As far as the dams go, you can usually get charts from the COE office. They'll be marked clearly. Do avoid them as they are quite dangerous and you can be in the danger zone almost before you realize you're in serious trouble.
I don't mean to be presumptuous, but a Coast Guard safety class wouldn't be a waste of time IMO. Make sure you carry some of those pen flares with on the water. We had some guy run out of gas on a jet ski on Lake Michigan a couple of years ago and he floated around for 3 days before the CG found him. Nasty sunburn and some serious dehydration.
I remember when they were saying that Lake Erie was 'dead' and would be 'dead' for a hundred years. Now it's just about the premier walleye and smallmouth fishery in the nation. I envy you your proximity. Walleyes are fine eating fish and smallmouth bass are just about the best freshwater fighting fish there is.
I'm not a 'master' brewer by any means, but I do cook up a pretty mean Heffe Weisen and the mead will kick your behind without being cruel about it.
I'm going to try to hit the Camp Perry matches next year. Maybe we'll hook up for a pizza and some frosty ones.
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Thanks for the advice, I believe I will take it. We have a Coast Guard station in town. The Zebra Mussels really cleaned up the lake, it has been quite a transformation.
Before I got on the PD I worked downtown Cleveland for an Armored Car Company. I mostly worked downtown and the east side of Cleveland. What a zoo. This was before the big fix up/clean up.
Cities got alot of potential... but...
We went to the fish hatchery near Sandusky a few years ago, I could not believe the amount of fish that were being released into the lake, they were many and they were huge.
Being near the lake is nice. If I walk to the end of my street and look north I can see the lake.
I've always wanted to go to Perry for the big shoot, it's only about an hour drive from here. Getting together for beer and pizza would be great. I'll start stocking up now.. hahahaha.