It’s one thing to walk the banks of a two-acre farm pond with expectations of catching a big largemouth bass, but quite another to break down a 7,000-acre lake with miles of fishy cover scattered from the shoreline out to the depths.

For an experienced angler, deciding on a fishing location at a large lake is not too much more complicated than picking a spot at that small pond on your friend’s country property.

But for many newbies, the variables presented by a massive body of water and the dozens of options in lures, lines, locations, rods and reels can make solving the bass puzzle an enormous challenge.

If you are a newcomer to fishing, or simply want to improve your chances for success on your next bass fishing trip, you have a great opportunity now to go to school.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife is presenting a largemouth bass fishing class at Brushwood Lodge in Furnace Run Metro Park in Akron from 6-9 p.m. on April 26.

Everyone can benefit from the experience of experts who are able to share information about fishing tips, tactics and even destinations. The timing of the largemouth bass fishing class is perfect for those who want to take immediate advantage of their learnings.

“As temperatures warm, the feeding activity of one of Ohio’s most popular sport fish, the largemouth bass, climbs,” the Division of Wildlife noted in a news release announcing the class.

The class will cover basic bass fishing strategies, as well as bass ecology and biology, equipment and lure selection, good fishing destinations throughout Northeast Ohio and tips for locating bass in our inland lakes.

Such a class would have been useful for me many years ago when I started targeting bass specifically on trips to Berlin, West Branch, Lake Milton and Mosquito. I had a lot of experience with walleye fishing on our local waters, but I got caught up in the wave of interest generated by the efforts of Ray Scott’s Bass Anglers Sportsman Society.

I wanted to learn how to locate and catch largemouths on plastic worms, crankbaits, buzzbaits and jigs, but was completely clueless about where to point my boat. Through trial-and-error, and a bit of coaching from friends in the Mohawk Valley Bass Club, I slowly learned how to make my way around the points and coves of our nearby reservoirs.

The April 26 class in Akron will be a great way for new bass anglers to jump-start their year.

“The class will include a hands-on component requiring a fishing license for participants 16 years of age and older,” the Division of Wildlife said. “Class participants are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather, as portions of the class will be held outdoors.”

The class is free, but registration is required as space is limited. Call Ken Fry at 330-245-3030 or register on the Wild Ohio Harvest Community Page at wildohio.gov.

Jack Wollitz’s book, “The Common Angler,” is an immersive look at why anglers are passionate about fishing. Send a note to jackbbaass@gmail.com