Little Tommy

I'm looking for any information regarding boating on the Upper Mississippi and the St. Croix river. I have heard RedWing is a super place. Wondering where to put in and places to stay etc. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks----Little Tommy and Kathy

hp500efi

LT, being from WI, I usually launch in LaCrosse at the Municipal Launch in downtown. Very nice launch and parking area. Once launched, you are on the Black River which is a slow no wake area. That lasts a few miles until after the train bridge. Then there is a short ride until you are out on the Missi.

Area North of LaCrosse is the best for scenery, river towns etc. If you have a radio, tune to channel 14 and monitor the locks as barges have the right-a-way and can take up to 2 hours to lock through.

As Troutly said, many good places to eat and stay along the river. Stay within the markers and your clear. Your boat will stand out for the water patrol both in Red Wing and the St Croix so be careful.

Madmax

Stay at Treasure Island Casino in Redwing. It's right about lock 3 (above Pepin). It's got a huge marina, and is a really nice place. The Miss is beautiful up there, along with the St Croix...

Oh, and like they said, bring mufflers.... Got busted 2 years ago. 89 db at idle when it was supposed to be 85. Pretty sketchy testing procedure at best, but the guy was nice and I had to beat a barge before it got to the lock, so I let him do his thing so I could get going. Warning on the db, and ticket for no mufflers....

When are you going? We have a trip planned at the end of July.......

Downtown42

I may be in if a group goes. LT, MRP,HP,Cord,...meet Trout. Jungle run also in Aug.Don't know a whole lot on the Miss.

hp500efi

Dave the Mississippi is a great place

I will be out there at least three-four times this year,,,,just not sure when yet.

mrp

We are heading up to Trempeleau this Saturday morning to launch and heading north to the Willows on Lake Pepin. Never been up that way before. I have a 27 Fountain and my buddy Mark has a 26 Eliminator V bottom open bow. We will be there until Tuesday. Maybe we'll meet some OSOers?

Matt

Caincando1

I guess it depends on what you are looking for. The entire area is beautiful but the areas do differ a bit. The St. Croix is cleaner but has a lot of no wake zone, traffic, and law enforcement. Once you get down on to the Upper Mississippi there are less no wake zone, and more room to run. As far as law enforcement goes. The two big areas on the Upper Miss are Prescott, WI and Red Wing, MN. Once your are south of Red Wing there is very little law enforcement. Plus you have lake Pepin which provides some big water running. The pools south of Lake Pepin are less populated and pretty much all the same, a main channel, sand beaches and few sand coves.

These picture are take above Alma, WI(lock and damn #4)

Caincando1

This shows how wide Lake Pepin is.

Little Tommy

Thanks for all the info. Not sure when Kathy and I are going, but definately want to do at least 1 trip this summer. Mufflers are a hot topic for me, 92 DB, already have been given a tickert in Oshkosh last summer. And your right about my boat standing out, can't miss the indian head. I'll keep you informed as to when we plan to go. It would be fun to get some others together. Just got the boat back from Miami on Saturday. Plan to splash it this week-end and put it in the slip in the river for a week or two. Hope the weather turns for the better soon.
Little Tommy

Little Tommy

One more thing, how about some info on this Jungle run in August. I have never heard of it. Thanks