ANGLING TIPS Jack Wollitz

When Chris DiPaola starts talking about muskies, his eyes light up.
Big fish thrill DiPaola, of Austintown, so it's no wonder he is a muskie man. He's also youth director of the Cleveland Chapter of Muskies Inc., and a spokesman for the chapter's 115 members here in northeastern Ohio.
He didn't hesitate when asked recently about the best place for a Youngstown-area angler to hook up with a muskie.
"Pymatuning, no question," DiPaola said. "It's by far the best bet in this part of the country. Ohio and Pennsylvania stock the lake, so it has lots of fish, and they average 40 inches."
Anglers who want to wrestle with the big dog of fresh water should make plans to visit Pymatuning in 2005. DiPaola offers tips.
"Concentrate on the weeds at Pymatuning. You can troll the edges or cast to them," he said.
DiPaola recommends bucktail spinners and jerkbaits. He says perch and other dark colors work best. He likes to have splashes of yellow or orange in his lures.
His Muskies Inc. duties include keeping track of the catch reports filed by members. He received information on more than 300 catches filed by 30 members this year, and more are expected.
Although Pymatuning is the best nearby muskie playground, western New York's Chautauqua Lake -- about two and a half hours from Youngstown -- was the most productive lake in 2004, based on members' reports.
Milton, said DiPaola, produced many good fish, including a 521/2-incher that was the best in the Cleveland Chapter this year.
Also productive were Conneaut, Leesville and Salt Fork lakes.
West Branch, long acknowledged as a prime place for tiger muskies -- a cross between a muskie and a northern pike -- had an off year in '04, according to DiPaola's records.
jwwollitz@aol.com