Anyone ever boat on Clear Lake in Nor. Cal?

[Tank]

I've always wanted to take a trip up to Fort Bragg and check it out and I was looking on Google Maps in the surrounding area and Clear Lake looks pretty awesome! Nice water front homes and I'm kinda digging some of the docks with little like shacks at the end. Place looks really cool.

 

[Yellowboat]

I know they have a quagga inspections and loud exhausts are not welcome. Don't eat the fish, lots of mercury. Over all a awesome lake.

 

[badluck]

It ain’t clear. We have a place on the water. It’s pretty gross after June. Used to go there all the time growing up.

 

[Waterjunky]

look at the water in the picture of the plane.....

visibility is measured in inches not feet. Many of the communities are rough (probably an understatement)....

 

[badluck]

Don’t know about the loud exhaust but a lot of fast boats. Ski races and they used to have boat races there. Bob maja lives there. Met him once.

 

[DickieB]

We used to ski race at Clearlake back in the late 70s into the early 80s. Beautiful place, great place to race, great people but the water was always green. So much for Clearlake.They had the Norcal championships and the following week was the West Coast championships for region 1,2 and 3 ski racers. We would spend the entire week up there and had a great time, they had fun races mid week and you could ski everywhere you wanted and even make noise and then....

 

[73mandella]

The vacationed there for 20 years starting in 1970 when the lake was actually clear. My wife and her family vacationed there starting in the late 50's. We went back 3 years ago and it was like skiing in split pea soup.

 

[highvoltagehands]

Hey Tank, IMO 10+ years ago Clear Lake was awesome with booming resorts like Konocti Harbor & it's concert series that brought in many popular bands along with well known lake front home owners and had good economy. Today Clear Lake isn't so Clear and is just OK. It's shallow (40' avg depth if I remember right) has alot of algae bloom issues w/plant growth throughout that creates good fishing environment. It still has many nice lake front rentals available w/ docks for boaters. Unfortunately, Fires have devastated the surrounding areas in recent years, and meth/opioids have done the same. IMO It's worth visiting, but I enjoy Ft Bragg and it's offerings much more.

 

[rivermobster]

I remember going once with my parents as a kid.

I remember it being quite the opposite of clear.

:barf:

 

[Wicky]

Bring a fishing rod and toss out some senkos! Quality fish.

 

[was thatguy]

Hey Tank, IMO 10+ years ago Clear Lake was awesome with booming resorts like Konocti Harbor & it's concert series that brought in many popular bands along with well known lake front home owners and had good economy. Today Clear Lake isn't so Clear and is just OK. It's shallow (40' avg depth if I remember right) has alot of algae bloom issues w/plant growth throughout that creates good fishing environment. It still has many nice lake front rentals available w/ docks for boaters. Unfortunately, Fires have devastated the surrounding areas in recent years, and meth/opioids have done the same. IMO It's worth visiting, but I enjoy Ft Bragg and it's offerings much more.

Went there a few times for concerts!
The indoor ones with dinner and a show were really nice.
Saw REO inside and it was cool.
Seemed real personal with a small audience and a lot of interaction with the band members.
The outside concerts were a little rough. Fights and stuff like that.

 

[HitIt]

It ain’t clear. We have a place on the water. It’s pretty gross after June. Used to go there all the time growing up.

Sounds like they could use some quagga mussels to clear things back up.

 

[Tank]

Sooooooo, probably give it a pass from what I'm reading LOL. But still will hit Fort Bragg. The Skunk Train and general area seems cool. I was just trying to maybe do a dual trip thing.

 

[milkmoney]

I learned to ski on that lake. When u got out. You had this green shit all over you.
It's what I remember....also did some fishing as a youngster too[emoji202]

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[highvoltagehands]

Sooooooo, probably give it a pass from what I'm reading LOL. But still will hit Fort Bragg. The Skunk Train and general area seems cool. I was just trying to maybe do a dual trip thing.

You'll definitely want to go check out the Ave of the Giants and the other Redwoods. Also, There's a dude living somewhere around there, he's kinda hard to find, but he's the Reigning Undisputed & Undefeated Hide & Seek Champion of World. Soo, If you find him, dude supposedly he has some really "Big Fuckin Feet", make sure you get a selfie with him for bragging rights. Good luck…….

 

[707dog]

Hey Tank, IMO 10+ years ago Clear Lake was awesome with booming resorts like Konocti Harbor & it's concert series that brought in many popular bands along with well known lake front home owners and had good economy. Today Clear Lake isn't so Clear and is just OK. It's shallow (40' avg depth if I remember right) has alot of algae bloom issues w/plant growth throughout that creates good fishing environment. It still has many nice lake front rentals available w/ docks for boaters. Unfortunately, Fires have devastated the surrounding areas in recent years, and meth/opioids have done the same. IMO It's worth visiting, but I enjoy Ft Bragg and it's offerings much more.

this here^^^ my family has been on the lake since the late 70's uncle built at the time was a big house in the oaks also own 2 places down in the keys we either stayed with them or at Indian beach resort. just about all rental places are old but huge lake fishing is killer, boating is cool i haven't jumped in that lake in 10 years. fort bragg is cool a lot of zombies too not sure if they tan them out of there but our last time up there the drifters and shacks built into the bushes on the paths leading down to the beach. we used to catch a charter boat twice a year from that area also came back loaded down.

