The captain knows what role to play no matter who is keeping him company. If a bunch of guys want to catch walleye, Captain Bill buddies along. If mom and dad want the kids to catch perch, Captain Bill is the grandpa that baits their hooks. If it’s a girlfriend getaway, Captain Bill is the father-figure. And for couples, he’s a chaperone.

Whether setting out to sail to Put-in-Bay for lunch or fish the day away, Captain Bill’s crews share the common bond of laughter and good times.

“I’m going fishing or sailing most days anyway, so anyone coming along makes it that much more fun,” said the captain.

But what sets his “Fun Fish” boat and “Dreamin” sailboat apart from the competitive big outfits is the intimacy. Group sizes for either vessel limit six passengers.

Fun Fishing casts off at 7:00 a.m. from Sandusky Bay Marina aboard a 30-foot Baha fishing boat that is 10-feet wide. Charters may be reserved from May 1 through October 30. Due to the marina’s close proximity to Cedar Point, charters make for a great 4 - 10 hour diversion. A unique photo opportunity puts the legendary island amusement park and its towering roller coasters in the background.

Just sit back and enjoy the scenes and leave the fish finding to the captain and his high tech gizmos. Captain Bill makes everything easy for his guests. No fishing rod? No problem, the captain has plenty, rigged and ready to cast. He even has all the bait you’ll need. You just need to bring your fishing license and snacks. If nature calls out on the water, no worries, there’s a private head below deck.

If your day is a success and you’ve filled the boat’s cooler with fish but don’t want to clean them yourself, Captain Bill will direct you to a nearby place, Lake Fish Company in Sandusky, that’ll do it for you, and it’s cheap. Plus it’s fun to watch the experts at work. First, fish are shot through a machine that scales them. Then, someone takes them to a station to clean. The precision and speed in which the knife work is done is remarkable. In the end, beautiful fillets are packed in ice in a cooler that you provide.

Walleye fishing charters are $400/group up to six people. Perch fishing charters are $350/group up to six people.

Fishing isn’t for everyone, not even the captain’s wife. You’ll find her aboard “Dreamin” ready to sail with her husband and whoever else wants to come.

Sailing charters run from May 1 through October 10 aboard a 33.6 foot Hunter, which is 12-feet wide. Up to six people can take their turns at the helm or just kick-back and enjoy the open waters as the sailboat cuts through them en route to exceptional sites like Marblehead Lighthouse, Perry’s Monument and Cedar Point on an eight-hour leisure trip around the Bass Islands. A shorter excursion for four hours tools around Sandusky Bay.

The captain provides drinks and munchies for the sailing charters. The only thing guests need to remember is the camera. Nothing feels more like a vacation than the sight of sails being hoisted while you’re day-dreamin on a sailboat.

Sailing charters are $200/group up to six people for four hours, $300/group up to six people for 8-10 hours and $400/group up to four people for overnight/24-hour trips. In addition, week-long sailing charters are offered at reasonable rates as well.

Captain Bill is retired and charters his boats for fun and extra money to help with upkeep. With more than 15 years of experience sailing and fishing on Lake Erie, he puts safety first and tries to make everyone’s experience a memorable one. He has a U.S.C.G. 50-ton Masters License with a sailing endorsement. The captain is an Ohio licensed fishing guide, a member of the Harbor Bay Yacht Club, Associate member of the Inter-Lakes Yachting Association and member of the Sandusky Charter Boat Association.

To book a charter aboard Fun Fish or Dreamin at Fun Fishing and Sailing, L.L.C., call Captain Bill Weirauch at 419-592-0761 for fishing trips or 419-966-3817 for sailing trips. More information is at www.funfishingsailingcharters.com.