calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

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12vMan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I seriously doubt we'll see the 1200 mark this year, but I feel your pain for sure.

I'm really looking forward to Grand Canyon access :)
 

QC

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

What do you consider minimum access level? We need to get rid of those two rapids that you pointed out. I'm too lazy to go back to those links, but there might be a clue in there as to when they are passable safely. We should've walked the "new" river banks and marked the channel with green and red buoys . . . You should get on that!! :)
 

sam60

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

1200' and goverment wash will open launch ramp,this day i dream about and so does my gas tank.
View attachment 124814

I looked at G Wash on Google Earth and saw 2 trucks at the time of the satellite image. They left their trucks where they launched with the trailer still in the water. That would be very convenient. Does the terrain have good slope where you'd launch from the dirt? Is it completely closed to access or just to the paved ramp?

The end of the paved ramp is 1205'.
 

jjacobs007

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I looked at G Wash on Google Earth and saw 2 trucks at the time of the satellite image. They left their trucks where they launched with the trailer still in the water. That would be very convenient. Does the terrain have good slope where you'd launch from the dirt? Is it completely closed to access or just to the paved ramp?

The end of the paved ramp is 1205'.

dirt road and bathrooms still open there. I see lots of jet ski launching there with their 4x4s,and once saw a boat launched too.I wouldnt try it without a 4x4 though.
 

tt600

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I think I am going to Willow Beach next mid-week. Any suggestions on how/where to fish?
 

12vMan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

What do you consider minimum access level? We need to get rid of those two rapids that you pointed out. I'm too lazy to go back to those links, but there might be a clue in there as to when they are passable safely. We should've walked the "new" river banks and marked the channel with green and red buoys . . . You should get on that!! :)

Ha..I'm all over that lazy thing bud! I'm sure I'll make a rainy day project out of it. If I can determine which year was the last year we went up there I can just check that year's elevations. I'm sure it was well below 1200, maybe around 1170? Got to get out the photo albums..or storage disks. :)

I'll be heading to T-Bar probably the weekend after New Years to measure a kitchen in one of the units and rip out the old carpet in ours so we can start prepping for some laminate flooring. If someone in the village wants to head up there then and take a peek I'm all in...in their boat of course :D
 

QC

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Yeah, I've been in at about 1198, but no lower. Last time I was at Sandy Point I poked up into Iceberg Canyon and got freaked out. So not in my boat either. I previously believed that it was always passable if you could find the channel in the muck. Since you posted that rapid deal I stand seriously corrected :eek:

There's also the flow out of Glen Canyon that should be considered. There was an ex raft guide guy (Drowned Rat) that used to post a lot and he gave me a timetable tip. I'll see if I can find that info.
 

fishrdan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I think I am going to Willow Beach next mid-week. Any suggestions on how/where to fish?

I'm heading down there mid-next week too, what are you fishing for?

Trout are stocked on Fridays, then they scatter up and down the river. Either drift and cast lures (Mepps, Panther Martin, Cast Master, etc.) to submerged cover or hit the coves. Willow is plagued with weeds, so bait fishing on the bottom will be hard, need to keep the bait well up off the bottom. The water level is pretty low now, so there isn't much left of most coves and the weeds are pretty thick in areas, but that's where the trout will hide from stripers.

Stripers are all over and it's hard to tell day-day, hour-hour where they will be at. Drifting with the current and casting big plugs works well. I usually troll as more water is covered, but trolling can be frustrating with the weed problem. Your lure will get stringers of weeds on it, killing the lure action. When I feel a rod not "thumping" correctly' I'll yank hard a couple times to try and bust off the weeds, or just reel in. If fishing for big stripers use heavy gear or they will send you packing, 25# line minimum, I use 30-40 mono and 65# spectra. Use lures sized, to the size of fish you want to catch. I use 10-14" lures, but smaller lures work too, I wouldn't go any less than a 6" lure though. Bomber A's are a cheap "get you fishing at Willow" lure. You'll also need a gaff for the bigger stripers as nets are too small and weak, even big nets. I haven't bait fished for small stripers at Willow in 15 years or so, but caught a lot of them on anchovies/sardines before that. The AC Plug website has a LOT of information for big striper fishing at Willow as most guys on that site fish there.

Either way, I would concentrate a couple miles above and below Willow. Be aware of the boating restrictions, no powered boats above the marina Sunday and Monday and then no boats over 65HP (65-70?, something like that) the rest of the week.
 

