Lake George

[bigb2008]

So I'm headed off to Lake George tomorrow for the week. Staying at a place in Bolton's Landing. I will be pulling the boat up there(first time I'm actually trailering more than 5 miles or so).

Got a spare tire for the trailer, checked all the fluids, cleaned the bottom, seem like I'm all set.

Any good places to go I don't want to miss up there? Anyone going to be around?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Lake George

Lake George where? there are many. which state?

 

[MFisher]

Re: Lake George

good old Lake George NY Check out Rogers Rock, head north to the narrows and try and do soom boating in the early evening it trully is a pleasant sight. For Resturants with really good food and good choices head south down RT9 in to Glens Falls and right before the circle you can choice from a host of different food from Tia to Mexican.

Have a safe Trip
Marc Fisher

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Lake George

good old Lake George NY Check out Rogers Rock, head north to the narrows and try and do soom boating in the early evening it trully is a pleasant sight. For Resturants with really good food and good choices head south down RT9 in to Glens Falls and right before the circle you can choice from a host of different food from Tia to Mexican.

Have a safe Trip
Marc Fisher

Glens Falls is a great town. I lived there for a few months back in the late 70's. Yep, had a place on Glen St. Beautiful area & a boaters paradise.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Lake George

Pull up to the Algonqin restaurant (a don't miss spot). Many slips, good food. Right in Bolton Landing on the west shore opposite the big dome island which is in the middle of lake george. Try the black and blue burger!

2 bays going south of the Algonquin is another restaurant with docks and fantastic views and good food. "Blue water" restaurant at the Stone Manor. Also on the West shore of lake george. Sits high up over the docks and it's top floor's outdoor patio is one of the best views on the lake while dining.

At the Southern most end of Lake George is the town. It has 5 rows of town docks for $2 an hour (get a ticket to display on your dash from the machine on the sidewalk). Walk around the town and grab a slice of pizza or bring subs back to the boat.

Almost directly across from Bolton on the east side is a bay called Log Bay. On the weekends 100 boats will be anchored there because it's shallow and sandy.

From Bolton going north along the East side brings you though the narrows which has many state islands that people reserve early and dock up and camp on.

Just on the right side as you enter the narrows is "Red Rock" bay. Another large bay that many boats raft and hang out together.
Explore some of the many bays along the east shore just north of red Rock bay.


The Northern most area of the lake (about 20 miles from Bolton) as others have mentioned is the Rogers Rock area. We were there yesterday. Spectacular mountain views. The Town of Hague on the west shore has free boat docking on the channel (along side the park only, the other side is owned by a motel) and a nice beach for swimming. There is a Deli for sandwiches 1/2 block from the park.

Just cruise along the perimeter of the lake for amazing houses that you can't see from the roads. Some of these houses are 10-20 million!

Everything I've mentioned above can be done and seen over a 2 day period. If your vaction is longer, even better since you can be in no rush to see everything.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Lake George

Great post here as I am heading up to Lake George, NY on the 23rd. In Log bay do you know what the depth is? Curious? Anywhere to beach the boat in lake george?

Will be there for a week at the Quarter at Lake George so will have plenty of time to look around at all the sights on the boat.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Lake George

Great post here as I am heading up to Lake George, NY on the 23rd. In Log bay do you know what the depth is? Curious? Anywhere to beach the boat in lake george?

Will be there for a week at the Quarter at Lake George so will have plenty of time to look around at all the sights on the boat.

Log Bay gets shallower as you head towards shoreline. I think you can beach in that bay too. Most of the bay is just a few feet deep. There are places to beach going north of Bolton Landing. Stay to right east side of the lake as you head North through the narrows.

There are many islands you will see campers on in the Narrows. There are also islands marked day use only. I think you need to call ahead to use those islands for the day.

There is another popular bay that many boaters hang out called Sandy Bay. If you get there early in the AM (probably around 10AM you can hook up to one of the many moorings there for that purpose. Sandy Bay is apprx the 2nd bay heading North after you pass Long Island. It's on the Eastern shore.

If you head out in the early AM the winds are usually calmer on LG. That's a good time to do that 20 mile run north from Bolton Landing to the Rogers Rock area of the lake. The Northern section views are spectacular.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Lake George

Expidia,

Thanks for the advice. I'll make sure to make that trek early. Hopefully the weather is good that week. I am assuming that Log Bay and Sandy Bay are the quieter spots as far as wakes?

 

[bigb2008]

Re: Lake George

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Just got back from my trip on Saturday. We had an absolute BLAST. A few firsts for me :

Got to take in the 4th of July fireworks from the boat(which is a first for me at night) Wound up being about 50ft aware from the launch barge without realizing it, but it was WELL worth it.

