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Spring fishing is almost here

Ice and snow may come and go, but spring is the promise nature never fails to fulfill. People who love to fish are biding their time in this “tweener” season as winter fights to maintain its frigid grip while the winds shift and the sun beams more energy across our region. The annual tug of war between winter and spring will end as it always does, with warm days welcoming anglers to our boat ramps, causeways, break waters and dam tailraces. Snow may be in the forecast, but sufferers of cabin fever are looking beyond the next week or two to March madness with crappies, walleyes, ...

Changing with the times

An associate yesterday quipped that I should stop writing on a typewriter because there are gadgets called computers that make things easier for a writer these days. (So picture a laughing-face emoji here.) I know my friend was teasing. I have been fishing and writing longer than many readers have been alive. I may be an anachronism, but I am no fuddy-duddy. I did start writing on a typewriter, but those days are way back in the rearview mirror. I consider myself to be fairly tech savvy. I have modern electronics on my boat. I rely on forward-facing and down-scan sonar as well ...

Understanding fish stocking, hatcheries

A few million extra fish will be swimming in the vicinity of your lures this spring thanks to efforts funded by Ohio anglers’ fishing license fees. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife announced recently that more than 36 million fish were stocked by the Division of Wildlife in Ohio’s public lakes, ponds and rivers last year. Eleven fish species were stocked in 233 waterways across the state. For Ohio’s 827,000 licensed anglers, the fish stockings are one of the benefits they gain from the money they invest in licenses. Money raised through license ...

Tackle upkeep while shut in

Many chores on my to-do list rank higher than pushing snow and chipping ice, but I won’t bore you with any of the 100 or so options ahead of shoveling. Instead, I will jump right to the top of the list: fiddling with my tackle. Winter’s grip is firm and long-lasting, so for those of us who shy away from ice-fishing, our choices of outdoor recreation are pretty slim this weekend. Just when cabin fever is about to claim me, however, I am able to stave it off by investing a few hours in cleaning, sorting and improving my lures, rods and reels. Cleaning and sorting are easy to ...

HINER: Browns’ circus search results in Monken

The Cleveland Browns’ coaching search is complete. The Browns decided to opt for former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and the choice was expectedly tumultuous. Monken, who turns 60 in February, will replace coach Kevin Stefanski, who coached the team for six seasons and made the playoffs twice. For some, anyone was better than Stefanski. Others, including myself, saw the Browns’ problems as more of a reflection of the front office and the scouting department. But once Stefanski was fired, the goal was simple: find a better option to wear the ...

Learning to adjust to highs and lows

Fishing, as with many other pastimes, is subject to the shifting tide of feast and famine. My fishing days often transpire across slow times where bites are non-existent and then transition to fast action with back-to-back-to-back catches that turn disappointing trips to memorable successes. Like many anglers, I have experienced great swings in action from Lake Erie to the Ohio River and in several other regions across the U.S. Our fishing days can play out like the baseball team that can’t muster a run during the first eight innings of a game and then break it wide open with a ...