Ohio

Ohio Division of Wildlife continues to reward anglers who catch fish of a certain size

Published

3 months ago

February 25, 2024

Ohio Division of Wildlife continues to reward anglers who catch fish of a certain size

Dave Golowenski
| Special to The Columbus Dispatch

To an angler, paradise isn’t as much a place on the map as a point in time when a fish rises to bait and is snared on a hook.

The tussle that follows generates a splendid space for any angler to occupy, though the fish might see it differently. Any angler focused on a fish fight can’t lose as long as the time spent provides a break from a civilized world with its aggravations, demands, disappointments and discontents.

Almost secondary is whether a fish, once landed, is taken home for consumption or released to fight another day. Nearly always in play, though, is an enduring and mystifying fascination with size.

MORE: Signs point to ‘many years of remarkable walleye fishing’ in Ohio

Many anglers wouldn’t think of heading for the water without a measuring device and/or scale. On some bodies of water and with some species, checking a fish’s length is a legal necessity.

A tape measure is, at the very least, good to have on hand in case something extraordinary latches on. And that possibility helps explain why fishing can be a captivating and addictive plunge into the unknown.

If what winds up in the net is something big, the angler is compelled to know exactly how big.

Landing a fish of exceptional size has long provided the basis for friendly competition among pals, for money-driven tournament angling and for rewards from the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Fish Ohio program.

Started in 1976, more than 410,000 Fish Ohio pins have been handed to anglers who submit a catch matching or surpassing length established standards for individual species.

In 2023, there were 10,166 Fish Ohio pins given out for catches among 26 species. Pins awarded in 2022 totaled 9,723.

Some anglers try to earn at least one every year. Some have pins displayed on jackets or caps representing catches they’re more than willing to talk about when asked. Some don’t even require asking.

Fish Ohio minimums, not unlike the recognized species, vary considerably in length. A muskellunge needs to be 40 inches to earn a pin, a blue catfish or a flathead 35 inches.

A rock bass or a sunfish minimum is 9 inches, a runt among some species but giants among their kind.

MORE: A nice day of fishing doesn’t have to involve dollars and cents

One indication of how different the growth rates are in Lake Erie is that a number of species have a different length standard depending on where they’re caught.

For instance, a 20-inch freshwater drum (sheepshead) qualifies for a pin if taken from an inland lake or reservoir, the Ohio River, a private pond, or an inland river or stream. A sheepshead taken from Lake Erie would have to be 24 inches to qualify.

The standard for smallmouth bass is 18 inches caught inland, 19 inches for Lake Erie. Walleye qualify at 25 inches inland, 28 inches on Lake Erie. Yellow perch must be 12 inches inland, 13 on Lake Erie. White bass qualify at 14 inches inland, 15 inches on Lake Erie.

For most species, however, qualifying standards are identical whether caught from Lake Erie or any inland waters. Those species include catfish, largemouth bass, crappie and carp, to name a few.

A detailed report about Fish Ohio pins, including qualifying lengths, species and how to apply can be found at the website wildohio.gov.

outdoors@dispatch.com

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Ohio

Young man from the Mid-Ohio Valley passes away

Published

3 hours ago

May 24, 2024

Press Room

Young man from the Mid-Ohio Valley passes away

(WTAP) -Travis Flores passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family and friends, according to his Instagram page.

Travis grew up in Newport, Ohio and he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was a baby.

WTAP has interviewed him throughout the years about his journey with the disease.

He just turned 33 in April.

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Ohio

Former Ohio State Wide Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Signs Four-Year, $35.37 Million Rookie Contract with Arizona Cardinals

Published

10 hours ago

May 23, 2024

Press Room

Former Ohio State Wide Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Signs Four-Year, $35.37 Million Rookie Contract with Arizona Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr. is officially an Arizona Cardinal.

The former Ohio State wide receiver signed his rookie contract with the Cardinals on Thursday.

Maserati secured.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) May 23, 2024

As the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, Harrison’s first NFL contract is worth $35.37 million over the next four years, with the Cardinals holding a fifth-year option for 2028. The deal includes a $22.5 million signing bonus and is fully guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“It’s my first job,” Harrison told the Arizona Cardinals’ official website after signing his contract. “Ever since I got here I’ve been telling people I’m going to work – it’s not practice anymore.”

Signed, sealed and Delivered @MarvHarrisonJr https://t.co/SaO5gxeOiy
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) May 23, 2024

Harrison is the first of this year’s top five picks to sign his NFL rookie contract. He’s the third of Ohio State’s four 2024 NFL draft picks to sign their contracts, joining Houston Texans fourth-round pick Cade Stover (four years, $4.76 million) and Las Vegas Raiders fifth-round pick Tommy Eichenberg (four years, $4.36 million).

Cleveland Browns second-round pick Mike Hall Jr. has not signed his contract yet, but his deal is projected to be worth $7.07 million over the next four years, per the league’s draft pick wage scale.

Harrison signed his contract with the Cardinals even though he has yet to sign the NFLPA’s licensing agreement, which prevents fans from buying his jersey and could keep him out of the Madden NFL 25 video game if he does not sign the agreement. His decision not to sign the licensing agreement before the draft, as NFL prospects typically do, comes amid a dispute with Fanatics, which filed a lawsuit against Harrison on Saturday alleging breach of contract. Fanatics is accusing Harrison of failing to fulfill the obligations of a contract he signed with Fanatics while he was still at Ohio State in 2023, while Harrison’s team has said there is no contract between the former Buckeye star and the sports memorabilia company.

The highest-drafted wide receiver in Ohio State history, Harrison joins former OSU left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. as one of the young stars of the Cardinals, who drafted Johnson with the No. 6 overall pick in 2023.

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Could Ohio State have the best college football defense in 2024?

Published

18 hours ago

May 23, 2024

Press Room

Could Ohio State have the best college football defense in 2024?

Expectations are high for Ohio State heading into the 2024 season. But according to ESPN’s latest preseason projections, the Buckeyes are still sitting behind one SEC foe.

Per ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ projection model, which puts a number to the returning production, recent recruiting and recent history that turns into “a tempo- and opponent adjusted measure of college football efficiency,” Ohio State is the second-best team in the country behind Georgia.

The Buckeyes are listed as the team to beat in the Big Ten ahead of teams such as Oregon (No. 3), Michigan (No. 6) and Penn State (No. 7).

Ohio State is also returning 65% of its production from last season, including 62% of its offense and 68% of its defense.

Ohio State football transfer tracker: Ohio State football winter transfer tracker 2024: Latest portal news, updates

Ohio State listed as top 2024 college football defense

While Ohio State is sitting behind the Bulldogs heading into 2024, the Buckeyes are at the top in expected production on defense.

With players like defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and cornerback Denzel Burke returning, and the addition of a player like safety Caleb Downs, Ohio State is expected to have the No. 1 defense in the country.

According to the latest SP+ rankings, each of 2024’s top four defenses will be in the Big Ten: Ohio State (No. 1), Iowa (No. 2), Michigan (No. 3) and Penn State (No. 4).

Despite returners like running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, and additions like running back Quinshon Judkins and quarterback Will Howard, Ohio State’s offensive ranking is 20th best in the country behind programs such as Oregon (No. 1), Georgia (No. 2), Arizona (No. 12) and Miami (No. 18).