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Brett Payne
Captain

Brett Payne

Grand Haven, United States
50+ reviews
Captain Brett Payne grew up fishing on Lake Michigan with his childhood friend Jim and his dad. Being on the water so much, fishing grew into a passion that he wanted to share it with others. After gaining experience as a first mate for another charter captain, Brett knew he wanted to become a captain to run his own Lake Michigan charter fishing boat and help others create memories. Soon after, in 2002, Brett became Coast Guard Licensed/DNR Inspected and Hot Spot Charters was established.

Charter

Rating

4.9
66 reviews
4.9
Boat & Equipment
4.9
Captain & Crew
4.8
Fishing Experience

What anglers say

96%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
97%
Recommend this charter
98%
Appropriate for children
98%
Satisfied with the boat
86%
Caught fish

All reviews (66)

Showing 1 – 5 of 66 reviews
  • Mark Ford
    Mark Ford
    Repeat angler
    us
    Michigan, US
    Member since 2026
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Outstanding fishing trip

    5 Hour Trip (AM) • 5 adults • 2 children

    Captain Brett and first mate Dylan did an outstanding job of finding the fish. They knew their equipment and how to rig it. They were efficient at getting the lines in the water. Within minutes we had our first fish on. We landed 12 out of at least 20 fish. All in all it ws a great day fishing.

  • Dave Israel
    Dave Israel
    Repeat angler
    us
    Ohio, US
    Member since 2026
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Great Trip!!

    5 Hour Trip (AM) • 5 adults • 2 children

    Had a great trip with captain Brett. He got us on fish and was great with our kids. Would definitey recommend!!

    Reported catch:
    Lake Trout
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Coho Salmon
  • David Naselsker
    David Naselsker
    Repeat angler
    us
    Kentucky, US
    Member since 2023
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Got us on the fish!

    5 Hour Trip (AM) • 6 adults

    friendly and worked hard to get us fish. would go again with them.

    Reported catch:
    Lake Trout
    Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
    Coho Salmon
  • Ray Breen
    Ray Breen
    us
    Michigan, US
    Member since 2023
    5.0
    Verified

    Great morning on Lake Michigan

    5 Hour Trip (AM) • 5 adults

    We had a good morning of catching salmon. Around 7 cohos and a few kings. Two were around 20 lbs. I grandchild wasn’t feeling well due to the waves. My only complaint was that the seats were not wiped off enough times. The one seat in front of the cooler would get wet and bloody when the deckhand would put the fish in the cooler. They could have wiped it down or had towels available and I would have done it myself. We all had wet pants from sitting on the seats. For as much as they get paid, it would be nice if the captain had some snacks and beverages available. But otherwise, we had a great time! Thanks Brett and Jeff.

    Response from Captain

    Hi Ray, thank you for the great review, it was a good day of fishing! We appreciate the feedback and will make sure to cascade to our team.

  • Jennifer Seymour
    Jennifer Seymour
    us
    Michigan, US
    Member since 2022
    4.7
    Verified

    Captain Brett and Jeff was very knowledgeable!!!

    5 Hour Trip (AM) • 5 adults

    We booked this charter after reading through many others and felt they would be the best! We caught a coho salmon and two lake trout! Fish weren’t biting but the two captains we had on our boat that day did their very best trying to get us some more!! They were calling other captains constantly to find a good spot but no one on this day was having any luck! The captains were changing the fishing lures to try and attract the fish….it just wasn’t happening! Even though we didn’t get as much as we would have liked we did get a good size coho salmon and two good lake trouts! Our sons each got one to reel in so that is all we asked!! We will book again through this captain!! Thank you for all your hard work!!

Real catches shared by our community

  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    Family group posing on a fishing boat with two young anglers displaying large mackerel catches at sunset.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +1
    Chinook Salmon
    Dave I.
    Dave I.
    Had a great trip with captain Brett. He got us on fish and was great with our kids. Would definitey recommend!!
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    Anglers actively fishing on a charter boat, with rods in hand, enjoying a day on the open water.
    David N.
    David N.
    friendly and worked hard to get us fish. would go again with them.
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    Three anglers, including a child, proudly displaying their catch of Salmon on a fishing boat after a successful trip.
    Fish 1
    Chinook Salmon
    Paul K.
    Paul K.
    Fished with Hot Spot this morning, the captain and first mate were great guys. The captain was very knowledgeable and kept switching rigs up to keep the salmon hitting. Had a terrific time with my son and friends!
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    A cooler filled with several large fish, likely caught during a deep-sea fishing trip, showcasing a successful haul.
    Fish 1
    Chinook Salmon
    Ray B.
    Ray B.
    We had a good morning of catching salmon. Around 7 cohos and a few kings. Two were around 20 lbs. I grandchild wasn’t feeling well due to the waves. My only complaint was that the seats were not wiped off enough times. The one seat in front of the cooler would get wet and bloody when the deckhand would put the fish in the cooler. They could have wiped it down or had towels available and I would have done it myself. We all had wet pants from sitting on the seats. For as much as they get paid, it would be nice if the captain had some snacks and beverages available. But otherwise, we had a great time! Thanks Brett and Jeff.
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    Two large Salmon displayed on a catch board at a marina, showcasing a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Chinook Salmon
    Dean H.
    Dean H.
    Caught the biggest king salmon we ever have today. The lake was rough but the captain and crew did a great job.
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    A young angler proudly displaying a large Salmon on a fishing boat, showcasing a successful day on the water.
    Fish 1
    Chinook Salmon
    Jonathan G.
    Jonathan G.
    Best trip we have taken in a long time. Captain and first-mate were fantastic overall and great with my 7 year old. Caught a ton of fish and massive king salmon. Really recommend them.
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    Group of anglers proudly displaying their catch of Speckled Trout aboard a fishing charter in a coastal environment.
    Fish 1
    Lake Trout
    Jennifer S.
    Jennifer S.
    We booked this charter after reading through many others and felt they would be the best! We caught a coho salmon and two lake trout! Fish weren’t biting but the two captains we had on our boat that day did their very best trying to get us some more!! They were calling other captains constantly to find a good spot but no one on this day was having any luck! The captains were changing the fishing lures to try and attract the fish….it just wasn’t happening! Even though we didn’t get as much as we would have liked we did get a good size coho salmon and two good lake trouts! Our sons each got one to reel in so that is all we asked!! We will book again through this captain!! Thank you for all your hard work!!
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    Adult angler holding a large spotted King Mackerel aboard an offshore charter boat, with rod holders and trolling gear visible.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Chinook Salmon
    Chad S.
    Chad S.
    Brett and crew was great! We had a blast my wife caught a huge King Salmon! Can’t wait to do it again!
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    Group of anglers posing in front of a catch board displaying several large salmon at a marina in Michigan.
    Fish 1
    Chinook Salmon
    Jonathan A.
    Jonathan A.
    22lb king and a couple smaller king salmon slow start fish ignored all the boats not captain or crew issue they made changes and kept trying till we caught some fish plan to return thanks guys we had a good time.
  • Hot Spot Charters
    Hot Spot ChartersGrand Haven, MI
    Two anglers proudly display multiple large salmon aboard a fishing boat on open water.
    Fish 1
    Chinook Salmon
    Captain Brett and crew were friendly and knowledgeable. We caught a lot of fish and had a great time.

What's biting with Hot Spot Charters in Grand Haven

Winter is around the corner and the weather's usually pretty cold right now. Check the tributaries for whatever might be biting there! You could find Walleye and Trout at the end of your line.

Top catches for November