Everyone knows that fishing guides have dream jobs. They get to work outdoors, on the water all day, surrounded by scenic beauty, helping their clients land that trophy fish. It’s an idyllic lifestyle. But even fishing guides are subject to economic realities, bad weather and even worse clients. Sometimes it’s necessary to reel in the lines and work on something else.
These three guides have supplemented or even replaced their day jobs with work based on their other interests – their art.
Captain Bill Vanderford
Owner of the oldest fishing guide service in Georgia, Bill Vanderford is renowned for knowing where the fish hang out on Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River. He’s also earned “Legendary Guide” status and was inducted into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 1993. Along with his guided fishing trips, Capt. Vanderford offers educational Wildlife Tours, which are popular with families, on Lanier and the Upper and Lower Chattahoochee.
Capt. Vanderford is more than a fishing guide, however. He’s the published author of two non-fiction books, Secrets of Fishing Lake Lanier and The New Guide to Bank Fishing on Lake Lanier. He’s also an acclaimed travel writer with articles appearing in Field and Stream, Sports Afield, Bassin', North American Fisherman and In-Fisherman, to name a few.
His artistic bent doesn’t stop there, however. He developed the famous Swirlybird Spinner, which he uses to catch record-breaking fish, and a line of whimsical jewelry based on the lure.
You can learn more about Captain Bill Vanderford at FishingLanier.com.
Captain Larry Crews
Captain Larry Crews knows the waters around Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island like the back of his hand. He should – he has more than 44 years of experience fishing both salt and fresh waters in the area.
From his boat 4-Play, Capt. Crews can put you on to amberjack, tarpon, kingfish and more. The inshore angler can hook into fish such as sea trout, flounder, whiting and sheepshead. Capt. Crews has fished for tarpon in Boca Grande and has made an appearance on George Poveromo's World of Salt Water Fishing. He also owns his own fishing store on Jekyll Island, Georgia.
That’s where you can find him working at his other passion – wooden fish sculptures. These beautiful sculptures are lovingly crafted and painted by hand by Capt. Crew and come in the vibrant lime greens, blues and yellows of fish fresh from the sea.
You can get Capt. Crews’s fish sculptures at his Jekyll Island Fishing Center or call to order at (912) 635-3556.
Captain Randy Wayne White
If you’re a lover of thriller novels set on the Florida coast, you’ve probably heard of Randy Wayne White. A light-fishing guide operating out of Tarpon Bay marina on Sanibel Island for 13 years, Capt. White found himself in dire straits after the government shut down his home marina to motor boat traffic.
A self-taught guide with a family of mouths to feed, Capt. White relied on his ingenuity to carve himself a niche in the literary thriller genre. He created the now-famous Doc Ford series. White’s protagonist, Marion Ford, is a black-ops government agent whose cover is that of a marine biologist.
Randy Wayne White has published 18 books in the Doc Ford series, as well as several non-fiction travel books and a Gulf Coast cookbook.
Capt. White relies extensively on his time as a fishing guide for background flavor. He writes at his home on Sanibel Island or from his Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille. All of his books are available at Amazon.com.
These three fishing guides are proof that a life lived in wild and beautiful surroundings can translate into artistic expression. And that’s money in the bank.
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