Rogue thunderstorms are just about the only threat to the likelihood you and I will experience a lot of successful fishing trips over the next few weeks.

Recent rain has pushed local reservoirs over their normal springtime banks, flooding brush and willow flats where crappies and bass can feast not only on minnows and crustaceans, but also terrestrial critters. Offshore, meanwhile, walleyes are prowling the emerging weed lines for perch and shad.

The fishing has been good so far this month and promises to remain strong as Memorial Day weekend approaches. About the only thing that is keeping avid anglers off the water is the occasional storm blowing across the Mahoning Valley.

Pymatuning and Mosquito are leading the way, as usual, but Milton, Berlin and West Branch also are going strong. With Lake Erie already churning out big limits of walleyes to our north and the Ohio River supercharged with great smallmouth bass fishing the past two weeks, northeast Ohioans are surrounded by a plethora of tempting options.

Smallmouth bass are high on my list of fishing favorites, and I have not been disappointed this spring. I visited Milton with Ted Suffolk, of Canfield, last week and we boated more than 30 smallies in just four hours of fishing.

Friends Tyler Woak, Harry Emmerling and Austin Dunlap are reporting huge days on the Ohio River. They credit the big river’s rain-swollen current as the reason the smallmouth bass are feeding aggressively and biting just about any lure they see. Dunlap experienced a 100-bass day last week and expects the river will continue producing for the foreseeable future.

Pymatuning is another of my springtime favorites. Walleyes are active from the shallows out across the grassy and stumpy flats. Largemouth bass are roaming the shorelines in search of suitable sandy and gravel spawning sites. Smallmouth bass have for the most part completed their spring rituals and are chasing perch, shad and crawfish on the rocky points and humps.

Crappies are thick and numerous at Pymatuning and Mosquito this month. Anglers are boxing limits on jigs, minnows and other traditional crappie set-ups. Bonus yellow perch are adding to the panfish potpourri at both lakes.

Berlin Reservoir in recent weeks has produced big-game action for anglers knowledgeable about hybrid striped bass. Fish in the 10-pound range were reported at several main lake locations as the hybrids feast on gizzard shad. Anglers are hooking up by casting shad-sized topwater lures and trolling crankbaits.

Big muskies are on the move at West Branch, with anglers hooking up by casting and trolling large plugs and oversized spinners around the abundant weed beds. Northern pike are active, too. Anglers are reporting numerous pike bites while fishing for Mosquito walleyes.

My May calendar also will include a trip or two north to Ashtabula and Conneaut in search of the Erie Trifecta: smallmouth bass, steelhead and walleye. The harbor walls and nearby flats holding emerald shiners will be my target waters for Erie’s premier fish.

I’ll watch the weather and taking advantage of several opportunities to fish my favorite lakes for spring’s fast action.

Jack Wollitz loves doing “research” for this weekly column for Trib and Vindy readers. Contact him at jackbbaass@gmail.com.