Lake Mead

[fishrdan]

Re: Lake Mead

Yeah, no issues going between Mead and Mohave, they are both affected (infected, infested?) and you will see quagga signs all over the place. I have never seen a quagga at Willow...

I live in Craig, Colorado. I have no idea where to go on Mohave, I haven't reseached it at all, and would be open to friendly suggestions.

There are 3 marina's on Mohave, Willow Beach, Cottonwood and Katherines Landing. The river north of Willow is closing to boats over 65HP (or close to that HP) after Labor Day so keep that in mind. If you are coming/going to/from LV, it's going to take you the same amount of time to Willow and Cottonwood, slowness through BC and going across the dam and checkpoints to Willow. Actually, Cottonwood could take less time depending on how much pedestrian traffic is at the dam, can take an hour+ just crossing the dam at times.

How long are you going to be on the water and what are you looking to do?

The water is cold at Willow (52*) so if you are looking at water sports it's not the best place. Cottonwood would be good though as it's warmer water and lots of sandy beaches. Katherine's landing is a few miles from Laughlin, NV, so I would stay there if you are looking to go to Katherines.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Lake Mead

I'm not sure I'm fully comprehending the mussel thing. If I go to Mohave, will I have trouble getting into Mead the next day? They are both infested waters, right? I've been searching trying to find the approved carwash list, but no luck. Does anyone have a link to that handy?

Thanks,
Mike

mike; the ranger gave it to me one day down there, I'll see if if can find you one. i think it's still on the boat.
i think the idea behind all this is, they know mead is contaminated and want to stop boats spreading from there to clean lakes.
i'm not sure you would even be stoped and checked as from what i could tell, the enforcement of all this seemed pretty lax. not sure if a man power issue or if they do happen on to nasty boat, then thy have regs in place to deal with.
as long as you know about what could happen you wont get blind sided. if some one does want you to fill out a certification paper you can get it and them tell them your going to town to wash down.

know the craig area well. what kind of boat do you have?

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Lake Mead

OK;i got jill to help me find the paper work i was looking for.
first of all the certification paper we had to turn in came from the nps and was part of a check out package we had to do when we vacated our slip.
as such boat was to be certified decontaminated before leaving lake.
IF YOUR NOT IN A SLIP i doubt you will have to deal with this.

i cant scan this but will copy. this was given to me at the boulder ramp when i first got to lake last nov.
********************************************************
lake mead national recreation area
aquatic nuisance species

all vessels in contact with waters from lake mead hae the potential to transport larval or adult quagga mussels. slipped vessels particularly have a high probability of being infested. it is unlawful to possess, transport,introduce or remove aquatic nuisance species, including quagga mussels, into or out of lake mead nra. infested vessels are subject to inspection and impound by regulatory agencies. cleaning is advised for all vessels exiting lake mead destined for other waters.

in lake mead, nra if aa vessel is suspected of being contaminated but owner refuses to decontaminate prior to launching or upon exit from park, the national park service dispatch (non-emergency) must be informed of the situation by calling 702-293-8998.

remember: all slipped vessels must be decontaminated prior to exiting the park as specified in slip rental agreements.
**********************************************************


Boat Wash Services in the Surrounding Communities**

**these facilities are not authorized by the national park service to provide invasive mussel decontamination, but can be used by day visitors to wash their vessels. please contact them directly for available services, rates, and appointments.

remember: if mussels are visible on a vessel, it must be decontaminated prior to exiting from the park-if the vessel operator refuses to have their vessel decontaminated, call npd dispatch @ (702)293-8998


las vegas
marine center of las veags 434-4405 4444 boulder highway
platinum mobile deatailing 896-6666 7846 arden grove street
cal's boat & rv 456-0025 5220 e. russell road
offshore marine 576-0990
vintage marine 258-2628 6325 s, pecos

henderson
terrible herbst 564-9031 1100 e. lake mead parkway
*********** 564-9272 w. lake mead parkway
*********** 566-9347 1395 lake mead parkway

boulder city
self service car wash corner of nevada way & boulder
dale's sinclair 294-1828 1625 nevada highway

kingman
airway avenue car wash 928-618-3424 3113 air way ave.

laughlin
shine on the river 402-6336 1650 s. casino drive
terrible herbst 298-3665 2010 **********

bullhead city
hacienda car wash 928-763-1311 1626 highway 95


**************************************************

bottom line mike: no slip- don't worry. chances are you may or may not get one of the packets like i got above. if you do there is one more page that shows the approved decontamination stations but if you get into that you'll be dealing with the nps and they can tell you where to go. its the marinas + some private contractors that come to the lake. when i needed mine done was quoted $100 a hour
hope this helps. to much work for a one fingered typing old fart

 

[QC]

Re: Lake Mead

I have no idea where to go on Mohave, I haven't reseached it at all, and would be open to friendly suggestions.

