Upper Wisconsin Dells boating?
 

Looking to see if anyone here has gone there or knows anything about it. I've been on lake wisconsin and the river, but from the sauk damn to the over pass by portage. That's as far as i've gone. I hear that the upper dells has got some partiers that hang out there........ Any info?

I stay on the upper dells everyweekend. The scenery is beautiful but there is only about 3.5 miles of river you can boat on. The other 14 miles that lead up to Castle Rock dam is to shallow for a boat. Awsome for the waverunners. The beaches are nice and most people beach for the day. If you have any other questions I will be glad to help you out.
Lj

Are there any larger twin engine boats up there. I have always wanted to do some boating up there but not sure if im two big. 30 Outlaw with 496's. 3.5 miles does not seen worth the trip.

There have been bigger boats on the river. If you want to spend the day driving, then the river is to small. If you want to spend the day on your boat staying at one of the beaches or floating in the lake, then it may not be a bad trip for you.

My boat is only a 28 and sometimes it seems strange to have my boat on the river, but I dont care. The scenery is very nice. If you would like to spend the day driving, Castle Rock is a much bigger lake.

Let me know if I could help.
Lj

Can you get to Castle Rock from where your at by boat? Is it attached to the River. How are the beaches there are they worth hanging out up there for the day?

I have been to the dells couple times a year for the past 10 years. I just never thought of bring the boat up there.

Unfortuneatly you can't get to Castle Rock by boat. There is a dam 13 miles upriver. If your interested in Castle Rock, there is a nice launce just 30 minutes north of the dells. There are a couple of bars you can go to but not many beaches.

The upper dells has really nice beaches but no bars you would want to leave your boat at. One of them will bring food down to the dock for you.

If you don't have a problem towing your boat, it may be worth it to try once. The river is more for family type atmosphere. If your ever there, I will be glad to give you a ride and check out the river.

LJ

hey waterman, you familiar with Lake Wisconsin by Lodi?
Friend yesterday is arguing with me saying there is 20 miles of runnable water to be had there, I said never heard of anyone going there with HP boats, he said to ck it out.
I have been to Castle Rock lots, fun area but miss the old cabins by Gilligans.

I run by Lodi all the time. I put in at the public launch by Fish Tales. If a guy goes to the left, it goes up to the sauk damn. Prolly about 4-5 miles. If you go to the left, prolly about 10 miles to the overpass. Everything is marked, but it can be a bit tricky, and there are unmarked spots to know about. I have put on about 30 hours of time up there. Let me know if you want to meet up, I could show you around for the day.

-Ryan

ok tnks I may call you sometime. How is the launch there for a 42? Are there lots of places to stop at on the river?

Well, your not going to be able to tie up to the launch, but i have a triple axle trailer, and can launch just fine. Your gonna have to just dip it in and fire it up i'd imagine; and pick up your passengers. This dock is prettymuch the best one i have found, but i have a 25. There is a huge beach down river about 10 miles, you can see it from the over pass coming into portage. I can get from the sauk damn to the portage overpass. Pretty much one or two bars/stops, but unsure if a 42 will fit. What kind of draft do you have?

-Ryan

3 ft with drives up. Are there places to stay overnight and dock the boat?

Is this the real high overpass 90/94 that you look to the west in your car and see a narrow river gorge? I've noticed alot of boaters hanging there, smaller boats.

No, not really. People usually beach it where i was telling you and spend the night in the boat, or set up tents on the sand bar. It's a huge sand bar.

Yup, probably is. I have seen 30's come through there with no problems, probably some 30-33 footers, nothing bigger though. Doesn't mean you can't though.

If you are interested in going up there, we could set a weekend up and i could meet you at the docks. Saturdays usually work out best for me.

-Ryan

ok thanks, few weeks possibly.

I don't know how fast you have to be to stay up on plane, but there are two places in particular that you will have to be on plane for, and also turn pretty sharply to stay by the bouys. I have no idea how manuverable a 42 footer is, but those areas may pose a problem..........

uh oh

30 is min plane speed

yeah, that's not too bad, mine is 25, and if there is someone in my way, i go around them. I just don't know how sharp you can turn your rig for those couple of turns.

