Advice for a newbie?

I also have a 16' Starcraft w/ a 60hp motor and fish all over Lake Erie. You can safely fish from March on as long as you watch the weather like a hawk. Early spring you need to also be carefull of logs floating down the river or bobbing in the bay. I have a marine radio and gps and would hate not having either of them when I got out on the lake. Before my starcraft I use to go way out with an old 15' tri hull w/ 50hp motor and navigated with a compass and a map with out any issuses. Even had it out past West Sister. Here are some sites I found usefull:

wind:

http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/laun...t=Get+Forecast

http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=105

http://www.accuweather.com/us/oh/mau...her&traveler=0

wave:

[url]http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=41.71085461169185&lon=-83.41506958007812&site=cle&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0& lg=en[url]

Early Spring (March or April) I fish either the Maumee River up stream from the maple street launch or in the Maumee bay launching from cullens park. The river has it shallow areas so watch were other ride to learn the river. The Maumee bay also has it shallow areas so get a good map or gps and know where you are riding. I perfer Lake Erie myself using Purple Hair Jigs fishing off of the shipping channle. I will be looking to be out there from mid April to Mid May. Mid may I will switch over to either crawler harnesses w/ bottom bouncers, weapons, or erie dires. Best colors are Purple, Gold, Bronze, Orange, Chartruse in my opinion. If you like Perch Fishing it is really good in June, July, and August near the davis bessie Intake which is not too far out.

Good luck and happy fishing.