Henriksen Fisheries is a family operated business, but it all started with one man. If you know him now it may be hard to believe, but Charlie Henriksen came to Door Country for the first time to help his family with their beloved place in the country.    

 On a spontaneous visit to beautiful Door County in 1972, Charlie’s parents, Ginny & Elmer Henriksen bought the Lodge at the Norrland Resort in downtown Ellison Bay. Charlie was attending the University of Illinois and would occasionally come up to help with renovations at the lodge. Moving here in 1973, he was soon approached by Clayton Johnson with an offer of an ice-fishing job with Clayton and Craig Woerfel. And so it began.  When Charlie became the owner of the lodge and started a restaurant on the property, he still found time to fish. What started as a side gig to fill the down time at the resort became a full-fledged passion and by 1980 he turned to fishing full-time, working with the Teskies, Weborgs, Paul Goodman and Charlie Voight over the years.

Henriksen Fisheries officially came into existence in 1987. As Charlie started to run his own small operation, in 1989 he purchased his first boat and started by renting a space in Sand Bay, a dock that has been a fishing port for well over 100 years, and home to many fishing families. Charlie, along with 2 partners continues this tradition and while only one of the original buildings remains, the property still proves to be an excellent homeport.

The crew was small to start, with Dick Bergwin helping to get the business off the ground and Charlie’s first wife and early business partner Karen, (the namesake of the green trap-net boat) still seen running out of Sand Bay and Gills Rock, forming the foundations of the crew. Chip Dickelman  joined the crew in 1990 and has been a key part of the operation ever since. In 1988 and 1991 two additional crew members were added with the birth of Charlie’s daughter Elly and son Will. They both spent countless hours of their childhood strapped into their car seats on the boat, running around in fields of trap nets being mended, folding fish boxes in the back room of the plant, and helping (and occasionally hindering) in whatever small way they could in what was truly a family endeavor.

From the outset, Henriksen Fisheries has been more than just boats and nets. Charlie credits fellow fishers Jeff Weborg and Elaine Johnson with getting him involved in “fish politics”. He has stuck with it for four decades, leaving an indelible mark on the management of the Greats Lakes Fisheries. He served for over 30 years as the President of the Wisconsin  Commercial Fisheries Association, and continues to be a constant and passionate advocate for the industry in local, state, and regional politics. He recently stepped down as Chair of the Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Board.  The governor of Wisconsin appointed him to advise the DNR.  Charlie also has served on the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council for eight years as a founding member and various other advisory groups.

During his time on the council, he provided direct insight to the effect of invaders like zebra and quagga mussels have on fisheries. This engagement goes beyond the fisheries. Charlie and his wife Kathy were named Volunteers of the Year in 2017 for their work with the Door County Humane Society and the Sister Bay Lions Club, the latter of which has thrown numerous fundraising fish boils over the years with fish generously donated by the Henriksen’s.

Despite changing political climates and climate challenges, Henriksen Fisheries continues to navigate through the changes and challenges Mother Nature presents.

 Will Henriksen has outgrown his car seat and was on the boat all through school and his illustrious sports career, working fulltime since 2011, he’s now is often seen in the Captain’s chair.

Will’s wife Kristie, joined the family crew in  2020 and started selling fish at local Farmer’s Markets. With eyes-wide open and with a vision and passion, Kristie opened a retail outlet in Ellison Bay and helped the fishery pivot from primarily wholesale to direct consumer sales. Starting with whitefish fillets, the she then expanded to house made whitefish spreads, whitefish cakes, whitefish soup, chowder and other merchandise and pet treats. She has been innovative in the retail marketing and sales side of the company as we continue to grow.

We continue to supply our signature boneless whitefish fillets and fish boil chunks to the outstanding restaurants of  Door County.  In 2021, Henriksen’s Fish House opened in Ellison Bay, allowing customers to find all of their favorite whitefish products in our own location. In 2023, we built a new processing plant and retail store at Highway 42 and Old Stage Road at the Gateway to Ellison Bay. The business continues to expand with a large variety of seafood, fresh and smoked fish, apparel and a wide variety of specialty foods and showcasing products from local artisans and from afar.

The hard work of catching healthy, sustainable, local fresh fish continues as it has for decades.

*Copy courtesy of Elly Henriksen (2020), updated by Charlie in 2025

Epilogue:

Through her various adventures Elly now resides in Copenhagen with her husband Kristian and my grandson, Will & Kristie’s nephew, Carlo.

Of Note: Kristian grew up in Jutland, the main peninsula of Denmark where his parents still reside. It’s about 60 miles from where my grandfather, Carl Henriksen, emigrated from in 1909. Will looks forward to getting his nephew on the boat someday.