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WOLLITZ: Wonderful memories of fishing for walleye

My angling interests are firmly rooted in walleyes, thanks to the proliferation of the species in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ reservoirs near Warren and Youngstown. Our local lakes were dammed to serve the region’s steel industry in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s, with the added benefit of supporting populations of walleyes to feed the fish-hungry residents of northeastern Ohio. When I was old enough to strike out on my own to explore our local waters, I quickly learned early spring was a great time to cast jigs for walleyes in the tailraces below Mosquito, Berlin and ...

Less is more when out on the water

Like bakers who sift their flour to lighten their batters and doughs, anglers who fluff through their tackle now stand a better chance to succeed when they return to the lakes this spring. The ice is melting, the days are getting longer and we’re prepping our boats and fishing equipment for our return to Mosquito, Pymatuning, Milton, Berlin, West Branch, Shenango, Erie and all of our other favorite waters. If you are like me, you have accumulated enough tackle to outfit your entire neighborhood. It’s good to be ready for anything, but problematic when you must sort through all ...

Northern Illinois could be a test case for the future

The world of college athletics has been changing for the last several years, and for a time, it looked like the Mid-American Conference was safe from realignment. That changed when Northern Illinois decided to join the Mountain West as a football-only member in the beginning of January. With the rest of their sports looking for a new home, they went back to stay regional. On Thursday, the Huskies opted to move their basketball and other programs to the Horizon League. And with it, one of the more interesting cases for the future of college athletics presented itself. Various media ...

Nothing beats bobber fishing

Something about bobber fishing has hooked me since childhood. It is there, very real and so enticing, but I can’t exactly tell you why it is so appealing. Perhaps it is the cadence of the float as it rides the ripples. Maybe it is the sudden dunk of the quill bobber. Or perhaps it is the weight at the end of the line when I set the hook after the bobber dives under the surface. Hanging live bait under a float is an ancient technique, almost as old as fishing itself, but even with 21st century technology available to me and you, we still love the basic simplicity of waiting ...

There’s no shame in asking the experts

Cyclones are swirling everywhere these days, but instead of running for cover, many people are leaping headfirst into the maelstroms. Name a topic and we make it controversial. Sports? For sure. Politics? Absolutely. The economy? Oh, boy. Seems to me more and more people are willing to fight to the death arguing whether the chicken or the egg came first. And fishing? Yes, even fishing can ignite fire and brimstone. Cabin fever reaches its peak around this time every winter, and even with spring just a few weeks away, the promise of open water, sunshine and warm breezes is not enough ...

Valentine’s, Daytona mean fishing is right around the corner

With Valentine’s Day in the rearview mirror and the Daytona 500 taking the green flag tomorrow, Northeast Ohio anglers are setting their sights on melting ice and springtime fishing. Our annual transition from the dead of winter to the promise of spring brings hope and optimism to anglers suffering from cabin fever. Dreams of big crappies, spunky walleyes and hungry largemouth bass fuel our final sprint to the day the thaw opens the boat ramps at Mosquito, Pymatuning, Berlin, Milton, West Branch and Shenango. With the thaw, however, also comes worries that winter has ravaged our ...