Summer’s change to fall brings new fishing possibilities

September 3, 2023

My black hoodie soaked up the rising sun and radiated warmth to my shoulders Thursday as we pushed from the dock and headed to our morning’s first fishing hole in the 54-degree chill. Everything is relative, so while 54 degrees is hot in December, it’s not in summer. The chilly dawn called for an extra layer of clothing, but the sun would deliver welcome energy as fishing friend Ted Suffolk sought largemouth bass willing to play. Cool evenings had reduced the lake water temperature by 6 degrees down to 72, marking the beginning of the inevitable arrival of the annual transition ...

Keeping an open mind brings fresh perspective

August 27, 2023

Random thoughts come to mind during a day on the water as we focus on our intended game plan, but with room in our thinking for a fresh idea. On the lake, I’m concentrating on the water around my boat and discovering the best way to put the right lure in front of a fish in a manner that persuades that fish to eat it. That is not to say, however, that I don’t keep an open mind. One recent random thought got me considering my fishing from a new perspective. The thought that crept into my brain as I lobbed my lure to largemouths lurking in the lush shoreline vegetation was all about ...

Macafee: Week one proves to be stormy and action-packed

August 23, 2023

The first week of high school football in the Mahoning Valley has come and gone, and I’m still hearing about the excitement that came with it. The thunderstorms rolled in Thursday, bringing a halt to a few matchups and delaying another, but they didn’t stick around long enough to cause any worry for Friday, and I’m thankful they didn’t. We had two games in our area — Columbiana/Lowellville and Pymantuning Valley/Mineral Ridge — that came down to the waning moments. In Columbiana, Lowellville quarterback Michael Ballone ran back and forth across the field as the ...

Anglers shouldn’t be afraid to try a change of scenery

August 20, 2023

Sometimes it pays to seek a change of scenery. Whether on the job or while puttering around the house, getting a different perspective can save the day in challenging situations. It also works out on the lake. Fishing friend John Breedlove of Girard and I ventured out on Mosquito Lake last Sunday to try to pop a few largemouth bass. We were enthusiastically counting on a great day, and it looked like it would be exactly that as we caught a couple of bass soon after we hit the water. But the morning flurry died as the sun cleared the treetops and low clouds blew over Trumbull ...

Sharon Speedway to honor local racing legend

August 17, 2023

Sharon Speedway will honor one of its winningest drivers, Bill Gabrielson this Saturday. He passed away in 2013 but the former Marine won during the golden age of asphalt racing and ruled the Semi Late Model division. The number 58 white and purple Chevelle won seven track championships, 82 feature wins, 78 heat race wins and 38 Australian Pursuits. He was the Sharon track champion in 1977, 1978 and 1979 and was the Hickory Speedway champion in 1978, 1979 and 1980. After the ‘79 season, the race car was sold and he went on to win a championship at Expo Speedway on the dirt. He ...

Aquatic plants, vegetation necessary to support fish

August 13, 2023

There’s no such thing as a scrawny bass at Chautauqua Lake — or if there is, I’ve yet to catch one there. The chunky bass swimming in the western New York lake are indicative of the health of the fishery all up and down the food chain. As reported in this column last Sunday, fishing friend Tyler Woak of Niles and I eagerly planned a Chautauqua fishing trip with high hopes of experiencing the thrill of battling big bass. We were not disappointed and during the course of the day, we learned a thing or two about why the lake is so good and saw hints about the fragile balance on ...