12vMan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Yeah, I've been in at about 1198, but no lower. Last time I was at Sandy Point I poked up into Iceberg Canyon and got freaked out. So not in my boat either. I previously believed that it was always passable if you could find the channel in the muck. Since you posted that rapid deal I stand seriously corrected :eek:

There's also the flow out of Glen Canyon that should be considered. There was an ex raft guide guy (Drowned Rat) that used to post a lot and he gave me a timetable tip. I'll see if I can find that info.

It seems like the silt & mud being swept out of the Grand Canyon has virtually filled up Iceberg Canyon. I remember going up there and my 300' depth finder would go to infinity because it was deeper than that. When you look at it now it seems hard to believe that there has been that many cubic feet wash down until you think of just how big the Grand Canyon is then it really makes sense.

Maybe with the combination if lake up + a heavy Glen Canyon release we'll have the combo to make it possible. I'd like to see DR's tip info too.

I remember talking to people on the beach who had gone up the day before. '06 I believe was the year. I didn't call b.s. because they described the journey pretty vividly...and they had an I/O.
 

tt600

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I think I will be at willow beach tues-wed. I bought the biggest rainbow rapala they sell at Walmart. PLus some smaller ones. PLus I have some Meps. I suppose I could pick up some Anchovies. They are some messy buggers to deal with,though.

Maybe use my 22 on a big striper? Or perhaps I will just try for the small ones. All I have is a 15# setup.
 

fishrdan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

All I have is a 15# setup.

I wouldn't run a big lure on 15# line, if you hang into a good one it's going to be heartbreak time, been there, done that. The river has snags all over the place, so you need the abraison resistance of heavy line.

I use 15# test for anchovies though. If you are in a mess of dinks it has enough abrasion resistance to catch 10-15, before they chew through it. And, if you hang into a good one, it gives you 1/2 a chance to land it. I've caught several 10-15# stripers at Willow on chovies. Heard stories of people catching 20#+ stripers on chovies down there too...
 

12vMan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Another foot in 4 days :):)

Bureau of Reclamation- Lower Colorado Region_1323886435674.png
 

12vMan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I just talked to my neighbor who spends a lot of time at his place in Meadview. He just got back over the weekend and was told by a ranger to expect 2 feet per week elevation increase beginning in January. He also was offered a ride by the ranger, when he goes back, from South Cove up through the mouth and up to Pierce Ferry. Apparently the Pierce Ferry Rapids are gone according to the ranger.
:cool:
 

sam60

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

My first splash was at Temple Bar in late October. I stopped in at the Ranger Station to purchase my park permits for the tow rig and boat. I was told...Ah don't worry about it, We are not too concerned about that here. Was I OK being out there for 3 days without? Only saw 6 other boats and a seaplane.
 

12vMan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

My first splash was at Temple Bar in late October. I stopped in at the Ranger Station to purchase my park permits for the tow rig and boat. I was told...Ah don't worry about it, We are not too concerned about that here. Was I OK being out there for 3 days without? Only saw 6 other boats and a seaplane.

Uuuhh, yea..I guess? It sounds like there wasn't anyone at the drive-through up the road. They must stop manning it for the off-season around then. Since it was completed a couple of years ago, there hasn't been anyone there during the winter when I go up there, and very rarely anyone at the ranger station either.

The reality of that drive-through station is that the costs of building it, powering it, maintaining it, and manning it FAR outweigh any revenue that could possibly come from it. Another example of..well, you know already so I'd rather not get into that. :rolleyes:

Looks like you were OK as long as you were told to go on through.
 

fishrdan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

The reality of that drive-through station is that the costs of building it, powering it, maintaining it, and manning it FAR outweigh any revenue that could possibly come from it. Another example of..well, you know already so I'd rather not get into that. :rolleyes:

I'm glad I'm not the only one with that point of view. They are building another fee station up by Oveton... Another station that will go unmanned 80% of the time :rolleyes:
 

QC

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Careful guys. Wouldn't want this cool thread to get into trouble. Maybe we need to leave this one as just plain obvious. Thanks for the self modulating though; I know you're holding back :)
 

12vMan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I'm glad I'm not the only one with that point of view. They are building another fee station up by Oveton... Another station that will go unmanned 80% of the time :rolleyes:

Have you heard any word on Overton re-opening? That would be cool.
 

fishrdan

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Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I haven't heard anything of Overton reopening. I don't know how they would go about that as they moved all the docks to Hemenway back in 07 (maybe temple too, don't know, memory fuzzy). I have a feeling it's not going back until the lake comes up another 40-50',,, and the economy is doing better.

I was up at Ann Margaret beach this spring and it was pretty shallow up there, 20' way out in the lake. I didn't motor far enough up to see Overton, so not sure where it was then.
 
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