I have a good 50 years going to TI every fall for pike with the boys. Pike has waned with the onset of zebra mussels and the last 2 year been poor.
This year did not catch a pike b/t 5 of us and 3 solid days of casting, trolling or sitting on bait. Did have one strike and a follow but nothing else.
We caught some awesome smallmouths but a couple of days. 3-5 pounds. Any ideas on where they are at? Spoke to a local and he blamed it on Cormorants eating all the small fish as he has not seem much in the way of small fish in Eel Bay and surrounding areas.