calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

[fishrdan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Noticed the same -- we fished Friday morning at Willow Beach and noticed there were several rocks in the South launch ramp. It's actually been very depressing this year fishing for trout. Every Friday they stock the river and all 3 times we've been this year (April, July, September) it's sucked. Trout are small and never bite on anything. I've been fishing there since 93' and my Dad since the 70's and it's depressing. I think the only purpose for the trout hatchery is to feed the striper....

It's probably a combo or warmer water, tons of weeds and stripers. Once the stripers got into Mohave, it was all over for the trophy trout fishery down there.

This is a fun to drive leg....95 from I-40 near Needles to NV state line. Just makes you want to haul *** no matter what you drive.

Just watch out for the CHP. I like that stretch of road, but hate getting stuck at the RR crossing. I only catch the train if I'm running late...

I spoke to a guy at Cottonwood launching one night, huge lifted diesel truck, 30' or so boat, said he was coming across I-40 at 100+ :facepalm:

 

[12vMan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

How many of you SoCal boaters enjoy this stretch of road as much as I have over the years? This is a fun to drive leg....95 from I-40 near Needles to NV state line. Just makes you want to haul *** no matter what you drive. I've never done it with a boat in tow.

pic file too large

You're pic is apparently too big, but I know the stretch of highway you're referring to. About 4 miles north if the I-40 on the 95 is where the comedian Sam Kinison was killed in April of '92 as he was hit head-on by a pick-up.

Bummer is he was just married and didn't drink but the p/u that hit his Trans Am was full of beer cans. Sam wasn't wearing a seat belt either and hit his head at the windshield which caused the fatal head trauma.

 

[sam60]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

You're pic is apparently too big, but I know the stretch of highway you're referring to. About 4 miles north if the I-40 on the 95 is where the comedian Sam Kinison was killed in April of '92 as he was hit head-on by a pick-up.

Bummer is he was just married and didn't drink but the p/u that hit his Trans Am was full of beer cans. Sam wasn't wearing a seat belt either and hit his head at the windshield which caused the fatal head trauma.

I only want to haul *****, but I'm a 5MPH over the limit guy, no beer cans in my pickup ever as I don't drink while operating a boat or truck/car.

I didn't know that was how or where SK died. I would haved pictured something way different.

 

[12vMan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I only want to haul *****, but I'm a 5MPH over the limit guy, no beer cans in my pickup ever as I don't drink while operating a boat or truck/car.

I didn't know that was how or where SK died. I would haved pictured something way different.

Yea, you would have thought he would have gone out BIG! I remember driving that highway shortly after he died It was kind of a somber experience. We used to take what we called 'the short cut' - Goffs Rd exit off the 40 when going to Laughlin. It cut a few miles off.

Once coming back to So CA, towing my 18'er with my then-year-old '91 Chevy Dually, I had a sensor go out at some point in Laughlin. It wouldn't shift out of low once it warmed up. When I climbed up out of laughlin and got to the 95 I had to sit for an hour or so and let it cool down. Then when I got to Cajon pass, the traffic was stop & go and every time I stopped it wouldn't "go" again, that is into a higher gear, so I had to take side streets to the top of the pass and coast till it cooled down. Luckily it was under warranty and not a big deal.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

When I climbed up out of laughlin and got to the 95 I had to sit for an hour or so and let it cool down.

You were luckier than I... I ran up to speed out of Searchlight and the truck made a loud whining noise for 5 seconds (this ain't gonna be good), then shut up and continued to run fine. I figured I had better check the truck over at Cal-Nev-Ari and when the truck down shifted into first, it locked up the rear tires, sending me into the seatbelt. Luckily this didn't happen on the highway or at the Laughlin turnoff,,, I had just pulled over heading into the gas station. A blown transmission an hour out of Vegas, not fun...

 

[QC]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I didn't know that was how or where SK died. I would haved pictured something way different.

Yeah, I always thought he was on River Rd. between Needles and Laughlin. Sad no matter where it was.

Yeah I've done a little of all that too. Ran the Goffs to 95 to Laughlin a few times in '84 and '85. Realized that was actually stupid after a while. I pulled the boat from Havasu to the Hacienda on the 4th in '07 I think it was. Also went from Parker to Vida Junction to the Hacienda in '08, so I guess that counts too. Fun route for sure!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Yeah, I always thought he was on River Rd. between Needles and Laughlin.

