The best time to go fishing is whenever you can

May 22, 2021

Do you know children who mope and pout when they fail to get that thing they really want? That’s me when the weather is perfect, the fishing is excellent and I’m unable to hitch up the Bass Cat for a quick trip to a lake. After a lifetime of waiting for seats at restaurants, vacation time to arrive and the next opportunity to go fishing, my patience sometimes wears thin. So, like the spoiled child who was denied a favorite treat, I was in a pouting mood Thursday, a day that I often reserve to enjoy a mid-week fishing trip. I had visions of pitching lures to shoreline cover for ...

All-Stars in the area this weekend

April 29, 2021

Tony Stewart’s All-Star Circuit of Champions will make a three-day swing through our region this weekend beginning Friday with a stop at Lernerville Speedway just south of Butler, Pa., on Route 356. The show also will include Lernerville celebrating its 1,000th sprint-car race. Joining the All-Stars will be the RUSH sprints and the Allegheny 305 sprint tour for an all sprint-car show. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 6:45. The next stop is Saturday at Sharon Speedway for the Buckeye Cup. The Hartford oval will be celebrating its 92nd season of auto racing since 1929. The RUSH ...

Phillips, Penguins face many challenges

April 22, 2021

This probably wasn’t an easy decision. Then again, the Penguins had their reasons. The Youngstown State football team chose to end its season without playing the final game — a rescheduled contest — last weekend against North Dakota. It made sense to most, except for maybe the Fighting Hawks, who were on the playoff bubble (they made the postseason anyway). Still, YSU had had enough. The Penguins battled through a 1-6 spring season. They played more Missouri Valley Football Conference games than any other team going into the final week. They showed major signs of progress — ...

Wrestlers go after state glory on weekend

March 12, 2021

Some things in sports are tough to watch, and other things in sports are downright excruciating to watch. In the last year, most fans just want any sport to watch (I saw the “Blue Jays” take on the “Cardinals” in an epic duel at the bird feeder during the quarantine). Now that most sports are back, the watching has returned — and so has the agony. This past weekend provided a tough moment for a local wrestler. Hubbard’s Nick Bowser had done the unthinkable and qualified for the state tournament as a freshman — a rare accomplishment that, according to Eagles coach Ralph ...

To wrestling community, Joe is not just average

February 1, 2021

This past weekend, the Eastern Ohio Wrestling League had its annual tournament at Fitch High School in Austintown. It has become quite an event, as the league has grown to 25 teams spanning seven different counties in Northeast Ohio. This year, wrestling fans once again got to witness some of the best wrestlers in the state of Ohio right in our own backyard. However, there is an important story to be written within that narrative, and it must be done from someone outside of the media circle. You see, this year the league decided to honor a member of the local media for the first time ...

Knowledge can lead anglers to more success, memories

January 23, 2021

Nothing compares to lessons well learned when it comes to advancing and succeeding in life — and that includes fishing. Put another way, shortcuts will get you to your destination quickly. But thorough understanding and lots of study will serve to make the journey an investment in staying at the top. People who fish sometimes try to shortcut their way to quick limits and immediate gratification. But the anglers who investigate, read, practice and reinforce will not only enjoy great days when the fishing is good, but also know how and when to adjust when the conditions are poor and ...