Launched / retrieved with no issues, I highly suggest Norowal Marina in Bolton Landing if anyone is going this way (http://www.norowalmarina.com/) Super nice people, and great dock hands. It's right before you get to the Sagamore.

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, I had less than stellar cell coverage in the area but I did get to see your replies. The narrows was great, got really shallow in a few spots, but stuck to the nav maps, and the chart plotter and did fine.

Here are nautical maps of the lake if anyone is interested :
http://www.lgpc.state.ny.us/boating_maps.html

I wound up printing them out on a large scale plotter I have at work and brought them with me.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Lake George

I was going to launch from Norowal but I am staying on the southern end of lake george and found another place that has a launch ramp called Beckley's. Anybody have any opinions on that place. I know Norowal is good as I have heard many reviews of that place but Beckley's is about 5 miles closer for me to the south.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Lake George

Well I am here at lake george for the first time and I must say it's real nice. Launched from Beckley's not the nicest place for sure but got the boat in and drove it down to where we are staying for the week. The drive up today was torrential downpours and got here and it was still raining. Dropped off the boat and was going to launch it tomorrow but the weather forecast called for showers to stop and it did. So I went back and dropped the boat in and went out for a cruise before going to the place where I am staying. I must admit Lake george is real nice. Going to head to all the places that ppl spoke about above over the week.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Lake George

Now that's funny . . . out of all the marinas on LG to launch at you pick the one I boought my rig from.

Beckley's was in business for 30 years. Had a showroom in Albany and a marina on LG. Last year he sold his boat business to the marina directly across from his LG ramp called Yankee marine.

Beckley did a huge boat rental business. He rented a lot of pontoons and ordered a fleet of Lund boats every few years. On season that site you launched from was a mad house of boat rental tourists!

Now, it's great. Very few people around there since he does not rent boats anymore. He has nice cabins for rent though still. His own cabin is the one on the tip across from the boat house.

http://www.beckleysboats.com/

When I bought my boat from them in 2007 the salesman threw in 10 free launches if I would close the sale. I said give me 15 and it's a deal and he said OK.

Unlike Chics marina a little ways up the road it's nice and quiet to launch at Beckley's. You don't want your rig around all the influx of inexperienced once a year boaters that are up from NJ and NYC in July and August.

All the marinas on LG whack you a $40 fee to launch anyway, but you're better off being away from everyone because if they back into your lower drive at the dock or in the parking lot you are done for the season.

I still have 2 free launches left. I launched from Beckley's just last week. There is a free real nice 4 lane NYS ramp at the Northern end of LG in Ticonderoga called Mossey Point. Practically unlimited parking too. You could trailer up route 9 and launch out of there if the lake was choppy as it's a good 20 miles from Beckleys. This is a good way to see the Northern Rogers Rock section of LG.
It's the only free launch spot on LG.

Off season, you can launch for free out of Million Dollar beach on the Southern end of LG with free parking. It would be nice to come back in the fall and troll for Lakers and see the spectacular fall foliage. With free launching it saves decent dollars. Stay out of town too in a motel away from LG and you can find some bargains only a few miles out from LG village.

For instance, we boat a lot on Lake Champlain and off season some of the motel chains are like $60 a night and unlike LG . . . Champlain has many, many free launch sites all year round and it's a 132 mile body of water. Lake George is still huge at 32 miles, but it's a pricey vacation spot on season!

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Lake George

That is to funny. The one thing I did like was hits Marina nostagia. It was quiet and a secluded cove type setting. The owner is also a nice guy. Just the place didn't really look all that updated but then again how updates does it need to be to have a launch ramp. Was out this morning caught some Big Mouth bass not big enough to keep though. Will try again later today. Went for a cruise to check out the entire lower portion of lake george to Warner Bay. Weather doens't look good tonight, but the rest of the week looks perfect. I was orginally called Yankee Marina to launch but he doens't allow public boat launches. So he recommended Beckleys.

Any other places you guys recommend? Any local fishing spots?

Also for those that boat here alot what are the rules with the parasailing boats. Is it the normal stay 200ft away and don't go under the parasail. Were we are staying seems to be prime time parasailing all day long.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Lake George

Stop into this shop. It's 5 minutes South of the village:

FISH307.com
6 State Route 149
Lake George, NY 12845 USA
Tel: 1-800-FISH307 or 518-798-9203

They can circle on a map where the best spots for Bass etc are. I've lived up here 30 years and I still go in there for info.

