TOPIC:

What are the conditions at the ramps, rivers, and harbors out to the lake?  Looking to launch this weekend from Burns Harbor to New Buffalo.  St Joe has a Harbor cam showing floating ice at the pierheads but I can't find any good cam shots elsewhere.  What ramps are open?  This will be my first trip out of any of the south end ramps so any intel would be of great use.  Thanks in advance. 

People have been launching out of Portage

Michigan City harbor is mostly ice free but there is some floating pack ice moving in and out depending on winds. Same deal in NB and SJ

If you click on weather drop down arrow Jeff has cameras on that.
New Buffalo updated there camera last year but you don't actually see mouth by pier heads.
g1.ipcamlive.com/player/player.php?alias...sablestorageplayer=1

I drove by new Buffalo  launch- no piers in- but appears wide open to lake.  Float ice in lake.  Michigan city was iced with pack ice- but that could change with any change in the wind.  Lots of boats out in new buff- any luck?

Portage has generally been ice free at the mouth of Burns Ditch with ice packs scattered thru out the lake, but alot of open water.  Generally is the operative word, tho.  During the recent cold spell the whole area was ice packed, and tho its all opened up again, wind conditions can still blow all the free floating ice down and block things back up pretty fast.

I saw a Facebook post of a guy who had launched at Hammond and was showing a photo of his first coho of the season. 

Went out of the ditch this morning, lots of floating ice around USS breakwall, so be careful if you're in that area.
Buddy of mine caught 4 cohos and a brown Saturday trolling, so it's getting close.
Good Luck everyone and be safe,remember the Big lake doesn't have a conscience.

No ice around but there's still alot of floating branches,I saw 4-5 this morning, just a reminder. 
This was from the ditch to out front of USS breakwall.

We were out Sunday, lots of branches and a big log out on the lake! Becareful out there! No ice

Went out of St Joe Yesterday morning.  No Ice in the harbor or river.  Went down to the Cook and fished for hours. Then worked our way back to the piers.  Only 3 fish, and they were scattered. 2 Browns and a Coho.