Dick Martin: Division of Wildlife giving insight into best spots to fish

Looking for a really great place to go fishing? The Ohio Division of Wildlife last week sent a news release tallying the best spots to fish in Central and Northwestern Ohio. This week they're offering hot spots for Northeastern parts.

For example, the top spot for black bass is Tappan Lake in Harrison County, a bass haven that saw impressive numbers of fish from 12-15 inches in surveys and more bass to 22 inches. Best place for Hybrid striped bass was Guilford Lake in Columbiana County with surveys documenting fish to 17 inches. They're great fighters. Pymatuning Lake got the nod for top walleye spot, and Mogadore Reservoir in Portage County was best for channel cats. Anglers who like panfishing for crappie, yellow perch, and sunfish should try Mosquito Creek Lake in Trumbull County, and West Branch Reservoir for muskies. Lots of choices in this area.

Advanced high school, college students, educators, and others very interested in learning more about the outdoors might enjoy a workshop or more at the Ohio State University's Stone Lab on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. The workshops last from a day to a week and range from fish sampling techniques and algae identification to birding and banding, and sport fishing. A complete listing is available online at go.osu.edu/SLworkshops. Stone Lab also offers college credit courses.

The Isaac Walton League is inviting outdoorsmen and women who want to help improve the environment to become Volunteer Stream Monitors. They will collect water quality information near where they live. Polluted runoff from fields, parking lots, industrial sites, and yards across America flows unchecked and untreated into our streams and rivers, and they can help stop it. Join the Clean Water Challenge and do what you can. For more information, visit the League's website at www.iwla.org/challenge.

The Ohio Ornithological Society (OOS) is now accepting signups for guided beginner birding tours during the International Migratory Bird Day Weekend . The OOS in cooperation with the ODNR will be conducting guided birding walks May 12 and 13 at Magee Marsh Wildlife Are on Lake Erie. The walks on May 12 will be held at 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 2:30 p.m., and on May 13 will be held at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Walks will be limited to 15 participants each and will be filled first come, first served. Interested individuals can register by e-mailing Julie.davis@ohiobirds.org.

Dick Martin is a retired biology teacher who has been writing outdoor columns for 30 years. You can reach him at richmart@neo.rr.com.