went for a drive

[CAPTBRIAN]

Drove Up Yesterday. Driving Over Route 2 I Saw Plenty Of Open Water. Checked Near The Moose saw The Same Thing. Won't Be Long Now. Boat Is Going In On The 12Th

[West Basin]

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.

[EyeSpy]

I talked to some buddies today who said there was ice as far as you could see out west today. That ice isn't going to disappear overnight. I have also heard the fish don't start spawning until the water is just above 40 degrees, but I am not so sure I agree with that. How much different is a fish from other animals? I am by no means a fish biologist but I have to believe that a female's body tells her when to drop her eggs no matter if the water temp is 38 or 42 degrees. Those eggs can only be inside of her for so long. I am wondering if the eggs are dropped in colder than normal water, will they have a less chance of survival? My prediction is it will either be a banner hatch or it will almost be non existant.

[wakina]

I talked to some buddies today who said there was ice as far as you could see out west today. That ice isn't going to disappear overnight. I have also heard the fish don't start spawning until the water is just above 40 degrees, but I am not so sure I agree with that. How much different is a fish from other animals? I am by no means a fish biologist but I have to believe that a female's body tells her when to drop her eggs no matter if the water temp is 38 or 42 degrees. Those eggs can only be inside of her for so long. I am wondering if the eggs are dropped in colder than normal water, will they have a less chance of survival? My prediction is it will either be a banner hatch or it will almost be non existant.

Optimal water temps for spawning are low 40s but they are also known to spawn under the ice in Canadian lakes. Longer days and full moon may have as much to do with the spawn as water temps do. Colder water means a longer incubation period until hatching. Colder water also means the gobies are not as active and do not consume as many eggs as they would if the water were warmer. I think the females spawn when they are ripe and do not or cannot hold them for warmer water. The problem cold water presents is there may not be enough zoo plankton to feed the larvae walleye once hatched.

[gregnwtf]

The mighty Maumee river is cold a flowing but the walleye are starting into the river. Males and females both have started to enter as they have been staged outside in the basin for 2 months waiting like we are. First charters in less than 2 weeks (maybe). I think we need to light a ring of fire around the lake to heat up the air around the shore. lol.
Well the Maumee should be hot n heavy in a couple weeks then the lake will follow, which could be late April this year.
Now its just up to the lake to make the ice vacate.