Topwater Safari on the St. Lawrence
Topwater Safari on the St. Lawrence
Hi, I'm Captain Max, and I'd love to welcome you aboard Topwater Safari. The St. Lawrence River is arguably the finest smallmouth fishery on the planet, but this healthy ecosystem offers so much more. Whether we are chasing trophy smallmouth and largemouth or targeting northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, and bluegill, the action is world-class. Between the crystal-clear water and the incredible scenery, every trip is a visual feast.
You will be fishing from a brand-new 2025 Xpress X21, fully rigged for a premium experience. I've equipped the boat with the largest LiveScope screen on the market, making for an incredibly interactive day. We will watch fish interact with our baits in real-time, often seeing them from 100 feet away before they ever know we're there. Beyond the screen, we do a lot of traditional sight fishing where we use our eyes to spot fish roaming the flats or tucked against boulders. I provide all high-end rods and reels, and we will be utilizing the newest techniques and baits to ensure you have the best edge possible.
To ensure we are protecting the fishery and following local regulations, my calendar is divided by season. From May 1st through June 14th, we focus on perch, walleye, pike, and bluegill while catch-and-release bass is closed. From June 15th through July 3rd, bass season is live and we focus exclusively on smallmouth and largemouth. I will then be away for five weeks mentoring the next generation at Candlewood Kids Fishing Camp on Lake Champlain, but I will be back on the river from August 8th through October 15th for the prime late-summer and fall bass run.
As a younger 27 year old guide, I bring a high level of energy and a modern perspective to the water. I'm genuinely passionate about the outdoors and love teaching the why behind the bite. I especially enjoy fishing with kids and families—there's nothing better than seeing a young angler hook into a St. Lawrence giant. I hope to fish with y'all soon!
Hi, I'm Captain Max, and I'd love to welcome you aboard Topwater Safari. The St. Lawrence River is arguably the finest smallmouth fishery on the planet, but this healthy ecosystem offers so much more. Whether we are chasing trophy smallmouth and largemouth or targeting northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, and bluegill, the action is world-class. Between the crystal-clear water and the incredible scenery, every trip is a visual feast.
You will be fishing from a brand-new 2025 Xpress X21, fully rigged for a premium experience. I've equipped the boat with the largest LiveScope screen on the market, making for an incredibly interactive day. We will watch fish interact with our baits in real-time, often seeing them from 100 feet away before they ever know we're there. Beyond the screen, we do a lot of traditional sight fishing where we use our eyes to spot fish roaming the flats or tucked against boulders. I provide all high-end rods and reels, and we will be utilizing the newest techniques and baits to ensure you have the best edge possible.
To ensure we are protecting the fishery and following local regulations, my calendar is divided by season. From May 1st through June 14th, we focus on perch, walleye, pike, and bluegill while catch-and-release bass is closed. From June 15th through July 3rd, bass season is live and we focus exclusively on smallmouth and largemouth. I will then be away for five weeks mentoring the next generation at Candlewood Kids Fishing Camp on Lake Champlain, but I will be back on the river from August 8th through October 15th for the prime late-summer and fall bass run.
As a younger 27 year old guide, I bring a high level of energy and a modern perspective to the water. I'm genuinely passionate about the outdoors and love teaching the why behind the bite. I especially enjoy fishing with kids and families—there's nothing better than seeing a young angler hook into a St. Lawrence giant. I hope to fish with y'all soon!
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Customer reviews
Rating
Anglers' gallery (30)
All reviews (27)
Had a great time fishing with Capt. Max. As the Bass Master Elite Tournament was on the SLR this day, it was only appropriate we focused on Smallies, and we had excellent success. We fished rocky shoals mid-river, rocky island points and steep rock drop-offs, all of which were holding nice Smallies. SLR Smallmouth Bass are super strong having to swim against the strong river current their entire lives, so the fight on a medium light fishing rod is truly exciting. I will fish with Capt. Max again.
