The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) sets dates annually for the free fishing days here in Ohio. This year’s dates are June 20th and June 21st. This is a great opportunity to introduce your family, friends or to re-introduce yourself to the sport of fishing. It’s time to grab those fishing poles and tackle boxes from out of the garage, shed or attic.
One thing you should do before heading out is to check out your fishing poles. A reel that is not functioning properly or a fishing line that kinks or breaks easily can make for a bad experience. Here are a few things to check. The reel. Does it crank smoothly? Does it release the line freely? Is it secured to the pole? How old is the line and what condition is it in? Is the fishing pole in good condition? Are all the eyelets there? Does the reel seat firmly secure the reel? Any cracks or missing components on the rod or reel? There are a lot of videos online to help you learn how to clean/re-string a reel and inspect fishing poles if you have any issues or questions.
A simple set up is all that is needed to make a day of fishing fun. The proper size hook for the target fish, a simple split shot weight, a bobber and some bait. Live bait is the easiest to use and the most readily available. Several area gas stations, hardwares, convient stores and bait shops carry the classic live bait, the worm. The selection of worms will vary by location, but most carry nightcrawlers, leaf worms, red worms or wigglers.
The last thing to do is find a place to go. Here in Northwest Ohio we have a number of options with the public lakes, reservoirs, creeks and rivers. In the Paulding county area we have Carr Lake west of Antwerp, the Maumee River, the Auglaize River, the Little Auglaize River, Flat Rock Creek, Black Swamp Nature Center by the Paulding County Fairgrounds and Paulding Reservoir to name a few. You can do an online search to see what is available in your area.
One final note, take the time to check out the latest fishing regulations by going to ohiodnr.gov website. There you will find daily limits and size requirements. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Hope to see you along the water’s edge soon.
—Gary Mabis,
President, Antwerp Conservation Club
