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Words on Wheels: Racing season has finally arrived

Spring is here, how do I know? The roar of race cars and the smell of race fuel has already happened at Michaels Mercer Raceway, Tri City City Raceway Park in Franklin, Pa., and Lernerville Speedway near Butler Pa. We live in the best area of the country for race tracks. At least 10 tracks within a two-hour drive. Let me list a few for you. ¯ Sharon Speedway in Hartford is the grand old lady of racing operating since 1929. Gates will swing open May 10 with 410 Spring cars, Pro Stocks and Econo Mods. Many special events scheduled starting with The World of Outlaws Sprint cars May ...

The best time to fish is whenever you can get on the water

I am asked often about the best time to go fishing, with the inquirer typically wanting advice about mornings, evenings, rain or shine. The answer, of course, is obvious. You know what I tell them. The best time to go fishing is whenever you can. It’s not a quip. I’m not being a wise guy. I don’t make these things up. The truth is that for the majority of us anglers, the best time to go fishing is when we have the time and inclination to do so. Legend and lore hold that rainy days often have the fish biting, and the long shadows and dim light of sunrise and sunset put the ...

Early signs of fishing life bring back memories of youthful summer dreams

My bicycle ride to my childhood fishing hole spanned only a few minutes, but that was plenty of time to awaken dreams of hooking a big bass and enjoying an epic battle. Looking back over 60 years, I recall I would visualize my dream. It came to life as I coasted down the street toward Yellow Creek where it meandered around the boundary between Poland and Boardman Township. A few pools, wash-outs below riffles, harbored the fish we kids aimed to catch. The visual in my head was like the realistic illustrations in Outdoor Life and other magazines, which I read when I wasn’t busy ...

With no Masters, Ohio still has its own spring traditions

The Masters golf championship every April reminds me about one of the great spring traditions. Certainly, the Masters is all about golf, as Augusta National blooms forth in full springtime glory. The azaleas and dogwoods pop on my TV screen in colorful contrast to the rich green of the greens and fairways. But Georgia has no corner on the spring season. The emerging flowers and budding trees here in Northeast Ohio are our annual reminder that the best crappie fishing of the season is hitting full stride. We are particularly fortunate in the Youngstown and Warren areas to have ...

Always keep safety in mind

The water is still cold and the forecasts are rainy, which serves to remind us that proper planning is important if we are to maximize our success on the lakes this season. Whether you are itching to catch Lake Erie walleyes, a limit of Mosquito Lake crappies or a smallmouth bass from the Mahoning River, your trip will be more enjoyable if you are prepared for the conditions. We all know Erie can be a dangerous place when the weather kicks up. Mosquito is not to be taken for granted either. Pymatuning’s 20-horsepower outboard motor restriction means your dash to cover back at the ...

Really? We’re we fighting about Jackie Robinson?

There was some personal debate over whether or not to delve into the cesspool that is American politics. After all, given the current political climate, it doesn’t matter the side or logic someone brings to the table, it always leads to vitriol and petulant behavior. But every so often, a topic comes up on Twitter, a place where proper discussion goes to die, that deserves to be brought up. So even though politics won’t make its way into the sports section with any frequency, lets talk about the recent Jackie Robinson debacle and the U.S. Department of Defense. For those not on ...