Had an unreal fishing trip in Florida, easily one of the best experiences I’ve had on the water. Ended up catching a personal best bass, which made the whole day even more memorable. Captain Max was top-notch—super knowledgeable, knew exactly where to go and what to do, and made sure we were always in a good spot to catch fish. On top of that, he was really friendly and easy to talk to, which made the whole trip even better. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience—definitely recommend to anyone looking for an awesome day fishing.
Captain Max is one of the most genuine, intelligent people I have ever met. Throughout the entire trip he ensured that myself and my friend were well taken care of. We blew through 8 dozen shiners as he constantly put us on fish. Not one, but 2 PBs were broken. As a photographer as well, he took time out of his day to drive around to different locations looking for wildlife to make the memories even better. I could not recommend Topwater Safari enough, I will 10000% be booking with Max again.
If you are looking for a knowledgeable captain that can find the fish Max is your guy. My son and buddy each caught 2 4-5lbs bass on our 2 hour trip and a bunch got off because of our poor fishing skills not Maxes. We also saw a bald eagle which was cool being from Canada. Max is a great guy and cares about his fishing clients. I highly recommend him to anyone!!!!
My daughter and I went with Max and we were his first “only girls” trip. He made it so fun and was so great with helping us with everything. He is very knowledgeable and is a great fishing guide. And he is so friendly and personable. I highly recommend that others choose his tour and if you are “just girls” like us, definitely go!!
FAQs about Topwater Safari on the St. Lawrence
- US $250 per group, additional US $50 per person after 1 guest - 2 Hour Perch/Bluegill fishing (2 hours)
- US $275 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - 2 Hour Trip – Sunrise/Sunset (2 hours)
- US $275 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - 2 Hour Trip – Sunrise/Sunset - 5:30 PM (2 hours)
- US $300 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - 3 Hour Electronics Masterclass (3 hours)
- US $400 per group, additional US $50 per person after 1 guest - Half Day Perch/Bluegull St Lawrence (4 hours)
- US $400 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - River Nature Tour w/ some Fishing! (5 hours)
- US $450 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - 4 Hour Trip – Bass fishing (4 hours)
- US $450 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - Frog Fishing Masterclass (4 hours)
- US $450 per group, additional US $50 per person after 1 guest - Half Day Pike Fishing St Lawrence (5 hours)
- US $650 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - 8 Hour Trip – Bass fishing (8 hours)
- US $800 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - 12 Hour Trip – Sunup to Sundown (12 hours)
- US $1,200 per day per group, additional US $200 per person after 1 guest - Multiday Trip –Overnight RV Camping (2 days)
- GPS Garmin Echomap and Garmin 8610 at the council
- Fishfinder NBT 22 inch livescope screen on the bow
- Live bait well
- Multimedia system
- Wireless trolling motor
- Ice box
- Rods, reels & tackle
- Lures
- Drinks
- Lake fishing (Mostly guide on Lake Toho, other Orlando lakes too)
- Light tackle
- Heavy tackle
- Spinning
- Bass (Largemouth)
- Bowfin
- Chain Pickerel
- Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Your captain
Clayton, New York, United States
Howdy! I am Capt. Maxwell Schweikert, I am 26 years old. I live in an rv and travel around the country bass fishing! I am from Grand Haven, Michigan. I have been fishing my whole life but have fallen in love with topwater fishing in the last 10 years. Using a topwater frog to catch largemouth bass is my favorite thing ever. Smallmouth bass also have a special place in my heart. I also love wildlife photography, guitar, going on walks, yoga, sports, and talking with people. Here is my schedule for the year. Feb-May: lake Toho, Florida May: lake Hartwell, South Carolina June: St Lawrence River July: working at Candlewood fish camp on Lake Champlain (unavailble to guide) August: Lake St. Clair, Michigan September: Grand River, Michigan October- March: I would like to move somehwere out of the country, maybe for for another fishing charter, or just a simple job at a beautiful place. I'd love to go fishing with you! Send me a message if you have any questions!
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How cancellations work
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.
What the listing policies are
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
How you can pay
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:
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