Bill O’Boyle

Bill O’Boyle

Bill O’Boyle finds that there’s nothing like receiving a fresh box of walleye

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<p>A 5-pound box of walleye filets just waiting to be devoured.</p>

A 5-pound box of walleye filets just waiting to be devoured.

<p>Bill O’Boyle holds one of the pike he caught during one of his fishing trips to Canada.</p>
                                 <p>Bill O’Boyle | Times Leader</p>

Bill O’Boyle holds one of the pike he caught during one of his fishing trips to Canada.

Bill O’Boyle | Times Leader

PLAINS TWP. — There are many highlights of our annual fishing trip to Canada. And I have talked about many of them in past columns.

But one of the best parts of the 10-day trip is the food — we eat quite well up there. We each bring a meal or two and we have plenty of snacks and late-night “apres peche” spreads that are really very delicious.

One of the most coveted delicacies in Canada is eating freshly caught walleye. In a word, walleye fillets are mouth-watering. We throw most of our catches back, but we do keep a few walleye to enjoy at dinner, breakfast and during those “apres peche” spreads.

One of our group is an accomplished chef, despite never having worked as one, but he sure could have. This guy, who shall remain nameless at his request, can make anything. When it comes to walleye, he dazzles us with walleye tacos, walleye sliders, walleye deviled eggs, walleye potato pancakes and walleye nuggets for breakfast.

Whenever a walleye dish is placed on the table, it’s a mad run to devour the stuff.

So it was with great sadness that we were unable to make our annual trek to Ontario to fish, frolic and gorge ourselves on all that wonderful food, especially the walleye.

And then this happened.

When I returned from my daily ride Thursday night, I noticed a box that was placed on my doorstep. I could see it was leaking some liquid so I quickly grabbed it and brought it inside.

With great anticipation, I opened it and found, yep, a bag filled with five pounds of frozen walleye fillets.

I quickly placed the bag in my freezer for safekeeping. Then I read an attached note.

“So sad that you did not get to enjoy a Canadian fishing sojourn this year. Maybe this will ease the pain?”

The note — and the walleye fillets — were from my friend, Dr. Carol Brown Zaher. Carol grew up in Plymouth and we attended most years of our schooling together, graduating together from Wyoming Valley West. Carol has lived and worked in southern California for decades — she is a semi-retired cardiologist. However, Carol does not eat anything that lives in water — fresh or salt.

But she does fish, She is a somewhat accomplished fly-fisher who catches and releases everything. She has also written a book on fly fishing — “The Better Half of Flyfishing” — a more philosophical look at fishing rather than a how-to guide. It’s more of a why-do-it collection of wisdom, humor and pondering.

The point is that my friend felt my pain and she came up with a way — a rather good way — to help ease my pain of not going on my annual quest of big fish.

I must now head to the grocery store and purchase flour, bread crumbs, taco shells, cabbage and chipotle sauce so I can spend most of my Saturday trying to make walleye tacos and/or sliders.

I have a feeling they will turn out OK — probably not as good as the ones we enjoy in Canada, but they will suffice.

What is more nourishing is having the knowledge that my friend, Carol. took the time to find a company that provides this service of shipping dry-ice packed walleye to suffering fishermen like me.

And that she cared enough to make that effort.

To Carol, when you come back east, the trip to Bethel N.Y. and the Woodstock tour are on me.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.