Meet your captain
Jack Votaw.
Always chasing
the next bite.
The person behind Northern Pursuit—and the passion that brings it to the water.
I’m a USCG-licensed Captain, CPR certified, and First Aid certified, with approximately 10 years of fishing experience in Northern Michigan. I’ve spent that time learning Grand Traverse Bay, Frankfort, and the surrounding northern Michigan waters—experience I bring to every trip with a steady focus on safety, preparation, and a good day on the water.
Lake trout jigging on Grand Traverse Bay. Salmon trolling out of Frankfort on Lake Michigan. Time spent figuring out what the fish are doing, then making the next adjustment. That’s the fishing at the heart of Northern Pursuit.
My approach is hands-on: pay attention to the sonar, read the conditions, and keep refining the presentation. I want you to enjoy the catch and understand the decisions that led to it.
What I enjoy most is getting people out on Grand Traverse Bay for a relaxed, fun day of lake trout jigging. You’re right outside Traverse City, surrounded by beautiful water, fishing for lake trout that pull hard and make excellent table fare.
On quieter days, there’s plenty of room to settle in and enjoy the bay. I want you to leave the everyday stress at the dock, have a few laughs, and enjoy some good fishing with your people.
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The waters we pursue
Knows the water.
Keeps learning it.
Grand Traverse Bay
My lake trout approach centers on reading depth, finding marks, and watching how fish respond to a jig. It’s active fishing: work the presentation, notice the reaction, and adjust instead of repeating the same drop.
Frankfort & Lake Michigan
For salmon, I focus on the relationship between temperature, depth, and the trolling spread. Lure choice and presentation matter—but so does being willing to change the plan as the water and the bite change.
Every day is different. Weather and lake conditions guide the plan; a catch is never guaranteed.
Come aboard
Our 18-foot
Stealthcraft.
Meet the boat behind Northern Pursuit: an 18-foot Stealthcraft, 72 inches wide, equipped with state-of-the-art electronics for a hands-on day of fishing.
18 feet
Our Stealthcraft is the boat you’ll step aboard for your Northern Pursuit fishing experience.
72 inches wide
A fishing-focused setup for working your presentation and staying close to the action.
State-of-the-art electronics
Modern electronics help us read depth, locate fish, and make informed adjustments as the day unfolds.
Let’s put a day on the calendar.
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