The signs of spring are always welcome, even after a relatively mild winter and especially for people looking to unpack their fishing gear.
I have always said early season fishing trips are the best of the year regardless of whether any fish actually show up to play. Any day on the water in April is a plus on most people’s fishing calendar.
Nature offers amazing rewards for those of us who take advantage of the glorious days in April when the sun is shining, the water is warm, and the breeze is refreshing. I have many years of experience hunting in April to remind me why waiting for winter to end is worth the frustration of a few cold spells and even a blizzard or two.
Signs of spring are all around us in Youngstown and Warren.
one of “the spring” The places I know is Mosquito Lake. The marshy surroundings of the Trumbull County Reservoir are the wellspring of the life cycles of many species of northeastern Ohio.
Terrestrial and aquatic plants thrive along the Mosquito Coast. There are nests of Canadian geese everywhere there, turkeys, squirrels, and deer fodder. Shallow marshes are like halls for choirs of springtime jockeys, red blackbirds and other animals singing the praises of Ohio’s springtime.
Eagles glide on the soaring temperatures of the Great Lake’s waters and perch in the upper reaches of the hardwoods waiting for the glint of sunlight on a fin or the shadow of a sailing fish to glimpse their next meal site.
The sights and sounds of spring are wonderful, but none more so than the freshness that wafts through the swamps for those who live near the lake and those of us who go there to fish. It is the scene of life that celebrates new beginnings and indicates that the reward is there to be enjoyed.
All over our region, of course, are the signs of spring.
I love the gurgling of spring runoff that flows down streams that refresh our local lakes. Running water is a signal for many species of fish to migrate to rivers and streams in search of gravel and sandy bottoms where they can mate and breed.
When the streams run strong, anglers know that the annual white bass cruise from Milton and Berlin. We pull out the waders and cast the white jigs of the feisty fish.
The April green blush across hardwood platforms and willows is also a sure sign that crappie is moving into the shallow brush where anglers wait with minnows hanging under the floats. While all of our tanks in Northeast Ohio harbor crappie, Mosquitoes and Pymatuning get more than average attention from anglers in our area.
Spring signals are not limited to those sent from lakes and rivers. Even the fresh scent of freshly mowed grass reminds me of Bass Cat ready to pounce from the garage for the largemouth bass that live in Mosquito, Berlin, West Branch, Milton and Pymatuning.
Going hunting, in my estimation, is a great reward for those of us who respond to the cues of spring after enduring another winter in Ohio.
jack wolowitz book, “common hunter” is an immersive look at why anglers are so passionate about fishing. Send a note to [email protected].