We stumbled upon Big Bay Outfitters and decided to go in because of its charming look and…read moreinteresting signage. It was definitely worth the visit. All of the fishing supplies you could need, boat rentals, and gear - though we really didn't need anything, we just wanted to hang around and explore. Bill was very helpful when we asked about waterfalls in the vicinity - it just so happens that he created a map of waterfalls! He also does tours, and although I'm not big on organized tours, he is just the kind of person that I would like as a guide - maybe next trip.

My sisters and I were exploring the UP and decided to camp near Lake Independence. We wanted to do…read moresome fishing and check out waterfalls in the surrounding area. We had been referred to Big Bay Outfitters to rent a fishing boat. We were welcomed by both Bill and Kristi with exceptional kindness and hospitality. We rented a fishing boat and Bill promptly delivered it to the dock at the arranged time and had it picked up expediently . They were both very knowledgeable about the area from the lakes, waterfalls, fishing tips and gear, roads and trails, etc. They offer a plethora of supplies in their shop in case you need anything. We highly recommend Big Bay Outfitters and plan to be back again!

The staff was somewhere between unprofessional, unsafe, and disorganized. After inspecting a crack…read morein a kayak, they first decided to not let anyone use it, but when they were short kayaks, two younger boys were allowed in. The verged on rude during the entire morning. most of the dry bags are very old and pretty useless. the spray skirts were the same. there was endless chaos getting everyone ready for over an hour. The guide was nice but only engaged us in about 5 minutes of information about the sandstone cliffs and it was all information you could get from a visitor center. If you want a naturalist, better to find out who is leading your trip. There was no lunch provided which seems ridiculous for the money paid. We couldn't tell if they cancelled a portion of our trip because of weather (as stated) or because their kayak transport pontoon boat had sunk at the put-in spot. Their website states 6 hours of paddling. After the morning debacle, we paddled leisurely for 2 hours to lunch and less than 2 hours back (with the wind). The 'long paddle' we were supposed to do was supposedly only 2 hours further, far short of the 8 total hours mentioned on their site. I guess their times include waiting in the parking lot, waiting for them to organize on the beach, and a very leisurely 1 hour on a beach eating the lunch you bring along. Seeing the views from the a kayak is great, but this company is not.

6 of us had this lake trout charter lined up for months, we were told to be at the lower harbor in…read moreMarquette at 6 am July 6 2013. We confirmed the location and time before. I live in Houghton and have spent 20 years on Lake Superior and know the dangers well. I left my house at 3:30 am and started to drive the 2+ hours, one hour into the drive I noticed the wind was really blowing, I called the guys and asked if Ducky would call if the waves were too big to fish or too dangerous to go, no calls, so we continue, I get there at 5:40, my friends pull in and we spend the next 40 minutes looking for the charter boat and calling Ducky with no answer. 7 am Ducky calls back and says we are still on but he is confused why we were in Marquette, we needed to drive 20 minutes more to shelter bay. Remember we confirmed Marquette. So we drive the extra 20 and the captain tells us we can go if we want, but he doesn't recommend it as the waves are 6 to 8 feet and building making it impossible to fish, I had the feeling this would happen, but Ducky had no regard for his captain or customers he was only concerned that he get his cut of the $1200 bucks we would have paid. Hey guys you can go in small craft advisories, just make sure you pay up front....A simple phone call to reschedule would have saved us all a lot of time and money and we would have been writing a different review as well. $70 bucks on gas, 6 hours round trip driving time and a waste of time could have been avoided with a simple call. There are many real good lake trout charter outfits, I recommend you look into any other service but this one.

I would highly recommend Seaberg Pontoon Rentals! We rented a 25 ft pontoon to tour ourselves…read morearound Pictured Rocks. The boat was clean and well maintained. They gave us very clear instructions of where to go and where not to go. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. They brought a wagon up to our car to load with our stuff and brought the wagon back upon our arrival. They made the process very easy! This was such an amazing experience for us to explore Lake Superior and Pictured Rocks.

My family rented from this company a few years ago and had a great experience--friendly staff,…read morebeautiful lake, smooth process. That's why we came back. But this time? The owner (Bryan) ruined everything. Right when we got there, our group (we're all Asian) was greeted with: "Can you guys speak English?" Yeah. That was the first thing out of his mouth. It was rude, racist, and unnecessary. We were stunned but tried to brush it off to enjoy the day. Fast forward, while trying to close the boat door using my foot (kicking not even forcefully--I just didn't know how the mechanism worked), he immediately snapped and shouted: "Kick my boat again and I'll kick your ass." Mind you, I'm 16. That's an adult man threatening a minor--over a door. No explanation, no patience. Just straight-up aggression. Like I'm sorry I that I ever kicked the door but there is still no justification in yelling at a MINOR that doesn't go on daily pontoon rides and suddenly know how everything works. After that, he told us to "take a picture of your props." We were all confused--props? Like stage props? Personal belongings? The property? Even my dad, who's a trained seaman (of the Philippines so of course their training had to be different), had no idea what he meant. Turns out he meant the propeller--but instead of explaining, he started yelling "PROPELLER!" like we were supposed to automatically understand his vague boat lingo. We're not boat people. We came to enjoy the lake, not operate a ship. The way he barked at us made everything stressful and awkward. And then--after everything he said and did--he had the nerve to ask if we had any leftover food. Sir... you just threatened me, disrespected my group, and yelled at us like we were idiots... and now you want a snack? Absolutely not. Hell no. Plus, who asks strangers for leftovers? Since you took our money, you definitely have enough for happy meal at Mcdonald's. Absolutely bull-... behavior. At that point, all I could do was laugh. Not because it was funny, but because it felt like a bad comedy sketch. The whole thing was ridiculous. The boat ride was beautiful. The other staff were professional and kind. But the owner's behavior was racist, threatening, condescending, and completely unprofessional. We won't return while he's in charge. If you care about basic human respect--go anywhere else. P.S. we were lucky enough to not get served by Ellen, which judging by the reviews, also has a bad attitude. Beware.

