. He offered helpful suggestions on the fly that enabled us to catch more and offered photo suggestions (as well as taking some photos of us himself and sending us after the trip) to keep those memories! We definitely plan on booking with him again for another new adventure!

  • Erin Ward
    Erin Ward
    us
    Indiana, US
    Member since 2018
    5.0
    Verified

    Fantastic birthday trip for our 12 year old :)

    Giant King Salmon experience!! on October 12, 2024 • 3 adults • 1 child

    My husband and I gave this trip to our 12 year old for his birthday. He said it was the best fishing experience he’d had. We drove from Indiana because our kiddo had never caught salmon, and captain Anthony was a great teacher - he let us use fly rods and a spinner, and he was very patient teaching first timers how to do it. At no point did he seem frustrated or impatient with our snags/errors. He was clearly aiming to teach so he could let us do it ourselves (the biggest fish our kiddo caught was all him, from the cast to the landing, and he was so proud!) but when Anthony noticed we didn’t have all three poles in the water or were maybe a bit slow to get all of our lines out there in a good spot, he also helped out by constantly casting himself to make sure a line was always well placed in the water so we had constant fish to land - the trip was constant action :) Always a fish on to reel in. He just provided a great balance of teaching/letting my kiddo do it all himself, while putting forth every effort himself to get as many fish on lines for us to land to keep it fun. :) all 3 of us caught multiple salmon, probably ranging from 12ish pounds to mid-20s. Also, Anthony is friendly and hilarious ;) And shared lots of information about the salmon run and how it works (which was super fun for my kid, who is definitely an information seeker when it comes to fish). He also was quietly taking awesome photos of all of us in the background when we had fish on that he sent us after the trip, and even had plastic bags for our fillets when we forgot to bring some. Made an effort to get us to a quieter part of the river on a crowded Saturday (and I can see why these salmon runs bring crowds to the Tippy Dam area). Kiddo had never landed a fish that big and he was over the moon to land several. (He slept well that night - said his arms felt like jelly from landing them). It’s all everyone in the family has heard about since we got back. In short, Anthony knows what he’s doing! And he clearly loves doing it and sharing it with kids and first timers. Thanks so much for an awesome time! We came home with bags of fillets we are going to smoke, and kiddo wants us to keep your contact info for future trips. :)

  • Luke E Rivenburgh
    Luke E Rivenburgh
    us
    New York, US
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Best day ever!

    Smallmouth Adventure and/or trout on July 17, 2025 • 1 adult

    Had a chance to skip a meeting and go fishing. Went smallmouth fishing on the Muskegon River, short drive from Grand Rapids. Awesome boat, great captain. He knows the river like the back of his hand! Caught so many smallmouth I lost count. No joke I caught 50ish fish! Had steak and asparagus cooked on the boat while I was fishing. I fish every chance I get and today was the best day ever!

  • Josh Dykstra
    Josh Dykstra
    Repeat angler
    us
    Michigan, US
    Member since 2021
    7 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Amazing Trip!

    7 Hour Trip – Steelhead Adventure on February 22, 2024 • 1 adult

    Where to begin, Anthony is extremely knowledgeable and it proved to pay off. It was a very last minute trip as I booked only a day prior but Anthony showed up prepared and ready to catch some fish. As far as we could tell, we were the only boat to land steelhead, 6 of them at that. It was a great day with the weather, and a steady bite. Highly recommend to anyone who’s in town on a visit, or local from the area and always wanted to try it. Looking forward to taking a smallmouth trip this summer with Anthony guiding the way.

  • Charles Brawner
    Charles Brawner
    us
    Illinois, US
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Great Guide, Great experience!

    7 Hour Trip – Steelhead Adventure on March 19, 2025 • 2 adults

    Anthony is not only the most knowledgeable guide i have ever hired, more importantly, he's a patient teacher, shares information on techniques, river habitat, and stream species. Moreover, having been out with him once before, i find him to consistently be an honest, upbeat, and very likable person. Learned a lot, laughed, caught steelhead, and look forward to next trip!

