Top Dog Charters
Top Dog Charters
Come fishing for Salmon & Trout on Lake Michigan (departing Belmont harbor Chicago). Captain Jason has 45 + years experience Charter Fishing Lake Michigan.
There are 5 species of fish often caught, brown, rainbow & lake trout & coho & king Salmon. Pink & Atlantic Salmon are in Lake but rarely caught.
We have the latest suite of Garmin fish finding electronics, three graphs, chart plotters, regular 2 D, & live view, sonar, & radar. We use Shimano Telora rods & Tekota reels kept full with the best line & terminal tackle. Cannon Tournament Series downriggers pair via blue tooth to our Fish Hawk speed & temperature probe (surface & down troll).
For your enjoyment, bring along your favorite playlist (smart phone) & pair up with our Fusion marine entertainment system, bluetooth capable stereo, listen to your music while we fish. Kids Welcome.
Safety is our #1 priority, going above & beyond US Coast Guard & state DNR regulation requirements. Ask Captain for more info on safety features. Bring what you want to eat & drink & a cooler to take your catch home. Yes we fillet your catch, it is customary to tip Captain & crew. We do not gut/steak fish. You may take your fish home whole. Captain is a skilled artist, if you have a catch you’d like to remember, ask him about painting your fish in Japanese style!
You’ll be trolling from our 2008 Tiara 3000 open sportfishing model, at 33 feet overall in length it has the widest beam in it’s category, at 12.5 feet. There is a toilet on board for your convenience. You will need to purchase a local IL fishing license & Salmon stamp before the trip. One day licenses are available online plan ahead.
Bring soft soled shoes, sunglasses and a windbreaker/rain jacket & hat. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, please avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles. No bananas. We are a drug free boat. Captain & crew must take random drug tests. c’mon lets go, call us today & book a trip!!! Downpayment required to reserve your date.
Customer reviews
Rating summary
Photos & videos by reviewers (28)
+25Angler 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 13, 2025
5 Hr Trip Weekday Afternoon 6 max
What a Fishing Trip!!!!
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!!!
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...
Mark review as helpful
Mark review as helpful
Jun 29, 2025
5 Hr Trip WEEKEND AFTERNOON 6 Max
Amazing experience!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We had such an incredible experience with Top Dog Fishing Charter! I brought my 15-year-old son and his friend, and...
Captain repliedMark review as helpful
Mark review as helpful
Jun 15, 2025
6 Hr Trip Weekend AFTERNOON 6 Max
What a great way to celebrate our Dad!
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!
Screaming from the rooftops that Top Dog Charters is the best! Captain Jason Baldwin and Jacques (or as we all called him, Son)...
Captain repliedMark review as helpful
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Jun 26, 2025
5 Hr Trip Weekday Afternoon 6 max
Hard work pays off
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!
Jason & Mike worked together like a team. The fishing was tough. However they kept after it. Different colors, changing depths,...
Captain repliedMark review as helpful
Mark review as helpful
Jun 20, 2025
5 Hour Trip – Weekend MORNING 6 Max
Great Time!
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!
Captain Jason was very professional and got us on the fish quickly. Awesome boat and all the gear was top of the line. Highly...
Captain repliedMark review as helpful
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Trip availability and prices
| Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Customer reviews
Rating summary
Photos & videos by reviewers (28)
+25Angler 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
What a Fishing Trip!!!!
5 Hr Trip Weekday Afternoon 6 max on August 13, 2025
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!!!
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...
Mark review as helpful
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Amazing experience!
5 Hr Trip WEEKEND AFTERNOON 6 Max on June 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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...
Mark review as helpful
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
What a great way to celebrate our Dad!
6 Hr Trip Weekend AFTERNOON 6 Max on June 15, 2025
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!
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...
Mark review as helpful
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Hard work pays off
5 Hr Trip Weekday Afternoon 6 max on June 26, 2025
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!
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!
Mark review as helpful
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Great Time!
5 Hour Trip – Weekend MORNING 6 Max on June 20, 2025
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!
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!
Mark review as helpful
FAQs about Top Dog Charters
The fish you can target
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