As part of the Jerry Gore Group, we spent our 10th plus fishing trip with Jackpot Charters this past Sunday. As is usually the case, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The fishing was fairly good, we caught "22" Coho Salmon; Rainbow & Lake Trout out of approximately "30" bites. What always impresses me is that Captain Matt is knowledgeable of the lake and always is trying something to catch fish. When some tactic isn't working, he'll try something else. He was sensitive the the ladies in our group, as was Jonathan. The wives appreciated the attention. We use Jackpot Chaters because we want to catch fish and we do. Thank You for a special day on the water. John C. read more

Thank you Captain Jake and Ben. You guys are awesome! this was an amazing fishing experience!!! They are extremely knowledgeable and help you out with all of your questions regarding fishing. We ve had so much fun.5 stars. read more

Jackpot Fishing Charters - Boat Charters Near Me - Winthrop Harbor, Illinois

Had a wonderful day today with captain Curt. He was very knowledgeable and personable. He also knew fun facts about Lake Michigan. Definitely worth booking a trip with them read more

We booked our trip with Matt and were looking forward to it. It started out with Matt asking us to be there at 5 AM sharp in Racine, WI (I guessed they moved their location up North but that's good) so that we can start fishing early. And we did. Too bad Matt didn't bother to roll in until 6 AM. At 5:15AM we called and he said to stop by the fish cleaning station and he'll pick us up soon. 30 minutes later we called again and he hung up on my brother (Captain Matt must not be a morning person! Ha!). And it only went downhill from there. The real kicker is Matt's attitude. I don't know if he had a bad day or what (he actually was better towards the end of the trip) but it doesn't really matter. This could have been a lot of fun for all of us but we felt like he didn't want to be there (and yes, he did try to reschedule for another day the week before but Saturday was the only day we could do this). If he didn't want to go, he should have just cancelled the event. We would've found a different venue. As we got on board no one bothered to ask who's fished before and who's new to this. No rules were explained, no tips, no anything. Just "sit down, let's get this over with" type of approach. It's a shame because it had potential. The fishing part of the trip was fun and we landed 15 fish in 8 hours. Most of them in the first couple of hours which makes is a shame we couldn't actually start when he told us we would. They cleaned up the fish really nicely and quickly right on the boat. We actually enjoyed watched the crew do this. Pretty cool. I'm giving Matt and his business 2 stars because Yelp's description of two stars - "Meh. I've experienced better." sums it up perfectly. We'll go fishing again, just probably not with Matt, though :) So, in short - this could have been much better if the crew brought a good attitude with them on Saturday. Hopefully they will consider this next time. read more

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These guy know what they are doing! All six of us caught fish. Thanks to Captain Harley and Keith! The trip was a gift for a friend who said it was the best birthday gift as we included three of his sons. One son stated that it was his best life experience so far. read more

Jackpot Fishing Charters - Not a bad catch for later in the day! - Boat Charters Near Me - Winthrop Harbor, Illinois

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Fantastic fishing trip. We have been out with Jackpot fishing charters many times and they never fail to deliver. 2-3 captains all are great. I like how they treat my kids and take extra care to help them land the fish. We as a family have limited out once(5 fish per person) in 2.5 hours during the Spring. Have come close 4 other times. Have fished Spring, Summer and Fall. Bigger fish caught at end of Summer. Great boats and really good air conditioned cabin. Professional crew who are good with first timer neighbors and friends. You will get many more bites than fish landed. Listening to the crew is important. You may reel in 230 ft of line just to see it within 40 ft of the boat before it runs 150 ft from the boat. Keep reeling slow and steady. A forever memory. read more

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Booked a fishing trip for the family a week ahead. got a call to confirm the trip early in the morning on the charter day, confirmed. we leave from Chicago, drive all the way to Racine and when we are 15 minutes away from the marina we get a call from Matt saying that unfortunately he double booked the boat and we were bumped...you do the math...luckily we found another boat slightly more expensive but very comfortable and professional read more

Hello everyone. Want to share my experience with you about my fishing chapter with this terrible company. I don't like to read really long reviews on my own so I'll make it easy for you. 1. We have been to a boat accident. 2. Not once - TWICE! But it was not the worth part, capitan Matt Porter owner - jackpot fishing charters, everything goes thru him. He didn't know about what happened until I called him 7 hours latter. He didn't pick up the phone at the moment of accident. No police report were filed, like nothing happened and I asked a couple times for his insurance- take a guess - still waiting for his response. Definitely not recommend this company for fishing charters, unless you want to be into boat accident twice! Anybody else but NOT them any more! Thank you. Be safe! read more

