Ohio
Ohio Division of Wildlife continues to reward anglers who catch fish of a certain size
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
AI influencers are all over your feed
AI influencers may not change minds — but they can amplify division and inflame political tensions online.
We can’t believe our eyes
Re “AI political ads bring fears over ’26 election,” May 27: I fully support House Bill 185. It probably doesn’t go far enough. This is a prime example of “don’t believe everything you see on the Internet.”
I am being inundated with emails and text messages from organizations and people I do not know. I block them as spam, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. About the only way to combat this is to attend a live debate between candidates, but most people do not have the time to do that.
I use AI every day with caution. We need better ways of identifying AI-created falsehoods.
Edwin Heller, Dublin
Tell voters what’s real
Re “AI political ads bring fears over ’26 election,” May 27: I don’t think AI should be used in political ads, but there is no way to stop it.What we can and should do is require campaigns to certify that their ad did or did not use AI to generate or edit content that:
- Makes a real person appear to say or do something they didn’t say or do.
- Alters footage of a real event or place.
- Generates a realistic-looking scene that didn’t actually occur.
We grade movie content. Why not political advertising? The public needs a way to help distinguish truth from fiction.
Richard Wires, Columbus
Ban political ads, already
Re “AI political ads bring fears over ’26 election,” May 27: Political ads should be banned. Those using – AI-generated or not. I don’t trust anything I read online anymore, and especially political ads.
People read/see those ads, don’t research the information in them, and vote according to, oftentimes, the misinformation in those ads. The huge amounts of money being spent on ads is sinful!
Lyn Miller, Smithville
Food cuts hurt hungry families
While President Donald Trump and Republicans continually find new ways to enrich their billionaire funders and friends, they’ve made the largest cuts to SNAP in history, making it more difficult for over 40 million Americans, including 16 million children and 8 million seniors, to access healthy foods and forcing them to rely on the cheapest foods (usually the most ultra-processed}.
They’re especially hurting American children and setting them up for worse health outcomes than previous generations by making it harder for them to access healthy foods.
They’ve cut funding to support farm-to-school programs and food banks, passed the largest cut to food assistance in history, and are pushing to end the decades-old practice of putting fluoride in water to reduce tooth decay. Most appalling, they’ve even allowed food companies to use cancer-causing chemicals in snack foods targeted to children.
Meanwhile, they’ve allowed food companies to take advantage of inflation to raise prices to increase their profits. A Kroger executive suggested that inflation is good for business when he testified the chain has hiked the milk and eggs prices beyond the costs from inflation.
This is one more reason that we must do all we can to get Republicans out of office.
Russ Smith, Strongsville
TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – The FBI was part of a search of multiple properties related to Stansley Mining on Friday, a spokesperson for the agency confirmed.
A Public Affairs Officer for the FBI Cleveland Division confirmed to the 13 Action News I-TEAM that authorities searched a business in the area of Siliva Road in Sylvania, as well as property in Ottawa County by State Route 590 in Benton Township.
Officials with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation told the 13 Action News I-TEAM that they executed a search warrant at the property in Benton Township. Ohio BCI’s environmental division and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency were involved in the search.
It’s unclear exactly what officials were looking for. The FBI spokesperson said there wasn’t additional information to share at this point, but added there is no threat to the public.
Stansley Mining is the entity that owns Rocky Ridge Development, a company at the center of extensive 13 Action News coverage after its South Toledo mining operation was improperly working in a residentially-zoned area.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio — A critically acclaimed name in Cleveland’s food scene is making a comeback of sorts and entering a new era in the food and restaurant business.
After the official closure of Melt Bar and Grilled locations across the area in late 2024, founder Matt Fish is stepping back into the restaurant business with a brand-new concept in Ohio City.
More Melts close
Fish is preparing to open “Proof Public House” inside the former Proof BBQ space along Lorain Avenue.
The new restaurant and bar is expected to officially open in mid-June after recently obtaining its food service license.
The announcement was just made on the restaurant’s official Instagram page this week.
But Fish says this project is very different from Melt’s previous projects, with more than a dozen locations across Ohio.
“I’m starting from scratch. Brand new concept. Brand new feeling, brand new attitude,” Fish said. “I wanna get back to basics.”
Fish describes Proof Public House as a punk rock-inspired neighborhood bar and restaurant with elevated comfort food, craft drinks, and an evolving seasonal menu.
“I’ve always wanted to get back to my roots,” Fish said. “I’ve always wanted to get back to a small place and recapture that magic of what Melt Bar and Grilled was when it first opened up.”
The longtime chef and restaurateur says music and creativity will help define the atmosphere and capture the essence.
Fish grew up on punk rock music and is also a drummer.
He says Cleveland’s history and punk rock roots make this latest project feel even more special.
The menu, he says, will feature chef-driven comfort food with rotating seasonal dishes and a specialized beverage program.
“Just have fun with the menu,” Fish said. “The beverage program will be very seasonal. It’s gonna be very evolving.”
Although many fans still associate Fish with the iconic grilled cheese sandwiches that helped make Melt Bar and Grilled a Northeast Ohio staple after opening in 2006, he says this new chapter is about moving forward.
“That part of my life is over and gone, but it was something special to so many of us,” Fish said.
Still, longtime Melt fans may notice subtle nods to the past.
Fish hinted there would be occasional “odes to Melt” appearing on the menu in the future, in some capacity.
He also credits former Proof BBQ and current Visible Voice Books owner Dave Ferrante for encouraging him to jump back into the hospitality business.
Fish quietly consulted on projects behind the scenes after Melt’s closure, including work connected to Visible Voice.
“I want to do something for myself, do something for the City of Cleveland, do something for my family and friends,” Fish said.
Proof Public House is expected to announce an official opening date soon.
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