I’ve got the best job in the world.  My name is Bill Crandell and I’m a salmon and trout fishing guide in perhaps the prettiest and best fishing port in Michigan. I get to take people out on the blue waters of Lake Michigan to catch steelhead, lake trout and salmon day after day. I’m very lucky and I know it.

I’ve been a guide out of Leland, Michigan for over 30 years and know the waters surrounding the Manitou Islands from Glen Arbor to Northport like the back of my hand. I know where to find the steelhead in June, and where the kings are most likely to be in the summer. I know where the fish go when summer gets blazing-hot and where they’ll be in the spring when your fingers get cold and stiff. Sometimes I’ll say to my wife that I’ve got to go to work tomorrow and she just gives me that knowing looking and says, “You’re just going fishing.” She’s right, I’m going fishing!

Here is why I think you should come to Leland. First, it is famously beautiful. Second, Leland is one of the premier fishing ports in all of Michigan and is near Traverse City. Third, when the wind blows as it sometimes does, the Manitou Islands provide shelter and great fishing at the same time. When the fishing is over, Fishtown, a part of Leland that has captured the hearts of many, will capture you too. A burger on the deck at the Cove restaurant overlooking the river, smoked fish from Carlson’s Fish Market, or a sandwich from the Cheese Shanty will be the best. Leland is small, but it is full of good places, shops, galleries, books… neat things, too many for me to cover here. And did I mention the ferryboats to the islands? They are another unique offering.

If you are coming to the Traverse City area and want to go salmon fishing I hope you call me for a fishing trip aboard the C-Worthy. I like hard-core fishing guys; I like let’s-drink-beer-and-get-a-tan fishermen; I like to set up multiple boat trips for large families and businesses; I like families and kids. You’ll find that I’m a very easy-going captain on the surface and a very serious fisherman underneath; I always want to catch those salmon and I’m always thinking about it.

Give me a call when you are ready to make a plan, or email me and ask questions. You can even ask me your fishing questions if you have your own boat and just need a little help to get you started. Some captains like to guard the secrets, I’m not that way. Read my fishing report and if that doesn’t give you enough information just ask and I’ll help you out. The fish and lake don’t belong to me and I think we should all be able to go out and enjoy it, so don’t hesitate to ask. And if you want to book a trip and I’m busy I’ll connect you with another good skipper. Call me.

 

In your job can you make someone smile like this? And I’ll bet his mom didn’t object to the slimy shirt either. I rest my case; I’ve got the best job in the world.