Let me know if your planing on going. I was also thinking of taking a trip up there. Never boated in the dells area.

Rob

Well i just got a call from another couple of members down in illinois that would like to try out the river. If you all want to plan a day that we could get together that would be excellent.
As of right now, the madison regatta is next saturday, aug.4, how about planning on the following saturday, the 11th. We can change the date if you guys want, but let's set something up.

Btw, i wouldn't be taking you upper dells, it would be in the lodi area.......more room to run.

Ryan

If you boat above the Castle Rock dam, there is a huge sand dune in the curvy part of the river across from the state park. Pull up and sit quietly on the dune for a few minutes. The spiders are about the the size of quarters but there are thousands of them.

Then you run!

I'm not hangning there.

Ryan, I'm in for the 11th.
Steve

Well, seeing how i didn't make it off the trailer today, i'm game for this saturday on the river.........

The Dirty Tirtle is putting on a poker run on Castle Rock Lake on the 18..........

I wouldn't take anything bigger than a 35 footer on the river, especially if you don't boat it everyweekend and really know the shallow spots. Sand bars are constantly shifting and you can be in 2 feet or less of water no more than 20 feet to either side of the channel marker. It's a common sight to see people up to their shins in water pushing their 23 ft+ boats off a sandbar or shallow water. But crack a beer and wait for some help to show up....as for the damage to your boat, its only money right! ;)

buchnerbh22;

just curious, were you on Lake Nagawicki in Delafield about 2 months ago?

I will try the river if I follow cloud-master. Not sure when I can make it.

Rev'd up and I have set a date in September. It makes it easier for people to get a spot on the calendar. As of now, we are planning on a friday-saturday, spending the night out on the beach friday night. September 7-8. But if you guys don't want to take a friday off of work, or spend the night, there is no reason why i can't meet you guys at the docks on saturday, and show you around. I just figured, it is getting close to the end of the season come september, and would be nice to spend some time out there.

-Ryan

Sept 7-9 works for me, I'll try to make it then.

Is there any noise laws on boats in WI
Jr.

Yes, in Madison some got tickets posted here on OSO. Oshkosh Thunder has also been hit last year but this year I heard no tickets. Milwaukee is very friendly, been pulled over several times and never been tested. When around marina's I use the silent choice so not to piss anyone off.

Thanks for the response Dave. I have been looking at buying a 18ft Jet with over the transom headers since the bigh boats staying in ohio. Just dont know if I am really going to get hassled with the noise. Sometimes I think going with a 22 apache with an outboard is the best way to go.

Turns out this weekend will not work. The local boat club that funds the channel marker bouys will be pulling them out a couple of days after labor day weekend. I had to make several calls to find this out. Why do they take them out so early you ask, because the water is getting cold, and that is the only time they can get the boat that they use to pull them out? Don't shoot the messenger! This is what I was told. Sorry guys, but if you want to go up there, it will have to be on or before labor day weekend.

Ryan

Watch it on Lake Wisconsin for noise too. Just got stopped Friday evening.....93 decibels......the limit is 86. Whoops. Anybody know if they make an exhaust tip that can drop me 7 decibels to 86? $160 ticket. Hard times ;)

Yes, i have seen those guys out there, and i've flown past with the exhaust open and they didn't do anything about it. Also, a buddy of mine had a 25 OL and got pulled over for the exhuast. He asked them how they planned on compensating for the echoing off the river banks, saying he read that noise tests are not accurate due to that. They let him go.....

were you on Nagawicki in Delafield a few months ago?

Nope DownTown.....I've only been on Lake Wisconsin and once on Mendota this year. But now it's castle rock until I can get my exhaust quieted down :(

tnks, friend of mine lives there and saw a yellow 20' Baja doing some nasty hole shots!!! Castle has Dirty Turtle poker run this weekend I tink.

Yes it does. I was plannin on attending, but will be going the the Green Bay game instead.