5 stars!!!…read more Celebrated my dad's 91st birthday with a 4-hour charter. Sarah is great! Helped us get everything scheduled. Flexible and kind. Justin (captain) is awesome as well. So knowledgeable and patient! Caught lots of fish, and made great memories! Awesome experience! Thank you!

The BEST fishing charter we have ever been on. Wish we lived closer to go more often.read more

Unclean, strong smell of syrup. Had to air out opening all windows which had no blinds. We were…read morecreeped out because we couldn't tell who was living there or a customer. Felt a bit of voyeurism takes place as no blinds, mirrors placed weird and the view went right to a persons house. Drunk guests were creeping around and we had to call the cops. The just never responded or interacted except when we pulled up. Wrong Wi-Fi password written. Missing amenities, continuously stated dosent provide charcoal when it was listed. Need updating their instructions. Dirty dishes, garbage in our fire pit (fire pit and grill were not on property as stated. ) towels looked used, unclean. Tractors starting at 8am and junky boats cluttering property. Host was agressive and rude. She seems to be agressive with any criticism. Just accused us of false things, basically trashing the place which I've never done in my life. She accused someone of urinating in the bed! Most insulting interaction I've had. She is going to drive that business in the ground that already lacked professionalism. Mom and dad must be proud. Do not recommend. Never have I had this experience at an air bnb.

My friends and I just completed a six (originally five) day stay, beginning in the Hiawatha cabin,…read moreand moving to the Huron for the last night. The Hiawatha is a cozy two bedroom with the perfect access to the water and communal areas. The cabins are very clean, and well appointed, with microwaves, full-sized refrigerators, and a stove with oven. The Hiawatha is perfect for a landing spot from those long days of sightseeing. We decided to extend our stay by a day, and the gracious host, Sarah, was more than accommodating, offering to move us to another cabin for the final night, as ours was already booked. The Huron is a spacious three bedroom, with two queens and two twins, and a shower/bath combo. Newer construction, and everything the Hiawatha has, but more space for those larger groups. However, you don't come to Kimar to stay in your cabin, and the lakeshore views do not disappoint. Morning sunrises, and the activity of an active charter fishing operation provide the vibe that will calm the most anxious of souls. Sarah and Chris, the hosts, are third generation Kimar, and the added experiences they provides are what makes Kimar so special. They are very welcoming, and take the time to make sure everyone from young to old have a unique and memorable experience to take home with them. Do your research before you book, because the beaches here are for rock hounds, not sunbathers. The weather was cool, and my traveling companions had not thought about 55 degree nights when they packed clothing. My best experiences were found on the dock, in front of the campfire meeting new friends, and searching for beach treasures and Yooperlites. I hesitate to post any of this, because I want to keep this hidden gem all to myself. Thank you, Kimar family and friends, for making this one of the most memorable vacations ever!

Always a great time with Captain Steve!!! (Third year customer) He is extremely knowledgeable, down…read moreto earth, and of course GETS THE FISH. Brown Trout, Lake Trout, and Coho/King Salmon on Superior. He has also taken us out on Lac La Belle for Walleye. Highly recommended.

From the owner: Lakes Superior fishing charters for trout and salmon. Half day (5hrs) and full day (8hrs) charters…read moreare available.

Beautiful place!! Highly suggest to anybody looking to sightsee! Cute little gift store as well.read more

Located right on Indian Lake and home to Kitch-iti-Kipi is Palms Book State Park. This state park's…read moremain attraction is Kitch-iti-Kipi and I find it to be a relatively small park outside of that freshwater spring. I can imagine that most people come here just to check out the spring as there is a separate entrance directly to the parking lot for Kitch-iti-Kipi. Granted, I didn't take the time to explore the rest of the park, but just looking at the map, I could tell there were one or two more trailers, but other than that not much else. We were camping at Indian Lake State Park, so after visiting Kitch-iti-Kipi, going out on the raft and back, we headed back to our campground to hike the trailers at Indian Lake State Park.

Cool Spot, Must Hike Down After Catwalk!…read more Really beautiful waterfall, nice clean water and once you get down to the water line at the fall there was no one there when I went. It was cool because you actually felt alone in nature for once at a waterfall. You can also take the little trails up from the walkway to get onto the old railroad bridge which is now a snowmobile bridge and you can see good views as in my pictures that are shown. There is a nice walkway and the catwalk over to the falls under an old railroad bridge. Go ofc the right where the trail is and carefully climb down to the water. If you just go down the cat walk and that is it you won't be able to see you too much. It's important to navigate down but if you have physical limitations or any worries about climbing down the dirt hill you should not attempt it.

This was such a nice surprise!…read more For being right off the highway, I wasn't expecting much, but this ended up being one of the funner waterfalls in the U.P. It had a steep walkway down the mountain that is a fun workout to get down to, then back up, and you can get a great view of the bridge and waterfalls from down there. If you walk up only twenty feet or so from the main pathway, you end up on the bridge overlooking the falls-both great sites.