120 Outdoors Podcast

Sam Horn: Sandusky Bay Catfish Well known Lake Erie guide and Angry Floaters Charter Service owner Sam Horn joins the show to talk about the incredible channel catfish fishery in Sandusky Bay. Sam discusses the history of catfish in the bay, seasonal movements, the importance of currents and water flow, and his favorite setups and baits for targeting big fish. He also shares the funny story behind...

Yellow Perch Fishing with John Hageman Retired Stone Lab professor, award-winning outdoor writer, and avid angler John Hageman joins the podcast to discuss the decline of yellow perch populations and why Lake Erie’s western basin remains a perch stronghold. We cover spawning habits, the impact of spiny water fleas, and John’s favorite perch fishing setup, along with some of his recommended locatio...

Trolling for Muskie with Kevin Goldberg. Our special guest on today’s show is Kevin Goldberg, a well-known muskie angler from across the Midwest. Kevin is highly skilled in both casting and trolling for muskie, and in this episode he shares his approach to trolling success. Kevin breaks down his basic trolling setup, including his favorite rods, reels, and line choices. He also dives into rod hold...

Our special guest on today’s Bonus Episode is Christian Boyer. Christian is a Tick Specialist with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. During the episode, Christian discusses the growing tick problem and explains why the cold winter did not significantly reduce tick populations. He also highlights that ticks can transmit many illnesses beyond Lyme disease and examines how warm...

Today, we’re joined by Great Lakes smallmouth expert Jimmy Lampros to break down spring river fishing. We get into how changing water clarity influences where fish hold, how to better understand spawning behavior, and the key river structures that consistently produce smallmouth. Jimmy also shares practical tips for fly fishing stream smallmouth, why wet wading can deepen your connection to the wa...

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Rick Provence- aka the “Crappie Kid” and owner of Cast Cray Outdoors. Rick shares expert tips on crappie fishing, including gear, baits, scent, floats, and finding spawning areas. We also dive into crappie behavior, best fishing times, and how to choose the right color and presentation to boost your success. Plus, Rick reveals a few untapped fishing spots. Wheth...

We have a returning guest on the show today—Zak Slagle, a biologist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources—and we’re talking all things smallmouth bass on Lake Erie. We get into some really cool stuff from the latest research, like how these fish move throughout the seasons and what tracking studies are starting to reveal. Zak also breaks down spawning habits, genetic connectivity, and how...

On today’s episode, we’ve got returning guest Mark Wiley from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. We get into the multi-state turkey study, now in year four, and Mark shares some of the cool stuff they’re starting to learn about turkey movement and survival. We also talk about the recent cicada hatch and what that might mean for turkey populations. Mark gives his take on the outlook for the...

Today we’re joined by Jared McLellan, Consulting Forester with Anundson and O’Barto and a graduate of Hocking College. Jared holds degrees in both Forest Management and Wildlife Management. This episode pairs perfectly with the Grouse Initiative podcast released on March 15th, diving deeper into how thoughtful forest management impacts both landowners and wildlife. Jared shares key insights for la...

I can remember when a day hunting in the woods almost guaranteed you’d flush a few grouse.  Today, things look very different. Grouse numbers have declined across much of their range, and in many places the opportunity to hunt them has disappeared altogether. In this episode, we’re joined by Cody Altizer and Erich Long from the “Give for Grouse Initiative”. They’re working to raise awareness and s...

Every year, the list of invasive plants continues to grow. In some cases, plants and trees planted years ago are now considered invasive . Have you ever wondered, what the average homeowner can do to stop the spread of evasive plants. Today, we interview Amber Stilwell. She is a recognized expert through the Pennsylvania Sea Grant and Penn State extension, specializing in Coastal Out Reach and Wat...

It’s considered the off season, but many outdoor enthusiasts enjoy this time of year. It is one of our favorites. We like the off season, scouting and antler shed hunting opportunities it provides. Today, we interview Tony Sanglisona from Drawn Archery. Tony explains why he enjoys the off season. He gets into detail about the importance of off season scouting. He shares a couple of secrets that re...

