West Michigan Guide Service

West Michigan Guide Service is located in Newaygo and offers to show you a memorable time in these waters. A day on the water with Capt. Nate starts early (the early bird gets the worm).  You will get on a nice 18’ Tracy’s Custom riverboat that can safely take up to 3 anglers and the captain will put a high-end rod and reel in your hand. His knowledge of the water will be shown immediately. He will teach you the proper techniques to maximize your fishing experience. You will have lots of laughs throughout your day, as rule number 1 is – have fun.

Capt. Nate offers 4 to 6-hour trips, mainly fishing for Brown Trout, Bass, Rainbow Trout, Salmon, and Walleye, depending on the season and conditions on the day. On these trips, you can expect to use techniques such as light tackle, fly fishing, drift fishing, and spinning.

Please make sure to buy a valid fishing license ahead of time. The crew will clean and fillet your catch for you to take home at the end of the trip. The boat will be supplied with snacks and drinks for your pleasure, be sure to let the captain know if you have any questions or want to bring your own.

By the end of your trip, you will be saying that the captain worked his tail off for you to put and keep you on fish. At West Michigan Guide Service, they have a borderline unhealthy passion for what they do and strive every day to be at their best.

Having been guiding for 20 years and fishing much longer than that, Capt. Nate looks forward to having you on the boat for a fun day catching fish.



Select date to see available trips and rates:

  • Private trip
    4 Hour Trip (AM) MAX 3
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    4 Hour Trip, starts at 7:00 AM
    US $350
    Enjoy a 4-hour morning fishing trip with Capt. Nate. He will take you aboard his comfortable and reliable riverboat to fish the beautiful Muskegon River. The trip price includes all the tackle needed for fishing. Keep in mind that the trip is for 2 people maximum.
  • Private trip
    4 Hour Trip (PM) MAX 3
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    4 Hour Trip, starts at 4:00 PM
    US $350
    Up to 3 anglers can come on this trip. You and Captain Nate will spend 4 beautiful afternoon hours on the Muskegon River fishing for Brown and Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Smallmouth bass, as well as Chinook Salmon. The trip begins at 4:00 p.m.
  • Private trip
    6 Hour Trip (AM) MAX 3
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 7:00 AM
    US $450
    Enjoy even more time on the river by picking this fun-packed 6-hour fishing adventure. You and Captain Nate will have a great time chasing many different species in the Muskegon River. All trips include the tackle needed for fishing as well as a hot snack cooked on the boat. Up to 2 guests can come on board.
  • Private trip
    6 Hour Trip (PM) MAX 3
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 2:00 PM
    US $450
    Begin your fishing trip in the afternoon and enjoy the beautiful scenic sights as you explore the Muskegon River. All Capt. Nate's trips include all the fishing tackle you need. On this trip, the captain will also provide a hot snack prepared on the boat. There's a maximum of 2 guests on this trip.
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FAQs about West Michigan Guide Service

West Michigan Guide Service offers the following trips to customers:
  • US $350 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - 4 Hour Trip (AM) MAX 3 (4 hours)
  • US $350 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - 4 Hour Trip (PM) MAX 3 (4 hours)
  • US $450 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - 6 Hour Trip (AM) MAX 3 (6 hours)
  • US $450 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - 6 Hour Trip (PM) MAX 3 (6 hours)

When you book a trip with West Michigan Guide Service, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Live Bait Well

Trips booked with West Michigan Guide Service include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle
  • Live Bait
  • Lures
  • Catch cleaning & filleting
  • Snacks
  • Drinks
  • Fly Fishing Equipment

West Michigan Guide Service offers the following type of fishing:
  • River Fishing

West Michigan Guide Service offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Light Tackle
  • Spinning
  • Fly Fishing
  • Drift Fishing

Top targeted fish species with West Michigan Guide Service include:
  • Bass (Smallmouth)
  • Brown Trout
  • Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
  • Salmon (Chinook)
  • Walleye

Meet the Captain

Nate Wellman
Newaygo, Michigan, United States
14 Customer reviews
Response time 2 hours
Member since March 2022
Capt. Nate Wellman grew up fishing with his dad every chance they could, that is where the captain's love for fishing started. He looked at his dad when he was 10 and told him he wants to fish every day for the rest of his life. Capt. Nate has never looked back from there.

About this listing

Targeted species

Bass (Smallmouth) Smallmouth Bass
Brown Trout Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead) Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Salmon (Chinook) Chinook Salmon

Boat specs

Tracy's Custom Riverboats (Aluminum fishing) originally built in 2019. Powered by a 150HP Yamaha engine, with a maximum cruising speed of 20 knots.

Length
18 ft
Capacity
3 persons

Types of fishing

River Fishing

Fishing techniques

Light Tackle
Spinning
Fly Fishing
Drift Fishing

Amenities

GPS
Fishfinder
Live Bait Well

Trip includes

Rods, reels & tackle
Live Bait
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
Snacks
Drinks
Fly Fishing Equipment

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 7 days prior to trip

You can cancel or modify your booking up to 7 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.

Listing policies

Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child Friendly
You Keep Catch
Catch and Release Allowed

Payment

Book with 15% deposit, pay rest to captain

When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 15% 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
Visa
Mastercard
American Express
PayPal
Checks
When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, an additional 5% charge will apply.

Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
5.0 / 5
out of 5 stars from 7 reviews
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (5)
Fall Steelhead trip
Great trip!
Great trip!
+2
Angler rating
7
0
0
0
0
Anglers claimed
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
100%
Appropriate for children
67%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Caught fish
100%
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Showing:
5 of 7 reviews
Tom H.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Fall Steelhead trip

VERIFIED   6 Hour Trip (AM) MAX 3 on October 23, 2023
I brought my son and nephew, who had never fish salmon or steelhead.  Although the steelhead weren’t hungry today, we had...
Tom H. recommends West Michigan Guide Service
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  Nate Wellman Captain replied

Tom H.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Great trip!

VERIFIED   4 Hour Trip (PM) MAX 3 on October 15, 2023
I took my teenaged son salmon fishing for the first time with Capt. Joe.  He put us on a ton of fish, and my son landed this...
Tom H. recommends West Michigan Guide Service
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Tom H. recommends West Michigan Guide Service
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Bobby P.
Paoli, IN
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Trip with Captain Joe.

VERIFIED   6 Hour Trip (AM) MAX 3 on September 14, 2023
Excellent fishing trip.Joe was a great guide. Loved the big river boats for comfort.
Bobby P. recommends West Michigan Guide Service
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1 person finds this review helpful
You and 1 other person found this review helpful
  Nate Wellman Captain replied

Robert B.
Midland, MI
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

April fishing trip

VERIFIED   4 Hour Trip (PM) MAX 3 on April 11, 2023
Robert B. recommends West Michigan Guide Service
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Tony M.
Jackson, MI
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

November fishing trip

VERIFIED   4 Hour Trip (AM) MAX 3 on November 14, 2022
Tony M. recommends West Michigan Guide Service
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