That's what I thought too, road from Needles to Laughlin, I remember when it happened as I travel that area often, though rarely on the Needles-Laughlin road... That's a nasty twisty turny potholed road from HEEEEEELLLLLLLL! (Tribute to Sam Kinison )

 

[sam60]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I live near Las Vegas and was working in PHX for a couple of years and the Kingman/Wikiup route was real boring. I loved driving the Searchlight/Needles/Parker/Vicksburg Jct route. I rarely saw a NHP of CHP, but lots in AZ!!

EDIT: This was back when you had to cross Hoover Dam prior to the new bridge.........

 

[12vMan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

You were luckier than I... I ran up to speed out of Searchlight and the truck made a loud whining noise for 5 seconds (this ain't gonna be good), then shut up and continued to run fine. I figured I had better check the truck over at Cal-Nev-Ari and when the truck down shifted into first, it locked up the rear tires, sending me into the seatbelt. Luckily this didn't happen on the highway or at the Laughlin turnoff,,, I had just pulled over heading into the gas station. A blown transmission an hour out of Vegas, not fun...

..I've got another!

Once coming back from Havasu WB on the 40 near the top of the grade to Mtn Springs Rd. I was towing the same 18'er with a '90 Bronco. Everything was going find until gray/blue smoke came BILLOWING out forcing me to pull over. Luckily I had 2 friends following. The seal between tranny & motor went out. Got a free tow to Ford of Needles for a $600 repair and another trip out to pick it up. Luckily a friend was able to tow the boat home. At least the tranny was still fine

 

[12vMan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I live near Las Vegas and was working in PHX for a couple of years and the Kingman/Wikiup route was real boring. I loved driving the Searchlight/Needles/Parker/Vicksburg Jct route. I rarely saw a NHP of CHP, but lots in AZ!!

EDIT: This was back when you had to cross Hoover Dam prior to the new bridge.........

I got to the dam one evening when the bridge was w.i.p. on the way to TBar and there was a sign posted that the road over the dam would be closing @ 8pm for construction purposes. Unfortunately, the sign was posted after the town of Boulder, so we were in no hurry to get there and stopped in a couple places. Well, when I finally got to the insp. station, after getting stuck behind people that wouldn't even do the speed limit on top of all the other delays, I was TWO MINUTES LATE and they wouldn't let me pass. I had to detour clear around back down the 95, through Laughlin and up the 93. Only a couple hours worth!

 

[sam60]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I got to the dam one evening when the bridge was w.i.p. on the way to TBar and there was a sign posted that the road over the dam would be closing @ 8pm for construction purposes. Unfortunately, the sign was posted after the town of Boulder, so we were in no hurry to get there and stopped in a couple places. Well, when I finally got to the insp. station, after getting stuck behind people that wouldn't even do the speed limit on top of all the other delays, I was TWO MINUTES LATE and they wouldn't let me pass. I had to detour clear around back down the 95, through Laughlin and up the 93. Only a couple hours worth!

Thus the reason I relied on the road couse/touring route.... I had to cross the damn dam on a Sunday afternoon enroute to job and again on Friday afternoon trying to get home. Had plenty of time for people watching while crossing dam at 0-5 MPH.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

I got to the dam one evening when the bridge was w.i.p. on the way to..........

LOL, My son and I left Willow Beach at 2am and found that the dam was closed for unknown reasons and going to be that way for an unknown amount of time... We decided to go the Kingman/Laughlin route and finally made it home right around sun-up.

Like MZ, I've been stuck in that dam traffic too, 2-3 hours just to clear the dam. Or the time when 93 east of the dam was single lane and no passing for 17 miles because of construction,,, and I got stuck behind someone doing all of 35MPH!!! WT*#(%&^

The bright side, now we have the bridge and 95 going south out of Railroad Pass is 75MPH! I thought I was hosed this morning when I was pulling onto 95 south and Metro cruiser pulled in front of me from BC. Awww carp, were going 65-70 to Laughlin. NOPE! After a mile or so I was doing 75+(++) and the cruiser was slowly puling away from me

 

[sam60]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

LOL, My son and I left Willow Beach at 2am and found that the dam was closed for unknown reasons and going to be that way for an unknown amount of time... We decided to go the Kingman/Laughlin route and finally made it home right around sun-up.

