Lake St. Clair Raft off 2023

[HangOutdoors]

I forgot this was evening happening yesterday. We rode by it either last year or the year before. Too many people peeing in the water and too many asshats for me. Still a lot of boats in one place.

 

[1WetBoat]

Wow, that is a lot of boats. I can imagine how fun it would be if you where anchored along either line of boats and wanted to leave early!!

 

[HangOutdoors]

Yeah alot of big boats there, not sure how they get out. At least there is a sizable Sherrif and Coast Guard Presence there. They go back and forth up and down all day long. Always see them stopping someone, more times than not, over loaded boats, boats with naked women, and Jet Ski's acting like asshats.

Depth is between a couple feet and just under 5' for the whole area with an average around 3'. Sand, loamy sand bottom. Nothing like what we were walking on in florida beaches. Water Temp is 74.2 degrees.

 

[Noko]

Naked women? Are the cops just window shopping?

 

[HangOutdoors]

Its a thing for the Raft up and it is even more prevalent at Jobie Nooner off Strawberry Island. Below is Jobie Nooner pick, where most people have lost their minds. The island is around the corner from the raft up a couple, few miles.

 

[HangOutdoors]

 

[2kwik4u]

Naked women? Are the cops just window shopping?

The unspoken rule at Harmon Creek during hte Lake Cumberland Poker Run (very similar atmosphere) is that topless people are OK, bottomless are not. Don't be "overly lewd" and don't be unsafe. Watched more than my fair share of Mardi Gras style activities on the water there.

Lot of fun if you can accept the entirety of the chaos. I suspect this raft off is the same.

*edit* Harmon Creek appears to be "The largest boat raft up"......Although judging by the picture of Lake St. Clair above I'm doubting that record.

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[2kwik4u]

@HangOutdoors I want to know how this guy gets out of there? I mean, it's a damn seaplane!

 

[HangOutdoors]

Cool, I didn't see that. Good Catch.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

@HangOutdoors I want to know how this guy gets out of there? I mean, it's a damn seaplane!

View attachment 206325

Second the good catch! If he’s got a variable pitch prop that would make it a lot easier…reverse thrust is available.

Not very many, comparatively speaking, mini vans (pontoons) of the water there

I love seeing people having a good time !

 

[WiskyDan]

Holy crap, that is a massive amount of boats…..

I had no idea that Lake St. Clair was that big. I thought that Lake Winnebago was big (215 square miles) but St. Clair (430 square miles) is twice its size.

We went to the biggest gathering on the Lake Winnebago chain a couple weeks ago (Sand Bar Bash) and I thought there were a ton of boast there (I’m guessing about 600) but that’s a drop in the bucket compared to some of these other parties.

 

[2kwik4u]

I had no idea that Lake St. Clair was that big. I thought that Lake Winnebago was big (215 square miles) but St. Clair (430 square miles) is twice its size.

Makes KY Lake (largest lake I've been this side of Lake Michigan) at 250 sq mi look small.

Also makes Taylorsville Lake (our closest) downright absurd at 4.8 sq mi. With our "normal" lake at 13.8 sq mi equally as silly

 

[adrianp89]

Looks like a good day to stay at the house. I am old now haha

 

[HangOutdoors]

Holy crap, that is a massive amount of boats…..

I had no idea that Lake St. Clair was that big. I thought that Lake Winnebago was big (215 square miles) but St. Clair (430 square miles) is twice its size.

We went to the biggest gathering on the Lake Winnebago chain a couple weeks ago (Sand Bar Bash) and I thought there were a ton of boast there (I’m guessing about 600) but that’s a drop in the bucket compared to some of these other parties.

I believe the estimates for the day can be upwards of 10,000 boats at Jobbie Nooner and 90,000 - 100,000 people. It is no joke. The raft up is somewhere between 2000-3000 and growing every year. In 2018 it was the worlds largest boat tie off raft, which I believe may have set the Guiness world record.

Lake St. Clair is big. roughly 26 miles by 27 miles. Max depth is in the shipping channel around 27'. It is a shallow lake for its size. It can go from calm to 4' waves quickly. I have seen it at 6'. Nasty. The river on the south is the Detroit river which will take you down through Lake Erie, to the North out of Anchor bay it is the St. Clair River and that will take you up to Lake Huron.

Most days it maxes out at 1'-2' depending on wind and direction. Our boats handle it well and we can get around the shallower areas easier than the larger boats with their deep draft. Only had an issue once, 4-6' fast storm and on the southern end of the lake coming out of the Detroit River. That made me pucker a bit.

More water than you can explore in a lifetime. There are also islands and flats. The rivers get up to 90' deep or so. No matter where you go there is always open water. The coves and bays get a bit crowded on days when the lake is rougher.

Restaurants on the Lake, I know of 10 but I am sure there are more.

All in all it is big water and 20 mins from my house with easy in launching. Warmer than Lake Erie, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Right now it is 77 degrees per the fishing report.

Fish: Sturgeon - they are catching some monsters right now, Perch, Walleye, Bass, Salmon, Steelhead, Lake trout in deep rivers, rainbow trout, panfish, Extremely Large Musky, and other fish.

Tubing around the bays, you can drive for miles without turning around. Wakeboarding and Surfing in some of the small rivers looks awesome. I was watching them yesterday. Water is 35' deep, green in color, and a few mph current and is like glass. I guess it is not the hot spot.

 

[Cleveland Steamer]

I’ve watched like 5 videos on this event. I’m speechless seeing soooooooo many boats. I’d love to experience it some day.

 

[CigarJeff68]

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All good information, but you're just off on the locations. Actually you have the Adult nude swimming area correct, that is where raft off is.
Fisher Bay has been a fairly quiet bay for the last couple years. And Jobbie is on Gull island.

 

[HangOutdoors]

All good information, but you're just off on the locations. Actually you have the Adult nude swimming area correct, that is where raft off is.
Fisher Bay has been a fairly quiet bay for the last couple years. And Jobbie is on Gull island.

View attachment 206422

Rofl you are right, circled the wrong area. Not sure why I circled strawberry instead of gull. You can tell how many times I have partaken in those events.

 

[CigarJeff68]

Rofl you are right, circled the wrong area. Not sure why I circled strawberry instead of gull. You can tell how many times I have partaken in those events.

I'm with you, I don't partake in either of those "parties". I used to go to Jobbie in my twenties, but have never been to Raft off except to drop off some friends, then got out of there. It's a young man's game, and you're also right about the asshats on PWC's and the amount of urine has got to been off the charts...

 

[HangOutdoors]

I'm with you, I don't partake in either of those "parties". I used to go to Jobbie in my twenties, but have never been to Raft off except to drop off some friends, then got out of there. It's a young man's game, and you're also right about the asshats on PWC's and the amount of urine has got to been off the charts...

Never been to Jobbie. The Raft off, me and the Admiral, either last year or the year before I think, drove by it way on the outside. Just to see it. We were there for about 5-10 minutes. When we were leaving the bay we had to navigate a slew of watercraft from large yachts to PWC coming in and WOT to the area. It was like an obstacle course, and was unpleasant.

don't get me wrong, if those things are your gig, it would be awesome. If I was younger and in to that scene I have heard these things are a great party time. Just not me anymore.