Page 6 - Mid America Boating - September/October 2024 issue

It’s a Shore Thing
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 [ MID-AMERICA BOATING
Lake Erie walleye are toothy fish and will often chase a colorful lure, to the delight
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Rally around Lake Erie’s walleye!
Two northern Ohio state representatives lead the
charge to elect it as Ohio’s state fish
By D’Arcy Patrick Egan opinion between the legions of
Southern Ohio largemouth and
The popular walleye deserves smallmouth bass fishermen and
the status of being the Ohio the crowds of walleye anglers
State Fish, and a bipartisan pair up north, it’s actually an apples
of state representatives — Sean vs. oranges debate.
Patrick Brennan, of Parma, a Yes, bass fishermen battle
Democrat, and DJ Swearingen of in tournaments all around the
Huron, a Republican — joined forces Buckeye State, and their favorite
this year to sponsor House Bill 599 push fish is plentiful in farm ponds, lakes and
it through the Ohio House in June by an reservoirs — and Lake Erie.
overwhelming vote of 93-4. Living just a stone’s throw from Lake Erie,
The legislation must now by given the nod Brennan and Swearingen understand the
by the Ohio Senate, but that is not expected value of the walleye to the Ohio economy,
to happen until after the federal general and to a legion of Ohio fishermen, as well as
election on November 5th this year. anglers from coast to coast.
“We’re pretty confident it will be approved There’s no doubt that bass fishing is
this time around,” said Rep. Brennan. “We popular in every corner of the Buckeye State,
know there’s some opposition from bass and literally dozens of bass fishing clubs
fishermen, who believe the largemouth and host hundreds of tournaments around Ohio.
smallmouth bass deserve the honor.” Lake Erie is also noted for its smallmouth
The Ohio State Fish designation has bass fishing, especially since the largest
been proposed in the past, but a tussle smallmouth bass ever caught and weighed
between walleye and bass anglers seems to from the Great Lakes, a 10.15-pounder landed
have left the Buckeye State as one of only by Gregg Gallagher of Fremont, was caught in
three states in the country without a state November 2022.
fish. While some view it as a difference of Checking the Fish Ohio catches from Lake
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