Wet weather pays off at local fishing venues

Wet weather in recent weeks has served to extend the good fishing at a number of local reservoirs, where reports are that anglers continue to hook up with walleyes, crappies and other favorites.
All of this is good news for those who are thinking about fishing this Memorial Day weekend.
Days of persistent rain followed by several drenching thunderstorms last week brought water levels up to customary late spring levels at all of the local reservoirs, including Berlin, Milton, West Branch, Mosquito and Pymatuning. The fish also seem to have moved up with the water and are located in the cover where anglers are accustomed to finding them in late May.
Lake to lake
The action has been good to excellent at Mosquito Creek Reservoir for a number of species -- ranging from catfish and crappies to white bass and walleyes. The popular lake north of Warren also has yielded a number of big northern pike this spring. Rising water has served to extend the season for wading anglers, who often find their favorite haunts void of walleyes this time of year.
At nearby Pymatuning Reservoir, the walleye and crappie fishing also has improved. The fish are using the big stump flats and weed edges. Crappies are ganged up around the brushy shorelines, which also are holding good numbers of nice largemouth bass.
Crappies are attracting a lot of attention, too, at Berlin and West Branch. Reports from several sources indicate the fish are up in the willows and other bank brush. Milton's crappie fishing also is good right now, with nice catches coming around various docks around the state park reservoir.
Walleye appear to be in a variety of feeding behaviors as Memorial Day draws near. Anglers are catching nice fish at all of the local walleye waters by trolling crankbaits on lead core lines. Others are picking up nice catches while drifting with jigs and Lindy rigs tipped with nightcrawlers, leeches or minnows.
Bass fishing, meanwhile, has been slow at Berlin. The fish are scattered and only now are beginning to move up into their usual shallow-water haunts.
Reports indicate the bass fishing so far this spring at West Branch has been better than in the past few years. A recent tournament there resulted in a number of limit catches and a winning haul that averaged better than two pounds per fish.
Mosquito's largemouth fishing has yielded good numbers of keeper-size fish, but the 3- to 4-pounders for which the lake was noted in years past seem to have dwindled. Last weekend's two-day Mosquito Madness Tournament was won with a two-day limit of 10 largemouths that weighed just over 18 pounds.
All in all, this weekend should be a good one to test your skills against your favorite species, with nice weather and cooperative fish in the forecast.
Kids invited to Evans
A special event for children is planned June 3 at Evans Lake in conjunction with the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way Bass Classic, a pro-am bass tournament presented by Whispering Pines Village and hosted by Aqua Ohio.
Children of all ages are invited to Kids' Fish & amp; Fun, a day of activities presented by Dick's Sporting Goods at Evans Lake. Activities include fishing, games, a clown and face painter. Complimentary food and beverages will be available, too.
Chaired by Matt Johnson and supported by Vinyl Products President Randy Vegso, the inaugural Kids' Fish & amp; Fun in 2005 was a big success. This year's event is bigger and better, Johnson said, with prizes for all who participate.
Volunteers Jim and Carol Held of Alliance, along with the local United Way's union counselors, will assist children in the activities. Bait will be provided for those who wish to fish for panfish, bass and pike.
Organizers request that adults accompany their children during the event, which will start at 10 a.m. and conclude at the beginning of the Bass Classic weigh-in around 1:30 p.m. All activities will be around the Evans Lake boat house, on East Calla Road off South Avenue near Fonderlac Country Club.
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