Summer is shaping up nicely for anglers here in our corner of Ohio as we settle into our familiar routines on our favorite waters.

Anglers are fortunate to have so many fishing options near Youngstown and Warren. We have favorite fishing holes based on whatever criteria we personally apply to make our choices. Some pick based on where their favorite species swim. Others select based on familiarity, convenience or proximity to home.

But if you are a one-lake-wonder, you are missing some pretty cool opportunities.

Sure, it’s easy to get comfortable out there doing the same old stuff at our same old locations. We know the ramp, have a dozen different spots and fish the same baits over and over. We rationalize that it is easy to go fishing at this lake, and resist the temptation to test new waters.

They say variety is the spice of life. I say that applies to fishing. Make this the summer when you add some new water to your fishing repertoire.

I am fortunate that my fishing experiences escalated in the late 1980s when I decided to compete in bass tournaments. I had fished countless hours on Berlin and Mosquito and dabbled a bit on Lake Erie and the Ohio River, but had never wet my boat at the dozen waterways that appeared on the schedules of various tournament circuits and my local bass club.

Fishing tournaments turned out to be an investment in learning new waters. As a result of competing on various circuits, I learned a wide variety of lakes, including Shenango, Conneaut, Pymatuning, West Branch, Portage Lakes, Deer Creek, Dale Walborn, Chautauqua and Presque Isle Bay. I also expanded my experience on Lake Erie and several pools of the Ohio River downstream from the New Cumberland Pool out of East Liverpool and Chester, W.Va.

Learning new waters is more than just adding variety to your fishing. It also makes anglers more rounded in numerous skills and tactics.

I encourage local anglers to do likewise. If you are stuck in your routine of fishing, say, Mosquito, then branch out and visit Pymatuning. Whether you are a Mosquito walleye, crappie or bass angler, you will find good populations of all three at Pymatuning and twice the surface acreage to explore.

Another good choice for anglers seeking to broaden their horizon is Shenango, near Sharpsville, Pa. It’s just a half hour from Warren and Youngstown, and a Pennsylvania fishing license is required.

Shenango has a lot of fishable water. Bass anglers can flip shoreline cover, cast crankbaits and topwater lures on rip-rap, drag jigs across sunken foundations and stump flats and points, and scope for suspended fish over open water. Crappies also thrive in Shenango and attract a dedicated corps of enthusiasts.

Hybrid striped bass are gaining popularity at Shenango. Fish in the 10- to 15-pound class show up frequently, providing all the pulling power an angler can possibly desire.

West Branch is another good choice for anglers who have always wanted to catch a big muskie. To learn an urban fishery loaded with aquatic grass, visit the Portage Lakes on the south side of Akron. If you’re interested in smallmouth bass that average more than three pounds, drive up Ohio 11 to the harbor waters off Ashtabula.

It’s easy to slip into a contented routine with our familiar favorites. But adding a new lake or two to your fishing list this summer may very well inject new fun and adventure. And who can’t appreciate a few more thrills in our fishing.

Jack Wollitz writes weekly for the Tribune Chronicle and Vindicator. Contact him at jackbbaass@gmail.com.