This year, one of our goals is to catch steelhead through the ice. Winter of 2026 seems to be lining up for good ice. Today, our guest is Mike Durkalec. Mike’s full time job is Aquatic Biologist for the Cleveland Metroparks. He is a well known Great Lakes angler. One of his passions is catching salmonid through the ice. In this detailed interview, we get into everything from where and how to find...

In October of 2025, I had the opportunity to join Matt Wolfe and his crew at Pymatuning Lake. Matt is a biologist with the ODNR and has taken part in fish surveys for 20 years. On that day, he and his crew were conducting a panfish survey. We visited several netting sites around the lake, recording each fish captured. The fall of that year, standardized fish surveys were taking place across the st...

Ohio’s North Coast, known as “Steelhead Alley” has become a favorite destination for anglers across the country. Many of the diehard steelhead anglers we spoke with expressed concern over the number of fish in our streams. As with most fishing related issues it’s complicated and a combination of several factors. Today, our guest is Curt Wagner from the ODNR. We discuss Ohio’s steelhead program the...

On this Podcast Chris and Don review 2025 and look to the new year. They discuss many of the good things, including the reintroduction of Lake Sturgeon and Steelhead into the Cuyahoga River; the exceptional fishing on Lake Erie and a successful deer season. Some challenges in 2025, the EHD outbreak and the drought conditions to name a few. However, overall 2025 was good and we look forward to 2026...

BLACK BEAR RESEARCH PROJECT IN OHIO Black bears were once a common occurrence in Ohio. In the late 1800’s loss of habitat and unregulated harvest led to them being eliminated from Ohio. In recent years bear sights have become commonplace. Today we interview ODNR Wildlife Biologist, Katie Dennison. Katie gives us the basics on Bear biology and facts on preferred habitat. We get into the research pr...

Lake Erie is known for its Walleye. However, it supports some of the best Smallmouth Bass fishing on the planet. The Lake has a thriving population, but little is known about the Smallmouth Bass that live in its tributaries. Today, we interview Zak Slagle a Biologist for the ODNR. Zak and his team are in the process of studying the seasonal movements and behaviors of Lake Erie tributary Smallmouth...

Today we talk mobile hunting with Josh Grund.

Bead fishing for steelhead has become an increasingly popular technique by anglers on Steelhead Alley. In this episode, Barney Bakia from River Roe Tackle discusses essential gear, matching hooks with bead sizes, bead varieties (hard, soft, glass), and pegging methods. Also, we talk about specific colors for different water conditions.  He shares his preferred fishing method, highlighting its effe...

How many of us grew up hunting pheasant? I fondly remember those Thanksgiving morning hunts with family. That was in the 1970’s. Several factors have led to the demise of our beloved pheasant. Today, we will be talking to Holly May a member of North-central chapter of Pheasants Forever. Holly talks about the pheasant program in the state of Pennsylvania. It started ten years ago, offering hunters...

At one time Lake Sturgeon were abundant in Lake Erie. Years of over harvest and pollution caused them to disappear. However, as the water quality improved in Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River it provided an opportunity to jump start their population by stocking. This was a major milestone in restoring this endangered species to the river. Today, we interview ODNR Fisheries Biologist Supervisor, Eri...

The cooler weather signals one thing for many Great Lakes Anglers, the beginning of Steelhead season. To jump start the season we want to make you aware of the Steelhead Expo. This year marks the 31st year for this event.. The Expo takes place on September 27th at the Rocky River Nature Center (Cleveland Metro Parks)from 8:30am - 3:00pm. Several local and national experts will be sharing their kno...

Many of us started out the same way, fishing or hunting close to home. Our guest on today’s podcast is Ohio Outdoor News Editor, Mike Moore. Mike’s love for the outdoors started at a young age. His Father took him smallmouth fishing in southern Ohio streams. We talk about how the fishing and hunting industry has changed over the years and the trends he is seeing. We get into some of the craziest s...

It is common to hear about or know someone who has been injured while fishing or hunting. Today, our guest is Chad Peterson, a Physician Assistant with Independence Health Systems and an expert in Wilderness Medicine. During our discussion, Chad shares his expertise on various survival situations and frequently encountered medical conditions he treats. He emphasizes the importance of preparation a...