MIKE BRAUN Catfish contest is set for Mosquito

Get out your Limburger cheese, red pop and corn flakes, secret dough ball recipe or whatever stinky or sweet bait you prefer and head on over to Mosquito Reservoir on Saturday for the Trumbull County Federation of Sportsmans Clubs Mister Whiskers Contest.
The contest will be a 24-hour catfish fishing event co-hosted by the federation, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and the Division of Wildlife.
Fishery experts from the DOW have been working Mosquito over the years to ensure a good population of the bottom-feeding species. In fact, some 60 pieces of special catfish-attracting structure have been randomly placed around the lake by the DOW.
Youth fishing clinic
The event Saturday will start with a youth fishing clinic from 10 to 11 a.m. featuring Terry Reynolds, a tournament crappie fisherman and pan-fishing expert. At 11 a.m. fisheries biologist Matt Wolf of the Division of Wildlife District Three office in Akron will host a one-hour seminar on catfish techniques for youngsters and adults.
After the catfish seminar, a lunch will be provided. At 1 p.m., youngsters will register and fish until 4 p.m., when they will check in their catches and compete for prizes.
At 6 p.m., registration will open for the 12-hour catfishing tournament. Fishermen can register and fish from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. Sunday morning for any species of Mosquito Lake catfish. There is no tournament fee for fishing.
Trophies will be awarded for the top three catfish catches entered by total weight. There will also be a 100-percent return donation prize pot with anglers wishing to compete for the cash donating $10 to the pot. At the end of the tournament, the pot will be divided into percentage awards of 50, 30 and 20 based on total weight.
There will also be a donation award of $5 per fisherman of those who want to compete for the single largest catfish caught by weight. In the event of a tie by weight, the determining factor will be length.
The tournaments will be held at the southeast corner of the state Route 88 causeway launch ramp directly across from Causeway Sporting Goods.
Participants are allowed to fish from shore or by boat, with all catches taken by rod and reel or hand line. Jug fishing and trout line fishing is prohibited.
For additional information, call (330) 847-6259, (330) 638-3168, or (330) 782-0958.
Overlooked species?
The latest edition of Twine Line, a newsletter produced by Ohio Sea Grant, an Ohio State University college program, says that while there is a lot of good fishing in Lake Erie (see Jack Wollitz's column today, at right), there are some species that can provide anglers with good eating and good fishing.
In an article in the May/June edition, Fred L. Snyder, an extension agent with OSG, extolls the virtues of rock bass and bluegill.
"These panfish are great for shoreline anglers; they're found almost anywhere that wood, rocks or weeds grace shallow water," Snyder writes.
Snyder goes on to give quite a bit of information on both species such as types of tackle to use, lures or bait to offer and specifics of both fish's characteristics.
Twine Line is an excellent publication, offered six times a year. The newsletter focuses on issues, events and research related to Lake Erie and the Great Lakes. A subscription is $6 and can be obtained from Ohio Sea Grant Publications, 1314 Kinnear Road Columbus, Ohio, 43212-1194.
braun@vindy.com