![]() In the beginning, the Williams brothers and Root knew little about commercial fishing. It’s a pretty neat way of life,” Lakon Williams says. “My dad catches the fish and I sell them. Renovations over the winter were carefully designed to continue to allow visitors to watch the crew clean and filet fish.Today, Tod Williams and his daughter, Lakon, carry on the family business in tiny Bay Port through a combination of wholesale and retail operations – and their thriving on-site store. That year, Tod Williams and his brother, Forrest, bought the business from Engelhard with their best friend, Dennis Root, even though none of them knew the first thing about commercial fishing. His sales grew so much over the years that in 1978 it became the Bay Port Fish Sandwich Festival. The fish sandwich frenzy began in 1949 when Henry Engelhard began selling fish sandwiches in front of his house to pay his daughter’s college tuition. in Michigan’s Thumb.The town of Bay Port (population 464) is probably best known for its annual Fish Sandwich Festival held the first full weekend of August. Whitefish, yellow perch, walleye, catfish, trout, cod, and more arrive daily by boat or truck to Bay Port Fish Co. Today, however, there are only 13 state-licensed commercial fisheries in Michigan – including Bay Port Fish. Established in 1895, Bay Port Fish was one of thousands of commercial fishing operations that flourished in the Great Lakes and employed tens of thousands of people. The Bay Port Fish store is open daily April through October and attracts visitors from across Michigan. “It’s definitely hard work, but we love it.” “On average, we haul in about 200,000 pounds of whitefish out of Lake Huron each season,” says Lakon Williams, whose family has owned the company since 1978. Today, Tod Williams and his daughter, Lakon, run the wholesale and retail operations in Bay Port.We’re talking lots of fish. ![]() ![]() The company operates between spring and fall, depending upon the weather, and has four boats: The Osprey, The Argo, The Patsy, and The Sunflowerįresh, Smoked, and Frozen Fish can be bought from the retail store in Bay Port.If you like fish, you’re gonna love Bay Port Fish Company.įresh, flopping fish – lake whitefish, yellow perch, walleye, catfish, trout, cod, and more – arrive daily by boat or truck to this popular, family-operated commercial fishery in Michigan’s Thumb. The Williams family purchased it from Henry Englehard in 1978 and has run the fishery ever since. The fishery has been operated by the Williams family for over 39 years. It has been operated by many owners, and it is currently owned by Tod Williams and Forrest Williams’ heirs. The Bay Port Fish Company is a commercial fishery in Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay, established in 1895. ![]() Since the early 1840s, there have been fishermen in Bay Port Michigan. The Williams' experience in the hospitality industry has taught them much about customer service and providing a quality product." - Click Here to read more about this fishing family.Ībout Our Family Business ( read also online): "The Bay Port Fish Company is always looking for good opportunities, such as selling some of their catch at farmers' markets, where clientele appreciate buying fresh fish directly from the fishermen and getting some tips on taste tempting techniques.
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