Anglers get in their last hurrah of 2021

November 28, 2021

For many anglers, the last hurrah of the 2021 fishing season has arrived – and it is shaping up as quite the celebration. Our lakes soon will be freezing, a fact that is not lost on the fish populations. Snow flurries may be flying, but the fish are eating big-time during these final days of relatively mild conditions in preparation for the scarcity they must survive over the long months in 35-degree water. Anglers are taking advantage of the annual Thanksgiving week feed-fest throughout northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Walleyes, steelhead and lake trout, smallmouth ...

Penguins end season with a bang

November 23, 2021

In like a lion and out with a roar. It was a frustrating 2021 football season at Youngstown State, no doubt, but also one bookended by major victories. All told, YSU finished 3-7, but each of the three victories came over teams that qualified for the FCS postseason. The Penguins opened their season with a thrilling 44-41 win over Incarnate Word (How long ago does that feel?) and finished it with a dominant 35-18 upset of Southern Illinois. YSU also upset Missouri State in October, 41-33. Between those victories were seven losses. Some were pretty expected, like the blowouts ...

Grassy battle brewing at Mosquito Lake

November 21, 2021

Grassy lakes are generally considered healthy environments well suited as habitat for thriving populations of fish, amphibians, crustaceans and other animals. Aquatic vegetation provides shelter for small fish, crawfish, shrimp, tadpoles and emerging insects; hunting areas for predator fish, otters, minks and raptors; and food for geese, ducks and other herbivores. Grass is good, but too much is problematic and creates a potential bone of contention between people who love it and those who hate it. Battles over aquatic vegetation have been fought for decades at lakes around ...

Bladed jig lures provided a solid year

November 14, 2021

Looking back on my 2021 fishing trips, it is clear that the category of lures known as bladed jigs accounted for a significant percentage of the bass that boarded the Bass Cat. Bladed jigs gained traction in the bass world 15 years ago after a South Carolina lure tinkerer told his fishing buddies he had been working on a new bait that vibrated so hard it made his teeth chatter. The name ChatterBait took hold and soon hooked thousands of bass anglers. I was among those who bought a few ChatterBaits during the initial surge in their popularity, but they served only as back-up baits for ...

Anglers learn something new every day

November 8, 2021

The adage “You learn something new every day” is not just a corny expression. It’s a fact in just about every aspect of our lives and holds equally true for the days we spend fishing. Looking back on 2021, I realize I did indeed learn something new pretty much every time I went to the water. Some of my learning reinforced lessons from long ago; other experiences brought me new insights that I will build on in future fishing trips. I have coached myself over 35 years of competitive fishing to always go to the lake with an open mind and to tune my senses to pick up on the ...

Winding down the trips and prepping for winter

November 1, 2021

Not so many years ago, I procrastinated every fall on making the inevitable decision to winterize the boat and park it under cover until spring brought a fresh new fishing season. The winds of autumn can blow cold and wet, but my experience taught me that November did deliver a few days with a bright sky, mild temperature and hungry fish. I often took the boat to favorite lakes in the week of Thanksgiving. One year I even stretched my luck with a December trip. But that was then, and this is a season that has already concluded for the BassCat. I know I could squeeze out a few more ...