I've booked with Jackpot about a half dozen times in the last 15 years - most recently last weekend. It has always been an amazing experience. Whether with Matt or any of the people who work for him - they are working hard all day to find the fish & they do find them. 22 Brown Trout & Coho last weekend (that's just one morning of fishing) . . . last summer it was fewer fish but some monster Kings. I've brought lots of friends & family out - everyone always has a great time while Matt & his mates do the hard work. These are definitely the guys you want for a great day on Lake Michigan. read more

Jackpot Fishing Charters - 2016 Monster King - Boat Charters Near Me - Winthrop Harbor, Illinois

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Had a great time with Jackpot Fishing. Was out for a Bachelor party and we went out with Capt Frank and first mate Beau. They were great at teaching us what to do as four of us had never done this or even fished, even our one friend who gets seasick had a good time and landed a fish. They were very courteous and understanding. Did a good job getting us out quickly and to the right spots to land some Coho, caught 8 fish in about four hours. Everyone had a chance to reel one in. What we best though was Capt Franks aim for us to have a good time even with rough weather forecasted. He could have canceled the whole thing, but he took us out for as long as we could and made it a great experience, even making sure we got back safely once the storm did hit. I would recommend Jackpot and Capt Frank to anyone looking to charter a boat. read more

Jackpot did everything possible to make our trip a success. We caught two big lake trouts and two large Koho salmon. Great job!!

Do not beleive a word he say's. If I was with the compitition I would no there is no drag line. It was one of the worst experiences I have ever had. Stay far away. read more

Yesterday was my 7th time on the Jackpot and as usual, a great time was had by all! The fish weren't biting a much as our previous trips but everyone caught fish and we had some monster Lake Trout to take home. We had an absolute blast with Capt. Matt and Jeff but more importantly, our 10 year old first-time fisher had a trip he will never forget. Aside from him catching a King and a few Lakers, Capt. Matt made sure to keep him involved and took the time to answer all of his questions--there were a lot of questions!! Seeing a kid enjoy his first fishing experience so much really made it that much more awesome for the 5 adults on the boat and I doubt any other Captain could have made it as memorable. Thanks Matt and I'll see you in the fall!! read more

Jeff is a great captain and very knowledgeable. He told us so many things about the lake and how to catch fish too. It was my first time with them and I really enjoyed it. We all were comfortable and caught lots of fish. Some were truly big. I deeply want to say thank you to you guys for making my day. I highly recommend fishing with Jackpot. read more

Went out fishing with captain Matt a while back. Had a blast and caught a bunch of fish. He is on top of everything to make sure it's a fun day. He also cleaned all our fish for us. And there were a lot. Highly recommended. read more

Have used Jackpot Fishing Charters for the last 4 years and have yet to have a bad time with them. The captain always finds where the fish are!! I have recommended them to several friends who have all said the same thing. Look forward to using them many more times in the future!! read more

We've been using Matt for almost ten years and have always had a great time. He will typically bring in more fish than the other captains in the area and from his knowledge, it's easy to understand why. I have also read the other reviews that spoke to a poor demeanor from Matt. My take is that they are either from a jealous rival captain or the group who would have been better served riding the teacups at Disney. read more

Been fishing with Jackpot every year since 2005 with my family; sometimes we catch our limit and some days we catch only a few fish...but that's fishing! The captain is very knowledgeable and will always put you in the best position to catch some big fish. read more

Booked a trip with Matt and he followed up by email, letting us know he was on vacation and Shane would be our captain. Showed up at 5 to have Shane ready and waiting. We jumped on and off we went ten minutes later (seriously) we were reeling in our first fish. Couldn't have been happier Shane worked hard for every fish we got was very friendly and worked with everyone to get those fish in the cooler. It was the best charter I've been on and am working on getting another group to go. See ya soon read more

This Captain and Crew really know there stuff! (5 hour trip and we caught our limit) Matt and his crew were helpful and knowledgeable! I read some of the negative reviews and there seemed to be one theme ... The Captain Matt wouldn't be my friend ... well his job is to locate fish, drive the boat, and assist in everything else going on, not to be my friend (even though I found him very approachable and very friendly). I am an experienced fisherman but this was my first charter and it couldn't have gone better. I'm planning to be back in the fall! And it will definitely be with Jackpot! read more

We booked Jackpot Charters for a trip with 3 children. It wasn't the worst experience, but it could have been easily improved with a new Captain. He doesn't seem to enjoy his job and was not very friendly to the children. To him, they were always in the way. Justin on the other hand is an asset to his business. He was a high school senior and very easy going. We do plan to go on another fishing trip, but would rather try another boat captain. Matt does not understand customer service. read more

Had a great time. Been out a few times with Matt on the Jackpot. Great boat, great gear, great captain! You will catch fish! Early season Coho is always a blast. I'm looking forward to a late season trip for some trophy fish! read more

