Angler takes advantage of wintry weather

February 13, 2022

The warnings came early and often. The weather forecasters’ words were ominous. Another polar cold front would blitz our region soon. Everyone was talking about it. The homeless should seek shelter. People were advised to bring their pets indoors and prepare themselves for the bitter weather. So I went fishing. Not much in nature can trigger a hot fishing bite better than the impending arrival of bad weather. The thinking is that fish and other animals sense the big change in conditions—including the barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, and cloud cover—and ...

The glory days of Ohio fishing are here and now

February 7, 2022

I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again: The good ol’ days of Ohio fishing are here and now. As our world spins faster and faster, it is tempting to decry current times. Many look back with rose-colored glasses and see better times, better cars, better everything—and that includes better fishing. But I was fishing 50 years ago (and more), so I think I have the perspective to compare then and now. “Now” wins, hands down, here in Northeast Ohio and elsewhere in the Buckeye State. I think fishing is better today than when I started buying annual fishing licenses, ...

COLUMN: With UIC leaving, where does Horizon League go?

February 4, 2022

With Illinois-Chicago’s departure from the Horizon League looming, today’s matchup between Youngstown State and the Flames likely marks the final conference trip into the Windy City. UIC announced Jan. 26 it would be departing the Horizon League, and will join the Missouri Valley Conference effective July 1. The Flames joined the Horizon back in 1994. Their move comes as Murray State and Belmont also join the MVC. YSU men’s basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun said of the decision at a Jan. 27 press conference, “I think they’ve done a good job. I don’t think this is a thing ...

Friendly rivalries exist between anglers

January 30, 2022

Hollywood often swings and misses when it comes to presenting fishing in a context that most anglers would acknowledge is fair and accurate, but on those occasions when the director and actors get it right, it can be a home run. “Grumpy Old Men,” for example, hit it out of the park as Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon – Max Goldman and John Gustafson, respectively, in the flick – portrayed the 50-year rivalry of neighbors who agreed on practically nothing, including who was the better fishermen. Trash talk dominated the dialogue throughout the movie. The tone and tenor of the ...

A ‘Return to Greatness’ should help Valley boxing

January 28, 2022

Legendary boxing promoter Don King said it best Wednesday while standing at the podium of The Grand Resort. Saturday’s boxing feature at the W.D. Packard Music Hall in downtown Warren is a “Return to Greatness” for boxing in the area. For the first time in a long time, the city of Warren will be center stage for the boxing world. Like it should be. Now, seeing that I grew up in Western New York, along with being new to the area, I never got to witness the great events that were held at the Struthers Fieldhouse or the previous showcases held at Packard. But, since moving ...

Fishing friendships are real and enduring

January 23, 2022

Last week’s heavy snow in Northeast Ohio left many to slog through the difficult and even dangerous chore of shoveling driveways and sidewalks. For many, however, good samaritan neighbors, stepped up to shoulder the heavy lifting, including young Kannon Kirkpatrick of Minerva. He lugged his shovel to come to the aid of fishing buddy Tom Wickersham. Kannon and his brother Keaton became friends with Tom, a retiree who hosted them aboard his boat in a Student Fishing League bass tournament on Berlin Reservoir last summer. Theirs is one of a myriad of friendships fortified by people ...