Testimonials

What an awesome experience this morning with Capt. Randy and 1st mate Rob from 1st Choice Fishing Charters. Capt. Randy and Rob were able to put my father in-law and I on salmon early AND often. Could not believe how much fun we had. Can’t wait to do this again. Thank you Capt. Randy and 1st mate Rob!

We went during the last week on June and had a great time! Capt Randy and first mate Rob are an unbeatable team. My father in law is older and had a tough time with some of the hard fights but they were both very attentive and helped immensely. We all landed a few King Salmon each and one was a beautiful 18 pounder! Great time had by all and would highly recommend.

Thank you Randy and Rob for an amazing experience. The boys and I have never experienced anything like it! We appreciate everything you did, from giving advice about motion sickness ahead of time (which worked!) to fileting all the salmon). I would and will recommend you to anyone. Wish we were closer so we could go more often. We will try to come back from Wisconsin!

My boyfriend I went out with Captain Randy last week and had an amazing time! I caught two steelheads and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery and time on the water with the Captain! Can’t wait to come back and fish the spring with you!!

Just wanted to say how much I appreciate the fact we were given a phone call before leaving Pittsburgh to let us know that the water conditions for fishing were not worthy of going out. I appreciate the honesty and not letting us drive all the way up there just to take our money and have a horrible experience! We are definitely re-booking for a spring trip in their newer bigger boat. Clearly this is why they are our 1st Choice Charter! Thanks and cant wait for spring now!!

Had a great time fishing and Captain Randy was a joy to hang out with. Definitely recommend!!

We had such a great time and can’t say enough about the experience. Randy and Rob were so knowledgeable, helpful and just fun to talk to. Exceeded our expectations. We can’t wait to go out again someday!

My three boys booked a Lake Ontario charter with Captain Randy and Rob as a gift for Fathers Day. We launched out of Wilson Harbor around 7AM. Slow going to start but Captain Randy decided to head out To deeper water. These guys really know where to find the fish! Started to get hits and lost 3 or 4 do to our inexperience but Randy and Rob straighten us out and we ended up catching 8 Steelhead and Salmon. We had a ball! Randy and Rob never stop moving and they are a blast ! Thanks to Captain Randy and Rob ! We will definitely be coming back!

What a great experience, Randy we had an incredible day. Randy is a very knowledgeable captain and he takes you to the best action on the water. Tank you so much Randy!!!!

Captain Randy and his Deckhand were great. He knew exactly what time we needed to get off the dock and exactly where to go. We got on fish within the first hour and never got off of them. We hit our limit for the day and had a great time. They were very clear on how to catch the fish and we had a high success rate in landing them. We will definitely be booking Captain Randy in the future again!!

Our family has been looking for a new fishing experience. This fit the bill! It was our very first charter, but Captain Randy and his first mate made us and our 8 year old son feel so welcome and relaxed. They are great with kids! …then the fish started biting! Needless to say, We will forever know the difference between our usual catches and landing a 20 lb. King Salmon! Amazing! Our son will be talking about this for years to come. The boat was cleaned often and plenty of open fresh air.

I messaged Randy on Thursday before we headed to Niagara falls for the weekend to try to book a trip. I received a phone call shortly after explaining what the trip would consist of and that he had an opening for the upcoming weekend! I surprised my husband by booking the trip for our honeymoon which Randy knew! We initially booked for Sunday evening but when an opening came available for a earlier time Randy called us up and offered the opening to us! From the moment we stepped on the boat on Lake Ontario it was a great experience! We went an hour with out much activity. But once the rain cleared and the sun started shining we had hits! A couple got away from us but Bob and Randy put everything they could to get us a King Salmon! My husband was so happy with the trip he cannot stop talking about it!! We didn’t even make it back to our hotel room before the words I wanna do it again came out of his mouth! We will never forget this amazing trip thanks to Randy and Bob at 1st Choice Fishing Charters!

Though charters aren’t inexpensive, the memories you make doing this with Captain Randy are priceless and forever cherished! I took my son, for the second year in a row, as a birthday gift, and this is something he will forever remember. Thank you Randy!

We all had a blast catching steelhead trout and salmon with 1st Choice Charters on Sept 21, 2019. Captain Randy and First Mate Rob were on top of everything. We were just one shy of our limit! We can’t wait to do it again next year!

