Carlson's Fishery

04/10/2026

Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
Carlsons is Back &
Chubs are too!

We are O-Fish-ally open for the Season!
April Hours:
Sunday-Thursday: 10am-5pm
Friday & Saturday : 10am - 6pm

04/06/2026

Sunny skies + billowing smoke = Spring!!

After sitting dormant for the winter drying out the smokers with hot fires is top of the to do list ☑️

We are getting ready to open this Friday April 10th @ 10am
See you all then for a great start to the 2026 Fish Season

03/15/2026

Leland and Fishtown were built over generations by families and businesses who care deeply about their neighbors and local history. While new members of the community are always welcome, lasting change should come from listening to neighbors and respecting heritage and community. The collaboration between the Carlson Family and Fishtown Preservation Society years ago to preserve Fishtown is a great example of this.
As a 6th generation local small business, we are deeply disappointed in the retaliation towards Fishtown Preservation Society by the Lighthouse organization regarding their Special Land Use Permit Application. This article illustrates how not listening to the people who have sustained this town for decades and centuries disregards the experience, values and relationships that hold our community together.
We are grateful to be a part of this special town and thankful to Fishtown Preservation Society for all of their efforts to preserve our history for future generations.

Business owners, local parents, and the Fishtown Preservation Society oppose Apollos Properties’ and Youth for Christ’s contentious bid for a special land use permit to create a youth m…

03/12/2026

Winter is not quite over… but we are dreaming of summer days and this view!
🔷Projected opening date for Carlson’s is Friday, April 10th🔷

11/01/2025

Congratulations to our boys on winning the Division 4 State Championship Trophy! Special shoutout to our employees Cooper Burda and Weston Burda 💜💛⚽️💫

10/26/2025

Officially ‘Gone Fishing’ for the year! That’s a wrap on the 2025 Fish Season, thank you to all of our amazing customers see you all in the spring. Thanks to for the best sign ☺️

10/24/2025

We are gearing up for our last weekend of the Season! Only 3 days left to grab all of your freshly smoked fish, pate, beef and turkey jerky and smoked fish sausage. Don’t wait if you have your heart set on something. Sunday , October 26th will be our last day until the Spring. Tomorrow is Fall Frenzy 🍁🎃 Stop by between 1-3pm for free candy 🍭

09/29/2025

🍂Rolling into our last month of the season and our favorite time of year 🍁

Still Open 7 days a week with updated hours
Sundays - Thursdays 10am~5pm
Fridays & Saturdays 10am~6pm

The last day of our 2025 Season will be Sunday October 26th!

09/04/2025

🍁New Fall Hours for September 🍁
Sun, Mon, Tuesdays, & Thursdays 9am-6pm
Wednesday 9am-5pm
Fridays & Saturdays 9am-7pm

**Also we have the best customers, we didn’t get your name but your custom metal sign you gifted us is awesome! It goes perfectly on our smokehouse door!! ***

07/28/2025

A fellow member of the Commercial Fishing Industry, Cindi John, was one of the victims of this past weekends’ crime committed in Traverse City. Cindi will be unable to work due to the injuries sustained, the articles sites ways in which she and her family can be helped if anyone feels so inclined. We are thinking of all those involved in this tragic incident

Our region is sadly in news again due to the mass stabbing of eleven people on Saturday at the Traverse City Walmart by the alleged perpetrator Bradford James Gille who will reportedly face charges of terrorism and assault with intent to murder.

The Glen Arbor Sun shares that all 11 are expected to survive. One of those assaulted is Cindi John, who owns and operates Treaty Fish Co. in Peshawbestown with her husband Ed. Their daughter Ruby posted the news on Facebook & has shared that you can make donations to help Cindi and the family -John-23 on Venmo.

Like the Sun, Leelanau.com would prefer to focus on helping the victims so please meet the folks who have delivered my favorite fish for years:

The Johns, who are members of Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, have owned and operated their beloved, tribal commercial fishery since 1989. They typically sell their fresh and smoked lake trout fillets and patties at Arthur Duhamel Marina in Peshawbestown or on Saturdays at the Sara Hardy Downtown Farmers Market in Traverse City. However, the need for boat repairs earlier this month have prevented them from fishing.

Earlier this month they received a 2025 Michigan Heritage Award from the Michigan Traditional Arts Program at Michigan State University. The awards “recognize individuals who masterfully uphold their family, community, or cultural folk traditions.”

Last year Ed & Cindi John Treaty Fish Co became the second Leelanau-based fishery—after Carlson’s in Leland—to sign a compact committing to use 100 percent of each Great Lakes-caught fish. The 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative exists “to find new and innovative ways to use the whole fish in order to reduce waste, create more value and jobs, and support rural economic development.”

Their daughter Ruby John, an accomplished Native American fiddler, was profiled by Kathleen Stocking in the Glen Arbor Sun in 2017: https://glenarborsun.com/ruby-john-native-fiddler/

You can get fish from Treaty Fish Co at the Arthur Duhamel Marina in Peshawbestown Hours 4-6pm Wed-Friday (Fresh Lake Trout Filets and Patties) and at the Sara Hardy Farm Market in Traverse City on Saturdays from 7:30-Noon.

More in the Glen Arbor Sun: https://glenarborsun.com/tribal-fisherwoman-cindi-john-recovering-after-stabbings-at-traverse-city-walmart/

07/04/2025

Happy 4th of July from our Red, White and Blue Fish Crew! We are slingin’ fish until 6pm today. We will close from 3pm-4pm for the Leland Parade
🧨❤️🤍💙