Plumber's Helper Charter Service
Plumber's Helper Charter Service
Plumber's Helper Charter Service
5
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Full view
About
Join Captains Jim and Kim Musselman aboard their 43-foot Tiara sport-fishing yacht for a fun and memorable fishing trip on Northern Lake Michigan. We offer a safe, fun and comfortable experience not possible with some of the smaller vessels on the water. This is charter fishing at its best, with over 30 years' experience. "If you don't catch fish, you don't pay!"
Bay Harbor, Michigan
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Plumber's Helper Charter Service
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
11 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
terrydeweerd810
Albion, MI32 contributions
Sep 2020
We had a great time with three generations on the boat. We had 8 to 78, caught a lot of lake trout and Captain Jim warmed up quickly and was busy. We had neighbors use them last year and all reviews are excellent. Captain Kim was great on the phone, did exactly what she said she would, but she must have slept in. Captain Jim was on his own. We skipped salmon as it was to late for them and went straight for the lake trout. We all got a workout and everyone caught fish. It now is a family memory. Thank you Captain Jim and Captain Kim! I will download a picture as soon as I can figure it out.
Written September 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the nice review. We're so glad you had a good time, that's what it's all about! I haven't been on the boat this summer, so I probably did sleep in that day, lol. I would have liked to have been there to see all three generations reeling in fish. Looking forward to your pictures (if you get it figured out). :-D
Capt. Kim (and Capt. Jim)
Written September 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jneal2018
Saginaw, MI1 contribution
May 2018 • Family
My family and I were looking for something to do for the Memorial Day Weekend and decided to go here. Great experience and great fishing. Captain Jim and first mate Jason were awesome. They cleaned and filleted the fish for us, took pictures, and took care of everything. I would definitely recommend them if you are looking to fishing with family or friends.
Written May 27, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're so glad you had a great experience. Thank you for fishing with us!
Written May 29, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
peoplesjourney
Michigan77 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
My husband took our two children (15 & 20) on Captain Jim's boat for the afternoon. Everyone loved it! Jim worked so hard to guarantee you will catch a fish and have fun. His boat is clean and very safe. They would do it again in a minute. I get seasick sadly, however, Jim even offered to avoid any rough waves.
Written July 14, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stacey P
6 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
We booked our fishing charter with Plumber's Helper Charters as part of a two week Michigan adventure and it was a highlight of our vacation.
Jim and Kim have the largest charter vessel on Lake Michigan with over 30 years of experience fishing the waters of Little Traverse Bay. The vessel and gear are all top notch and everything was prepped and ready to go upon our arrival at the dock.
The Bay Harbor development with it's marinas, multi million dollar homes and large yachts are gorgeous and the ride out of the harbour is worth the price of admission alone.
Once out on the waters of Traverse Bay we headed east and dropped our lines and began trolling along the south shore of the bay. The salmon had just arrived in the bay and the plan was to focus on landing a couple of these big boys for our dinner later in the day.
It wasn't long before we had a fish on and shortly after the fight began it was over after he spit the hook. While it was heartbreaking for my son, the fact that we had hooked a salmon created a level of excitement on the boat.
Fast forward 10 minutes and the rods were going off again. This time we landed our first fish and my son Colby was stoked to be holding the biggest fish he had ever caught, a 22lb salmon!
Next up was my 82lb daughter Taylor as she fought to land a fish that weighed a quarter of her body weight. After a serious fight she was all smiles and struggling to hold up a 20lb salmon on the rear deck for a plethora of pics.
My wife Stacey and I each landed a salmon in the 20lb range and the fights were fantastic! The quality and size of fish we were catching were as good, if not better than most charters we have been on in the Caribbean.
If our day had ended here it would have been considered a great day on the water but Jim and Kim had other plans and we headed west to target some Lakers. It wasn't long before everyone was back in the fight and over the next hour we all landed our own Lake Trout between 9-14lbs filling up the cooler.
The ride back through the marina was like a new experience as it was a lot brighter than when we had headed out at 6 am and we all admired the landscaped homes and beautiful vessels tied up at the docks.
Once Plumbers Helper was back in its berth we took our time getting pictures of our trophy's before Jim began to clean up our catch. He had over 100 lbs of fish cleaned and bagged in no time at all and we were presented with our bag of salmon.