As a father, one of the joys of life is spending time with his children. Randy delivered an experience my boys and I will never forget. Thank you.

We took our three boys fishing with Captain Randy and Bob and it far exceeded our expectations! Captain Randy made our day on Lake Ontario unforgettable. We will definitely be going back. His knowledge, expertise, and equipment was outstanding. Best of all, he is very easy to be around and was GREAT with my boys. Yes, we caught fish but it was the experience that made it a great day. We brought home a lot of salmon and will be heading back when we get the chance. It was clear he was going to do everything he could to get fish on our lines. He was genuinely excited when my boys caught fish!!! The boys “doubled up” once and almost had a fish on all three lines once! I highly recommend going fishing with Captain Randy.

We just returned from our Fishing trip with “1st Choice Charters “ on the Missing Link. We had a Great time and were thrilled with our “catch”. Randy and Rob were wonderful! Both were kind, fun, helpful and extremely hard working. We were very impressed with their knowledge and expertise. What terrific, hard working men! Thank you once again for making our first (but not last) Lake Ontario fishing trip so memorable and fun. We will definitely recommend 1st Choice Charters to others and look forward to future trips with you.

My wife booked a fishing trip for me and 5 of my friends in June. We had a fantastic time with Capt Randy and his 1st mate from 1st Choice fishing Charters. They were very personable and their expertise shined throughout the entire excursion. We all caught several fish and they were cleaned deboned for us! I would highly recommend Randy and look forward to chartering with him again on my next outing.

We booked a charter with Capt. Randy aboard the Missing Link to fish on Lake Ontario for King Salmon in late June. Our family of four, including our 8 and 11-year-olds, had a great time. We boated

We will remember this trip for the rest of our life! 1st Choice Fishing Charters really should be your first choice! You guys were awesome on leading us to some huge king salmon. Couldn’t of asked for a better experience. Already planning our trip for next year! Thanks again guys!!

We arrived in Youngstown with 9 people from Maine. Some had fished for Kings before-most had not. Made reservations with 1st Choice Fishing Charters back in mid-winter. Captain Randy was ready for us at 6 AM. Two beautiful boats with all equipment we would possibly need.
He put us on the fish immediately and action was practically non-stop until
everyone in the party had their limit.
We all had a great time. Thank you
Capt. Randy & 1st Mate Kyle- 1st Choice – 1st Class Will return

On our trip to Niagara Falls, we were lucky enough to find that Captain Randy had an opening for early spring Salmon fishing. The three of us went out for a full day and it was a great time catching Kings and Lake Trout the entire time. I appreciated that we were able to move the date to a better weather day, rather than go out and get skunked. The first mate Rob is the best I have ever seen on a charter. He worked the entire time adjusting 8 poles depth and lures to maximize our luck. Randy is a great, friendly, and knowledgeable captain. We will definitely repeat.

We went out with Captain Randy with 1st Choice Fishing for my birthday in December to do some steelheadfishing and it was amazing! The weather was cold but he knew exactly where to take us and what to throw so we were able to get our limit! We had such a wonderful time with him we ended up going back out a second time in the same week for some Walleye. We highly recommend using 1st Choice Fishing Charterswith Captain Randy! We’ll be back up when the weather gets warmer to do some King Salmon fishing! Thank you Captain Randy!

We told Captain Randy we wanted to catch giant Smallmouth bass and we did. We had such a great time, Captain Randy of 1st Choice Fishing Charters Is a wonderful guy and treats you like you have been friends for years. I would recommend this to anyone, thanks so much for an awesome time! See you again soon!

I took my son and father out with Captain Randy of 1st Choice Fishing Charters to celebrate my sons 9th Birthday. My son, Tyler, told me it was his best present ever. We all caught fish, and Tyler caught the biggest one! It was a blast. Captain Randy was very knowledgeable and just a great guy! Highly recommend!!

Captain Randy is amazing. This was our 2nd time finishing with him. Captain Randy goes above and beyond. Doesn’t matter the weather, he makes it enjoyable. 1st year cold and this time raining and cold, however we laughed and caught Salmon!! We will be back!!! You deserve 100 stars!! Thank You for the great time. Go 1st Choice Fishing Charters!!!

