Bob Smith and his son, Wes, were named the Fishing Booker’s 2026 Angler’s Choice Award as one of 15 captains in the state of Michigan out of 9,463 guides nationwide.
“It’s a good thing and has a lot to do with the reviews you get from your clients, take them fishing for five hours and say whatever they want, good or bad,” Smith said. “My son Wes and I go out and have a heck of a lot of people on the boat, catching memories.”
Smith admits it has been a slow start to the spring as he and Wes work on the mechanics while a cold front sweeps the Leelanau Peninsula, with wind expected from the north.
Smith has his first charter set for May 13. Mariah Charters stores its boat at Glen Craft Marina and doesn’t plan to put it in the water until around Mother’s Day.
“We are excited to get out there again. Last Fall we were out at the island and had as good salmon fishing as you could get, like old days, 15-20 years ago,” Smith said. “The population of salmon in the lake is healthy, and early king action and lake trout I'm hoping will be fantastic. We’ve been doing it forever. We want the surface temp to reach 40 degrees; When the water is 40 degrees, it’s game on for the tout, and that happens in the middle of May through Memorial Week. We will see if the water is warm enough to catch salmon out at the island.”
Mariah Charter paid an average of $5.25 for fuel last summer, and he expects that price to be north of $6 this summer.
Despite the increase, Mariah Charters is keeping the price the same, at roughly $800 for half a day.
“Our clients have been fishing with us for 30-40 years … We really appreciate them," Smith said.
Mariah Charters is celebrating its 40th year of fishing the Manitou Passage.
FishingBooker’s 2026 Angler’s Choice Award, the platform’s highest recognition for outstanding service, reliability, and customer experience, is awarded to only a select few of the 9,463 guides worldwide. In Michigan, 15 captains earned the honor — and Leelanau County contributed one of those spots.
Earning this recognition is no small feat — it reflects consistent excellence across every aspect of the customer experience. To qualify, captains must maintain the following standards across four consecutive quarters: 4.8+ star rating from 10+ verified reviews; 98% reliability score; 98% response rate; Full business verification.
“Michigan’s Great Lakes coastline is one of the most diverse freshwater fishing destinations in the world, and these captains are a big reason why. The consistency and dedication it takes to earn this award speaks volumes about the standard of experience anglers can expect here,” said Vukan Simic, CEO of FishingBooker.
