Welcome to Rigged & Ready MKE!

While we do not hire or provide Captains directly, we can send you a list of Captains we know of in the area.  You can then contact a Captain and hire and pay them directly. Just purchase your trip online and then send us an email to riggedandreadymke@gmail.com OR call/text us at (414) 375-5930 and we can provide you with a list.  Captain pricing is an extra $200 for the first 2 hours and $75 per hour thereafter.  Just tell yiour captain where you would like to go (or take their suggestions) and have a great time!

If the driver was born in 1988 or before, they do not need a Boaters License, but a valid driver‘s license. If the driver was born in 1989 or later, they need a valid driver’slicense and a boater’s safety certificate. They can complete the boater safety course online, HERE.

Our boats have a capacity of up to 13 adults and 2 children, including the driver, depending on the boat rented. This is mandated by boating laws and we cannot exceed that capacity for any reason.  We will match you with a boat depending on the number of people you indicate when you book.

Yes.  We do require drivers to have experience with operating and docking powerboats.  Our boats can go high speeds and go out onto Lake Michigan, which is very different from other rentals you typically see on the Milwaukee River.  If you lack experience, please contact us so we can put you in contact with a Captain.

Yes! You may bring whatever snacks and beverages that you like. Adults 21 years and over may bring beer, wine, etc. Cans and plastic bottles are preferred over glass. We request that you drink responsibly as excessive drinking will not be tolerated and may result in a shorter or canceled trip. Absolutely no illegal substances of any kind are allowed on the boat.  Lake Michigan and the associated rivers are patrolled by a variety of law enforcement personnel and drunk drivers will be prosecuted.  

We provide a cooler and ice, if requested in advance.  Feel free to bring beverages and snacks! A camera, sunscreen, sunglasses, swim apparel, snacks and drinks or extra dry clothing are also good items to have along.

Physical Location of Boat:
McKinley Marina 

100 East Lagoon Drive

Center Slips

Milwaukee, WI

An e-mail will be sent to you once you book with a link to an interactive Google map.

Directions: From Lincoln Memorial Drive, turn onto Lagoon Drive (Veteran’s Park Entrance).  Then take the first left at the sign that says, "Center Slips".  Then turn left before the parking gate into the parking lot.  Walk towards the building at the marina and contact us once you reach the pedestrian gate.  We will open the pedestrian gate and walk you to the boat. DO NOT JUST SEARCH FOR MCKINLEY MARINA AS IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE WRONG AREA.  Use the address above.

Yes, all of our boats have a Bluetooth-equipped sound system and radio.

Head down the Milwaukee and Kinnickinnic Rivers to enjoy the sights of the City from the water.  Stop for a beverage or meal at one of the numerous bars/restaurants with public docking typically available.  Head north and you can view Bradford Beach or head south to anchor and visit the sheltered waters of South Shore Beach or the beer garden. You can also anchor in the area near Summerfest and Discovery World and swim or listen to music at the Uline stage.  We recommend you stay within the inner harbor/break wall for calmer seas. Just be mindful of time as the entire riverways are "Slow No Wake" and completing an entire loop, can take upwards of 150 minutes from dock to dock as the majority of the trip is slow no wake.

If a customer cancels within 24 hours, or fails to show up within 15 minutes of the start of the booking, they will be charged in full. If a customer cancels earlier than 24 hours before the scheduled event, they will be provided a credit for future use.  Rigged and Ready  MKE reserves the right to cancel a booking due to inclement weather.  Examples include a small craft advisory, waves bigger than 3 feet, fog, and/or thunderstorms. If a booking is canceled by Rigged and Ready, the customer will be given a credit to use at a future date.

Yes! There is no age restriction on our boats.  Various boat laws do apply as to age restrictions regarding operating boats, wearing life jackets, etc. Be sure to let us know how many children will be onboard in advance to ensure we have the proper safety equipment for them. 

For your safety (and the safety of your security deposit), we do not allow smoking on our boats.

Yes, It is your boat for the rental period. Enjoy and do as you please! Note howver, that boats rented for recreational use will NOT be equipped for fishing. Boats that are rented for fishing will come with a full set of fishing gear, downriggers, etc. and are not meant for more than 6-8 people total.

In Wisconsin, kids 15 and under fish without a license every day. So do anglers born before 1927. For everybody else, a variety of license options can get you out on the water quickly and easily. Get your license to relax and enjoy what Wisconsin has to offer! Note that a Wisconsin fishing license AND Great Lakes Trout stamp are required to fish Lake Michigan. 

Getting your first license or just visiting? Discounted license options are available including:

• First-time Buyer License – for those who haven't fished Wisconsin before or want to return to fishing after at least 10 years without a license. 
• One-day fishing license – for those anglers that want to give Wisconsin fishing a try for one day only.

Rigged and Ready MKE staff keep up with all the latest fishing reports and will help guide you to the hottest spots. We also have a chart plotter on our Garmin electronics that will assist you to see where the previous fishermen have had success. We can’t guarantee you’ll catch that monster, but we’ll do our best to put you in the best possible locations. Check out Lake Michigan - Wisconsin Fishing Reports (lake-link.com)

King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout.  Certain times of year are better than others for the various species, but all of these species are caught throughout the season. 

 Abundant catches can happen at any time during the season! 

You can take your fish home with you as is or a beautiful fish cleaning station is located at the north McKinley Marina boat launch / roundhouse area.  A large cooler will be provided for you while on the boat, but bring a cooler to take home your catch and transport accordingly.  Note, fish cannot be cleaned on the boat while on the water or back at the dock. 

Our experienced Rigged and Ready MKE crew will set the lines up for you at the dock with the hottest lures for the time of year and species you would like to target. Just show up and get fishing! Our basic fishing package includes rods, reels, two electric downriggers, dipsey divers, lead core and flat line set ups coupled with spoons, flashers, flies. plugs, etc. Looking for something specific?  Let us know and we will do our best to accommodate.  

If you have never fished before and / or never trolled, we highly recommend you first enjoy an outing on one of the many fine Milwaukee area fully chartered outings.  While we can provide the basics at the dock before you head out, once on the water, the rest is up to you!

YES! The fish finder and charting are designed to help you locate optimal fishing areas. 

You can, but we will also have equipment with the boat rigged and ready for your use.  You are however responsible for lost gear while fishing. Our fishing boats are set up by fisherman, for fisherman, so ask questions before of what gear you will be provided and we will do our best to accommodate additional equipment. 

It is highly unusual to get seasick while on the Milwaukee River. If you take the boat outside of the break wall, you may get seasick. This is an individual occurrence and hard to predict. Our boats take the waves nicely.  If you are prone to being seasick and plan to go outside of the break wall onto Lake Michigan, we recommend that you take Dramamine BEFORE you get on the boat.

There are only a couple of times per year when the fishing is good on the rivers  and you are only able to fish the initial portions of the rivers up to the first railroad crossing / bridge. Additionally, while you are able to fish these portions of the rivers, with the amount of traffic, especially on the weekends, we discourage it. It's very easy to have inexperienced boaters cut across your lines.