ANGLING TIPS Jack Wollitz

Our Mahoning River has generated lots of buzz in recent months as a dedicated corps of people works to determine the feasibility of dredging the river.
Dredging would remove more than a century's worth of pollution that has settled into the river's bottom and thus improve the prospects for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and other recreation.
At public meetings conducted by the Pittsburgh District Corps of Engineers and Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, citizens have had opportunities to share knowledge about what the Mahoning River is capable of supporting if it were cleaned up. That information will help determine whether dredging is justified.
A great deal of information already has been logged into the public record.
For instance, a recent survey of the members of Cleveland Chapter of Muskies Inc. shows 26 percent of the respondents had fished the Mahoning River 10 times or more during the last four years. Nineteen percent of them reported catching muskies.
Another survey mailed to 5,023 randomly selected Mahoning watershed residents measured knowledge and opinions about the river. Of the 719 who responded, 54 percent reported they had used riverside parks. Fourteen percent said they had fished the river.
Even with its polluted sediment, the Mahoning River has made remarkable strides in the past 10 years. It supports good populations of walleyes, smallmouth bass and muskies.
The river's future boils down to this: A strong indication that people would benefit from a cleaner Mahoning River increases the likelihood that dredging will be happen.
Another meeting to continue the process of analyzing recreational opportunities on the Mahoning River is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 9 at Eastgate Regional Council of Governments office, 5121 Mahoning Ave.
jwwollitz@aol.com