Hold on there, let's not let the cabin fever get the best of us.

No satellite image last few days but maybe today (Sunday). Water temps are still 33 degrees off Toledo, Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo. Ice still covers probably 80% or so of the Western Basin, and a lot of that ice is 6 - 12 inches or more thick. The main ice sheet has broken free from the shore except around some of the islands, so it moves around the Western Basin dependent on the wind direction. One day say from Port Clinton you see open water as far as you can see then the next day the ice is back.

Sorry to say but completely safe open water boating in the Western Basin is still two weeks off or more. We may get a day or two of south / SW / SE / SW winds that will allow boats to be launched and get to the reef complex in the open water but the danger of ice moving back in will be with us for the first part of April.

BE SAFE! Don't risk it if the conditions are not perfect. The fish will still be there later as they don't start spawning until the water temp gets to around 42 degrees. Waiting a few more days or a week or so won't kill you but going out when the ice flows are still significant could.