Waterskiing near Chicago?

[Backyardhockey]

I feel stupid even asking the question as I have lived here a long time and have owned several boats. My kids are starting to slalom and I'm not happy with the places we usually boat. Unfortunately we are weekend boaters living just West of the city. Lake Michigan..we put in at Burnham harbor and it's always rough due to the boat traffic and the waves hitting the concrete shoreline. Illinois river...we launch in Seneca...lots of boat traffic, kinda like a freeway with it being narrow. Kids are falling a lot learning one-ski and it's nerve wracking as someone is always within 100 yards of us. Might go further West on the river. I hear Lake Geneva and the chain are also very crowded and hairy on the weekends. Am I missing anything? Is there any decent lake within a 2 hour drive? Thanx.

 

[Sikiguya]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

There is a lot of smaller lakes in the Southeast Wisconsin area.

I really like Silver Lake...it is about 450 acres and pretty clean water. There is a beach there for you to anchor by as well!

There is also Twin Lakes, Power Lakes, Camp Lake, Brown Lake, Lake Tichigan...

 

[MudSkunk]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

the skiiable area on tichigan is almost always crowded. its got really good fishing but its nearly unfishable on weekends. even weekdays it can be bad.

lake geneva is HUGE. i would recomend taking a scouting trip out there to check out the weekend skiing. it is probably the closest lake to you that meets your needs. i cant imagine that thing filling up on a weekend to the point you couldnt ski on it. most of the ski traffic is on the eastern end of the lake. near the main part of geneva. there are four or five ramps on the lake. the worst one is the one near downtown for traffic as that is where the marina is.

this link might help with locations fees and rules for geneva: http://owenpolousky.com/_wsn/page8.html

 

[Thad]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

Get on I-88, head west to Dixon. The Rock River runs through here. Not the largest of rivers, but it supports many boats. The river is just under 14 miles from dam to dam The skiing is good in the morning and late afternoons. My oldest learned to ski out here and my 3 1/2 yr. old will start learning later this summer.
I have a small fishing boat also, so I have discovered the Rocks "best kept secrets". There are a few islands that no big boat will dare run behind. They look at me like I'm crazy when they see me come flying out from behind one.

If you ever decide to try out the Rock, let me know. I'd be happy to show you around the river and some good places for playing. Down stream in Rock Falls, there is a decent sand bar and there are a couple of restaurant/bars on the water.

 

[Thad]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

lake geneva is HUGE. i would recomend taking a scouting trip out there to check out the weekend skiing. it is probably the closest lake to you that meets your needs. i cant imagine that thing filling up on a weekend to the point you couldnt ski on it. most of the ski traffic is on the eastern end of the lake. near the main part of geneva. there are four or five ramps on the lake. the worst one is the one near downtown for traffic as that is where the marina is.

this link might help with locations fees and rules for geneva: http://owenpolousky.com/_wsn/page8.html

Lake Geneva is not only worthless for skiing on the weekend, you're crazy if you even try to tube on it. My 21' gets thrown around like a johnboat. It is definately worth going there for the scenery. The lake and the shoreline are very nice.

 

[Sikiguya]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

I just went on that link and plan to go to Lake Geneva Friday. The sign at the launch said No Alcoholic Beverage Allowed anywhere in the Park System. Seriously!?

Do people bring it on their boats? How much is this enforced?

I usually bring some beers and have a couple while anchored.

 

[Thad]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

I just went on that link and plan to go to Lake Geneva Friday. The sign at the launch said No Alcoholic Beverage Allowed anywhere in the Park System. Seriously!?

Do people bring it on their boats? How much is this enforced?

I usually bring some beers and have a couple while anchored.

You will have no problems. Unless the rules have changed, the lake is not part of the park system. If you anchor or tie off and go to a beach, you can not have alcohol.
Be very aware of your surroundings and your SPEED. If you have gps, use it to get a reliable mph. They do not joke around with that. (Personal life leason) Being a big holiday weekend, you will surely see more tickets writen in one day than you have most likely seen in all your years combined.

Below is a link for a basic guidline of rules for the lake.