 

[Taboma]

Not a Clear Lake question, but for those of you familiar with Northern CA.
After we sold our Lake Arrowhead place back in the mid 70's my parents started towing their Air Stream up north each summer. They'd stop at Whiskey Town, where I visited them a couple of times, beautiful but damned chilly !! Then they'd head north and up to Lake Almanor and then to Eagle Lake. Are they still nice ?
Whenever I'm checking out Google maps aerial imagery up North I see these dirt dots everywhere --- Are these caused by timber cutting ? Here's an example

 

[Blackmagic94]

Saw Pat Benitar and Styx’s at concert there as a kid in the mid 90s

 

[GRADS]

It’s a shithole now. You want a clear NorCal lake go to Tahoe.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

My great grandma had a spot on clearlake. Went there all the time as a kid. The houses on the water are neat. Water can be a bit slimy i don't think it's as bad as elsinore. I would go check it out.

 

[highvoltagehands]

Not a Clear Lake question, but for those of you familiar with Northern CA.
After we sold our Lake Arrowhead place back in the mid 70's my parents started towing their Air Stream up north each summer. They'd stop at Whiskey Town, where I visited them a couple of times, beautiful but damned chilly !! Then they'd head north and up to Lake Almanor and then to Eagle Lake. Are they still nice ?
Whenever I'm checking out Google maps aerial imagery up North I see these dirt dots everywhere --- Are these caused by timber cutting ? Here's an example
View attachment 656675

Taboma, You're are correct about the spots on Google Maps. Those are "clear-cuts," areas where Timber has been harvested, and usually replanted with saplings. Whiskeytown is cool. Lake Almanor is a real good, clean peaceful "family friendly" boating and camping lake with many cabins & houses for rent. Never been to Eagle Lake, but I do like working the area around there.

 

[jonnyd]

I am a big fan of Clear Lake. I have been going to Clear Lake for the past 30 years and we always enjoy our stay. It is one of the only lakes in this area that you can own or rent a home on the water with your own dock. The lake itself is a living lake. There is a lot of organic material that gets flushed into the lake during the winter and so algae starts to grow sometime in June when the temperatures start to warm the water. Some years can be worse than others, but the green doesn't bother me and you can always find cleaner water out farther in the lake for swimming.

The lake is very large and in my opinion is a great big boat lake for you performance boaters. It is also a good ski/wakeboarding lake as there is usually nice water to be found somewhere. I personally like to stay around the Lakeport side as it is fairly wind protected in the afternoon. Many times during the week I have been the only boat on the lake!

The Konocti Resort was sold this winter to a group of investors who enjoy the lake themselves. Their plan is to rebuild the resort and once again make it a destination resort. This will help Lake County tremendously as there is essentially no industry or jobs in the county.

If you are interested in planning a trip I recommend the VRBO website as there are many rentals listed. Make sure you wax the bottom of your boat before you come and plan on cleaning it when you leave. The average daytime temperature during the summer is mid to upper 90s.

There is a 9 hole golf course in the Buckingham area that is a fun little course. You can actually drive your boat to the course if you like. The fishing is GREAT! The bass fishing is legendary and there are some pretty large catfish to play with at night.

I'll see if I can find some pictures.

 

[jonnyd]

I'll try the pictures again!

 

[DaveC]

Not a fan. The water is green and yucky. We had to scrub the frumunda cheese off the boat when we were done.

The lake is shallow and stagnant so green stuff grows abundantly.

But it is a good size body of water. Great for big boats. Plus there are rental houses available.

If you are in the area check it out. Otherwise plan a trip elsewhere.

I live close enough but I rarely go anymore. Much nicer water elsewhere.

I would take the frigid water, 7 foot seas and deal with grads in tahoe before I would go to clear lake. Lol

 

[bocco]

Clear lake is a big lake. And it's unusual for California as it's a natural, not man made lake. Also unusual are docks on the water. The water can get nasty at times. I have seen green foam boat wakes. But it's just algae. Meth and drugs are a problem for the locals but there are very nice areas also

I learned to water ski on that lake in 1960. Got first flat bottom ride on that lake in 1966. Both in Buckingham park. I still get up there once a year as my cousin has place there. There's a few good places to dock for drinks and when Konocti re opens I think the whole area will see bump in the economy.

 

[skiracr]

We use to have Water Ski Races up there at Lakeport, back in 2008/09 ish. I remember it being a small town that was kinda run down. One year, it was early in the season and Saturday morning when we got to the pits about 6am there was ice on the boat cover It drizzled off and on throughout the day and when the men's race started it was absolutely pissing rain...it hurt skiing in it. The stormy windy conditions made some BIG water It was a worlds year and needed the race to count, so we ended up skiing one lap passed the halfway point and called it a day. The next day was perfect.

 

[Tamalewagon]

View attachment 656596 The vacationed there for 20 years starting in 1970 when the lake was actually clear. My wife and her family vacationed there starting in the late 50's. We went back 3 years ago and it was like skiing in split pea soup.

Same here. My Mom's family started back in the early 60's and it grew into an entire family vacation. About 300 of us took over Willow Point campground back then. It was an awesome time. The entire family had flatties and jets lined up.

 

[rivermobster]

Not a Clear Lake question, but for those of you familiar with Northern CA.
After we sold our Lake Arrowhead place back in the mid 70's my parents started towing their Air Stream up north each summer. They'd stop at Whiskey Town, where I visited them a couple of times, beautiful but damned chilly !! Then they'd head north and up to Lake Almanor and then to Eagle Lake. Are they still nice ?
Whenever I'm checking out Google maps aerial imagery up North I see these dirt dots everywhere --- Are these caused by timber cutting ? Here's an example
View attachment 656675

Lake Almamor is beautiful. Lots of real nice homes on the peninsula. Its not all that big and the altitude is up there. Water is Cold.

If you own a place there, you are golden.