Planning LOTO trip
 

As I sit in my Mn house with the outside air temp -25f with a -40f windchill I am starting to plan LOTO trip. This would be our first trip down, curious when would be the best time to go?

Best places to stay?

I think I could find a couple other MN rockers to join the caravan down.

Thanks!!

The Shootout the weekend before Labor Day weekend is the biggest event of the year. Definitely a must-see for powerboat fanatics.

But you'll have a great time any time of the Summer with the main boating season being between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Where to stay depends on what you're looking to do/see, your crowd, and whether or not you'll have a boat.

Ditto !!!!!!!

Shootout weekend is what drew us to LOTO. Once we visited, that weekend is what lead us to become weekenders, then once we became weekenders, it lead us to fulltime.

There is no bad weekends, but as stated, as a Performance Boater, Shootout is without a doubt the best week of the year.

There is tons of info on MWBP for places to stay and getting a flavor of the lake in general.

Look forward to having you join us.

ps: a secondary "best weekend" is the Support the Troops Poker Run weekend in June.

I love LOTO threads.

Arrive Tuesday or Wednesday of Shootout week (weekend before Labor Day)

I would stay at Camden on the Lake until Friday. I would then pack my stuff up and head to Dog Days Friday, party there and have a room at Capt Rons for Friday and Saturday night.

Lots of boats on the Camden side of the lake a tons of action there (especially early). Plus an easy drive to Dog Days Friday night get together.

Saturday and Sunday I would buy a ticket to get on the Celebration boat. They have a pontoon shuttle back and forth between Captain Rons and the boat. It's the best of both worlds. It can be very hot that week and the Celebration boat has AC.

You really don't need a "big" boat until Saturday or Sunday. I went down on Tuesday last year and had a blast running around. Lots of boats come in throughout the week and "test" their stuff to get ready for the weekend. Don't get too hung over because the big boys are out early. It was a sweeeeeeet alarm clock hearing their sound thunder off the bluffs.

I would not try to take a small boat more than 5 or so miles down the lake from the raft up on Saturday. The word rough gains a new meaning when boats leave the Shootout Saturday. There have been complete threads on how rough this is. It is no joke. I've had water coming over the bow in a 40' Sea Ray.

Sunday is a different story. Most of the party crowd is gone and there seems to be 1/2 the boats there. There is every bit as much to see Sunday though. Some guys use Saturday as a tune up and let it all hang out Sunday.

I'm sure others have different ideas but the plan I presented will not disappoint.

By far my favorite week of the year.

Some great info. Labor Day shoutout sounds like a blast! I think that is a good time to plan!!

I can't wait to see some big dogs.. Trying to get the wife to upgrade from my 27 fountain to 38-42... That might seal the deal... :-)

Now I got to round some more mn boats to caravan down!!

By the way.... -35f outside this morning!!

Weekend B E F O R E Labor Day.

42 Fountain will go anywhere on the lake in style.

Roger.... Weekend before... That would have sucked!!

There are several MN peeps who come down for the Support Our Troops Poker Run.

I from iowa and began boating on the Mississippi river a hour and 20 from my house. 2006 I went to loto to boat 6 hour drive. I have never been back to the Mississippi river to boat since.

Ive been going down to the lake for years. How long would the trip be for? You should try to make it down during the week for a day or 2 on the lake before it gets crazy then. You have to be there for a weekend though to get out all the boats.

IMO you should plan a trip down on a not so busy weekend to get a feel for the lake and what is there. If your first trip is for the shootout, you will miss many of the hidden cool places. Also by having one trip under your belt, you will be a little more ready for the big water you will see on a busy weekend. Also if you need a place to stay, try VRBO. And many others here will have great recommendations. Make sure to go to LOTO however you can.It is an awesome place !!!!

I agree wiith Smitty on coming down for a non event/non holiday weekend for your first trip, especially if you don't move up in boat size

Camden on the Lake is nice, but way expensive to stay there. There are plenty of nice places to stay for half the $$.

We dumb lucked into LOTO and it is a fun place for sure. We came down for a convention and a guy offered us a ride on his boat. We're just there for a convention, right? the next day, I bought his house. Woke up 2 months later with a $140G mortgage thinking what the hell have I done.... best mistake I've ever made. Fast forward 8 years and I'd do it all over again, but might look around at a few other houses next time !

I'd just pick a weekend where something is going on even if its not the Shootout. the event weekends really bring out the performance machines.

Whatever you do--- DONOT drink the Pain n th azz w Floater!!!! I wish somebody would have warned ME!

And you MUST do shootout period.

we did the support our troops run in a 27 fountain last year great time , shootout weekends we stay at the 38mm , if you stay at lower mile markers you will have your hands full running home in the 27 (fun chit but bring your A game) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9ZOi4n3ydk
sure is fun

we put over 200 miles on during the troops weekend who knows maybe more ,

we live in St.Paul MN and love making the 9 hour trip
you won't regret it

wanting to plan another trip down this year as well.
Not really sure when yet, but the wife has never been so it has been about 7 years since I have been :(
Not a bad trip down from MN at all.
I agree that the Shootout is a must at least once! a year :) But also a time before to learn the land is much recommended!
Once I did 10 days there, stayed before the shootout and had a great time on the lake! Very calm, peaceful and fun to run flat out.
Shootout weekend you need to know where and when to go, or at least have others with you that know the place. Especially boating at night!
I would like to find a resort that has the slips for a 28' + and does not mind performance boats.
I have talked with some and it must just be me looking cheap and they were more fishing places :(
Just not really wanting to do the Condo thing unless it is someone's I know. Been burned a couple times. Some have major steps!!
Have a good time planning and enjoy it!! It makes anything here in MN like just what they are, a day lake!

Do not listen to this man. Floaters are the best invention ever! :evilb: I wish I could get a drink this way in MN.

I've been to the LOTO Shootout twice, staying at Tan-Tar-A and Robin's Resort. I'll be going back to Robin's Resort again. Everything was too far apart at Tan-Tar-A.

What is that??


Look like right now we are planning the shoutout weekend going down Tuesday like most have said. I would also like to go down for troops run when is that?

last weekend in june

MWBP Support Our Troops PR is on June 28th

I was wondering what the date was marked it on my calendar:drink:

I do want to say that this has not been officially announced by MWBP. The Regatta permit is posted on the MO water patrol website for that day.
The past several years, the SOT PR has been on Friday and June 28th is a Saturday.

The Support the Troops Poker Run is a wonderful event that will allow you to see a lot of the lake and its destinations, not to mention a lot of nice boats and great people. This would be my suggestion for a first visit if you want some excitement and most importantly it's for a good cause!

Pain in the Ass is mixed frozen drink with Piña Colada on one side and a Hurricane on the other with a test tube shot of 151 face down. At least that's what I think it is. :lolhit:

Its announced on SOTPR Facebook page as the 27-28

Replace the 151 with a Myers dark floater and the next day will be way better. :angry-smiley-038:

Haven been going to the shoot out for the last 6 years in a row. Went for a full week last year. Going back this year as well. Was a blast running around during the week. Going from bar to bar. Pain in the azz with a floater is the best at Back Water Jacks. That is always our last stop of the day. The weekend water does beat the crap out of our little 28. Good thing our friends have bigger boats for the weekend. Leave our boat on the trailer and I bring gas money. Win win!!

The week before the shoot out is nice because the lake is not that crowded as most of the schools have gone back to session but there are enough people are around to have fun and everything is open. I second the recomendation for the Celebration boat for the shootout unless you really want to get there early and spend the entire watching the run. Drinks were reasonable and the AC rocked.