When traveling through Northern Michigan, you will likely experience a wide variety of freshly caught fish at area restaurants. If you ask where these restaurants where they get their fresh fish, there’s a good chance they’ll say John Cross Fisheries, and for good reason. This long-standing staple has been serving the Charlevoix community for over seventy years. Catching up to 10,000 pounds of fresh fish daily, it’s safe to say, “they know their fish.”

The catch can vary daily, but you’ll find: salmon, walleye, whitefish, trout, and perch among other seasonal fish. They also carry non-native seafood varieties that are frequently brought in. Located just a few blocks from downtown Charlevoix on Belvedere Ave on the shores of the south side of Round Lake, John Cross Fisheries is a hidden gem.  

John Cross Fisheries offers a variety of options to tempt your taste buds. Caught daily filet options, smoked fish and their famous smoked whitefish sausage. A crowd favorite is a 3-fish dip made up of smoked salmon, whitefish, and trout.

Make sure to view the processing room where you may get to see the special filleting machine in action and catch a peak of the old trawler named Falcon, which may be at the dock at the market, or out on the waters around Charlevoix. If you are going to be traveling a long distance, be sure to ask the staff of John Cross Fisheries to package your purchases with ice. 

Charlevoix has some of the best freshwater fishing on Lake Michigan. If you're planning on go fishing while visiting Charlevoix click here to learn more. 

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Easy but Delicious Lemon Caper Whitefish Recipe (serves 4):

• Season: 2 large Whitefish filets with a brush of olive oil, salt, and pepper
• Sauce: Slowly melt a stick of butter, add a dash of dry white wine, juice from one lemon, 3 tbsp of capers, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. You may whisk in flour to thicken to your taste.
• Grill: Whitefish skin down over a hot fire (using a fish basket or foil) until it flakes (about 5-7 minutes).
• Serve: Sauce atop the fish.
• Add a seasonal veggie from the farmer’s market as a side (grilled asparagus during the spring). Bon Appetite!