outdoorswithmartin on July 25th, 2009

There’s simply no question that fishing for largemouth bass is the most popular piscatorial sport in the country.  Literally millions of dollars are spent each year on fishing tournaments, more millions on tackle, bass boats, trolling motors, and other necessities, and time on the water spent casting for these greenish fighters simply can’t be estimated.  […]

Continue reading about How to Fish Largemouth Bass on Docks, Shorelines and Weedbeds

outdoorswithmartin on July 25th, 2009

Published March 2005 Spring is coming soon and shortly area gardeners will be planting the first lettuce, onion sets, and radishes.  Not long after will come spinach, early potatoes, and peas.  But there’s one garden plant that I never bother to do much with, maybe because it isn’t necessary.  That’s dill, an herb that’s vital […]

Continue reading about Spring Gardening: Plant Dill Only Once

Published March 2005 “How did you do on walleye at Fremont yesterday?”  “I got one jack, that’s all.  A couple of guys snagging did better.  I think a game warden caught one of them.’  That’s a typical story for Sandusky River walleye fishermen.  One or two fish, rarely more, and a long day spent tossing […]

Continue reading about Sandusky River Walleye Fishermen Change Their Luck in Spawning Season with Tiny Jigging

Published April 2005 Floods have been a real problem in Ohio this winter, bad enough sometimes to destroy homes, strain dams, and send people scrambling for higher ground.  Those floods are likely not over yet, since March and April with their frequent heavy rains can bring flooding again and again.  We know what floods do to […]

Continue reading about From Rattlesnakes to River Otters: Wildlife Impacts from Flooding in Ohio

Published March 2005 It’s been a slow winter for steelhead fishermen.  Some fish have been caught in Lake Erie tributaries, but floods and other rigorous winter problems have slowed action to almost nothing for weeks at a time.  Now. there’s good news.  As of last weekend rivers from Conneaut Creek to the Rocky River and […]

Continue reading about Ohio's Lake Erie Steelhead Fishing: Catch Them with Spawn Sacs (and Make Your Own)

outdoorswithmartin on July 25th, 2009

Published March 2005 It takes an absolutely prime plant to reach the exalted status of the Perennial Plant Association’s (based in Hilliard, Ohio) Perennial Plant of the Year, but the Lenten rose has made it (2005).  (See the full list of Perennial Plant of the Year winners until 2009 here) This evergreen, late-winter or early-spring […]

Continue reading about Perennial Plant Association's Perennial Plant of the Year

outdoorswithmartin on July 25th, 2009

Published March 2005 It’s been a long and unusually hard winter, but spring is coming and soon crocus will be in full bloom, the trees greening up, and waters in area lakes warming steadily.  Fishing will pick up too, as various species begin to feed up for spring spawning, so it’s time to check the […]

Continue reading about Northcentral Ohio Lake Fishing for Largemouth Bass and More

outdoorswithmartin on July 24th, 2009

How do you like your weekends or vacations?  Rugged and rustic?  Ultra-modern with all of the amenities?  You can find either at Lake Hope, a 120 acre lake that waits in Vinton County not far from McArthur in southeastern Ohio.  This pretty woodland lake is a fish-hook shaped body of water surrounded by 2,983 acre […]

Continue reading about Boating, Fishing and Camping at Lake Hope, Ohio

Published April 2005 There’s very little question that yellow perch are Lake Erie’s favorite fish on the table.  Crisp, brown fillets touched with tartar sauce disappear from plates like magic when they appear, leaving smiles of appreciation, and one of the prime times to take some is in early April.  Action should improve throughout April, […]

Continue reading about Early Spring Lake Erie Perch Fishing Can Be Excellent: Best Rigs, Rods, and Places to Fish

Published March 2005 Back when I was a youngster of ten or twelve, I spent a lot of time roaming the hills of southern Ohio with a cluster of boon companions. We had no televisions or computers then, so we made our own fun, and to forestall dangerous snakes, bears, alligators, and tigers, went heavily […]

Continue reading about Pre-Hunting/Fishing Season Practice and Preparation: Off Season Tasks for Hunters and Fishermen

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Lots of people don’t care much for lettuce, and for good reason.  The kind most of us buy and/or eat at restaurants is usually rock hard commercial iceburg lettuce that’s watery and has essentially no flavor at all.  Some restaurants and supermarkets do offer other kinds, and that’s a blessing, but there’s a world of […]

Continue reading about Variety Lettuce Gardening: No More Boring Lettuce

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Published February 2005 Hocking Hills in springtime is a beautiful place with rugged hills covered by trilliums, spring beauties, and other flowers. In summer it’s a cool, shaded place with challenging hikes and climbs, and come fall, the hills are a riot of color with wild turkeys gobbling in the valleys. But winter? It’s a […]