Can not tell you how much we all enjoyed the day !!! What a great day Captain Randy and First mate Rob went above and beyond! We had three King Salmon on at one time , they made sure we not only had fun but went home with more fish then four of us can eat. They took their time with some of us that were less experienced and even in the crappy weather they stood in the rain fighting for us to catch .. I would not ever hesitate in a second to recommend them or go out with them again !! Thank you is all I can say .. we are enjoying our dinner tonight

My family and I just returned from a full day of fishing on Lake Ontario with Captain Randy of 1st Choice Charters and 1st mate Rob and they did not disappoint. They know fishing and they are working hard the entire trip to get you the fish you so badly want. In fact, I think they wanted it more than us. His new boat is fully equipped with the technology you need to have a successful day on the water. Had 9 lines going most of the trip so you are guaranteed to bring home some fish. Even when the fish are not biting Captain Randy was constantly assuring us to be patient and the fish will come. And believe me they did. They both offered great instruction to the less experienced family members. Was very professional yet very personable. Guaranteed to have a great experience. Can’t go wrong will Captain Randy and 1st Choice Charters. Will definitely have some great family memories and some amazing photos and fishing stories.

Hats Off to 1st Choice Fishing Charters for a Great Day on the Lake Ontario. We caught fish all day and boated a few hogs! The Boat was comfortable & my kids and I had an excellent time. Highly recommend the Ontario trip if you like catching big salmon. Thanks Capt!

My family and I were doing a two week trip through Wisconsin, Michigan and Ontario. The short drive across the border into NY was well worth it. Captain Randy couldn’t have been a better captain. He definitely knew the river finding a great place to fish. In all, we bagged 15 fish (boys 8, girls 7). Plus he was great with our kids (patient and informative. And he has a great sense of humor. If we are in the area again, we’ll definitely book trip with 1st Choice Fishing Charters Thanks Captain Randy.

Captain Randy of 1st Choice Fishing Charters was a pleasure to fish with. We had one day to fish while in Niagara Falls for work. He put us on fish and made the whole experience fun.

I plan on fishing with Captain Randy again in the future when I make it back up north.

My friend and I came to Canada to visit Niagara Falls and decided to do a fishing trip while there. We booked through 1st Choice Fishing Charters as it was very close to where we were staying in Canada, and could not have been happier! Captain Randy was so much fun and helpful. He really made our experience a fun and energetic one! We caught about 9 Lake Trout and have future plans to book a Salmon trip in the summer! I would recommend Capt Randy to anyone looking for a great fishing experience!

Captain Randy showed us a great day on the river today! I caught the first two steelhead of my life, both being trophy quality fish. We boated over 20 fish for a half day charter on a challenging day with heavy fishing pressure. His captaining and guidance were informative and knowledgeable. Randy has a great attitude about fishing and it shows he truly enjoys what he does. I would do another charter with him anytime!

Had a great 2 days of fishing with Captain Randy. Excellent personality very knowledgeable and worked tirelessly to make sure we all caught. 4 King Salmon landed and 1 that got away. Can’t wait to return!

Out on 1st Choice Charters on 9/12 with Capt.Randy. He is the consummate professional, working hard all day to get us fish and his personality added greatly to the experience. My son, David is a very experienced bass fisherman, and he and Randy talked “reel” fishing all day. No pun intended. It really adds great value for your money to have a Captain with the years of experience Randy has. DON’T GO ANY FURTHER, DON’T SHOP AROUND, book NOW with Capt.Randy and 1st Choice Charter.YOU WON’T REGRET IT. WE WILL BE BACK!

My husband Elvis’ dream was to catch a King Salmon. While in Niagara Falls we called Captain Randy. He told us that he was booked for the day we wanted, Thursday 8/18/2016 so we hung up. Within 20 min Capt. Randy called us to tell us he had rearranged his schedule so we could go. He also said no promises ’cause it wasn’t Salmon run. Shortly after reaching the spot I landed a beautiful Rainbow Trout. Capt. Randy did everything in his power to find us the dream. He doesn’t give up. He’s patient and caring. The proof is that just 30 min before our trip would end Capt. Randy made a Bline & Elvis landed the fish of his dreams. A 24lb. 38 inch King Salmon! Capt Randy is the best! 1st Choice Fishing Charters is the best if you’re serious about fishing and having the time of your life!!!!! If you want to see a short video and laugh a bit while you’re at it go to https://youtu.be/prFDSMoDiz8 Captain Randy is the right man for the job. No, he’s the only man for the job!!!!!

