Reel Life Great Lakes Sportfishing
Reel Life Great Lakes Sportfishing
If you’re ready to have fun fishing in Manistee, we’ve got you covered with Reel Life Great Lakes Sportfishing. Your guide for the day is Captain Earl, offering years of knowledge and experience.
Local species include Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout (Steelhead), Chinook Salmon, and more, depending on conditions. You can expect to do some trolling, or maybe something more specialized in this area.
Capt. Earl welcomes anglers of all ages, including kids, so feel free to make a family day out of it! Be sure to ask if child-sized life vests are available, otherwise you should bring your own. Customers are encouraged to bring snacks to keep ‘em happy!
Capt. Earl will bring you aboard a 27’ Albemarle sportfishing vessel that holds up to 6 passengers. It comes with downriggers and all the essentials no fishing machine can run without. There’s a toilet on board for your convenience. Capt. Earl will provide rods and reels for you, as well as lures.
A First Mate may be there to make sure everything is running smoothly. Mates often work for tips and it’s customary to offer them a 10–20% tip.
You will need to buy a local fishing license before the trip. This information is usually available online, or you can ask the captain. Some species may be off-limits or require a special tag, so make sure you know what to expect.
Some essentials to bring are sunglasses, sunscreen (non-spray), and bottled water. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, but you should avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles.
Reel Life Great Lakes Sportfishing will make it easy for you to go fishing in Manistee. So, how about booking that trip?
Customer reviews
Rating summary
Photos & videos by reviewers (7)
+4Angler rating
Anglers claimed
Good experience
100%
Appropriate for children
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Recommend this charter
100%
Caught fish
100%
Aug 2, 2025
Half Day Trip – King Salmon (AM)
Early morning!
Captain Earl was awesome! Easy to talk to about everything happening. He explained how the fish were staging and why. For a first time angler for a salmon charter, let alone a family outing, we all had an amazing time. Captain Earls boat is large enough for 6 full grown people and he has the rods and equipment to accommodate. We spent a lot of time talking about anything and everything. We’ll be scheduling another trip with him soon.
Captain Earl was awesome! Easy to talk to about everything happening. He explained how the fish were staging and why. For a first...
Captain repliedMark review as helpful
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Aug 16, 2025
Half Day Trip – King Salmon (PM)
Great Fishing Trip!!
Capt Earl knows his fishing. We limited out w 5 nice Salmon each . We were supposed to go at 4 pm, but Capt Earl suggested going early..we went 4:30 am...he was right!! Our Arms got sore from hauling in the fish..a good sore!! We will Definitely go w Capt Earl again!
Capt Earl knows his fishing. We limited out w 5 nice Salmon each . We were supposed to go at 4 pm, but Capt Earl suggested going...
Captain repliedMark review as helpful
Mark review as helpful
Aug 24, 2024
Half Day Trip – King Salmon (PM)
Fantastic trip, with a Captain who wanted to give us the best experience possible.
Capt Earl was a fantastic steward to the Manistee Fishing community on giving our family a positive fishing experience, even in tough fishing conditions. We had an exciting, enjoyable trip and would recommend him to anyone, new to the sport, or experienced.
Capt Earl was a fantastic steward to the Manistee Fishing community on giving our family a positive fishing experience, even in...
Mark review as helpful
Mark review as helpful
Trip availability and prices
| Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Customer reviews
Rating summary
Photos & videos by reviewers (7)
+4Angler rating
Anglers claimed
Good experience
100%
Appropriate for children
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Recommend this charter
100%
Caught fish
100%
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Early morning!
Half Day Trip – King Salmon (AM) on August 2, 2025
Captain Earl was awesome! Easy to talk to about everything happening. He explained how the fish were staging and why. For a first time angler for a salmon charter, let alone a family outing, we all had an amazing time. Captain Earls boat is large enough for 6 full grown people and he has the rods and equipment to accommodate. We spent a lot of time talking about anything and everything. We’ll be scheduling another trip with him soon.
Captain Earl was awesome! Easy to talk to about everything happening. He explained how the fish were staging and why. For a first time angler for a salmon charter, let alone a family outing, we all had an amazing time. Captain Earls boat is large enough for 6 full grown people and he has the rods and equipment to accommodate. We spent a lot of time talking about anything and everything. We’ll be scheduling another trip with him soon.
Mark review as helpful
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Great Fishing Trip!!
Half Day Trip – King Salmon (PM) on August 16, 2025
Capt Earl knows his fishing. We limited out w 5 nice Salmon each . We were supposed to go at 4 pm, but Capt Earl suggested going early..we went 4:30 am...he was right!! Our Arms got sore from hauling in the fish..a good sore!! We will Definitely go w Capt Earl again!
Capt Earl knows his fishing. We limited out w 5 nice Salmon each . We were supposed to go at 4 pm, but Capt Earl suggested going early..we went 4:30 am...he was right!! Our Arms got sore from hauling in the fish..a good sore!! We will Definitely go w Capt Earl again!
Mark review as helpful
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Fantastic trip, with a Captain who wanted to give us the best experience possible.
Half Day Trip – King Salmon (PM) on August 24, 2024
Capt Earl was a fantastic steward to the Manistee Fishing community on giving our family a positive fishing experience, even in tough fishing conditions. We had an exciting, enjoyable trip and would recommend him to anyone, new to the sport, or experienced.
Capt Earl was a fantastic steward to the Manistee Fishing community on giving our family a positive fishing experience, even in tough fishing conditions. We had an exciting, enjoyable trip and would recommend him to anyone, new to the sport, or experienced.
Mark review as helpful
FAQs about Reel Life Great Lakes Sportfishing
The fish you can target
What is the boat like?
