Top Dog Charters

5.0/5 (9 reviews)

Recent reports

3600 recreation drive, Chicago, IL , Chicago, IL 60657, United States–

Top Dog Charters

Chicago, IL, United States

–

33 ft

5.0/5 (9 reviews)

Trips & prices Targeted species Boat info What's biting What's included Contact captain

Trips & prices What's included Targeted species Boat info Reviews Contact captain

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Come fish for Salmon & Trout on Lake Michigan departing from Belmont Harbor in Chicago! Captain Jason brings 45+ years of Lake Michigan charter fishing experience & knows where to find the fish. Kids are always welcome!

Lake Michigan is home to 5 popular game species regularly caught on our trips: King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, & Lake Trout. Pink & Atlantic Salmon also swim these waters, but are rarely caught.

You'll fish aboard our 33' 2008 Tiara 3000 open Sport fisherman featuring the widest beam in its class at 12.5 feet for a comfortable, stable ride. For convenience, It includes a private toilet. Top Dog is the fastest inboard boat in Chicago, spend your time fishing, not running to & from the grounds.

We use the best equipment & electronics maximizing your success on the water. Garmin electronics, 3 graphs, chart plotter, live-view sonar, radar etc. Our Shimano rods & reels are 2nd to none, Ande & Maxima line, & Cannon Tournament Series downriggers paired w/ Fish Hawk speed & temperature systems help keep us on & catching fish.

Relax while you fish, pair your smartphone to our Fusion marine Bluetooth stereo system & enjoy your favorite playlist during the trip.

Safety is our #1 priority. We go above and beyond all U.S. Coast Guard & Illinois DNR safety requirements. Ask Captain Jason about the boat's many safety features. Our vessel is also drug free, & Captain & crew participate in random drug testing.

Bring your favorite food and drinks, plus a cooler for your catch. We fillet your fish at the dock for easy transport home. (We do not gut or steak fish, but you may keep them whole if preferred.) It is customary to tip the Captain & crew for their hard work.

Captain Jason is also a skilled artist! If you land a memorable catch, ask about having your fish painted in traditional Japanese style artwork.

Please bring soft-soled shoes, sunglasses, a hat, & a windbreaker / rain jacket. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, please no bottle

Relax while you fish, pair your smartphone to our Fusion marine Bluetooth stereo system & enjoy your favorite playlist during the trip.

Captain Jason is also a skilled artist! If you land a memorable catch, ask about having your fish painted in traditional Japanese style artwork.

Please bring soft-soled shoes, sunglasses, a hat, & a windbreaker / rain jacket. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, please no bottle

Popular features

You keep catch

Catch cleaning & filleting

Toilet

Child friendly

Air conditioning

Popular features

You keep catch

Catch cleaning & filleting

Toilet

Child friendly

Air conditioning

Customer reviews

Rating

5.0

9 reviews

5.0

Boat & equipment

5.0

Captain & crew

5.0

Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (28)

All reviews (9)

Filter

Sort by: Featured

Frequently mentioned

Showing 1 – 5 of 9 reviews

Ron Shirmulis

Illinois, US

•

Member since 2025

5.0

Verified

What a Fishing Trip!!!!

5 Hr Trip Weekday Afternoon 6 max on August 13, 2025 • 3 adults

Took my grandson (14 years old) and his aunt out for a day of real fishing.  We're all novices to the sport of fishing, catching only bluegills and a few bass in a small pond.  But this was the "big time" on Lake Michigan.  Capt Jason and his crew made every effort for us to catch fish...... and they came thru!!!!  He gave us instructions on how to work the fish and how to reel in the catch; it was a workout!!!!  We caught some good size Lake Trout and some salmon.  It was a day and a trip that we'll never forget!!!  We're already talking about another trip with Capt Jason later this season or early next year, setting our sites on catching some more big ones!!!

Reported catch:

Mia Zifkin

Repeat angler

New York, US

•

Member since 2022

•

5 trips

5.0

Verified

Amazing experience!

