Breathe Later

Anyone ever boat on Castle Rock/Petenwell north of the Dells?

I'm going there next weekend and looking for advice on launch sites, where to avoid, etc.

Dave1972

Hey Breathe,
I've tried going out up there but the weather hasn't cooperated. I'll check with a buddy of mine tonight to double-check the good places to put in. I've heard some real good stories of some of the partying that goes on up that way....will hopefully experience it sometime in the next few weeks. I'll try to get in touch with my buddy and drop you a PM or post what I find out.

I do know that it's a pretty shallow lake pretty much everywhere.

Check back later,
Dave

hp500efi

From what I was told, that is an area to avoid unless you are a casual boater/water skier with a small boat. Evidently there are quite a bunch of stump areas that you would certainly want to avoid.

I would check with local fisherman/boaters before going out there.

Breathe Later

Thanks Dave,

I'm bringing my 27' Fountain up there Thursday. I'll be staying up there until 7-8 July. My wife and I have a place about 1/4 mi from the lake so I plan on launching daily. There's alot of ramps but most of them look suitable for bass boats and small boats. Our place is off Z , north of the campground and south of Splash.

Thanks,

Mark S.

Dave1972

Hello Breathe,
Just got some info for ya! Sounds like the Dirty Turtle is going to be the best place to put in. Whatever you do don't try to put in at the State Park as it is pretty shallow. There is also a place to avoid heading toward the other side of the lake from the Dirty Turtle....apparently there is a sandbar/beach out from shore( heading toward a place called Splash....be sure to stay plenty far away as it is shallow there. Gilligans is a good place to hang out as well as the Dirty Turtle. A place called Shipwreck has the best food, docks are kind of small but for the $$ their food is the best.

I'm guessing you will be coming up from 94, then to Hwy 58....to get to the Dirty Turtle you will take the 2nd or possible the 3rd County Road 'G'....there should be signs to help.

Please remember that this is just advice from a friend of mine with a cabin up there and he has a 19ft runabout. Make sure to watch your depth finder and all should be fine. For more advice, stop at the Dirty Turtle and talk to the locals there!!!

Have a great time...wish I was heading to the water this weekend but not quite yet!!!!

Cord

iTrader: (2)

I'm not really familiar with the lake, but I have boated on it. At the time my brother in law knew of a free ramp. Unfortinatly, it was a gravel ramp with some huge rocks! It took me three tries to get the boat loaded correctly! Never again!

russ7r

Hey guys let me know on how it goes, I am always looking for a new place or someplace different. It would be a short drive for me up there.
This almost sounds like the Lake WI area, watch out for stumps and sand bars....I beeched on one last year at about 20mph and damn that hurt, I ended up on the steering wheel and girlfriend on the dash. It is extreamly hard to get off these also if you were going down stream because of the current. I had to help a guy with a 26' Scarab off of a sand bar last year, damn near couldnt do it because of the strong currents. The sand bars change daily there.

Breathe Later

Thanks Dave,

I checked out Dirty Turtle's web site and they're having a poker run sat 29 June. This should be a great opportunity to get aquainted with the lake and other boaters from the area.

I'll let you know how it works out, maybe even post some pics.

Thanks for your help,

Mark S.