The J.W. Westcott invented “mail-in-the-pail” in 1874. And 144 years later, it’s still using the technique to deliver letters, as well as packages and sometimes pizza, to freighters in the Detroit River.  It’s the only boat with its own U.S. ZIP Code. Read all about it on cleveland.com/rock-the-lake. 

Lakeside Chautauqua is updating its volleyball and basketball courts at Bettinger Park, on the shores of Lake Erie, after it raised nearly $500,000 on Giving Tuesday.  See more on cleveland.com/rock-the-lake. Lakeside Chautauqua welcomes all: Things to do in the Ohio private community

Lake Erie’s Crystal Beach ranks among the 50 best beaches in North America, and the top 400 beaches in the world, according to 1,000 travel professionals and the website Flightnetwork.com.  The Canadian beach, across the U.S. border from Buffalo, near Fort Erie, Ontario, ranks No. 39 in North America. The spot gets praise for “flawless white sand”…

The 2018 Lake Erie Walleye Fall Brawl came down to the penultimate day, when Clarence Mitchell Jr. caught a 13.7-pound tank.  The results are still subject to polygraph tests. But Mitchell could win a $100,000 Warrior boat. See the full story on cleveland.com/rock-the-lake.

Everybody wants to catch the big one, the winning walleye in the Fall Brawl.  On the penultimate day of the brawl, with a $100,000 boat at stake, I went fishing with the brawl’s founder and his buddies. And I caught a fish! See the full story on cleveland.com/rock-the-lake.