Stocking of rainbow trout extends season for anglers

The Ohio Division of Wildlife's popular put-and-take fishing program for rainbow trout in inland waters across the state will get a boost next month with the scheduled stocking of some 25,000 rainbows of 10 to 13 inches in length.

The fish, which represent surplus production at the Castalia State Fish Hatchery in Erie County, will be apportioned among 25 waterways, including four impoundments in northwest Ohio.

"This annual stocking provides excellent opportunities for anglers to continue fishing through the fall all across Ohio," said Elmer Heyob, hatcheries program administrator with the Division of Wildlife.

The catchable trout stocking program targets small inland waters, including state and community park lakes, as well as other easy-access lakes throughout the state. Anglers age 16 and older must have an Ohio fishing license.

Stockings in this region include Lima Lake in Allen County, Oct. 7; Lamberjack Lake [Fostoria Reservoir No. 3] in Hancock County, Oct. 7; Norwalk Reservoir in Huron County, Oct. 8, and Swanton Reservoir in Lucas County, Oct. 7. A complete list is available on-line at ohiodnr.com.

Additional information about fall trout releases is available from Division of Wildlife district offices in Akron, Athens, Columbus, Findlay, and Xenia; or by calling toll free 1-800-WILDLIFE begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-WILDLIFE end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

In other fishing news, the yellow perch season is cranking up and the schools of fish seem to be making their seasonal in-shore movements.

Dan Baker at Butch and Denny's on Corduroy Road said that Larry Kincaid, of Genoa, showed up with a 30-perch limit to clean.

The fish weighed 11 pounds and averaged more than nine inches each, which is excellent.

Kincaid did some sorting en route to his limit, fishing in just 17 feet of water about half way out to the Toledo Water Intake.

Overall the action has ranged from fair to excellent, Baker said.

"All the regular haunts are producing fish and it should be better every day," he added.

The usual haunts include the chart area marked Gravel Pit east of the Toledo Ship Channel, Buoy 13 along the channel, and Toledo Harbor Light.

Similarly, Dale [Andy] Anderson reports an excellent family outing aboard Rich Turturice's Crazy Lady, fishing out of Cooley Canal in Jerusalem Township.

"We started with minnows, but finally switched to cut bait. In about three hours, the eight fishermen caught 240 nice perch, the largest measuring 13 3/4 inches." Andy added that it was "the best fishing I've seen in years."

On the tournament front, pro Michael Trombly of Perrysburg, caught a 10-bass limit weighing 46 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday and Sunday to win $6,540 in the FLW Outdoors Bass Fishing League's Michigan division tournament on the Detroit River.

He used tube jigs in weedy areas along the north shore to land his limits.

Among other area pro anglers, Dave Hasty, of Toledo, took fourth place with 10 bass weighing 40 pounds, 10 ounces to win $1,059, and Brent Dunmyer, of Weston, Ohio, took ninth place with 10 bass at 36 pounds, 3 ounces to win $605.

In the co-angler division. Brian Ruetz, of Toledo, entered nine bass at 29 pounds, 11 ounces to win $1,135, and Luke Shocklee, of Rockwood, Mich., entered 10 bass at 29 pounds, 4 ounces to take third and $757.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (270) 252-1000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

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The third annual "Cars for Critters" benefit car show is set for Sunday, at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Proceeds will benefit wildlife, habitat restoration, and wildlife rehabilitation. Mona Rutger and volunteers from Back to the Wild, a wildlife rehabilitation center, will be on hand with live eagles, hawks, owls, and other native wildlife.

In keeping with the critter theme, some car classes will be for animal-named cars. For example, a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner might compete against a 1962 Ford Thunderbird in the "best bird" class. Classes are available for all types of cars, and trophy plaques will be awarded to class winners by people's choice.

Registration the day of show is $12. T-shirts and goody bags will be given to the first 100 participants. Door prizes and gas cards will be given away. Hay rides through the refuge also are scheduled. For additional information or to register, call Eddy Pausch at the refuge at 419-898-0014 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 419-898-0014 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

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If you want to participate in a superb autumn outdoors opportunity close to home, consider signing up with A Forest Festival for Families. It is a weekend for nature education featuring camping, cycling, canoeing, and hiking, set for Oct. 1-3 at Twin Acres Campground near Whitehouse.

Sponsored by the Naturalist Scouts program, the weekend is open to public participation and opens Friday evening, Oct. 1, with supper and a star watch. Saturday events on Oct. 2 include a naturalist-led walk, a fire-starting session, a program on hawks of the Oak Openings, and fishing at Evergreen Lake.

An autumn leaves walk and nature cycling through Oak Openings also are planned for the afternoon, and a night hike follows supper.

A pancake breakfast, and bird hike begin Sunday, followed by a session on the writings of the great conservationst-naturalist Aldo Leopold, and canoe training as needed. A canoeing session is set for the afternoon at Farnsworth Metropark on the Maumee River.

For other details and to sign up, contact Naturalist Scouts director Larry Lindsay at 419-826-5182 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 419-826-5182 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or e-mail LarryL.Lindsay@amplex.net. The campground is two miles west of Whitehouse about a half mile west of the junction of State Rts. 64 and 295.

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Correction - A clerical error resulted in the misidentification of a disabled veteran angler in a photograph that accompanied a column on vets' trout fishing at Castalia State Hatchery. The vet pictured is Ty York, of greater Cincinnati's veterans program.

Contact Steve Pollick at:

spollick@theblade.com

or 419-724-6068.