Pickerel and Trout Fishing in Erieau Lake Erie Ontario

The Boat What Makes a Good Fishing Charter Boat?

First The Captain: Capt Adam Godfrey lives with his wife and sons near the village of Erieau and has operated a fishing charter business from Erieau for the past 13 years. He knows the local waters and enjoys welcoming back many repeat customers as well as new friends. "The lake keeps changing and you have to adapt", relays Capt Adam, "you are learning something new all the time. Going out onto the lake and challenging the fish is a great rewarding adventure for everyone". Besides operating a successful fish chartering business, Capt Adam has been in the marine industry for many years as a boat builder, repairer and a Professional Marine Surveyor. He has worked as a Marine Insurance Adjuster and was called upon to assist with the multitude of marine insurance claims resulting from the catastrophic hurricanes that ravaged Florida and the Gulf states. He knows boats. Capt Adam with his vessel and crew are volunteer members of the Canadian Coast Guard (Aux). They are designated CCGA Unit 307 and are the primary Search & Rescue unit operating from Erieau and respond to marine incidences within a radius of 30 miles on Lake Erie. They are proud to work with the Canadian Coast Guard, Department of National Defense, Ontario Provincial Police, Chatham-Kent Police, Erieau Volunteer Fire Department and our friends across the lake - the US Coast Guard.

The Boat: by Capt Adam
What makes a good fishing charter boat? Safety is number one. Proper hull design to provide a stable fishing platform with lots of beam and the ability to aggressively handle Lake Erie's moods is important. A wide open uncluttered fighting deck with good equipment makes it more enjoyable to fight and land the fish. An ample comfortable cabin protected from the rain or sun where you can relax and escape the elements makes your day more relaxing. For super quiet trolling without exhaust fumes I use a 4 stroke Yamaha trolling engine. My previous boat was a 31ft Bertram Flybridge Cruiser that I had purchased, upgraded, and fished for a number of years – she's a great boat (sadly, presently for sale). Her only drawback for charter fishing was that she didn’t have the cabin space and amenities for larger parties. I found a 37 ft steel boat built by Wray Brown of Port Rowan, with a 13.5 ft beam, powered with twin 454s. She was well laid out for charter fishing, ample room for larger parties and designed for the lake – Lake Erie can throw some nasty stuff. The steel construction is a medium that I like to work with and would allow me to make alterations relatively easily. I had seen the boat operate and knew her potential. Erieau is a great fishing port and I intend to be in the charter business for some time. I purchased the new boat in the winter of '04. She never really had an official name so I christened her *Harpoon II. I inspected the boat and replaced or rebuilt anything that wasn't up to today's safety standards including fuel and electrical systems. Sand blasted the hull and repaired where necessary and repainted, modified the running gear to improve efficiency. Built and installed aluminum radar arch and swim platform. Rebuilt aft deck and engine boxes to make watertight but still have quick access to critical machinery. Installed modern electronics including radar. Mounted 12 man self inflatable life raft on cabin roof. Installed new 60 hp Yamaha 4 stroke High Thrust trolling motor (kicker). Installed Cannon DigiTroll IV downriggers, rod holders and planer board masts to permit an efficient setup for trolling. Rebuilt the head (restroom) to a standard that is voted #1 by my wife and her friends (got to keep them happy!). I am confident that I built a boat that answers the question "What makes a great fishing charter boat?"*	31 Bertram Wray Brown built, originally launched 1988 *Harpoon II* Re-launch after extensive refit, spring 2005



Lake Erie Fishing Charters, Erieau, Ontario, Canada Fish the Grand Central Basin of Lake Erie from the fishing village of Erieau for Lake Lake Erie Pickerel Fishing, Steelhead, Pickerel, Ontario Rainbow Trout Fishing and Salmon. Fish aboard 'HARPOON II', a 37ft custom built fishing charter boat with 13.5ft beam. Safe and stable with lots of room. One to ten anglers, fully equipped, Government Safety Inspected vessel and Certified local Captain. 6 or 8 hour charters. We welcome experienced anglers and newcomers to the sport. Great adventure for families and friends. Everyone can participate. Bring home the fish and the memories! Call today 519-676-7421 For an Ontario Pickerel Fishing adventure


Step out onto the big aft deck with 13.5 ft beam - ample seating and lots of room to catch and land the fish.		Comfortable protected cabin with dinnette and lots of comfortable seating - relax in the shade.