The State of Michigan has a wonderful Catch and Cook program which allows Captains to clean, package and label the days catch that can then be taken to any number of local participating restaurants.
Since we were staying in a hotel we took advantage of this program and had our catch cooked up in one of Harbor Springs finest restaurants completing a perfect day on the water epitomizing the term farm to table or in this case fish to table. It simply doesn't get any fresher than this!
We would like to thank our gracious hosts who welcomed us onto their vessel and provided us with one of the best days we have ever had on the water and a highlight of our Michigan vacation.
They say that memories last a lifetime and this is surely one that we will share for years to come,
Plumber's Helper Charters receives our highest recommendation!
The Bennett's
Jim and Kim have the largest charter vessel on Lake Michigan with over 30 years of experience fishing the waters of Little Traverse Bay. The vessel and gear are all top notch and everything was prepped and ready to go upon our arrival at the dock.
The Bay Harbor development with it's marinas, multi million dollar homes and large yachts are gorgeous and the ride out of the harbour is worth the price of admission alone.
Once out on the waters of Traverse Bay we headed east and dropped our lines and began trolling along the south shore of the bay. The salmon had just arrived in the bay and the plan was to focus on landing a couple of these big boys for our dinner later in the day.
It wasn't long before we had a fish on and shortly after the fight began it was over after he spit the hook. While it was heartbreaking for my son, the fact that we had hooked a salmon created a level of excitement on the boat.
Fast forward 10 minutes and the rods were going off again. This time we landed our first fish and my son Colby was stoked to be holding the biggest fish he had ever caught, a 22lb salmon!
Next up was my 82lb daughter Taylor as she fought to land a fish that weighed a quarter of her body weight. After a serious fight she was all smiles and struggling to hold up a 20lb salmon on the rear deck for a plethora of pics.
My wife Stacey and I each landed a salmon in the 20lb range and the fights were fantastic! The quality and size of fish we were catching were as good, if not better than most charters we have been on in the Caribbean.
If our day had ended here it would have been considered a great day on the water but Jim and Kim had other plans and we headed west to target some Lakers. It wasn't long before everyone was back in the fight and over the next hour we all landed our own Lake Trout between 9-14lbs filling up the cooler.
The ride back through the marina was like a new experience as it was a lot brighter than when we had headed out at 6 am and we all admired the landscaped homes and beautiful vessels tied up at the docks.
Once Plumbers Helper was back in its berth we took our time getting pictures of our trophy's before Jim began to clean up our catch. He had over 100 lbs of fish cleaned and bagged in no time at all and we were presented with our bag of salmon.
The State of Michigan has a wonderful Catch and Cook program which allows Captains to clean, package and label the days catch that can then be taken to any number of local participating restaurants.
Since we were staying in a hotel we took advantage of this program and had our catch cooked up in one of Harbor Springs finest restaurants completing a perfect day on the water epitomizing the term farm to table or in this case fish to table. It simply doesn't get any fresher than this!
We would like to thank our gracious hosts who welcomed us onto their vessel and provided us with one of the best days we have ever had on the water and a highlight of our Michigan vacation.
They say that memories last a lifetime and this is surely one that we will share for years to come,
Plumber's Helper Charters receives our highest recommendation!
The Bennett's
Written September 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you, Mike and Stacey, for that fantastic review! We're so happy you chose us for your fishing charter excursion and that we were able to help you and your family catch some great Lake Michigan fish in Little Traverse Bay!
Written September 20, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
OU84
Rockbridge, OH1 contribution
Jun 2018 • Family
The charter trip fishing on Lake Michigan was a blast. The captain and his wife were very nice people. The boat and all bait and tackle were provided so all we had to do was show up with coolers to take our catch home! It was a very fun experience and we came home with lots of fish to eat and freeze for later. Highly recommend the experience and Plumber's Helper charter.
Written June 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review, so glad you had a good time. Thank you for fishing with us!
Written June 18, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
centerman307
Rochester Hills, Michigan3 contributions
Aug 2017 • Friends
Jim and Kim are courteous, friendly and professional. And you will find fish! Don't hesitate. The value of the fish we kept (and will eat for months) was more than the cost of the trip. I feel like I got away with something.
Written August 21, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the kind words. We're so pleased you considered us the highlight of your visit to Northern Michigan!
