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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 the wait for winter to end is worth the frustrations of a few cold spells and even a snowstorm or two.
The signs of spring are all around us in Youngstown and Warren.
One of the "springiest" places I know is Mosquito Lake. The marshy perimeter of the Trumbull County reservoir is a wellspring for the life cycles of many of Northeast Ohio's species.
Terrestrial and aquatic plants thrive all along the Mosquito shoreline. The ubiquitous Canada goose nests there and wild turkeys, squirrels and deer forage. The marshy shallows are like auditoriums for the choruses of spring peepers, redwing blackbirds and other animals that sing the praises of springtime in Ohio.
Eagles glide on the thermals rising off the big lake's waters and perch in the loftiest reaches of the hardwoods to await the glint of sunlight off a fin or the shadow of a cruising fish to give away the location of the next meal for their nest.
The sights and sounds of spring are awesome, but no more so than the freshness that wafts across the marsh to those who live near the lake and we who go there to fish. It is the scene of life celebrating new beginnings and a signal that bounty is there to be enjoyed.
Spring's signs are evident throughout our region, of course.
I love the gurgle of spring run-off channeling down the creeks that freshen our local lakes. The running water is a signal for several fish species to migrate into the rivers and creeks to seek gravel and sandy bottoms where they can match up and spawn.
When the creeks are running strong, anglers know the annual white bass runs up from Milton and Berlin are underway. We pull on waders and cast white jigs for the feisty fish.
April's blush of green across the stands of hardwoods and willows also is a sure sign the crappies are moving to shallow brush where anglers await with minnows hanging under floats. While all of our northeast Ohio reservoirs harbor crappies, Mosquito and Pymatuning get more than average attention from our area's anglers.
Spring's signals are not limited to those sent from the lakes and rivers. Even the fresh smell of a newly mowed lawn reminds me the Bass Cat is ready to pounce out of the garage to get after the largemouth bass that live in Mosquito, Berlin, West Branch, Milton and Pymatuning.
Going fishing, in my estimation, is the great reward for those of us who respond to springtime's signals after enduring another Ohio winter.
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.