Well, if you’re looking for some help to answer this question, I have two words for you: BILL CANNAN. Bill Cannan has been a guide on Lake Conroe and Lake Livingston for over four years. He hails from Conroe and now resides on the north end of Lake Livingston. He drives a Nitro 2000 and, in addition to being this area’s #1 fishing guide, he has proven a worthy competitor in several national tournament circuits. Last year he fished the Southern Bass and Angler’s Choice Super Team circuits and did quite well. This year, he entered the Central Invitational BASS Tournament Division and recently fished the Arkansas Invitational on Nov. 2-4. He will be fishing the next BASS tournament in February. Cannan is looking forward to the coming year when he’ll be fishing two other trails, Redman and Angler’s Choice Pro-Am. Cannan hopes to qualify for the BassMasters’s Top 100 through the BASS Central Division and he feels very good about his chances. cannan nitroCannan’s sponsors include the Family Boating Center, Tracker Marine, Nitro Boats, Fenwick and Mainstream Marketing, which includes Stanley, Top Brass, Sure Life, Bass Assassin and Bandit. He welcomes new sponsorship, both inside and outside the fishing industry. Cannan is also a proficient hunter. He likes to hunt deer and duck. He has proven to be skilled at sal*****er fishing, too. I asked Bill what he thought was the most important quality for a fisherman, and he replied, “I think staying in good physical condition is important for tournament fishermen. Being in good physical condition keeps your mind sharp and helps with your mental concentration. It also helps you endure adverse weather conditions, especially the heat.” Cannan graduated from Sam Houston State University in May of this year with a degree in Agriculture Business. While he was in college, however, he was still guiding full-time. Now that he has completed his studies, he does have more time to fish. Cannan knows where the fish are. For example, he says the white bass move upstream to spawn in the feeder creeks between January and April. If you have a small aluminum boat or a canoe and can make it up the creek, you’re in for some great fishing. Between September and December (right now), he likes to take customers to the north end creeks of the lake for the best black bass fishing, he says. But enough trade secrets. Cannan is available for guide trips on Lake Conroe, Lake Livingston and Lake Raven, which is located at Huntsville State Park, and he’s always got a good story.