Stumps are a factor in Pymatuning. Some anglers do well pitching jigs to visible wood in the north end of the lake. The large stumpfields south of the causeway also hold fish.

As of this writing, the horsepower restriction on Pymatuning remained at 10 horsepower, although discussions have been raised on changing the restriction. A limit of six fish, all of which must conform to the 15-inch minimum size, is in effect.

Boat launches are on the Ohio (western) side of the lake off Pymatuning Lake Road. Bait and tackle and up-to-date fishing reports may be obtained at the Duck and Drake, (440) 293-2439, located across Pymatuning Lake Road from the Birch Landing south of the causeway.

The nearby state park has boat rentals available from this launch area.

LAKE MILTON
Alliance walleye expert Punky Ball considers Mahoning County's 1,684-acre Lake Milton to be a "sleeper" lake -- one with a good walleye population that sometimes gets overlooked.

Ball is president of the Western Reserve Walleye Association, a group that includes in its activities several fishing tournaments at Ohio's better inland walleye waters. Typically, Lake Milton is included on the tournament list each year.

Lake Milton is downstream of Berlin Lake, which is also a top walleye water. Ball considers Milton to be just as good as the better-known Berlin.

Lake Milton is within the state park of the same name. The reservoir flows from south to north, attaining a depth of about 30 feet at the dam. Interstate 76 crosses the lake at its midpoint.

The ODOW stocks Milton with fingerlings to augment what's produced naturally. Over 171,000 1- to 2-inch fingerlings were stocked in 2004. A degree of natural reproduction occurs in Berlin Lake, and fisheries managers expect that fish passing from Berlin down to Milton will make a significant contribution to the fishery in the next few years.

With its more developed shoreline, Milton doesn't have a lot in the way of shoreline wood to hold fish, nor does it have significant weed growth. For this reason, anglers must pay more attention to subtle changes in depth that can attract and hold fish. The food base is composed of gizzard shad and yellow perch.

While the walleye fishing typically peaks around early-to-mid May at Milton, Ball deems it a good early-season lake as well. "The best early-season spots are the sunken islands north of the Interstate 76 bridge," he noted. "They can be found on most lake maps."

Another good early-season option, according to Ball, would be the piers on the Interstate 76 bridge. He said jig-'n'-minnow combinations are excellent for working both areas.

As fish disperse to other areas, Ball says, walleyes relate to subtle bottom changes, at times to variations of less than a foot. He also noted that the fish frequently move around, and so it takes a versatile angler to score consistently.

Trolling becomes more popular on Lake Milton once the water warms up Ball reports that Lake Milton also has a strong white bass population, and that the opportunistic walleyes often suspend below schools of feeding white bass to feed on the easy pickings.

Watch your electronics for signs of schooled bait, and for following game fish. Spinner-crawler rigs pulled behind bottom bouncer sinkers are productive on Lake Milton later in the spring.

Early-season fishing isn't limited to these three waters. The Ohio River, the upper pools in particular, offer good walleye fishing that could heat up in February. If so, concentrate your efforts in the tailrace areas and around the mouths of feeder creeks.

Maps of all three lakes can be downloaded from the ODOW's Web site, www.dnr.ohio.gov/wildlife.