Captain Randy of 1st Choice Fishing Charters

was once again an amazing captain. He’s so helpful and funny and personable and really cares about your fishing experience. We’ve gone fishing with him three times so far and it’s great. Really great way for my dad me and my brother to bond.

Caption Randy of 1st Choice Fishing Charters in Lewiston, New York was extremely friendly and very flexible when we contacted him on such short notice to see if he could take us out on the waters during the few days we were there. He went above and beyond to ensure we have a wonderful experience. He even went as far as to wake up at the crack of dawn to take the boat out and test the waters before we got there as it had been storming the

night before. We caught us some king salmon with his super fancy, top-of-the-line fishing equipment and he filet the fish for us right there at boat launch! We appreciated his genuine love for the environment as he went out of his way to pick up trash found on the lake. 1st Choice Fishing Charters comes highly recommended! It was our first time freshwater fishing and it certainly won’t be our last.

I did not know what to expect coming from Alabama to fish with Captain Randy at 1st Choice Fishing Charters but boy am I glad I did! He was professional and extremely friendly. He gave his best effort to put me on fish all day. If you want a great guide call Captain Randy you will not be sorry!

As an avid Lower-Niagara fisherman, I have always wanted to use a charter for a different experience than my usual shore fishing efforts. After a careful selection process, we chose Captain Randy as our charter. Randy’s professionalism and overall dedication to his craft surpassed any expectations we had. He answered all of my questions knowledgeably, and when we started pulling monster lake trout into the boat….it was evident that Captain Randy was a true professional who knew exactly how to put us on fish in questionable weather conditions no less. My Dad and Brother would unequivocally agree with Me that both fishing trips we’ve taken aboard 1st Choice Charters have generated profound memories that will last a lifetime. I would recommend his services to anyone looking for a true five-star fishing experience in Western New York!

Capt Randy made our whole visit to Niagara Falls so worth it. No matter the temperature outside, his charter was amazing. Thanks!!! Next time we will be coming with our children.

My father-in-law, Dave, and I usually take one out of state fishing trip a year in New York. The last two years we have made the journey to the Niagara River to fish with Captain Randy Lingenfelter of 1st Choice Fishing Charters, and we have not been disappointed! By 8:15 Dave hooked up on a monster salmon! After chasing her up and down the river for 15 to 20 minutes we had her in the boat. It turned out to be a 30 lbs. Salmon! We never went more than 2 drifts without a fish for the next 4 hours! Needless to say we will be returning next year for the annual salmon run!

I felt compelled to write and say what an experience it was fishing with Captain Randy Lingenfelter of 1st Choice Fishing Charters. We  never went on a freshwater fishing charter before. Not only was Captain Randy an exceptionally nice guy he was a pro at what he does. Within five minutes of starting to fish I hooked the first of many smallmouth bass on Lake Erie. My wife is very competitive was not catching any fish. Randy was doing his job and baiting our hooks and taking fish off. I told him I had no problem with him fishing at all. Well now I do, ever time Captain Randy would catch a fish he passed it off to my wife.

My father, brother and I went out on Erie for walleye fishing with 1st Choice Fishing Charters. I have a boat myself and hoping to find a Charter Captain to put us on fish and also teach me some of his stuff to help me out when I take the boat out. He did both put us on fish and willing the teach me as much as I wanted. Randy let us set up the rods take the rods out of the holder when there was a fish on. Not too many charter captains will to do that, but he did. We learned a lot from Capt. Randy, we all had a great time. Thank you captain.

Capt. Randy: I just wanted to say thanks for three great days of fishing On the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. Despite the fact that the bite was not all that great, you found us some fish including a 20+ lb. King Salmon! You worked tirelessly to put us in the right place with the right gear. You must have been exhausted by the end of each day. 1st Choice is MY CHOICE for fishing in upstate New York!