May an ideal month for competitive, recreational fishing

May 21, 2023

May 2023 has been a breeze thanks to mild weather, fantastic fishing and good people doing a great job for a worthy cause. I’ve always been a May guy, as the bass here in our corner of Ohio are predictably cooperative. Since 2000, May also has been the countdown month for the Muransky Companies Bass Classic, the annual fundraiser bass tournament benefiting the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley on Aqua Ohio’s Evans and Pine lakes. This year’s May, however, has been better than most. The fishing is as good as usual and I have enjoyed great trips to Mosquito and ...

Pymatuning Reservoir a walleye fishing factory for anglers

May 14, 2023

Straddling the border between Ohio and Pennsylvania, Pymatuning Reservoir has long been a favorite of Buckeyes and Keystoners who fish for walleyes, bass, crappies and muskies. Pymatuning has a well-deserved reputation as a fish factory, but its 20-horsepower outboard motor limit serves as a deterrent for many anglers who would love to fish there. Those of us with outboards pushing out more ponies than the limit often opt to fish elsewhere. For a variety of reasons, it had been a couple of years since I had fished at Pymatuning. So it was without hesitation that I said yes when ...

Water quality for fishing good, but need for vigilance remains

April 30, 2023

As a fisherman, I certainly do have many opportunities to gauge the quality of the waterways here in Northeast Ohio and I care a great deal about actions that can affect them. So it was with great concern that I watched the aftermath of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine in February. It was but the latest event that threatened the waters on which we rely for drinking, commerce and, yes, fishing. While East Palestine continues to weather the aftermath of the derailment and subsequent burn-off and clean-up, the waterways draining from the disaster site seem to be ...

Spring’s arrival signals beginning of fishing season

April 23, 2023

Signs of spring are always welcome, even after a relatively mild winter and especially for people who look forward to breaking out their fishing gear. I’ve always said the season’s early fishing trips are the best of the year regardless of whether any fish actually show up to play. Any day on the water in April is a plus on most people’s fishing calendar. Nature delivers amazing rewards for those of us who take advantage of glorious days in April when the sun is shining, the water is warming and the breeze is fresh. I have many years of April fishing experience to remind me why ...

Achieving the freshwater grand slam

April 16, 2023

Specialists are the rule rather than the exception today on our local reservoirs, even though the lakes offer good fishing for the three most popular species here in Northeast Ohio. Check the boats at Mosquito Lake as their skippers get ready for a day on the water. You will see lots of bass boats with decks strewn with rods rigged for largemouth. You will see many boats with bait buckets and spinning rods sporting jigs. You also will see a number of rigs set up for casting tiny jig-and-minnow combos hanging under adjustable floats. One thing you’ll rarely see, however, is the ...

Baseball’s rule changes a great step forward

April 11, 2023

You certainly could have described me as skeptical when Major League Baseball announced it would implement a pitch clock, among other rule changes, heading into this 2023 season. Right up until Opening Day, I was curious — if not unconvinced — about the effects it would have on making ...