Personally I would skip Mohave completely until the new Hoover Bypass is open. The best parts are the sand down by Katherine, but too busy for my liking, the sand by Cottonwood (nice but not very scenic) and the Canyon around Willow, north to the dam and 10 miles plus south. For me it is not worth the 71 miles down to Cottonwood or the wait at the Dam and the Inspection (security) at the dam. The only exception for me would be if it was before Labor Day and it was blowing 40 MPH, then I would got to Willow and stay in the protected (cold) Canyon.

I want my time on the water once I am there . . . not retrieving, towing and re-launching etc. And, if it was me, I would not even want to tow back and forth to Vegas and I'd leave her in the water, probably at Callville. As far as security is concerned I decided long ago that was what insurance was for. My time on the water is too short already. Find ways to maximize it. The one downside to my plan is fuel cost. If you retrieve everyday you can pay auto fuel prices. My .02 . . .

 

[sleddood]

Re: Lake Mead

know the craig area well. what kind of boat do you have?

Give a hollar if your ever in town, maybe we can go boating, fishing, hunting, whatever depending on the season.
There are actually 4 vessels in the redneck navy, the one I'm bringing to Vegas is a 21 ft Tige` ski boat. I also have a 30 ft Bayliner @ the Flaming Gorge, and a couple smaller fishing boats for floating the river, small lakes, etc. Some people have cars, I have boats

So now I think I understand the mussel situation, but may be cornfused about lake mohave. Do I need to cross Hoover dam and go down that way, or do I go down through Searchlight, etc and cross Davis dam? Sorry for the dumb questions, I've never been there and have only looked at a map and google earth a little.

Oh, and thanks again for all the help, especially from Jax, and any other hunt & peck typers

 

[QC]

Re: Lake Mead

I'm bringing to Vegas is a 21 ft Tige` ski boat.

Then I would recommend Callville or Echo, so that you do not have to cross any basins if it's blowing. There is a nice place for skiing though just outside and south of Lake Mead Marina (right there, can't miss it). It is called the Hemenway Wall and it stays flat even in a blow. Your flatter bottom can be murder when the wind is up and you have to cross the Virgin or Boulder Basin. If I was going to tow it anywhere it would be to Temple Bar . . .

Do I need to cross Hoover dam and go down that way,

To Willow Beach, yes. Temple Bar too (Mead)

or do I go down through Searchlight, etc and cross Davis dam?

You need to go to Searchlight and then turn left to go to Cottonwood, you only go all of the way down to Laughlin (Davis Dam) if you are going to Katherine or the river below Davis. Like Jax said, if you did that, spend the night in Laughlin. You actually never cross Davis dam. There is a bridge over the river in town below the dam and then up to Katherine once you are in AZ . . . About 20 minutes from the bridge.

Edit: Midweek, any of the spots, you will not have to worry about crowds at all!!

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Lake Mead

you can go around but its the long way around.
over hoover is the practical way but you have to deal with the traffic and a federal marshal check stations coming and going.
what QC is telling you is your going to spend more time running around trailering and not really see any thing more worth while for the gas and time spent.(not trying to put wordes in your mouth QC)
LOTS to see and do on mead.
my boat came from a guy there in craig. he had it for 5 or 6 years.
he used to live out on the road to elk head was parked by the road there before they redid the dam. his name is dave voight or vogle or some thing like that. its a blue and white searay 230 weekender.
we like flaming gorge and powell. we do a transient slip at ceder springs once in a while. other wise we dry store at the first station and camp ground there in dutch john and go for week end camp trips on the boat.
when at powell we dry store a off shore and winter there or mead

broke drive this spring at mead and have been messing around with that this summer. changing from a A1 TO B3. its been cold this summer and hard to get into boat mood but now powell season push is on to get to lake

 

[sleddood]

Re: Lake Mead

I remember the boat, but the guy's name is only vaguely familiar.
My big boat is in Cedar Springs right now, probably drag it home the weekend before we head to vegas, the water is starting to get chilly, and I don't really like to be at the lake if I can't get in the water. Had an excellent week of fishing two weeks ago, several Macks over 30 caught and released. Got skunked last weekend, they must have all gotten filled up on their feeding frenzy the week before. Have to go over and redeem myself this weekend.
This spring, I actually sold my Malibu ski boat to Stacey and John that run Cedar Springs for Stacey's dad.

As far as lake Mohave goes, we just want to go there because we've never been, won't be happy until a boat of mine has floated there. I think we'll put in at Cottonwood and check it out for a day.

 

[QC]

Re: Lake Mead

As far as lake Mohave goes, we just want to go there because we've never been, won't be happy until a boat of mine has floated there. I think we'll put in at Cottonwood and check it out for a day.

