weird weather, it keeps getting warmer-severe weather coming

[anticyclonic]

Tank, it depends on what you want to do....Party, Cove out, eat, ski, or just drive. My best advice is to boat Sunday night - Thursday at the lake otherwise Friday - Sunday can be tough boating unless you're in a 38' go fast or a 40' Cruiser.

In general the 7mm on the main channel (Horny Toad) up to about the 31mm (Captains Galley) in the main boating area. There are places above that and below that but that's the main boating area of the lake. Go up the Gravois Arm up by the 6mm and you'll find some better water and a few really good places to eat...Time Out and Coconuts. If you go down past the 7mm you'll find Dock Knockers which has some good music and decent food. Above the 31mm you'll find places like Captain Ron's, Quakers (38mm), and Big Dicks (48mm).

Now if you really don't want food and you want a party, well, try Party Cove. You'll see just about anything and everything there except for good food. They have them old, young, new, naked, drunk, and on and on. Heck the last couple of years they’ve actually had a band out in the middle of the cove. On a good holiday afternoon you'll find ~1500 boats in the cove ranging from a little fishing boats to million dollar go fast boats, to million dollar cruisers. I enjoy looking at that as much as I do anything. If I had the interest from all of those boats for just one week I think I could become the biggest donar in ISU history. :biggrin: Go up past Party Cove a mile or two and you'll actually find some of the best boating on the lake, it's just Heck to get there with Party Cover before it.

I'm sure there are a few others on here that can offer some additional input. If you have something specific you're looking for let me know I'll give you some input.

It was a bad year on the lake for businesses due to the gas prices. I heard the Toad was closing and Shooters is gone. There are too many condos on the lake and that will oversaturate the water with boats/jet skis.

If the party cove is still at the Anderson Hallow Cove, I haven't been to it since 1998 (our boat was in that infamous July 4,1998 photo that is sold everywhere).

As far as boating-calmer water, Sunday night is generally good as well as during the week. Friday/Saturday is quite busy.

 

[Lenny25]

Tank, it depends on what you want to do....Party, Cove out, eat, ski, or just drive. My best advice is to boat Sunday night - Thursday at the lake otherwise Friday - Sunday can be tough boating unless you're in a 38' go fast or a 40' Cruiser.

In general the 7mm on the main channel (Horny Toad) up to about the 31mm (Captains Galley) in the main boating area. There are places above that and below that but that's the main boating area of the lake. Go up the Gravois Arm up by the 6mm and you'll find some better water and a few really good places to eat...Time Out and Coconuts. If you go down past the 7mm you'll find Dock Knockers which has some good music and decent food. Above the 31mm you'll find places like Captain Ron's, Quakers (38mm), and Big Dicks (48mm).

Now if you really don't want food and you want a party, well, try Party Cove. You'll see just about anything and everything there except for good food. They have them old, young, new, naked, drunk, and on and on. Heck the last couple of years they’ve actually had a band out in the middle of the cove. On a good holiday afternoon you'll find ~1500 boats in the cove ranging from a little fishing boats to million dollar go fast boats, to million dollar cruisers. I enjoy looking at that as much as I do anything. If I had the interest from all of those boats for just one week I think I could become the biggest donar in ISU history. :biggrin: Go up past Party Cove a mile or two and you'll actually find some of the best boating on the lake, it's just Heck to get there with Party Cover before it.

I'm sure there are a few others on here that can offer some additional input. If you have something specific you're looking for let me know I'll give you some input.

I have a 33 foot boat and have never hesitated to take it to any spot on the lake on any day of any weekend. Just need to know what you are doing. If you are looking for calmer waters go south of the 31 mile marker and boat on the Big Niangua arm. From about the hwy 5 bridge all the way down to Ha Ha Tanka state park it's pretty smooth. Great coves and plenty of small resorts.

 

[SmokinH2O]

It was a bad year on the lake for businesses due to the gas prices. I heard the Toad was closing and Shooters is gone. There are too many condos on the lake and that will oversaturate the water with boats/jet skis.

If the party cove is still at the Anderson Hallow Cove, I haven't been to it since 1998 (our boat was in that infamous July 4,1998 photo that is sold everywhere).

As far as boating-calmer water, Sunday night is generally good as well as during the week. Friday/Saturday is quite busy.

Shooters closed last year, they actually moved the shootout this year up to Captain Ron's at about the 35mm. The Toad is still open but hurting due to the slow economy. We've been down here off and on 4-5 times over the last 10 years at Xmas and it's as slow as it ever has been. Party Cove's still in the same place and wilder than ever.

Condos are going up at a rate you just can't keep up with. It's amazing. Every couple of months it seems like someone is breaking ground to build a new complex.

I know we only come down from Ankeny about 1/2 as many times this year as we normally do. It takes us about 1 full tank of gas from Ankeny and when gas was ~$4.00/gallon it was costing us roughly $220 down, around, and back. That's not including gas for the boat at about $0.30 - $0.40/gallon more than land. Needless to say we didn't boat far this year. We'd go a cover or two down, drop anchor and have a few drinks. With gas now at a $1.30/gal it's much more affordable to drive down. :yes:

Sunday evening is my favorite time to boat. We usually go up to Backwater Jacks or Dorsey's and then cruise home around 7:30 or 8:00 on glass smooth water with the sun going down....that's one of my favorite times every year.