So you want to catch a salmon – in your own boat!

Capt. Mike will explain places to go, when to go and things to bring to target Lake Michigan coho and king salmon, as well as Indiana’s famed Skamania steelhead – SAFELY – SUCCESSFULLY – AND FROM YOUR OWN BOAT.

Capt. Mike Schoonveld often jokes, “I started fishing for salmon in Lake Michigan in 1969 and in 1973, I actually caught one!”  By the early 1980s Mike owned his own boat, rigged for Lake Michigan salmon and trout fishing, and had caught lots of salmon. By the early 1990s, he was writing about Great Lakes fishing for state, regional and national publications.

In 1997 Schoonveld became “Captain Mike” when he became a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain. At the time, all the charter boats operating in Indiana were big-water cabin cruisers. Capt. Mike stuck to his roots and operated his “Brother Nature Charters” from a trailerable, 21 foot boat, catering to smaller groups – at smaller prices. It proved to be a viable business plan and Capt. Mike is now one of the busiest captains on the Great Lakes.

Capt. Mike is still one of Indiana’s most prolific outdoor journalists, is currently Associate Editor of Great Lakes Angler magazine and sits on the board of Directors of the National Association of Charterboat Operators. Schoonveld was inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 2018.