5 Hr Trip WEEKEND AFTERNOON 6 Max on June 29, 2025 • 1 adult • 1 child

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We had such an incredible experience with Top Dog Fishing Charter! I brought my 15-year-old son and his friend, and it was hands down one of the highlights of their summer. From the moment we stepped on the boat, the crew made us feel welcome, safe, and completely taken care of.

The captain was not only professional and experienced, but also patient and fun—he took the time to teach the boys some new techniques and kept the energy high the entire trip. They were both absolutely thrilled to catch some amazing fish and learn so much along the way.

It’s not easy to impress teenagers, but Top Dog delivered a day they’ll be talking about for a long time. Highly recommend for families, especially if you’re looking for something memorable and exciting for your teens. We’ll definitely be back!

Reported catch:

Response from Captain

July 3, 2025

Thank you so much for booking a day on the water with us, we are so happy we could be a part of you and your sons (and his friend) memories. Also thank you for the good review, kind words and attention to the standard that I strive to maintain... not only in service and catching fish, but, in safety and also just having a fun time. Hope to see you back again some day soon. Give us a call any time. Capt JB.

Cynthia Pince

Chicago, IL, US

•

Member since 2025

5.0

Verified

What a great way to celebrate our Dad!

6 Hr Trip Weekend AFTERNOON 6 Max on June 15, 2025 • 6 adults

Screaming from the rooftops that Top Dog Charters is the best! Captain Jason Baldwin and Jacques (or as we all called him, Son) were fantastic! Their energy, passion, dedication and hard work to ensure that we understood all aspects of the trip (equipment, technology, techniques, types of fish caught) were amazing and they were more than happy to answer all our questions. They worked tirelessly to get us setup to successfully catch fish and we appreciated every bit of it. We lost some but we caught a lot more than we lost. Let me also mention how clean they kept the charter, always spraying down after every catch. Grateful that they also cleaned, filleted and packed our catch. They definitely go the extra mile!! Thank you so much for making our first fishing trip and our Dad’s Father’s Day so special. We wish you much success and highly recommend you to all!

Reported catch:

Response from Captain

June 20, 2025

Cynthia, thank you so much for booking us on Fathers Day. I really appreciate your kind words and review, thank you so much. I'm very happy your Dad caught 3 different species of fish, that is not always possible. Jacques and I enjoyed your family and hope you come back again sometime soon. So happy you had a wonderful time, and appreciated our efforts. Thank you for your generosity, come back fishing with us any time. Sincerely, Capt. Jason and.... my son, :) Jacques

David Jett

Missouri, US

•

Member since 2025

5.0

Verified

Hard work pays off

5 Hr Trip Weekday Afternoon 6 max on June 26, 2025 • 3 adults

Jason & Mike worked together like a team.  The fishing was tough.  However they kept after it.  Different colors, changing depths, reversing direction… Then in the last hour it turned on with 5 more fish.  Our last one was a 20 lbs Lake Trout.  It took 20 minutes to get it in the boat.  Those 2 worked hard and it made the difference of us catching 1-2 versus 7 on a tough day.  Wonderful boat, great equipment, and good company.  Would highly recommend this charter with Top Dog!

Reported catch:

Response from Captain

June 27, 2025

David, thank you much, we enjoyed working hard to make sure you and your crew had a great time out on the water. We appreciated you and your guys patience and positivity. We finally made it all come together for a successful day. Come fish / hunt with us anytime, I hope it's soon. Captain Jason

Cole Genschaw

Repeat angler

Michigan, US

•

Member since 2024

•

2 trips

5.0

Verified

Great Time!

5 hr Trip WEEKEND 6 people max on June 20, 2025 • 6 adults

Captain Jason was very professional and got us on the fish quickly. Awesome boat and all the gear was top of the line. Highly recommend!

Response from Captain

June 24, 2025

Cole, thank you very much, we enjoyed your crew and glad we got everyone fish.

Trip availability and prices

Trip Date:

Days:

Group Size:

Select date to see availability

June 2026

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa

Number of days

Group Size

2 adults • 0 children

Change

Almost there...

