Your Fishing Guides

Our experienced crew members are all insured, licensed, and certified for the waters you will be fishing. It's our guarantee that they will do their best to put you on fish and provide the most enjoyable day possible!

Kent Paulsen

Kent Paulsen

Captain Kent has spent his entire life learning the waters and woods of northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. After tying into his first Lake Superior steelhead in the spring of 1998, he was hooked. Kent moved to Duluth in 2002 to attend UMD, where he learned the ropes as a first mate on several charter boats and began guiding on the Brule River.

Over the years, Kent’s passion for the outdoors has only grown, and in 2016 he co-founded FishNorthMN. In 2025, he chose to take the next step and relocate his charter operation to Barker’s Island in Superior, launching Paulsen’s Quickstrike to give guests a premier Great Lakes fishing experience.

As a father of two, Kent loves sharing the outdoors with kids of all ages and is passionate about preserving our resources for future generations.

Book with Kent

Phone: (218) 343-8049
Email: paulsenkent@gmail.com

Sam Gravelle

Sam Gravelle

Sam Gravelle is a Superior, WI, local who lives and breathes fishing. Whether he’s chasing migratory fish up the tributaries, trolling big water on Lake Superior, or drilling holes and working the ice on the estuary, Sam is always ready to put anglers on active fish and make the most of the conditions.

With a background in outdoor education, Sam brings a calm, patient teaching style that helps anglers of all experience levels build real skills - reading water, choosing presentations, dialing in technique, and gaining confidence with every bite. He takes pride in tailoring each trip to your goals, pace, and group - whether that means a hands-on learning day, a family-friendly outing, or an all-business hunt for a personal best.

Sam will be running tributary guide trips and serving as first mate on Quickstrike throughout the summer season.

Carl Fortune

Carl Fortune

Captain Carl has been a trustworthy first mate of Kent's for several seasons, while sharpening his skills as both an angler and as a captain. In 2025 Carl began running True North 2 on most Sundays so captain Kent could spend more time with his young family.

Carl moved to Northern Wisconsin in 2003 and quickly became addicted to Lake Superior after catching his first Lake Trout. Carl has mated on many of the best charter boats in the area over the past decade.

Our customers love Carl’s enthusiasm as he often gets more excited than his clients when a fish hits the deck!

Licensed In Wisconsin & Minnesota!

Paulsen’s Quickstrike is fully licensed to operate in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, giving our guests access to a wider range of fishing opportunities. Before your trip, please make sure you have a valid fishing license for the waters you’ll be fishing in - and feel free to contact us anytime with questions. Please note: If your trip will be fishing Wisconsin waters, you’ll need a Wisconsin fishing license and a Great Lakes Salmon/Trout Stamp.

For Wisconsin licensing info and online purchase options, visit the Wisconsin DNR fishing licenses page (click here)
For Minnesota licensing info and online purchase options, visit the Minnesota DNR fishing licenses/online sales page (click here)

Got Questions?

Need to book a trip? Just want to talk about fishing? Contact us today!