Las vegas/Lake Mead

88wellcraft · May 8, 2011

Hey All,

we're heading for vegas on june 5th and have reserved a pontoon boat for a day on lake mead. I've spent a lot of time in and around boats but have never been on lake Mead or on a pontoon boat. Anyone have any suggetions on where to go on the lake and any tips/tricks for operating a pontoon boat?

have to go somewhere warm as its taking forever for the weather to get warm enough to try out my new to me four winns.

thanks everybody.

Pierutrus · May 9, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

GO SEE THE DAM.
And if time and money aren't an issue with the pontoon......Cruise the narrows!

88wellcraft · May 9, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

I'd like to see the narrows but according to the boat rental company we have to stay in the boulder basin i guess.......is the dam near the boulder basin?

VegasNordie · May 9, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

dam is in boulder basin, sandy beach is always worth a look, and swallow bay as well

88wellcraft · May 10, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

Cool....I'll check those out....any places i should avoid in a pontoon due to depth, weather etc?

Meadfisher · May 13, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

Pierutrus said:
GO SEE THE DAM.
And if time and money aren't an issue with the pontoon......Cruise the narrows!

Im going out this weekend to Temple Bar, Great Fishing and crystal blue water up this way....

QC · May 13, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

T-Bar is too far for them probably although I agree on it's value. Everything at Mead is weather dependent. The Narrrows is kind of the end of Boulder Basin, but a tough ride back in the afternoon. Remember to hug the shore where the wind is coming from, South shore. In the afternoon, the entrance to the "dam" can be very rough. Once you get out from behind the Hemenway Wall all heck breaks loose. A toon could be very scary there. Do the dam early and have a return to the marina planned to take advantage of south shore protection.

Here's a Map with some spots marked. Sandy "beach" is actually Sandy Cove. The Dam is tucked back where the label for Hacienda is. The Wall is from the upper left of that slot and runs in a sort of half circle South and West towards the launch ramp line that is furthest South. That's probably where you will rent unless you got to Callville.

88wellcraft · May 14, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

That's great guys....thanks for all the info....can't wait to go. Just a couple more weeks. I always love exploring new places....especially on a boat

jjacobs007 · May 19, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

88wellcraft said:
That's great guys....thanks for all the info....can't wait to go. Just a couple more weeks. I always love exploring new places....especially on a boat

so your gonna be departing from calville or hemmingway area i have been boating mead for 25yrs now and know where all the donkeys,bighorn and even owls are there if you want to run to those spots too.

88wellcraft · May 21, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

looks like we go from the las vegas marina....is that what it's called? supposedly about 1/2 hour drive from vegas....we'd like to just cruise around, see some good scenery and of course hopefully it'll be sunny and warm.....trying to get out of the rain up here in the PNW

QC · May 22, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

Las Vegas Boat Harbor Depending on where you're staying it's more like 45 mins from Las Vegas. Do yourself a favor nd go over to the Hacienda Hotel and Casino at the end of your day. It has an amazing collection of pictures from the Dam construction on the walls. Well worth it.

Your marina is the southernmost line noting a launch ramp (Hemenway Harbor) on my map ^^^^^ If you come out of the marina and make a right you're heading to the Hemenway Wall. If it blows, it will be flat there. Go to the end of the wall and make a right and you're heading to the Dam. Have fun!!

88wellcraft · May 23, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

Awesome...thanks everyone.....can't wait

88wellcraft · Jun 1, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

just for reference guys....(i'll buy a chart when we get there)....running about 10 knots....from the southern line that says launch on the map above......how long would it take to get to sandy cove?

12vMan · Jun 1, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

It'll probably only take you about an hour to get across Boulder Basin at that speed, providing the weather cooperates.

Check out this handy dandy chart for distances to other popular locations, plotted by GPS: CLICKY

Have a great trip..it's almost here!

88wellcraft · Jun 2, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

REALLY lookin forward to it.....gotta get out of all this rain up here in seattle....although this weekend is supposed to be nice...around 75......

Barbs · Jun 8, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

Is anyone familiar with Echo Bay? I would like to take my wakeboard boat and camp on a beach near Echo Bay. Are there plenty of beaches to pull a boat up to? I'm familiar with the Callville Bay area and have never had a problem finding a vacant beach, but would like to try something new and would like to have a general idea of which cove to head to since the boat will be full of camping gear.

QC · Jun 8, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

Echo is OK. Some here are very protective of that stretch of Lake (Overton Arm), and there are some beautiful spots, but it is just not as scenic as the other Basins and Arms. However . . . it does have some very nice sand. If you are heavily loaded, you'll want some smooth water for the crossing, but there is an area across the Arm and a little north of Echo which has some really soft sand. Finer than Sandy Cover near Callville, and good for camping. The best are Glory Hole and Kline Hole. Just found them on Google Maps. Have to zoom in, but they are noted. Further north than I recalled. Check out Lime Cove too. I think that one has sand as well.

fishrdan · Jun 8, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

North of Kline hole and Glory hole (about a mile) is a nice sandy protected cove. There are lots of open beaches, but lots of pea gravel too. On the NV side is Ann Margaret (sp) beach that's nice sand for 1-2 miles, but the south winds will beat you to death up there if it gets blowing. I've been there 3-4 times over the past few years and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. The last time up there this spring, there was a lot of debris in the water and it was murky, so if you are looking for clear water, I wouldn't plan on going much further up the lake than Kline Hole. Things might have changed though as that was 2 months ago,,, the lake has gone up.

88wellcraft · Jun 9, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

Well....trip is done

....had an awesome time on the lake

....sounds like we got lucky....the rental people said they didn't send any boats out on monday beacause of the wind. Tuesday was beautiful though....not much wind and about 90 degrees i believe. enjoyed seeing the dam and cruised from the boat harbor all the way to the dam then narrows and back by sandy cove and calville bay.

thanks Everybody for the suggestions!!!

Pierutrus · Jun 9, 2011

Re: Las vegas/Lake Mead

Glad you had a nice cruise.
I was thinking about you this whole last weekend, it being windy and all.

The narrows are pretty cool huh? Almost makes you think of "Jason and the Arganots"!

The next trip down though, since you got Boulder Basin out of the way.
Head up to the upper basin and check out the Temple and Greggs Basin.

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