Be extremely careful and alert and you'll have a great time.

http://www.williamsbay.org/ull.pdf

 

[BigEdV]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

I am not a skier and only have an inflatable fishing boat so I would scout first but I know there are a lot of people around here that go to Cedar Lake in Indiana. It is not a huge lake but I do see skiers on there but I imagine it could be crowded on weekends.

 

[Backyardhockey]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

Anyone have knowledge of Lake Beulah in Wi?

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

Beulah in East Troy=Drying up up little hole with a boat limit that is at capacity at dawn with morons waiting in line all day to launch as folks come off the lake.

In other words, Fishing pond.

Lake Koshkonong is about 30 miles west of Beulah or 20 miles northwest of Geneva and is pretty big and powerboat friendly.
The Rock river runs through it and the lake is right off of I-90, halfway between Madison and Rockford. Is a big lake, lotta flatlanders.

 

[Backyardhockey]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

Thanks for the tip on Koshkonong. Ave depth of 6ft? I'm concerned about that. Are hazards marked? Any thoughts on Rock Lake? (I don't like that name!)

 

[Thad]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

Thanks for the tip on Koshkonong. Ave depth of 6ft? I'm concerned about that. Are hazards marked? Any thoughts on Rock Lake? (I don't like that name!)

My in-laws used to have a place on Koshkonog, The lake is big, but you are correct...SHALLOW. And it also is a mud bottom with very little sand to be found. I have not been there since they sold in '98 so it might not have any sand left. It also get get very rough because of it being shallow and a lot of boat traffic.

My thoughts on the lake...Great Fishing!

Never heard of Rock Lake.

 

[nick232]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

i always go here for that..http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/LANDMGT/PARKS/i&m/east/desplain/park.htm. Its right off i-55 and if you go about a mile down to the des plaines river your in good water skiing territory. The farther up the river you go the more quiet it gets. The illinois river stretch in the morris/seneca area is def. far to crowded to be learning on.

 

[Sikiguya]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

So we made the trek to Lake Geneva today. Woke up early and got out to Williams Bay around 9. There was a line of boats waiting!...so we mosey on to Fontana...there was an even longer line of cars waiting. Went back to Williams Bay and found that the line was simply for parking. There wasn't enough spaces. Plenty of parking space across the street for regular car...Hmmm..seem like a simple solution, Williams Bay! So, I was able to jump in line and just launch the boat. Then I tied it off at the Municipal Pier. Took my trailer about 2 miles up the road and parked it at the local high school lot. Unhooked it and returned to the public lot and parked.

So we are finally off. For the tour of the lake, it was really great. The weather could have been a little warmer. It was overcast and a little cold. Drove all around the lake and saw many beautiful homes, interesting sights, and boats.....but it was freaking boring. First of all, there were so many maniacs that zips back and forth, there is no way I was going to let my kids get into the tube. Second, the beach at the Big Foot park isn't much of a beach. It is basically a shallow area for people to anchor and it has a sand bottom. Nothing for the kids to play on the beach. Third, it was busy but not super busy and that lake was choppy! After an hour or so, we were done.

Help me out here. Was this just a bad first impression? I saw at least 3 decent beaches but no boats are anchored near any of them.

 

[charkelly]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

Theres a couple lakes in northwestern Illinois that very few people know about. Apple Canyon is 1 of those. 480 acres and the only way to boat there is if you own land there. Also with lake Caroll and Lake Summerset

 

[Backyardhockey]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

We went on the Illinois River Friday afterall. Not too crowded. Kids both did some real slalom skiing for the first time. Not a bad day at all

 

[mgorczak]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

illinois is outstanding for water sking wakeboarding...friday evenings or weekday best..late afternoon usually great as well as people are getting off the water. went last night... perfect conditions between morris and seneca.....

 

[h20skiluvr]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

I heard Cedar Lake in NW Indiana isn't bad, but I heard you def need to know where you're going or you could damage a lower unit; this is heresay though, haven't been there yet myself. Also need to check out the Lighthouse Inn- right on the lake and is worth the trip.

 

[danielclark243]

Re: Waterskiing near Chicago?

thanks for the information about this forum
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