Sturdy B
Sportfishing Whitehall, MI

  • Oranssi carpenter using bench saw
  • Oranssi technician working on a roof project
  • Based out of Whitehall Landing

Trip Options

  • Sunrise Trips

    6am to 12pm Salmon Fishing

    (varies by season and request)

  • Sunset Trips

    Sunset Trips

    4pm to 10pm or 5 pm to 11 pm Salmon Fishing

    (varies by season)

  • Custom Trip Plans

    It all begins with an idea. Let us know what you want for a Sturdy B experience!

GET IN TOUCH

The Sturdy B Experience:

A quick video glimpse into a Sturdy B charter

Our
Team

  • Captain Clyde Richardson

    Licensed Captain

  • Oranssi project manager Jaya Dixon

    Martin Waalkes

    Pilot/First Mate

Photos

  • Heading Out

  • At the dock

    At the dock

  • The “Dance Floor”

    The “Dance Floor”

  • The Sturdy B helm

    The Sturdy B Helm

  • Rear workstation

    Rear Workstation

  • Premium Gear Supplied

Sturdy B, short for Sturdy Barb, is a fictional version of Mattel’s Barbie® doll and the nickname of Ellen Waalkes, Martin’s wife. As Sturdy B, Ellen revels in the “sturdy” role contrasting with her twin sister’s Fashion Barbie® style. The name suits both Ellen and the adventuresome and hardy spirit needed for fishing in Lake Michigan.

Starting as adventures shared among friends, cousins Martin Waalkes and Captain Clyde Richardson formalized their years-long hobby of Great Lakes fishing into a charter business, Waalkes Sportfishing, LLC, to share the experience with others. Captain Clyde secured a US coast Guard Captains license in the spring of 2025, and the Sturdy B, a 2023 Extreme GameKing, passed inspections to be a MI Licensed Charter Boat in August, 2025.

Martin notes, “We just wanted to make a way for our fishing hobby to more accessible to our communities and saw getting the licenses and setting up the business as a way of making it safe and accessible to more people.”

The Sturdy B is based out of Whitehall, MI, just 1 hour from Grand Rapids, MI. Trips are about 6 hours long, departing in time to see the sunrise on morning trips, or evening trips that catch the beautiful Lake Michigan sunsets. The Sturdy B can take up to 4 charter customers. The fishing is trolling, where the fishing lines are pulled behind the boat and customers take turns reeling the fish to the boat. The fish, King (Chinook) Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, and Lake Trout, put up a great fight and make even better dinners. The main joy is time with friends on the water. Lake Michigan makes great memories.

Our Big Fish from 2025

2025 was a great year for the Sturdy B. We had some great catches and some exceptional fish.

Sunrises and Sunsets

Part of the Sturdy B experience is the beauty of Lake Michigan and White Lake. Most Sturdy B trips have a sunrise or sunset. The fish LOVE this time and some of our best catches have been at dusk and dawn.

Personal Video Memories

You will be able to keep and share your memories of your Sturdy B adventure with a short trip video like this.

All levels of experince welcome

We love to share the Sturdy B with those who have had little experience fishing and those who are seasoned pros. All ages are welcome, but younger children may struggle with the time investment it requires.

Information on trip details, costs, pricing policies and what to expect is available in this comprehensive document

Get Sturdy B Trip Info

The Sturdy B

Dock A12

Keenan Marina

410 S Lake St

Whitehall, MI 49461