I visited sea grant yesterday, I asked the following question. Im posting it here for an example of the types of questions these guys can handle.
How will mild winter affect the lake good or bad?
So far we are having a mild winter, we had 1 cold snap where some backwater froze, and I see that this week it will reach 60 * , So im considering this a mild winter.
In what ways if at all does a mild winter with lack of ice cover affect the lake ?
Im interested in knowing if it will help or hurt the hatch's , will the bait be more plentiful?
as always thanks for taking the time
The following morning I got a reply from Fred Snyder, Ohio Sea Grant Extension Agent The mild winter has lots of effects -- the lack of ice speeds up evaporation, leading to even lower lake levels. It also allows winds to churn the water with each big blow. As lower levels allows the waves and currents to affect greater expanses of the bottom, there is resuspension of sediment and contaminants, both toxic material and phosphorus. The potential also exists for lower water levels to allow waves and surges to impacts a larger percentage of spawning substrate while eggs are incubating next spring.
A long time trend noticed by many on the lake is for strong hatches to follow hard winters with lots of ice. Baitfish like emerald shiners may be affected the same way by ice cover or a lack of it, but shiners have several other factors that affect their abundance. Literature I've seen from the 1940s talked about boom and bust cycles in emerald shiners.
Hows that for thoughts? If you have a similar question concerning the science of our lake, here is where to ask.
http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/discuss/index.php?topic=945.0
The following link is in my own opinion the BEST place to ask it. Its the discussion board at Sea Grant And I have been visiting it for years now. . Ask a science or legal related question about our Great Lake and you will receive a scientific or legal awnser in no time. From the OSU Ohio Sea Grant Extention expert awnsers come from experts in the field from Sea Grant and from Stone Labs and the division of Wildlife itself. Browse their forum and look at some of the in-depth discussions. I have asked them questions ranging from fish kills, netting, fish identification etc etc. This site is definatly worth a look. 