  • Morgan Ridge
    Morgan Ridge
    us
    Indiana, US
    Member since 2024
    5.0
    Verified

    Fathers day trip

    Smallmouth Adventure and/or trout on June 15, 2024 • 2 adults

    I booked this trip for my dad and I for father's day. We had the best time. We caught so many rainbow and brown trout. We caught a few bass. Anthony did a fabulous job taking us where we needed to go. We even seen a blue heron fly up to where we casting, he got him a fish and pretty much laughed at is. I highly recommend!! we will definitely be back if we come back up! We came up from Indiana

Rating

5.0
68 reviews
5.0
Boat & equipment
5.0
Captain & crew
5.0
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (105)

What anglers say

100%
Great experience
96%
Family friendly
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Good boat
99%
Recommended
98%
Caught fish

All reviews (68)

Frequently mentioned
Showing 1 – 5 of 68 reviews
Courtney Hunter
Courtney Hunter
Repeat angler
us
Indiana, US
Member since 2024
4 trips
5.0
Verified
Anthony is a worker!
Giant King Salmon experience!! on October 14, 2025 • 2 adults • 1 child

Taking a crew on the water who hadn’t been fishing for Salmon in a river is hard enough I assume, but Anthony also taught our kid how to fly fish, literally on the fly. He worked that boat like it had legs, instead of a motor. He gave us every opportunity to bring in Fish. Our son was like a sponge listening to every word he said. HIGHLY recommend Anthony for beginners to long time Anglers, He hunted those fish like a coon hound! Better than advertised and GREAT with kids!

Reported catch:
Chinook Salmon
Big River Outfitters
Response from Charter operator

Awesome time fishing with you guys! Thank you so much for the kind words! looking forward to our next adventure!

Leif Nilsen
Leif Nilsen
us
Michigan, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
Great trip
Panfish on May 22, 2026 • 2 adults

My son and I had a great trip and Anthony was a great guide. We were able to catch multiple types of fish and Anthony was able to take us to different locations and helped locate fish to make for a great experience. He is very knowledgeable, friendly and had a great demeanor.

Reported catch:
Crappie
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Eddie Mercer
Eddie Mercer
us
Michigan, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
Awesome experience
Smallmouth Adventure and/or trout on August 1, 2026 • 2 adults • 1 child

My kids first time out fishing on a boat we caught tons of small mouth and rock bass was a fabulous experience for them and highly recommend to anyone with kids. Hats off to Anthony. Great guy very knowledgeable and really took care of us

Big River Outfitters
Response from Charter operator

Thanks for sharing the day with me! you guys rock! appreciate the review !

John Gutierrez
John Gutierrez
us
Virginia, US
Member since 2025
5.0
Verified
Unforgettable Salmon Fishing on the Manistee River
Giant King Salmon experience!! on October 4, 2025 • 2 adults

Captain Anthony delivered an incredible experience on the Manistee River. From start to finish, he was professional, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about river fishing. We landed some fantastic salmon and enjoyed every moment on the water. Highly recommend his charter for anyone looking for a top-tier fishing trip!

Reported catch:
Coho Salmon
Big River Outfitters
Response from Charter operator

appreciate it John! with all the choices out there we appreciate you choosing us! you guys did fantastic!

Joshua Schuler
Joshua Schuler
us
Indiana, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
was a great trip
Half Day Trip – Smallmouth or Trout on July 24, 2026 • 2 adults • 1 child

Anthony was awesome showed so much patience with my 9 year old son an put us on the fish the whole time! highly recommend!

Big River Outfitters
Response from Charter operator

awesome time! great job! thanks again!

FAQs about Big River Outfitters

Big River Outfitters offers the following trips to customers:
  • US $145 per person - Panfish (4 hours)
  • US $350 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - Half Day Trip – Smallmouth or Trout (4 hours)
  • US $400 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - Half day steelhead adventure (4 hours)
  • US $450 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - Dry fly fishing adventure (6 hours)
  • US $450 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - Giant King Salmon experience!! (4 hours)
  • US $450 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - Smallmouth Adventure and/or trout (7 hours)
  • US $475 per group, additional US $75 per person after 2 guests - 7 Hour Trip – Steelhead Adventure (7 hours)
When you book a trip with Big River Outfitters, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • GPS Lowerance
  • Fishfinder Garmin
  • Wireless trolling motor
Trips booked with Big River Outfitters include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle (Custom float rods. Good drags for landing that f)
  • Live bait (Live bait is always an option. And is included in overall price if necessary. 95 percent of the year we fish artificial )
  • Lures
  • Catch cleaning & filleting (Filleted and bagged)
  • Drinks (Waters on boat )
  • Lunch (50 dollars extra. options call for menu. . )
  • Fly fishing equipment
Big River Outfitters offers the following types of fishing:
  • River fishing (Muskegon, Big Manistee, Pere Marquette, Grand )
  • Lake fishing
  • Inshore fishing
Big River Outfitters offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Light tackle (Float fishing. Fly fishing available )
  • Spinning (Float fishing )
  • Jigging (1-3 oz jigs vertical jigging king slamon. )
  • Fly fishing (Conventional and chuck n duck)
  • Drift fishing
  • Ice fishing (Bluegill ,crappie ,perch , pike ,bass.)
Top targeted fish species with Big River Outfitters include:
  • Bass (Largemouth)
  • Bass (Smallmouth)
  • Brown Trout
  • Crappie
  • Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
  • Salmon (Chinook)
  • Salmon (Coho)
  • Sunfish

