The Michigan Charter Boat Association (MCBA) is a nonprofit organization organized and located in the State of Michigan. Individual members are United States Coast Guard licensed for the Great Lakes and all charter boats are state inspected. Michigan is the only state on the Great Lakes that require inspections of their charter boats. Our member Captains are dedicated to establishing a professional charter industry in the State of Michigan.
Since 1985, the arrangement between the Tribes, the State of Michigan and the federal government to share the fisheries of the Great Lakes has been contained in two agreements that were negotiated by the parties and then put in place by the Federal Court in West Michigan as a “Consent Decree.” The first decree was implemented in 1985. It had a 15-year term. In 2000, a second decree was put in place by the court. It had a 20-year term. It expired last year but has been extended by the court while the parties negotiate a new agreement. A critical issue to the past two agreements, and one that will be critical to a new agreement, is the division of the Great Lakes fishery between the Tribes and those fishers who are licensed by the State of Michigan. The 1985 agreement allocated the Great Lakes fishery among the parties by lake, zones, species and catch limits. It was premised on a roughly 50-50 allocation of the fishery between the State of Michigan and the Tribes. The Tribes were principally allocated whitefish stocks and the State of Michigan was principally allocated salmon stocks. Lake trout stocks were shared with the allocation to each party differing based on the area of the Great Lakes at issue. Generally, the Tribes were allocated more lake trout in areas where they were pursuing whitefish and state-licensed fishers were allocated more in traditional sportfishing areas. Overall, however, the fishery resources were generally shared equally. Further, the zones created for state- and Tribally-licensed fishers reduced gear conflict between commercial nets, particularly gill nets and traditional sport fishing gear.
President: Bill Winowiecki
3700 Shomberg Rd.
Cedar, MI 49621
(231) 228-7417
charterfishing@wattabite.com
25’ Campion: Watta Bite
Secretary John Giszczak
9760 Judd
Willis, MI 48191
(734) 787-0030 cell
straycat@straycatsportfishingcharters.com
28’ Cherokee; Stray Cat
Vice-President Rich Haslett
292 S. Zimmerman Rd.
Beulah,MI, 49617
248-542-1563
E-Mail: taloncharters@gmail.com
Treasurer Larry Lienczewski
Drug Program Administrator
3396 Anna Drive
Bay City, MI 48706
(989) 684-7943
larry@saginawbay.com
Henry Walters SC&E 2021
7103 St.Clair Ave.
Fair Haven, MI 48023
(586) 725-3678 Home
(586) 206-0626 Cell
sportsmen-charters@hotmail.com
28' Cherokee: Sea Weed
Rick Konecke, NLH- 2021
916 Ford Ave
Alpena, MI 49707
989-255-4524 cell
Rick@wipeoutcharters.com
27” Sport Craft: Wipeout
Karl Burnside SLH - 2021
2073 Bisby Dr.
Mount Morris, MI 48458
(810) 513-6073
thumbsupcharter@yahoo.com
25’ Chieftain: Little Lady
Jim LaBeske – U.P. - 2022
CJ Anastor, SLM – 2020
12363 Taft St.
Nunica, MI 49448
(616) 402-3059 cell
anastorcj@yahoo.com
34' Tiara Pursuit: Good Eye
George Freeman, CLM- 2020
6888 Illinois Rd.
Ludington, MI 49431
(231) 845-1779, (877)-456-3474
(231) 425-8723 cell
captgeorge@chartermi.net
31’ Tiara: Free Style
Tony Radjenovich NLM - 2020
1785 N. Eagle Hwy
Lake Leelaneu, MI 49653
(231) 866-0053 cell
leelanautical@gmail.com
27’ Tiara Leelanautical
Contact any Board Member or Port Captain with area issues.
| Home Port | Name | Address | Phone | |
| Cedarville | Capt. Kris Mills | P.O.Box 510 Cedarville, MI 49719 | (616)914-8627 | |
| Ludington | Capt. David Lindberg | 2020 W. Kinney Scottville, MI 49454 | (231)510-2972 | |
| Pentwater | Capt. Brent M. Daggett | 3473 W. Anthony Rd. Ludington, MI 49431 | (231)206-2820 | |
| White Hall | Capt. Earl E. Emery | 4871 Terravita Dr. Whitehall, MI 49461 | (616)443-9445 | |
| South Haven | Capt. Daniel W. Strong | 518 Lyon St. South Haven, MI 49090 | (269)760-7388 | |
| ST. IGNACE | Capt. Dennis L. Gorsuch | 314 Murray St. St. Ignace, MI 49781 | (251)504-1046 | |
| ST. Joseph | Capt. Tim Shaffer | 10034 Painter School Rd. Berrien Center, MI 49102 | (269)921-6997 | |
| ST. Joseph | Capt. Melvin E. LaFrance | 14996 Gleason Rd. Three Rivers, MI 49093 | (269)506-3513 | |
| Whitehall | Capt. Brandon Belinger | 6854 Post Road Montague, MI 49437 | (231)750-4962 | |
| Acme | Capt. Luke Springstead | 852 Andrew Melissa Ln, Traverse City MI 49686 | 231-944-3637 | |
| Drummond Island | Capt. Hugh Covert | 38300 S. Shelter Island, Drummond Island MI 49726 | 906) 440-5338 | |
| Ludington | Capt. Mark Williams | 3820 Breen Rd. Emmett, MI | (586) 531-2763 |
Michigan Charter Boat Association has over 600 Captain members
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