Lake Erie boat advice

[PatSea]

Watch the weather before you go to the lake. Postpone the trip if the weather looks marginal or worse. Listen to the weather radio while you are on the water. Get off at the first indication of storms or increasing winds. Be especially cautious of winds out of the east.
Make sure you have all the required safety equipment. Although not required, I wouldn't consider going out on Erie without a fixed VHF radio. Handhelds are good backup, but they have very limited range.
Finally, if you haven't taken a boating safety course, you definitely should do that before you go. There are many courses available, including the Power Squadron and Coast Guard Auxiliary.
My first walleye trips on Erie were in a 18' open bow.
Hope this helps

[zeratul]

Thanks alot to all of you. I will be very cautious and try to plan according to the weather. I will post reports of every day fishing. I grew up on the Mississippi river so I have been on boats my whole life, and even thow it is not the big pond I take no chances. If the weather starts to get rough I get off the water. I will buy a fixed VHF radio also. I do have a hand held gamin GPS.

Tight lines and heavy fish.
Joe

[OneEyedWilly]

Yeah, if it gets a little choppy and it looks like it's building head for the hills esp. in the little boat. Alot of people say I have boated all my life in XYZ lake, then they get caught in an erie storm and never come back Be safe, stay informed on the forecast and whoever said it, prior to me gave you the best advice, take a safe boating course, one from like the Power Squadron, you can learn alot from these courses. The one from the state is pretty much a joke geared towards 7th graders

[zeratul]

Yeah, if it gets a little choppy and it looks like it's building head for the hills esp. in the little boat. Alot of people say I have boated all my life in XYZ lake, then they get caught in an erie storm and never come back Be safe, stay informed on the forecast and whoever said it, prior to me gave you the best advice, take a safe boating course, one from like the Power Squadron, you can learn alot from these courses. The one from the state is pretty much a joke geared towards 7th graders

Good suggestion, I looked up the power squadron and I will take their online course. Safety is key and I plan on returning for many more trips. Any good links to required gear for navigating lake Erie? I have all the required equipment for the Midwest waters. I even purchased a flare gun.