Aquatic plants serve as foundation for food chains

September 24, 2023

A tiny fish last week provided a big clue about the health of one of our weedy reservoirs. Aquatic plants — some native and some invasive — have become well established in many northeastern Ohio reservoirs and rivers and serve as the foundation of food chains that are vigorous from bottom to top. The jig I was swimming last week snagged an inch-long sunfish as I pulled it through an alley in vegetation growing in two feet of water. The bass that I caught before and after snagging the tiny fish sported bulging bellies, no doubt a result of feasting on the forage fish hiding ...

Important lessons from a longtime angler

September 17, 2023

By my calculations, I’ve gone fishing more than a thousand times in my adult life, so one might guess I’ve learned a thing or two about the ways of the wily fish I target and how I might tempt them into biting my baits. I was thinking about this topic last week as I prepared the 14 rods I stow under the Bass Cat’s deck. Each rod serves a purpose — like the clubs in a golfer’s bag — so they are rigged with the right line for the job and the lures to match the task. It takes an hour and a half before each fishing trip to sort through the mayhem that results from the ...

Be observant of fellow anglers, you can learn a lot

September 10, 2023

A chapter in my book is dedicated to celebrating the pure joy of experiencing a day on the water solo, with no worries other than which lure to tie to my line and where to make my next cast. Solo fishing days are cathartic. In “The Common Angler,” I wrote, “Fact is I return from a solo fishing trip feeling recharged. It’s like my body’s battery absorbed more energy than it expended.” But I am not a creepy loner fisherman. While solo trips are good, I really do enjoy sharing the water with friends. In a chapter entitled “Fishing with friends,” I wrote, “Fishing and ...

Youngstown State receiver CJ Charleston impressive in return

September 5, 2023

YOUNGSTOWN — There was a time that CJ Charleston thought he may never play football again. After a productive sophomore campaign that saw the dynamic Youngstown State wide receiver catch 16 passes for 147 yards, Charleston was primed to take another step forward in the 2022 season. ...

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 ...