Mike Pike

Cook's Bay Maria now has pay parking. 10-bucks a vehicle, me thinks. Food truck, tackle store, accommodations too.

Pier life sounds like paradise, Cliff! Thanks for sharing that. It reminded me of the trips I used to make to Florida when my parents owned a home on the Gulf coast there. I'd head to the pier at Nokomis Beach everyday and meet some real characters. It was as enjoyable time as I remember, and it was great to take home whatever was biting that day for the fry pan. Nothing beat it!!! Anyhoo, thanks again!

I see them in massive schools here on Lake Ontario Paul and always thought it was a shame they aren't highly regarded for their edibility. There's soooooooo many of them! I think they're members of the herring family so very oily and wouldn't taste good prepared in traditional methods, me thinks. They're super bony too. But I've read about a guy who cast a net for them and smoked them and said they tasted pretty good. Id probably pass, though. lol

Here in Hamilton, we have a carp wall in the harbour too. Unfortunately, they're reinforcing in now so it's fenced off. Very sad as I don't know how long the work will take and this is an awesome time to fish it. But anyhow, even though the depth was over 20 feet, putting down some chum and fishing bolt rigged as you would carp fish anywhere worked a charm for us. Good luck Harry!

Hey David, Miles must be a chip off the ol' block, as they say. I remember one of the very first Bob Izumi fishing shows( maybe the first season )when Bob fished with Gary Burghoff. I never forgot it because I used to love MASH as a kid.

Wantabigone, you got a big one! A few , actually..

I couldn't imagine receiving a nicer gift! Congratulations on your fish and your milestone, Capt!

O my gosh, how awesome does that look! I always heard that the Ling was terrific table-fare but unfortunately I have never tasted it myself. I love the way your buddy got his little one involve in the preparation too! "And this is what we made!" Priceless!! Thanks for posting Limey!

A great reminder Capt. Like Lew, I had a friend with Lyme Disease and am aware of the suffering. The tick threat has really made me be less carefree when I'm out fishing. I love carp fishing and the banks I visit are very 'ticky' areas. Sitting around on a camping chair in my shorts waiting for a bite was the order of the day, but no more. Now I always wear long pants tucked into my hiking boots and yes, I do a tick check when I get home, as you suggest Capt.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the lack of a spring smelt run do the the introduction of salmon and trout into the Great Lakes in the 60s? I remember my dad and uncles going smelting back in the day and dumping a bushel of smelt in the bathtub for my mom to clean. She was overjoyed.

Warming water temps, lower oxygen levels, etc., in the harbour are symptoms of a much larger issue. After hundreds of years, we've created an environment that's becoming more suited to the Goldfish( and carp )than to some of our native species. We're spending millions of dollars trying to eradicate 'non-native' species from habits they are now adaptable too, while the will and means to restore the habitat to its original form doesn't exist. In many ways, I think the genie is out of the bottle and we got what we got.

Yup, I do too Ohio. As a kid on the other side of the Erie shoreline closer to Windsor, I remember following a small school of brightly coloured goldfish, just cruising the shoreline. That's around 50 years ago so it's definitely not a new phenomenon.

I was just jokin' too. lol When my buddies give me a hard time about buying fish because I haven't caught any, I always use that line.

It's ok if you're a freshwater fisherman and buying saltwater fish.

Thanks for posting your culinary adventure Capt. You've inspired me to go to my fish monger, close my eyes and point at something too. Whiting sounds( and looks )tasty!