I have booked this charter many many times over. Matt is an excellent captain for all situations. We have always caught mosnter fish, and everyone that comes always has a great time. The boat is sizable and comfortable. The fishing is always intense and a great time. I plan on continuing to book Jackpot Charters for all my fishing trips. I have booked over 6 times with him and its always a great time. Can not wait for the next trip. Thanks Matt, Thanks Jackpot Charters!!! Keep the good times coming!! read more

I'm submitting this review yet again. Next time I'm showing my photo receipt. Not understanding why my reviews for Jackpot keep getting removed. I'm going again in 3 days. Looking forward to reviewing again for my 3rd trip. Yes. 3rd trip. Matt is taking us this time. should be a great experience. read more

Captain Matt Porter was excellent. A great guy to be on a boat with for 5 hours! He lead us to the fish, taught us best practice, and was sure to send us home with a bag full of Lake Michigan's finest fish. He is truly a professional and his fishing instincts are sharp. If your going to spend money on a fishing charter, do it the right way with Jackpot Fishing! read more

Went out with Captain Matt last week on my first fishing trip and had a great experience. Went with a friend who has fished with Jackpot several times. Matt went above and beyond to make sure we had a great day. He actually stayed out beyond the end of our charter to give us a bit more time, and we were able to nab a few additional fish. I would fish with Jackpot again, and have already recommended them to friends. read more

What an awesome experience! Crew was awesome! Price was good! Caught a slew of fish! Will be making this a yearly event!

We've gone out fishing with Matt four times now, and have a great time every time. Matt is a very good captain, and goes the extra mile to make sure you not only catch fish but have fun doing it. I highly recommend! read more

Matt was an excellent Captain and Justin was an outstanding deckhand. My family trip was extremely successful with 15 large fish caught on a 5-hour trip. I highly recommend the Jackpot for a fun and productive trip. read more

Worst Fishing Charter ever. Capt is rude. He does all the fishing by himself. No fun at all. It is like you are buying fish from market, even worst because at market you are treated better. I will not recommend it to anyone. If you want to waste your time and money do it. Like I said buy fish but do not go with this captain. read more

Like many businesses there are mixed reviews, some people like - others don't. Well jackpot Fishing was definitely one we didn't like. We did catch some fish (late August), so that wasn't the issue. The issue like many other low star reviews of this charter service is "Captain" Matt. In short, he is rude, no personality and definitely made an experience that could have been much more fun a lot less enjoyable. Don't expect: any safety instructions, pleasant interactions or anything that resembles respect or customer service, or a captain that makes the trip fun. I could go on about this guy, but I think if you're looking for a FUN charter service - try someone else and read ALL the reviews first - I wish we had. We had six people, non-drinkers just looking for a good fishing experience. read more

I was recommended to JackPot charters from a friend and I booked a 5hr trip for King Salmon and they GUARANTEE fish and say Bring plenty of Bengay for sore muscles from reeling in monsters. Well that's not the case we traveled for a while but it must have been to the wrong place because we caught 2 small fish a coho and a king. When we got to shore I called the captain because his son was running the boat who is about 18 or 19 years old because the captain has a bad back and i asked about some kind of compensation for our poor expirence like 1/2 off a charter or just take us out again when the fish are biting but he said No! So much for "We are committed to TOTAL Customer Satisfaction!"Then He told me ("if you want fish go to the fish market and buy some!" they weren't biting that's too bad I can give you a 100 dollars off a 6hr charter and that's it!, because I have to pay $100.00 dollars for fuel and i have to pay the captain). Those expenses are understandable but if you can't deliver what the flyer says then you need a new flyer. I won't be going out with Jackpot charters again or will I recommend them to anybody I found captain Matt to be rude on the phone and not polite to deal with. read more

Went fishing this past weekend and was really disappointed. My family and I have been on other charters before I never experienced any kind of sickness, that day the waves were so crazy and so choppy nobody could enjoy themselves. When we arrive to the boat There was no warm welcome or even a hello. It was more like are you on my charter are you going to pay cash or credit and do you have your fishing license. The first mate he was nice but the captain he was just downright rude. We only lasted about an hour and a half on the boat because almost everyone was throwing up. Now I'm not saying that it's their fault that everyone got sick, they just didn't care. Not once did anybody ask if we were okay, if anyone needed something to drink, which I might add that drinks were included in the package and not once were we offered anything, they just looked really bored and they look like they were waiting to go home. Not only did we only last an hour out on the charter but we were charged for 5 hours which I think is ridiculous! Yes we caught some fish but that wasn't the point the point was to enjoy ourselves. Will I be going on another one of these charters? I think not. read more