Your operator

Big River Outfitters
Big River Outfitters

Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

19 Fishing Reports
68 Customer reviews
Typical response within an hour
Member since September 2020

The captain considers fishing to be a part of him. He's been fishing his entire life, has owned a few businesses, beaten cancer, and now he does what he loves the most. Making memories daily and looking forward to doing the same for you.

Big River Outfitters
Big River Outfitters
19
reports
68
reviews
2020
member since
~1h
response
The captain considers fishing to be a part of him. He's been fishing his entire life, has owned a few businesses, beaten cancer, and now he does what he loves the most. Making memories daily and looking forward to doing the same for you.

The fish you can target

Largemouth Bass
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Brown Trout
Brown Trout
Crappie
Crappie
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Chinook Salmon
Chinook Salmon
Coho Salmon
Coho Salmon
Sunfish
Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Brown Trout
Brown Trout
Crappie
Crappie
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)

Real catches by this captain

  • Awesome experience
    Eddie M.
    Eddie M.
  • was a great trip
    Joshua S.
    Joshua S.
  • Anthony is a worker!
    Courtney H.
    Courtney H.
  • Best day ever!
    Luke E.
    Luke E.
  • June fishing trip
    Mike T.
    Mike T.
  • Great Guide, Great experience!
    Charles B.
    Charles B.
  • Awesome Trip
    Justin L.
    Justin L.
  • Great learning experience!
    Rich H.
    Rich H.
  • Fantastic birthday trip for our 12 year old :)
    Erin W.
    Erin W.
  • Anthony will get you fish!
    Paul V.
    Paul V.

What is the boat like?

Boat image
Boat category
Speed boats
Capacity
3 persons
Boat length
18 ft
Year built
2019
Boat manufacturer
Stealthcraft
Boat type
Jet boat
Engine model
Yamaha
Powered by
1 x 115HP
Max cruising speed
30 knots

What kind of fishing will you do?

River Fishing
Lake Fishing
Inshore Fishing

Which fishing techniques you can try

Light Tackle
Spinning
Jigging
Fly Fishing
Drift Fishing
Ice Fishing

Which amenities are available onboard

GPS
Lowerance
Fishfinder
Garmin
Wireless trolling motor
What's included in the trip price
Rods, reels & tackle
Custom float rods. Good drags for landing that f
Live bait
Live bait is always an option. And is included in overall price if necessary. 95 percent of the year we fish artificial
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
Filleted and bagged
Drinks
Waters on boat
Lunch
50 dollars extra. options call for menu. .
Fly fishing equipment

How cancellations work

Free cancellation up to 3 days prior to trip

You can cancel or modify your booking up to 3 days before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.

More details

What the listing policies are

Pickup agreed upon reservation

Transfer to/from departure site may be available and included in price depending on your location and distance from the dock.

Child friendly
Everyone knows their child better than I, but from my experience I recommend 12 years and older for 8 hour/full day trips can easily make any trip kid friendly.
You keep catch
Catch and release allowed
Prefered on steelhead and all resident trout.

How you can pay

Book with 10% deposit, pay rest to captain

When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 10% deposit to guarantee your reservation.

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

 Checks

 Bank transfer

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Current
Big River Outfitters
Big River Outfitters
5.0
(68)
18 ft
Group size 2 - 3
2 - 3
Fish 1
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+6
4 hour trip • 3 persons
US $145