The annual appearance of migrating walleye in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers brings fantastic spring fishing opportunities, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

An annual phenomenon in northwest Ohio occurs each spring when a portion of Lake Erie’s walleye population moves up the Maumee and Sandusky rivers to spawn. Although the fish caught represent a small portion of all Lake Erie walleye, the run brings hundreds of thousands of fish within casting distance of eager shore anglers.

Spring migration will bring millions of birds to Ohio in the coming months, and the Lake Erie Birding Trail offers a great opportunity to view many rare and exciting species, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

The Lake Erie Birding Trail encompasses the Ohio shoreline and inland areas from Conneaut in the east to Toledo in the west. More than 80 primary birding sites are highlighted along the trail, which is divided into seven loops: Ashtabula, Cleveland, Huron and Lorain, Sandusky Bay, the Lake Erie Islands, the western Lake Erie marshes and the Oak Openings. The sites within each loop are similar in habitat and landscape. People can visit the entire trail in one trip or explore the trail loop by loop.

To celebrate Earth Day and help remove litter from our area beaches, the Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Camp Perry, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Magee Marsh, City of Port Clinton, East Harbor State Park, Catawba Island State Park, and Ottawa Sandusky Seneca County Joint Solid Waste Management District are hosting a county-wide beach clean-up.

A half-mile section of Cold Creek at Castalia State Fish Hatchery in Erie County will be open to a limited number of anglers on selected dates for controlled trout fishing, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Controlled trout fishing is offered by the ODNR Division of Wildlife at the Castalia State Fish Hatchery from May 6-Nov. 29. No weekend or holiday fishing is available. Anglers interested in this event must apply online and pay a non-refundable $3 application fee from March 1-31 in order to be eligible for a random drawing. Applicants can apply at www.wildohio.com.