Written August 22, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Brian A
East Lansing, MI204 contributions
Aug 2017 • Friends
This charter service is run by a husband and wife team who live on the boat you will fish from. I arranged my charter for two people via email, and Kim was very responsive and detailed in her messages. A deposit is required to book in advance, and we made final payment at the end of the trip. Payment must be check or cash.
The boat is very comfortable, with a covered outside area, and an uncovered outside area, and could easily accommodate four to six people. They have everything necessary to catch fish, and while Jim manages the fishing, Kim navigates and drives the boat. The boat has a bathroom, a full compliment of redundant electronic navigation aids, electronic fish finders, radar, etc. We felt 100% safe and secure.
Jim is somewhat reserved, and has detailed and in-depth knowledge of the lake, the local fish, and the history of the area. He was able to respond to every question we had, and he demonstrated complete mastery of fishing techniques and tools. Kim is more outgoing, and installs confidence in her handling of the boat and the related technology. They were both friendly and helpful throughout our nearly four hour trip around little traverse bay.
We hit the limit of fish we were legally allowed to catch and were very satisfied with our charter. Jim cleaned our fish for us while we watched which is a great perk. The trip exceeded our expectations, and we'd highly recommend this charter. This was my first time on a charter fishing trip, and I'd definitely consider doing this again based on my positive experience.
The boat is very comfortable, with a covered outside area, and an uncovered outside area, and could easily accommodate four to six people. They have everything necessary to catch fish, and while Jim manages the fishing, Kim navigates and drives the boat. The boat has a bathroom, a full compliment of redundant electronic navigation aids, electronic fish finders, radar, etc. We felt 100% safe and secure.
Jim is somewhat reserved, and has detailed and in-depth knowledge of the lake, the local fish, and the history of the area. He was able to respond to every question we had, and he demonstrated complete mastery of fishing techniques and tools. Kim is more outgoing, and installs confidence in her handling of the boat and the related technology. They were both friendly and helpful throughout our nearly four hour trip around little traverse bay.
We hit the limit of fish we were legally allowed to catch and were very satisfied with our charter. Jim cleaned our fish for us while we watched which is a great perk. The trip exceeded our expectations, and we'd highly recommend this charter. This was my first time on a charter fishing trip, and I'd definitely consider doing this again based on my positive experience.
Written August 9, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your great, thorough review! We're happy we were able to exceed your expectations.
Written August 22, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Loch2010
Chicago, IL22 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
Great people. Nice boat. Husband and wife operated. Cleaned and bagged our fish. We had a lot of fun
Written February 20, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Global582854
Springfield, TN58 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
We really enjoyed our early morning fishing trip with Jim and his wife Kim. This was our first fishing trip to Lake Michigan, the water was a bit choppy, however we were able to limit out on Lake Trout on our trip, we even had three on at one time, Kim even fished a little so we could have more fillets to take home. They seemed like part of the family by the time the morning was over! Truly a great experience!!!
Written August 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JimmyD
Mount Carroll, IL45 contributions
Sep 2019
We selected Plumber's Helper based on other reviews and how responsive Kim was to our requests for information. None of us had ever fished a charter for salmon or trout. We met Captain Jim and First-mate Charlie about 6AM and by 6:15 we were leaving the marina looking for salmon. Both of the ladies in our fishing group caught very large salmon; what a fight they put up! Caught 4 nice salmon and after that bite stopped we moved onto finish up with some Lake Trout for the last 1 1/2 hours of our trip. We ended up with 5 trout. Captain Jim knew where to fish; the boat & tackle are all top notch; and first-mate Charlie was very friendly and helpful. We could not have been more pleased with the morning. The crew at Plumber's Helper great to work with!
Written September 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the great review! Though it was my day off and I missed fishing with you, I saw the photos and, wow, what a catch! I'm so glad you had a good morning of fishing, and thank you again for choosing us for your fishing charter.
-Capt. Kim
Written September 16, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Familiax5
Grove City, Ohio
How much for a trip of 4hours, planing on mid july, also can we all go in this trip if we have 2 babies 1 is 10 months old and the boy is 2 1/2 , we are a family of 6 trying to plan our vacations and all our activities
Written June 6, 2018
Thank you for contacting us. We would love to take your family out fishing this summer. If you could visit our website and reach out by either email or phone, we can answer your questions specifically and more thoroughly. Hope to talk to you soon. -Capt. Kim, Plumber's Helper Charter Service
Written June 7, 2018
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