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Correct jig judgment is key to fishing

We can feel the season changing as footballs fill the air and largemouth bass prowl the flats. Many bass move away from shallow cover during the hot summer months, but they return once the water temperature dips into the middle 70s. When the bass are cruising shallow water, I reach for what has become one of the most reliable baits in my boat. They are the arsenal of bladed jigs I have stockpiled in the Bass Cat. The sun barely crested the horizon last week as I fancasted the 3-foot-deep flat in front of my boat with a quarter-ounce vibrating jig tipped with a 3-inch boottail ...

Every angler fights the urge to stay on the water

The angling bug packs a potent sting, infecting us victims with an overwhelming urge to fish, fish again and fish some more. Whether we angle for walleye, bass, crappies, muskies, crappies or bluegills, whatever time we invest simply isn’t enough. I learned this long ago. It is one of the unique aspects of fishing. I love baseball and football, but after a few hours of watching, I’m ready to do something else. Likewise, I am an avid golfer, but after four hours, I put the clubs in the car, and go home to get on with other things. But after time on the lake, I reluctantly ...

Football needs to stay out of the courtroom

Anybody who has ever attended college has sat through at least one class where they wonder, “Why am I even required to take this?” Personally, it was a 6 p.m. social media class. As the sun set twice a week, the thought broke through the drowsiness, “Why am I, a journalism student in their early 20’s, being taught how to use Twitter and Instagram?” The answer is pretty simple. The college or university dictates the curriculum and you elected to get a degree from that particular school. And good luck trying to take that school to court for educational malpractice, because ...

The hurdles of Hydrilla growth in Mosquito Lake

Is hydrilla a friend or foe? The answer depends on whom you ask. Hydrilla, a non-native species of aquatic plant that has spread to Mosquito Lake, continues to be a bone of contention between bass anglers, recreational boaters and biologists. Bass anglers love hydrilla. Many recreational boaters loathe it. Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife is tasked with managing it. Under a program initiated several years ago, authorities have been treating portions of Mosquito Lake with fluridone, a pelletized herbicide said to be effective in interfering with hydrilla’s ...

Don’t focus on success, learn to live in the moment

Anglers who go to the water with the sole purpose of catching fish are missing some of the best experiences one can have out there. Gauging success strictly on how many fish we catch fails to take into account the rewards that come from simply being out on the lake and paying attention to what’s going on around us. While some of my best fishing days have been those when the bite was red hot, I can say with a straight face that I rarely regret even the slow days. No kidding. I look at fishing with a frame of reference that is broader than some anglers’ expectations. Now ...

Wollitz: Changing temperatures a ‘good sign’ for anglers

Water temperatures throughout Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania are slowly dropping after peaking in the mid-to-upper-80s a few weeks ago, which is a good sign for anglers yearning for the autumn uptick in fish activity. Several days ago, I was seeing lake water temperatures ranging from 74 to 76 degrees, around 10 degrees lower than what I observed in late July. Whether you are chasing largemouth or smallmouth bass, walleyes or crappies, cooling water brings high hopes for anglers. Dips in temperature trigger increased feeding behavior, making it more likely that fish will ...