The winter weather forced me to go indoors and work on some projects that were long overdue for attention.

One project required cleaning, organizing and taking inventory at my loading bench. My wife came to the conclusion that I have too much junk … but I tell her its good junk!

The difference between bad junk and good junk is subtle and only a guy with a good eye for necessary stuff could make the call. I admit I have stuff that I might have purchased seasons ago and haven't used in a few freezer lives.

One example was when I bought the “Make your own egg sack” machine. It was when Lake Erie had heavy runs of Coho salmon in the fall of the year. All you did was gather up fresh roe and put it on a sheet of thin mesh that was brightly colored, tie it off and trim off the excess and you had egg sacks for salmon and trout!

I'll be ready when that process is called for or one of the nephews or neighbor kids talks me out of it. It's a joke among my buddies that when a kid needs some tackle they should stop by to see me and they will go home with a bucketful.

Spring means new stuff and new adventures on the lakes and streams. The other day, I decided to stop and chat with an old friend and the discussion came around to spring fishing.

He loves to fish Pymatuning Lake in Jamestown. He was on the water late in the 2011 season and projects a booming year on the waterway in 2012. He targets walleye, perch and crappies especially and his freezer is a testament to his successes.

Changes in the open waters for fishing Pymatuning have in my opinion helped the fishery by placing some nursery waters off limits. In the past, dozens of anglers would concentrate in the spawning areas that hen walleye would seek and pluck them right off their spawning run.

That couldn't have been good for the natural reproduction levels in the lake. Remember, this lake is open to fishing for walleye all year long. It reminds me of the old saying, “cut off your nose to spite your face”.

Lake Erie is one of the premier fishing spots in the region and they are watching the yellow perch and walleye fisheries as well. Each year, they set a catch limit by April 15 for Lake Erie. This is based on what the biologists believe can maintain a viable population and still provide us with sport and commercial fishing opportunities. urrently the limit for walleye is 6 and 30 for yellow perch.

This brings up the discussion I have every year with my friends, relatives and fellow anglers: Which fish do you prefer for table fare? My preference has always been pan-fried yellow perch and my next choice would be walleye, followed by crappies.

I can tell its getting closer to spring when the discussions get around to opening days. The choice is yours when the ice clears, that is if we ever get any, and you must choose between the lakes or the streams and whatever species you target.

This brings me around full circle on the too much junk discussion. Because of my varied interests, I need a bunch of stuff to cover it all. Of course I need a bow, an inline, a shot gun, a center fire rifle and a flintlock if I'm going to hunt each possible season.

Woe is the man who isn't prepared when his buddies call! The same can be said for fishing as my trolling equipment is in one corner, the noodle rod for steel head is on the wall and the trout and walleye rods are lined up and ready.

Pan fish call for a light approach as well as different tackle. This brings up the need to get different line on different reels as the conditions and species demand. What ever happened to the kid with an old closed faced reel and fiberglass or steel rod using the same line and tackle for everything!

You still can't beat a can of garden worms for the universal bait! Until we meet again. keep thinking spring and let the kids help you out with all that junk!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle