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Riffle brings passion to angling business

Ask Mike Riffle about his retirement project and be prepared for a thorough recap of his 40 years of bass tournament experience and all manner of other influential moments in his life. Riffle is the epitome of the passionate angler with exuberance that spills over into operation of his 330 Bait Co. He makes and markets everything from jigs and sinkers to spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and other lures popular among bass anglers. Blessed with a bubbly knack for storytelling, Riffle seizes the opportunity to spin the features and benefits for the tackle he makes in his shop at home in ...

New store provides resource for local anglers

Competition for local anglers’ dollars will increase later this month when the iconic Bass Pro Shops brand opens a new store in Niles’ Eastwood Mall complex. To be known as Bass Pro Shops Outpost, the new store will sell top name-brand fishing equipment, along with Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Signature Series rods, reels and terminal baits and tackle relevant to the fisheries in Northeastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, according to a spokesperson for Bass Pro Shops. “This new location will make it easier for families to spend time enjoying nature together,” store general ...

Mahoning continues postseason successes

Friday night lights will continue to shine down on Mahoning County tonight when the Ohio High School Athletic Association football tournament kicks off its second week of play. The regional quarterfinal slate includes a trio of games involving a pair of Mahoning County schools. In Division III, Canfield will play host to Ursuline in what is a rematch from a third-round game played a year ago. In Division IV, Struthers will travel to Poland for a second time in three weeks. In Division VII, Lowellville will make its second trip this year to Berlin Center to take on Western Reserve. ...

Blaney provides local tie to NASCAR championship

As we go into the final NASCAR race to crown a champion isn’t it great to have a driver with local roots vying for the championship? Ryan Blaney calls High Point, N.C., home, but he was born in Warren. For many years we have had so many great local drivers, but only two have made it to the NASCAR level — Dave and son Ryan. The Blaney family has won countless races across the country. Grandpa Lou, a racing legend, has won hundreds of races in the Modifieds and Sprint cars, son Dave is a former World of Outlaws champion, Chili Bowl winner, won the Knoxville Nationals, and USAC ...

Warm weather provides late-season surge for anglers

Nothing is quite as satisfying for anglers as getting the opportunity to extend their fishing seasons just as the bite is peaking. Great weather last week put an exclamation mark on many Northeast Ohioans’ fishing as bass, walleyes, crappies and steelhead reports ranged from excellent to fantastic. Indian Summer hit just in time, bringing 70-degree weather and light breezes, making for easy access to Lake Erie and our local reservoirs. The coming week is looking less hospitable, but we can almost certainly count on at least another day or two of good fishing weather before the ...

Wollitz: Valuable lessons can be taken into 2024

Anglers who pay attention to the signs around them will almost certainly log a few learnings during their days on the water. Often the signs are from the fish. Sometimes the signals come from the friends with whom we go fishing. Frequently the messages come from Mother Nature herself. Looking back on spring, summer and fall fishing trips, I can identify a variety of discoveries that are now tucked away in my memory bank as investments in the 2024 fishing year. It is tempting to gravitate to areas on lakes where we see clusters of boats, which can be interpreted as evidence the fish ...