Where there’s water – there’s fish! With the largest freshwater lake right outside your front door, you can’t help but fantasize what mighty finned creatures swim below the surface.

Lake Ontario Charter Fishing
Local charter boat captains will treat you to the time of your life fishing the ‘big lake’ for that trophy fish – or at least the biggest fish story you can conjure up.

Good questions to ask your charter boat captain

Hiring a licensed boat captain to navigate your time on the water can make the day enjoyable and stress-free for your whole group. Experienced boat captains will know where to go for the best fishing, diving, snorkeling and sightseeing. They also have years of experience and are trained to react in the case of an emergency. As with anything, it’s always a good idea to ask a few important questions to make sure you are all on the same boat. We mean that figuratively as well as literally.

What time do you need to be at the boat to leave?

This is one of the most important questions to ask. Many charter fishing and sightseeing trips are on a tight schedule. If you show up late … well, you’ve missed the boat.

Is the trip refundable if you need to cancel or there are unforeseen weather conditions?

This is probably the second most important question to ask your boat captain. You can never fully count on the weather to cooperate. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to boats, water and bad weather.

What is included in the cost of the trip?

It’s important to find out if you need to bring your own bait, tackle, or any other items. In many cases, fishing gear and water sports equipment are stocked on the boat. It’s always good to ask just in case.

If it’s an all day trip, find out if the boat will be stopping anywhere where you can buy lunch. Some day trips might stop at fun and funky beach bars where you can hang out with frosty drinks and tropical tunes. That would, of course, not be included in the price of the charter.

What type of fishing charter is it?

If you’re arranging a fishing charter, find out if the captain is going offshore for sport fish or staying inshore for casual angling. You don’t want to get into more than you can handle if you’re expecting a casual day of casting lines and you end up in blue water fighting tuna and swordfish. New experiences are always nice, but seasickness and sore muscles can be more than you bargained for.

What facilities are on board the boat?

You may want to know if the boat has a head, or bathroom, before embarking on an adventure of more than a couple of hours. This is especially important when traveling with children.

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