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Childhood sparks Armitage’s interest in angling

Life’s twists and turns often point us toward purposes that we recognize only after we’re chin deep in achieving them. For outdoor writer Dan Armitage of Worthington, a book royalties check written to his father more than 60 years ago funded the foundation of his angling interest and his mission as a fishing educator. Armitage has been working for decades as a writer of fishing and hunting articles, hosted his own long-running syndicated radio show and is the presenter of his “Kids Fishing Fun” seminars at winter outdoor sports shows from Denver to New York. He now shares ...

Penguins continued upward trajectory

YOUNGSTOWN — This year, Youngstown State proved its historic 2022-2023 season wasn’t a one-off. The Penguins continued to make history in 2023-2024, building on the program’s most-ever Division I wins and first Horizon League regular season championship last year. With almost a ...

Early spring weather is activating fish

Today may not be your idea of fine fishing weather, but sunny days already have inspired many anglers to visit our lakes and rivers, and better weather is returning Tuesday. Warm weather starting in February and continuing into March has activated Northeast Ohio walleyes, crappies, steelhead trout and largemouth bass. It’s still officially winter, but the conditions are clearly early spring-like. Lots of fish are on the prowl for food to build fat reserves for the coming spawning activities. Steelhead anglers John Breedlove and Chris DePaola see a couple more weeks of good ...

Fishing frees the mind for Spehar family

Nighttime is the right time for angler Linda “Lynn” Spehar, but she will make time anytime to fish with husband Ivan or in the annual United Way bass tournament. Spehar has fished most of her life, enjoying saltwater trips for bluefish off the New Jersey coast, family outings and lately as a teammate in the Muransky Companies Bass Classic benefiting the United Way on Aqua Ohio’s Pine and Evans lakes. She’s about as avid an angler as one can imagine, particularly when it comes to fishing after dark. We recently asked her to explain the “why” behind her passion for ...

Hustosky reflects on lifelong love for fishing

Al Hustosky was bitten by the fishing bug early, and his resulting angling affliction manifested itself in ways that no doubt raised a few eyebrows. A former resident of Lisbon and Salem, Hustosky resides today back in his childhood town of Maple Heights, where he first experienced the magic of bluegill fishing. He recently reflected on the “why” that drives his passion for fishing and how he became transfixed by muskies and bass. “My passion for fishing started with early memories, but I did not come from a fishing family,” Hustosky said. “I was around 6 years old and Dad ...

Listening, learning, delivering key for Waikem

Businessman and angler Dave Waikem is living proof that the key to success is listening, learning and delivering what the customer wants. Whether the “customer” is a car buyer, fishing tackle shopper or smallmouth bass, Waikem knows he will not win the sale by force-feeding them inferior or undesirable products. Long known for the six Waikem family-owned car dealerships in Massillon, Dave juggled managing businesses with his passion for bass fishing. The Waikem car dealerships now under new ownership, he is focusing full time on building the retail Fisherman’s Central stores ...