8 Hour Trip – TOURNAMENT 1 person

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

8 hour trip starts at 5:00 AM

Seasonal trip

Jun 15 - Jul 24 (Mon)

US $1,400

Entire boat: 2 people

US $1,400

Entire boat: 2 people

Weekday special 1-3 people 5 hr tri

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

5 hour trip starts at 5:30 AM

Seasonal trip

(Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu)

US $935

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $935

Entire boat: up to 3 people

WEEKEND SPECIAL UP TO 3 PEOPLE

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

5 hour trip starts at 5:30 AM

Seasonal trip

(Fri, Sat, Sun)

US $999

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $999

Entire boat: up to 3 people

5 Hr Trip WEEKDAY 6 Max

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

5 hour trip starts at 6:00 AM

Seasonal trip

May 6 - Aug 31 (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu)

US $1,099

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $1,099

Entire boat: up to 3 people

5 hr Trip WEEKEND 6 people max

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

5 hour trip starts at 6:00 AM

Seasonal trip

May 6 - Sep 20 (Fri, Sat, Sun)

US $1,199

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $1,199

Entire boat: up to 3 people

6 Hr Trip WEEKDAY 6 People Max

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

6 hour trip starts at 6:00 AM

Seasonal trip

May 6 - Sep 20 (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu)

US $1,199

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $1,199

Entire boat: up to 3 people

6hr Trip WEEKEND 6 Max Choose start

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

6 hour trip starts at 6:00 AM

Seasonal trip

May 6 - Sep 20 (Fri, Sat, Sun)

US $1,299

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $1,299

Entire boat: up to 3 people

HOLIDAY TRIP JULY 2, 3, or 5 th

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

6 hour trip starts at 5:30 AM

Seasonal trip

Jul 2 - Jul 5 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun)

US $1,499

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $1,499

Entire boat: up to 3 people

7 Hr Trip 6 Max

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

7 hour trip starts at 6:00 AM

Seasonal trip

May 6 - Sep 20

US $1,499

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $1,499

Entire boat: up to 3 people

8 Hr Trip 6 People Max

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

8 hour trip starts at 6:00 AM

Seasonal trip

May 6 - Sep 20

US $1,899

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $1,899

Entire boat: up to 3 people

Labor Day Monday Oct 5th 8Hr 6 Max

FREE Cancellation 30 days notice

8 hour trip starts at 6:00 AM

Seasonal trip

Oct 5 - Oct 6 (Mon)

US $1,899

Entire boat: up to 3 people

US $1,899

Entire boat: up to 3 people

There is 1 person looking at this charter.

Customer reviews

Rating

5.0

9 reviews

5.0

Boat & equipment

5.0

Captain & crew

5.0

Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (28)

All reviews (9)

Filter

Sort by: Featured

Frequently mentioned

Showing 1 – 5 of 9 reviews

Ron Shirmulis

Illinois, US

Member since 2025

5.0

Verified

What a Fishing Trip!!!!

5 Hr Trip Weekday Afternoon 6 max on August 13, 2025 • 3 adults

Took my grandson (14 years old) and his aunt out for a day of real fishing.  We're all novices to the sport of fishing, catching only bluegills and a few bass in a small pond.  But this was the "big time" on Lake Michigan.  Capt Jason and his crew made every effort for us to catch fish...... and they came thru!!!!  He gave us instructions on how to work the fish and how to reel in the catch; it was a workout!!!!  We caught some good size Lake Trout and some salmon.  It was a day and a trip that we'll never forget!!!  We're already talking about another trip with Capt Jason later this season or early next year, setting our sites on catching some more big ones!!!

Reported catch:

Mia Zifkin

Repeat angler

New York, US

Member since 2022

5 trips

5.0

Verified

Amazing experience!

5 Hr Trip WEEKEND AFTERNOON 6 Max on June 29, 2025 • 1 adult • 1 child

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We had such an incredible experience with Top Dog Fishing Charter! I brought my 15-year-old son and his friend, and it was hands down one of the highlights of their summer. From the moment we stepped on the boat, the crew made us feel welcome, safe, and completely taken care of.

The captain was not only professional and experienced, but also patient and fun—he took the time to teach the boys some new techniques and kept the energy high the entire trip. They were both absolutely thrilled to catch some amazing fish and learn so much along the way.

