Sheboygan Wisconsin Charter Fishing Reports
Provided by Captain James Schlegel of Sea Dog Sportfishing Charters of Sheboygan, with contributing reports from other area anglers.

Updated May 11, 2008

2008 Fishing Reports

SHEBOYGAN CHARTER FISHING REPORT 2007 - by Captain James Schlegel, March 16, 2008

The 2007 trout and salmon fishing season was the best in decades with charter catch rates hitting an all-time high. Great Lakes sport fishing continues to draw anglers to Sheboygan in search of salmon fishing adventures and area charter captains delivered another incredible season. This fact was supported by the latest charter harvest report just released by Brad Eggold, fisheries supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Anglers were lined up early mornings at the launch ramps like never before and staying out on the water long past sunset. Sheboygan area charter captains were overwhelmed by one of their busiest seasons to date, running as many as three trips daily to accommodate the demand. All indicators of an abundant harvest are up again this year. The harvest report shows 38 licensed fishing guides operating out of Sheboygan, four more than in 2006. The Sheboygan charter fishing fleet reported 2,440 trips for the season, an increase of 14.6% from the prior year, and the sixth straight year of steady growth. Since 2001, the number of charter fishing trips reported by area charter captains has increased by over 75% and far exceeded anyone’s expectations. Sheboygan charters hauled in a whooping 26,553 fish, which is an amazing 21% increase from a year ago and a new area record of 10.9 fish per trip. The majority of the catch has been Chinook salmon, the prized sport fish also known as the King. This is the sixth straight season that Sheboygan charter captains recorded double digit harvest increases while charter fishing trips to the area continued to rise.

There has been a renewed interest in Great Lakes fishing the past few years with area captains and businesses catering to fishermen seeing the benefits. Sheboygan was one of the most popular spots for fishing this year with only one port running slightly more charter fishing trips. Keep in mind that charter fishing only represents a portion of anglers visiting our shores, with pier and recreational anglers making up the majority of fishermen utilizing this resource. The City of Sheboygan’s boat ramps were also active all summer long with launch fee receipts up by 5.6% from a year earlier. This is a good indicator of just how many recreational fishermen are using the areas facilities. Sheboygan has long maintained its “Fishermen Friendly” reputation among the sport fishing community, and is well known for its outstanding fishing grounds along with its clean and modern boating facilities popular with fishing tourists. The excellent weather during the spring and summer made for an enjoyable time on the water and also contributed to this year’s success.

All of Sheboygan’s fishing tournaments went extremely well, with excellent weather and above average attendance. Not only did area anglers catch a lot of fish this season, they also managed to hook a few big ones. This year’s “Sheboygan's Big Fish" winner went to Barry Martin who caught a 23.68 pound Chinook salmon aboard the boat Terminator on 8/12/07. It was the largest documented fish caught out of Sheboygan waters this season, but down about three pounds from last years record fish. With the generally recognized abundance of salmon in Lake Michigan, the overall size has been slightly down from years past due mainly from competition for forage.

Barry along with many other area anglers have been recognized for their trophy fish and received an award from the Sheboygan Area Great Lakes Sport Fishermen's Club. For over 30 years the fishing club has been supporting the local fishery as well as helped to promote the many area fishing events. The fishing club has sponsored the "Sheboygan's Big Fish" contest for many years and maintains past area big fish records.

This past season was also my busiest year to date, booking more trips and catching more fish than ever before. For many years I have provided a detailed report of the area's charter harvest to the local fishing club for review. I am pleased to be able to submit a report that once again surpassed all expectations, and confirms what fishermen to our area already know. More and more visitors are discovering the fishing opportunities on Lake Michigan and that the 2007 fishing season was one of Sheboygan's all-time best. With the upcoming boating season right around the corner, I can only imagine what new surprises are in store for us this year.

MAY 11, 2008 - Captain James Schlegel

Went fishing for a couple of hours on Saturday and caught 2 brown trout near the Pigeon River. Stay tuned, more detailed fishing reports will be coming soon.  We are going to start running fishing trips this week..

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