As to the Para sailing . . . I know, it's really annoying. Like I said LG is more of a tourist trap. Much better place off season.

As to Beckley's like you said. . . . It's just a place to put your boat in the water and park your trailer! What's the difference?

Many people who have been coming up to the same cabins for like the past 30 years keep coming just for the reason is it doesn't change. Always brings them back memory's when they were kids.

The worst is when you come back and now it's a huge condo development

What did you think of some of those homes in the Southern basin??? Some wealthy people come and buy up 3 old houses and tear them down and put up amazing mansions!

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Lake George

That is funny I saw that Fish307 store on the way to the Outlet shops from LG. Thought it was a Fish and chips place.

I saw a house on the west side in the second cove from the southern basin just past Tea Island going north. It was on the northern side of the Cove and he had the entire penisula and he had the entire thing landscaped with Rock and a waterfall. Not to mention his own Ramp and some other nice stuff.

What's with the boat laws allowing boat renter just to have a car license and nothing else to rent a boat. I have my Boat Licence and Saftey Certificate, and all the renters have to have is cash and a car license??? What is up with that.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Lake George

That is funny I saw that Fish307 store on the way to the Outlet shops from LG. Thought it was a Fish and chips place.

I saw a house on the west side in the second cove from the southern basin just past Tea Island going north. It was on the northern side of the Cove and he had the entire peninsula and he had the entire thing landscaped with Rock and a waterfall. Not to mention his own Ramp and some other nice stuff.

What's with the boat laws allowing boat renter just to have a car license and nothing else to rent a boat. I have my Boat Licence and Safety Certificate, and all the renters have to have is cash and a car license??? What is up with that.

Ya, dumb name for a tackle shop but they sell online too.

Check out this link of LG pics. See if that house you were talking about is one of them.

http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa2/expidia/Lake George NY 5-1-2010/



I try and stay away from most boats just for the fact that most don't know anything about driving them. Like I said, many are up from NY and NJ and during the Summer they drive around drunk like they are the only ones on the lake. I have a small boat and they think nothing of cruising by 10 feet away practically swamping me.

They never even look back to see what their wake is doing to others nor do they care.

They Northern part of the lake beyond Bolton Island is a lot less hectic.

This house is in the big bay just before you get to the Sagamore hotel heading north (the big white hotel the hill) That restaurant called the Algonquin which I previously mentionedis in the same bay. Right next to Chic's marina. Dock and dine at the Algonquin. Good burgers!

better to go there during the week. They do lunch too.

Quite the stonework:

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Lake George

Nope wasn't one of those houses but just as big.

Ok so I was again fishing around tea island inside the 3rd no wake boey by about 200 ft. I was ANCHORED in for a good 45 minutes fishing, and the darn commercial steamboat for tourist came inside the no wake zone right for me and honked his horn. He then proceeded to come closer and closer. By the 500 ft I was like screw it, I had my brother-in-law pull anchor and I started the motor and started moving out of his way. I couldn't go that fast as it was a no wake zone but I said screw it just to get out of his way. So what is the rule up here with that? I wasn't in his channel lane as there is none and I was anchored in.

Had dinner at the Algonqin today. But drove there. Tried to have dinner in Boltons landing at a place called Michael ?something? steakhouse. Sat there had drinks and they came out and told us their kitchen was down as none of the oven were working. So then we headed to Algonqin's as per your recommendation as we passed it going up to Boltons Landing. Tomorrow plan on heading to Log Bay and some rock past the Narrows that you can jump from that is like 40ft up? Should be fun.

 

[davlafont]

Re: Lake George

...commercial steamboat for tourist came inside the no wake zone right for me and honked his horn...

Is it possible he was signaling his intent to pass by you? (one short blast: I intend to pass you on my port; two short blasts: I intend to pass you on my starboard)

Sounds scary whatever he was doing.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Lake George

Is it possible he was signaling his intent to pass by you? (one short blast: I intend to pass you on my port; two short blasts: I intend to pass you on my starboard)

Sounds scary whatever he was doing.

That was most likely what it was as it was one short blast, but that horn was LOUD and he did it like 500 or so ft away so I wasn't taking any chances. I flew out quickly to get of of his way regardless cause it sure looked like he was coming straight for me.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Lake George

Unless you were fishing in a channel . . . Don't be afraid to write a letter to the Lake George parks department who charge you a fee for the sticker you need while boating on LG and describe the incident.

Also send a copy to the boating company of the tour boat.

These tour boat drivers on LG do not have a good reputation in my opinion:

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Twenty_killed_in_Lake_George_USA_boating_accident