A La Porte County Life in the Spotlight: Jordon Speakman

Jordon Speakman is the proud owner and manager of La Porte County’s local Speakeasy Fishing Charters. He started the company in 2018.

With Speakeasy Fishing Charters, Speakman is often out on Lake Michigan.

“You get a beautiful panoramic view out there on the water,” he said. “There’s nothing like it. Once you’re offshore you can see Warren Dunes, Mount Baldy, and Chicago all at the same time.”

Speakman’s full time role has been with Norfolk Southern for 24 years, and it’s brought him across the country, but he’s never lost sight of where he considers home.

“No matter where my work took me, La Porte County always had a special place in my heart,” Speakman said. “La Porte County is what I have always considered home.”

With Speakeasy Fishing Charters, Speakman brings groups out on Lake Michigan to fish. He works with people of all different fishing levels and fishing experience.

“I tell them that it’s not magic,” said Speakman. “You can’t make the fish bite, but you can try everything to make it happen. I wish I could say otherwise.”

There are multiple tactics and approaches one can take when they are not getting bites. Speakman walks his clients through these options.

“Weather, wind, and currents make fish both excellent and tough at times,” Speakman said. “Sometimes, it takes lots of water behind you and persistence each day. If nothing works then make a change of direction or start changing out lures and colors.”

Speakman always encourages his Speakeasy Fishing Charters customers to enjoy the fishing experience. He also encourages them to be persistent if they are working on refining their fishing skills or just are not having much luck with their catch on a given day.

“The best advice I can give is to keep going, have fun, and have some faith in yourself and your lures,” he said. “We all have those lures that will be spread out in the water and, no matter what, just can’t catch anything.”

Speakman’s 9-year old daughter Macy, who goes by Moo, also loves fishing and other outdoor activities such as hunting.

“She is an avid outdoors-woman,” said Speakman. “We have a lot of fun hunting, fishing, and just being out in nature together. It’s definitely something that runs in the family and fishing and hunting is in her bloodline.”

One of Speakman’s favorite types of hunting is waterfowl hunting, which is the hunting of aquatic birds such as geese and ducks. When he hunts for waterfowl, he’ll sometimes travel as far as Canada and Arkansas. He’ll often hunt turkeys with Moo, and the two also enjoy walleye fishing.

Outside of fishing, Speakman is a big football fan. He enjoys watching and rooting for the Chicago Bears and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

“It’s hard to beat a great fall day in La Porte County while grilling steaks and smoking ribs – all while having the Bears or Irish football on TV,” he said.

Speakman is a 2001 graduate of La Porte High School. Some of his favorite local La Porte County restaurants include Drift on Pine and T-Bones Pier 11.