It’s not easy to impress teenagers, but Top Dog delivered a day they’ll be talking about for a long time. Highly recommend for families, especially if you’re looking for something memorable and exciting for your teens. We’ll definitely be back!

Reported catch:

Response from Captain

July 3, 2025

Thank you so much for booking a day on the water with us, we are so happy we could be a part of you and your sons (and his friend) memories. Also thank you for the good review, kind words and attention to the standard that I strive to maintain... not only in service and catching fish, but, in safety and also just having a fun time. Hope to see you back again some day soon. Give us a call any time. Capt JB.

Cynthia Pince

Chicago, IL, US

Member since 2025

5.0

Verified

What a great way to celebrate our Dad!

6 Hr Trip Weekend AFTERNOON 6 Max on June 15, 2025 • 6 adults

Screaming from the rooftops that Top Dog Charters is the best! Captain Jason Baldwin and Jacques (or as we all called him, Son) were fantastic! Their energy, passion, dedication and hard work to ensure that we understood all aspects of the trip (equipment, technology, techniques, types of fish caught) were amazing and they were more than happy to answer all our questions. They worked tirelessly to get us setup to successfully catch fish and we appreciated every bit of it. We lost some but we caught a lot more than we lost. Let me also mention how clean they kept the charter, always spraying down after every catch. Grateful that they also cleaned, filleted and packed our catch. They definitely go the extra mile!! Thank you so much for making our first fishing trip and our Dad’s Father’s Day so special. We wish you much success and highly recommend you to all!

Reported catch:

Response from Captain

June 20, 2025

Cynthia, thank you so much for booking us on Fathers Day. I really appreciate your kind words and review, thank you so much. I'm very happy your Dad caught 3 different species of fish, that is not always possible. Jacques and I enjoyed your family and hope you come back again sometime soon. So happy you had a wonderful time, and appreciated our efforts. Thank you for your generosity, come back fishing with us any time. Sincerely, Capt. Jason and.... my son, :) Jacques

David Jett

Missouri, US

Member since 2025

5.0

Verified

Hard work pays off

5 Hr Trip Weekday Afternoon 6 max on June 26, 2025 • 3 adults

Jason & Mike worked together like a team.  The fishing was tough.  However they kept after it.  Different colors, changing depths, reversing direction… Then in the last hour it turned on with 5 more fish.  Our last one was a 20 lbs Lake Trout.  It took 20 minutes to get it in the boat.  Those 2 worked hard and it made the difference of us catching 1-2 versus 7 on a tough day.  Wonderful boat, great equipment, and good company.  Would highly recommend this charter with Top Dog!

Reported catch:

Response from Captain

June 27, 2025

David, thank you much, we enjoyed working hard to make sure you and your crew had a great time out on the water. We appreciated you and your guys patience and positivity. We finally made it all come together for a successful day. Come fish / hunt with us anytime, I hope it's soon. Captain Jason

Cole Genschaw

Repeat angler

Michigan, US

Member since 2024

2 trips

5.0

Verified

Great Time!

5 hr Trip WEEKEND 6 people max on June 20, 2025 • 6 adults

Captain Jason was very professional and got us on the fish quickly. Awesome boat and all the gear was top of the line. Highly recommend!

Response from Captain

June 24, 2025

Cole, thank you very much, we enjoyed your crew and glad we got everyone fish.

FAQs about Top Dog Charters

The fish you can target

What is the boat like?

Boat category

Sportfishing boats

Capacity

3 persons

Boat length

33 ft

Year built

2008

Boat manufacturer

Tiara

Boat type

Sportfishing

Engine model

Crusader

2 x 385HP

Max cruising speed

26 knots

Top Dog Charters

Customer reviews

Rating

Anglers' gallery (28)

All reviews (9)

Trip availability and prices

Customer reviews

Rating

Anglers' gallery (28)

All reviews (9)

FAQs about Top Dog Charters

The fish you can target

What is the boat like?

What’s biting in Chicago right now

Compare similar fishing charters

Recent fishing reports