Like MZ, I've been stuck in that dam traffic too, 2-3 hours just to clear the dam. Or the time when 93 east of the dam was single lane and no passing for 17 miles because of construction,,, and I got stuck behind someone doing all of 35MPH!!! WT*#(%&^

The bright side, now we have the bridge and 95 going south out of Railroad Pass is 75MPH! I thought I was hosed this morning when I was pulling onto 95 south and Metro cruiser pulled in front of me from BC. Awww carp, were going 65-70 to Laughlin. NOPE! After a mile or so I was doing 75+(++) and the cruiser was slowly puling away from me

FD- I used to see many LVPD Cruisers between RR Pass and CalNevAri, but unless someone was really kicking the speed limit hard or a suspect of something else, their aggenda seemed to get from point A to B. Have your experiences been the same?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

FD- I used to see many LVPD Cruisers between RR Pass and CalNevAri, but unless someone was really kicking the speed limit hard or a suspect of something else, their aggenda seemed to get from point A to B. Have your experiences been the same?

Yep, when I'm out on the open road I'm usually going 75 and haven't been pulled over in yeeears. I don't even bat an eye if I'm doing 75 and see an officer, in NV that is. I've even had them flip on the rollers if I crept up over 75, and they just continued heading the other way (I guess they could see I slowed down). Back when the highway speed limit was 55 (or was it 65) I used to go 75 like everyone else and got pulled over about once a year. The punishment was pretty steep as the "Waste of a Natural Resource" tickets were running right around $15 It probably cost the state/county more money processing the ticket than they made off the ticket.

(Non-towing that is, I don't tow at 75.....)

 

[12vMan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

FD- I used to see many LVPD Cruisers between RR Pass and CalNevAri, but unless someone was really kicking the speed limit hard or a suspect of something else, their aggenda seemed to get from point A to B. Have your experiences been the same?

When the posted speed limit was 65, the unwritten rule speed limit was basically "anything under 80".

We go that route all the time coming through Nipton to Searchlight, as do many from TBar coming from So CA. It's 10 miles longer but no traffic. Very rarely did you ever hear of someone getting a ticket if they were 79 or under. I usually cruised at 77, 'cause what's a couple miles an hour between friends
Since they've increased it to 75 it's great! The under 80mph rule still sticks though I'm sure.

 

[sam60]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

If you boat on Lake Mohave, keep an eye on the water levels for the next couple of months.....
http://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=41024

Another wrinkle to the water levels on the river....many of us have driven the area around Bouse that was flooded...

http://www.lvrj.com/news/canal-break-slows-colorado-river-flow-172752251.html

 

[fishrdan]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

many of us have driven the area around Bouse that was flooded...

Had to google that one, and I think I've been through there once... Way out in BFE for sure.

 

[sam60]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Had to google that one, and I think I've been through there once... Way out in BFE for sure.

I used the BFE route to avoid 10 from Parker to PHX alot. I wasn't interested in rock collector traffic in Quartsite. That Bouse route was fun.

I made the best out of my travel by truck in many areas of the SW. Didn't have a choice so I explored and enjoyed from Yuma to Page, Havasu, Laughlin, Tonopah, Fallon to South Lake Tahoe. You can see the miles in my face. :facepalm:

 

[jjacobs007]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Hey, jjacobs007, How have you been? Haven't seen you post on your thread for awhile. You started a very useful thing over here!

Ahoy there fellow captains.
Im doing good, been a little sick. Been working on the boat a little instead of making that drive to lake. It sucks but still makes me feel good inside,even the smell of the boat as i pull back the cover makes me smile,can anyone relate to that one?

I hope you all are doing great and having a safe and wonderfull summer on mead and the river.

I am still counting the big horns in photo.

my 12 yr old daughter caught her first fish last trip out.The last time i heard someone scream like that was when i fixed my outboard for the first time and it got up on plane with wind in my face,she waas really happy. talk to you all later!

 

[sam60]

Re: calling all lake mead boaters! nevada

Ahoy there fellow captains.
Im doing good, been a little sick. Been working on the boat a little instead of making that drive to lake. It sucks but still makes me feel good inside,even the smell of the boat as i pull back the cover makes me smile,can anyone relate to that one?

I hope you all are doing great and having a safe and wonderfull summer on mead and the river.

I am still counting the big horns in photo.

my 12 yr old daughter caught her first fish last trip out.The last time i heard someone scream like that was when i fixed my outboard for the first time and it got up on plane with wind in my face,she waas really happy. talk to you all later!

Good to hear from you jj.....Thanks for letting us know that you're still out there! Hope you feel better soon!