Continue reading about Ohio Winter Travel Feature: Hocking Hills Ohio

Published February 2005 The shank of winter is a hard time for most outdoorsmen.  Hunting is essentially over, river and stream fishing is scarce, and the outdoor shows are few and far between.  So, what can you do over the next weeks before the weather breaks and lawn grass starts to green up?  You head […]

Continue reading about Ohio Icewater Bluegill and Bass Fishing: Fishing Tips When Winter Oxygen Levels are Low

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Published February 2005 Gardening is a wonderful business, as all green thumbers know, with good fresh produce at harvest time, produce that grew under your own eye instead of being sent from Bolivia or Mexico.  But it’s a darn shame when you prepare the ground, plant the seed, fertilize, water, hoe, and carefully raise something […]

Continue reading about How To Tell When Vegetables Are Ripe for Harvest

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Ever hear of solunar tables?  Many readers, especially younger ones, haven’t, but lots of old veterans have and believe in them so fiercely that they plan hunting and fishing trips around the tables.  For those unfamiliar with the tables, sol means sun and lunar means moon, and the basic idea is that the two together […]

Continue reading about Solunar Tables for Fishing and Hunting: Do They Work?

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

What’s big (8-10 pounds), beautiful, watches you with 100 eyes, and has a scream that some have compared to a “goosed school girl.”  Did you guess pea fowl or perhaps just peacocks?  That’s right and while the birds are fairly rare in our area, some farmers do have a few, especially those who like something […]

Continue reading about Peacocks: Are They a Bird for You? More on Ohio Pea Fowl Farming

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Published February 2005 Most readers are fully aware of the significance of Easter.  They know it’s history, what should happen on each day, and the climax of the important event.  But did you ever wonder where the Easter Bunny fits into this religious scenario?  Not surprisingly, the Easter Bunny is one of the most beloved […]

Continue reading about The Easter Bunny Throughout History

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Each year Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October, the day that Christopher Columbus discovered America.  But there’s a good deal of controversy about the event these days, since evidence is growing that it wasn’t Columbus, but the Vikings that discovered our country, evidence reported more than once in magazines like Archaeology […]

Continue reading about Vikings Were Farmers Too

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

It’s the shank of the winter and not much is doing out there.  Hunting is essentially over, the ice is iffy, and about the only fishing is for steelhead and saugeye.  Which is okay, because saugeye particularly can provide some fun fishing, at least given proper conditions.  This below dam sport has been slow most […]

Continue reading about Tailwater Fishing for Ohio Saugeye: Favorite Methods

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Published February 2005 Winter still has a firm grip in Feburary on our area of northcentral Ohio, but spring is coming and before you know it, the first crocus and daffodils will be pushing up through damp soil. Before that happens, you might like to give a little consideration to tomatoes.  Tomatoes are great plants, […]

Continue reading about Ohio Spring Gardening: Growing Your Own Tomatoes from Seeds

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Published February 2005 When it’s been a bad winter, with too much snow, too much rain, too much ice, too much everything, and when according to the Pennsylvania groundhog, we’ve got more long weeks of the above coming, what are your options?  Area outdoorsmen have a simple choice.  They can hole up like that proverbial […]

Continue reading about Winter Fun for Families at Ohio's State Parks

outdoorswithmartin on July 21st, 2009

Published February 2005 Remember the Good Old Days?  Many of you do, and most will remember that many farms had at least a few guinea fowl or guinea hens.  My own grandmother always kept a dozen or so around, and the dark, grey mottled, or almost white birds with their ridiculous little blue and red […]

Continue reading about Guinea Fowl Great For Farms: Breeding and Benefits

outdoorswithmartin on July 21st, 2009

Published February 2005 The Pennsylvania groundhog often predicts weeks and weeks more of winter.  More ice, more snow, more bitter cold, it’s enough to depress almost anybody.  So, at that point you have two choices.  One, spend the next weeks holed up in front of a fire with a good book when you’re not working, or two, […]

Continue reading about Houghton Lake Michigan for Winter Sports and Fun

outdoorswithmartin on July 21st, 2009

Published February 2005 Do you have a fence that looks dull and drab each summer?  A large open area that could stand a trellis and something bright climbing up its sides?  If the answer to either is “Yes”, then you might consider growing some sweet peas this spring.  Sweet peas are unique among flowers in […]

Continue reading about Trellis Ready? Spring Planting for Sweet Peas

outdoorswithmartin on July 21st, 2009

Published February 2005 Ice fishing has been a tough proposition on Lake Erie this winter.  Ice was slow in coming, though there were 8 to 10 inches finally last weekend, and water under the ice was muddy, thanks to floods that swelled tributaries and pumped millions of gallons of silt filled water into the lake.  […]

