The twitchy weather pattern over the next few weeks is a reminder that January is not the best month for fishing and a cue that the extra hours of free time can be wisely invested in reading about our favorite sport.

Good books can be a friend and advisor, reliable tour guide and entertaining tale spinner for readers who take time to absorb the words on their pages. There is never a bad time to read a book, but for sure January is prime time for catching up on our reading.

Anglers looking for a bridge to the 2026 fishing season can span the time by reading two books that recently came to my attention. They are Outdoor Tales of Northeast Ohio and The Ohio Stream Guide-Understanding the Natural History and Biodiversity.

Outdoor Tales of Northeast Ohio (2021, The History Press) is a collection of essays by Andrew J. Pegman, an English professor at Cuyahoga Community College, whose love of fishing comes through loud and clear in his writings.

While each of the 41 essays in Outdoor Tales of Northeast Ohio has a message to which all anglers and nature enthusiasts can relate, of special interest for many northeastern Ohioans are the chapters dedicated to our familiar waters.

Chief among those waters is our Chagrin River. Pegman lives near the Chagrin and fishes there often for steelhead trout, smallmouth bass and other fish. He is especially fond of fly fishing.

His words ring familiar for those who know his favorite water: “When I fish the Chagrin for steelhead, I do it when the weather is cold and the ground is muddy. I remember one such occasion specifically. The river was clipping along at a terrific pace, and the wind was piercing. It was late November, and it was so cold that the guides on my rod were freezing solid after every cast. When I tried to chip the ice off my rod, my hands were so numb I couldn’t make use of my fingers. This is what I am after; this is fishing at its purest. … When I stand along the bank of the river, I feel a reawakening of my spirit. It is the spirit of life and living and fishing a river named the Chagrin, while fully understanding the irony of that name and the futility of my pursuit. It is the bitterness of the battle that is the true reward.”

Pegman dedicates several chapters to experiences with his young son, fly-tying tips to birding expeditions. He even dives into the often-overlooked opportunities to fly fish for walleyes. His book plays out in short, easy-to-read essays that share information, but which more importantly convey the “feeling” that anglers cherish.

For Northeast Ohio anglers, Pegman’s Outdoor Tales is must-reading. To obtain a signed copy, contact the author at andrewjpegman@gmail.com. The book also can be ordered on Amazon.

New from the Ohio Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, the Ohio Stream Guide was published in partnership with Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Division of Wildlife, Midwest Biodiversity Institute, Ohio Environmental Education Fund and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Authors are Rich Carter and Randall Sanders.

The book is well-written and splendidly illustrated. It fully explains the changing geography, habitats and plant and animal species from the period when Ohio was under the sea to dinosaur days through the Jurassic, Cretaceous and other periods, to the emergence of mammals and the arrival of glaciers and the first human inhabitants some 11,000 years ago.

The retreat of the last glacier, of course, is responsible for much of the stream habitat in Ohio today. Ohio Stream Guide thoroughly explains the biodiversity so critical to the health of our stream habitats, as well as the relationship and impact of humans on the habitat. Local readers will be especially interested to read the section about our Mahoning River and its importance to Ohio’s steelmaking industry.

“Although the water quality of the Mahoning River has improved, the protection of headwater habitat and removal of contaminated sediments and low-head dams remain challenges for future restoration efforts for the river.”

The book also includes a thorough review of the fish species in Ohio’s waterways. It is literally packed with interesting information. I would hazard a guess that readers will find the answer to any question they might have about Ohio’s flowing waters and the life that depends on them.

The book is available free of charge. To obtain a copy, contact Rich Carter at Midwest Biodiversity Institute, rcarter@mwbinst.com.

Jack Wollitz writes this column weekly for readers of the Trib and Vindy, and is the author of his own book, The Common Angler. Contact him at jackbbaass@gmail.com.