Good reason, and I would do the same. If you venture South go early and then you can head back with the wind. With your hull I would personally only go north though. That basin is the main reason I bought my current 20 degree 20 footer

 

[sleddood]

Re: Lake Mead

Good reason, and I would do the same. If you venture South go early and then you can head back with the wind. With your hull I would personally only go north though. That basin is the main reason I bought my current 20 degree 20 footer

You're talking about going south on Lake Mohave??? Does the wind blow every day, or just when a front is moving through?

 

[QC]

Re: Lake Mead

Prevailing wind in the summer is out of the South and it blows almost every day. The lake runs north south, so the fetch is quite long and it get's very nasty right at Cottonwood. One mile north and all better . . . Can be fun with the wind, against it from Cottonwood south is a major biotch. There are flat days for sure, and if you got south before the wind picked up you'd be OK, but there is nothing for 10 miles, so kinda what's the point . . .

North is narrow and there is some sand above Cottonwood. Search Google Earth for beached houseboats, that is typically where the sand is . . .

Edit: Ooops 20 degree, 23 footer. I would not want to be in that basin with a Tournament boat. My avatar is my Colorado Lakes boat and the Dam view north of Willow.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Lake Mead

im heading out to echo bay for the 19th and 20th.....anyone else been to mead lately? this thread got real quiet, real quick

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Lake Mead

red; last spring they seemed to be doing a lot of work on the northshore road.
it was pretty crappy before.
when you go to echo bay which way do you come in? do you come down from logandale or up from? las vagas bay

wondering how far they have gotten? when done it should be a better drive

 

[whirlypig]

Re: Lake Mead

I've been following this thread. How is the water level in Mead? It was 150 ft low two years ago and we left and went to Mojave. Thanks for the info on the roads. Plan on trip in early-mid October for Striper fishing. Been doing this off and on for 30 years.

 

[QC]

Re: Lake Mead

Lake Mead is still 350 ft. plus deep in the main channel. Why do you care? I've boated at every level between this and full pool, there are some things that are better low, like more sandy beaches. Other than launch ramps, I'll never understand this discussion. There are new obstacles down and up. Every level changes the obstacles, full doesn't change that concern one bit. I can see color at 30 ft. . . .

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Lake Mead

red; last spring they seemed to be doing a lot of work on the northshore road.
it was pretty crappy before.
when you go to echo bay which way do you come in? do you come down from logandale or up from? las vagas bay

wondering how far they have gotten? when done it should be a better drive

you are correct, they tore the hell out of that road, and they are putting a new bridge in about 9 miles south of echo bay. It is gravel for a mile or 2, but its not too bad. well worth the drive to avoid the stupendous scene at Calville if you ask me. heres a pic of the bridge work as of a few weeks ago. looks like the end result will be 1 bridge for north, 1 bridge for south im guessing.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Lake Mead

Lake Mead is still 350 ft. plus deep in the main channel. Why do you care? I've boated at every level between this and full pool, there are some things that are better low, like more sandy beaches. Other than launch ramps, I'll never understand this discussion. There are new obstacles down and up. Every level changes the obstacles, full doesn't change that concern one bit. I can see color at 30 ft. . . .

I agree.....the launch ramp thing might be an issue sometimes, other than that the marinas just keep moving a few feet every year and its hardly noticeable. I cant see choosing mojave over mead, unless its just simply closer to get to for some.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Lake Mead

tks for pics red; i like that northshore road. with the construction on 15 coming into veags it a trade off which is the best way to come in now.
still haven't ruled out coming back this fall.
thinking if i come will stay at echo or temple. we made a little run at a house boat on powell but its in a buoy field with a long time before we could get a slip, so pass on that for now.
QC has me scarred about the water level now. KIDDING QC
jil looking forward to getting to powell. maybe the end of this week or next. bravo project coming along nicely. have a raging inner ear infection for last 6 weeks that has slowed me down a lot but seems to be better this morning. she helped me this week end and we got a lot done

 

[whirlypig]

Re: Lake Mead

Just got back from Echo Bay. Stayed at the campgrounds, nice. Boat launch was good, working on bottom of main launch, kind of tricky getting my old 65 HP merc past the top of the protruding 1960's Launch ramp. (dip in surface before ramp begins) Have to launch with motor down, came within MM's of scraping the prop. Stayed Fri. thru Sun. Beautiful days, until about 3PM Sunday, High winds came up. Hit prop twice on submerged peaks, last one took tips off two blades. At least didn't do that on launch!! Fishing okay, several keepers, lots of releases. Stripers and LM. Biggest stripers we saw were schooling with the carp in the marina, eating popcorn.
Here's the rub. Gas dock only open 10:AM-3PM, Courtesy dock on other side of marina store, no signs to tell you and workers on dock could care less. Had to drive to Overton to fuel my portable boat tanks, RV etc. in order to launch early for fishing. Also, I-15 off-ramp to Lake Mead Blvd. was closed for repairs, detoured via D Street off ramp. Signage not the best for out of towners. Suggest enter through Henderson if coming from South.