Continue reading about Where to Go Lake Erie Ice Fishing? Around the Islands

outdoorswithmartin on July 21st, 2009

Published February 2005 Every year it happens.  Like the inexorable ticking of a clock, the days grow longer, two minutes by two minutes.  And as they do, Lake Erie walleye eggs and milt begin to mature and hormones trigger off behavior patterns that have changed little over thousands of years.  The fish begin staging south […]

Continue reading about Lake Erie Pre-Spawn Walleye Fishing Tactics

outdoorswithmartin on July 21st, 2009

Published January 2005 Seems like every bass fisherman has his or her own personal favorite fishing lures, and most use them through thick and thin.  Too often, it’s thin.  I know some anglers who stick strictly to pig and jig combinations and put a plastic worm on the other rod.  Both are good offerings, but […]

Continue reading about Ohio Bass Fishing: Best Baits and Lures for Your Tacklebox

outdoorswithmartin on July 21st, 2009

The National Garden Bureau celebrated 2005 as the Year Of The Melon, and for good reason.  Even in the 16th century one French monk waxed rhapsodic about Charantais melons saying “O fleur de tous les fruits.  O ravissant melon.”  (Oh, flower of all the fruits.  Oh, ravishing melon!)  And five centuries later, there is still […]

Continue reading about Melon Growing: Tips for Healthy and Historic Curcubits

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Veteran outdoorsmen, whether they be hunters, fishermen, hikers, or other brands know that the world of nature has the potential of becoming a hazardous place.  And take precautions accordingly.  But this country is filled with folk who live in cities or suburbs and see little more of nature than city park squirrels and the occasional […]

Continue reading about Bear Safety for Parks Visitors

Spring is coming and when it arrives, plenty of cabin fevered boaters are going to be looking for new places to enjoy their sport.  Some will head for lively spots like Lake Erie, Pymatuning, or Buckeye Lake, but others might be yearning for a quiet place where they can see pretty country and spend a […]

Continue reading about Dillon Lake, Ohio: Great Breaks for Boaters, Outdoorsmen and Their Families

Ask the average outdoorsman what he likes to eat, and he’ll probably say beef, pork, and chicken.  The daring might go for turkey occasionally, taste a bit of wild rabbit, feast on braised venison, but that’s about it.  If you’re in this ho-hum category, food-wise, maybe it’s time you put a little adventure in your […]

Continue reading about Hunter/Fisher's Overlooked Bounty: How to Eat Crayfish, Sparrows, Muskrat, Groundhog, Sheepshead and Carp (if you want to)

Published January 2005 Gardening catalogs have been with us for weeks, and many gardeners, myself included, have already picked out and perhaps received their seeds for the spring planting.  It wasn’t always that way.  Once upon a time most green thumbers gathered seeds from their own gardens, dried and put them away in a cool, […]

Continue reading about Collecting Your Own Vegetable Seeds to Plant: Harvesting from F-1Hybrids and Open Pollinated Plants

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published in December 2004 The deer seasons are nearly over, little hunting is left, except late season rabbits and squirrels, and it’s a long time until spring.  But there’s still a sport worth pursuing, a sport that’s tough and challenging, and is both new and different.  That’s seeking big and hungry coyotes with a predator […]

Continue reading about Calling in Coyotes: Winter Coyote Hunting in Ohio

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published January 2005 It’s been a tough winter for below the dam saugeye anglers.  Heavy snow, ice storms, and far too much rain have seen tailwaters below Charles Mill and Pleasant Hill lakes bank full and muddy far more often than not.  But that’s got to change eventually, and the heavy rains might actually have […]

Continue reading about Ohio Saugeye Anglers: Winter Fishing in Reservoirs and Dams

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published January 2005 It’s been a hard winter so far.  Ice and snow and too much rain makes rooms seem smaller and more confining.  There’s little to do outside, tv is suddenly boring, and even the couch has lost its allure.  So, maybe it’s time you took a trip, someplace with new sports and activities, […]

Continue reading about Ohio Winter Getaway? Try Hocking Hills

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published January 2005 Gardening has always been a useful, table filling, and satisfying activity, but when you’re good at it, what do you do with the excess?  A standard tactic in recent years has been to freeze extra produce, and I routinely freeze green beans, cabbage, sweet corn, and similar vegetables along with some fruit.  […]

Continue reading about Drying and Storing Your Garden Produce

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

All wild animals are important and should be, but one stands far above all others.  For this animal, much of the country was explored, wars were fought, fortunes were made, and history came to know iron men and their exploits, lengendary figures like Will Sublet, Kit Carson, and Jeremiah Johnson.  That animal is a 30 […]

Continue reading about Historic Ohio Sport: Beaver Trapping

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published January 2005 Good ice has been slow in coming to area farm ponds this winter.  Snow and rain, freezes and thaws, but if that safe 4-5 inches of clear ice hasn’t arrived yet, it surely will soon, and when it comes, a small, but growing fraternity of ice walkers is going to be out […]

Continue reading about Ice Fishing in Farm Ponds: Catching Big Fish Through Little Holes

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published January 2005 Back when my daughter lived in Burgess Hill south of London and hadn’t yet moved to Switzerland, we used to visit her at least twice a year.  And one of my great pleasures was sitting in a chair beside her little backyard water garden.  It was only a couple of feet deep, […]

Continue reading about Building Backyard Water Gardens and Small Ponds

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published January 2005 It’s been a tough winter for would-be ice fishermen.  A little ice at first, then rain, thawing, cold again, heavy snow, and freezing rain, all of which has contributed to treacherous ice on many lakes.  But there simply have to be some cold days this winter and eventually the good 4-5 inch […]

Continue reading about Ohio Ice Fishing Basics: Bait Tips and Where to Fish

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Most farmers would like to have a farm pond on their acreage, and in north central Ohio, literally thousands do.  Some are wonderful places, filled with good sized fish, perfect for swimming, places that draw waterfowl and wildlife in plenty.  Lots of others are too shallow, too weedy, filled with stunted bluegills, good for little […]

Continue reading about Building The Perfect Farm Pond: Experience from Northern Ohio

Published in January 2005 Few people would question that venison is among the best of wild meats.  It’s low fat, and therefore healthy, has no hormones of antibiotics, and tastes as good as beef, according to many, with its own pleasing “wild’ flavor.  Best of all, for many charities, the meat is free and very […]

Continue reading about Hunters for the Hungry: Venison Meat Processing for Charity in Ohio Vocational School

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published January 2005 We’ve had some bad years recently for major fires.  Severe drought in southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah brought wildfires that burned hundreds of thousands of acres, drove many from their homes, killed untold wildlife creatures, and destroyed millions of trees.  Obviously, fire is bad.  Or is it, at least always? Once […]

Continue reading about Ohio Forest Fires: Are Forest Fires Always Bad?

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published January 2005 It’s been a tough winter so far with up to 20 inches of snow that’s luckily melted off now.  I was trapped in my house for about 24 hours before I could find someone to plow my driveway, and that 24 hours gave me plenty of time to start thinking about my […]

Continue reading about Winter Gardening: Spring Radish Varieties

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published in January 2005 Just how many coyotes are there in north-central Ohio?  Are they rare?  Common?  Thick on the ground?  Apparently, the third choice is the answer, though many an outdoorsman has never seen one, mainly because they travel mostly at night.  One group of coyote chasers who does most of their hunting around […]

Continue reading about Hunting Coyotes with Dogs in North Central Ohio

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published in December 2004 House plants have a tough time in the typical mid-winter home.  It’s cool, the humidity is low, and light often lower, so the typical scenario is to buy a couple of nice house plants, enjoy them until they die, then buy some more.  For those who appreciate a spot of greenery […]

Continue reading about Indoor Gardening: Keeping Houseplants Alive in Winter

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published in December 2004 Snow.  Cold and white, fluffy or frozen, it’s marvelous stuff.  Skiers love it and snowmobilers, and hunters love it too, or should.  Last year we had an open winter, one of several recently, when it hardly snowed at all, but this winter is shaping up to be a cold one with […]

Continue reading about Hunting in Snow: Tracking Deer, Rabbit, Pheasant and More

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

It appears the halcyon days of early rabbit season are essentially over.  Those lovely days with temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s that saw rabbits sitting out in weed fields, in thin fencerows, light brush and curled over grass have turned into days with snow, bitter winds, and temperatures that hardly break freezing.  Weather like […]

Continue reading about Winter Rabbit Hunting With No Rabbit Dog

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published December 2004 One of the nicest things about living in a forested part of America (as opposed to prairie or desert) is that we have lots of trees.  And trees are great for many a reason.  We like to plant them for fruit or to provide food for birds and squirrels.  They gladden our […]

Continue reading about Great Tips for Cutting Your Own Firewood

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published in December 2004 Unless you’re into ice fishing or below the dams saugeye, steelhead fishing is the only game in town from December through March.  Luckily, it’s a very good game indeed.  The Ohio Division of Wildlife stocks many thousands of steelhead each year into Lake Erie tributaries, and these fish grow large feeding […]

Continue reading about Ohio Winter Steelhead Fishing