Lake Winnebago (WI) chain - Coves/Sandbars/Restaurants/Bars

[WiskyDan]

The summer of 2020 was my first season as a boat owner and I decided to dry stack my boat on the Lake Winnebago chain and was very happy with that decision. The connected chain of lakes/rivers (Lake Winnebago, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Winnecone, Lake Poygan, Lake Partridge, Wolf River, Fox River) is so large that I'm pretty sure it's going to take us several seasons to hit all of the good spots. Since I was new to boating, and not from the area, it took us some time to get the lay of the land so I thought that starting a thread that would do a couple of things:

1. Provide a resource for those that are new to the chain and/or just visiting.
2. Have some of the locals chime in on the places they really like (@drewkaree) and maybe offer up some hidden gems.

I did a search in this forum for Lake Winnebago and found a few hits but nothing comprehensive. There is a "Boating on Lake Winnebago" Facebook group that looks fairly active but since I'm not much of a social media kind of guy. There is very cool map pinned to the top of their page that already mentions many of the places that I've visited:

Log into Facebook

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If I screw up any of the following locations, or descriptions, please correct me.


1- Sandbars/Coves that I've been to:

What: Streich's Cove
Where: Lake Winnebago (southwest shore)
Link: Log into Facebook

This is a pretty popular spot as it's close to many of the marinas and boat ramps that are situated in Oshkosh, Fon du Lac and the Fox River. I was told that this is where all of the drunkards gather on the weekends and there was quite a bit of partying going on the 4-5 times that we anchored. Didn't see anyone doing stupid things but definitely seemed like a more adult oriented crowd. To get there follow the west shore of Winnebago south as you exit the Fox River which you can see at the top of the map. On most weekends all you have to do is follow the steady stream of boats heading that way.



What: Velvet Beach
Where: Lake Winnebago (southeast shore)
Link: Calumet Harbor Marina - Lake Winnebago, WI AND Columbia Park | Fond du Lac County

The beach area is just north of the entrance to Calumet Harbor which is down the road from the town of Pipe. The sand is nice (it is called "Velvet Beach" after all) and there is a marina, park, and lighthouse as well. Jim and Linda's Supper Club is adjacent to the park and is supposed to have good food but we haven't visited it yet. We anchored here three times and it's much more laid back - maybe 15 boats at the most. A good place to float if you just want to relax.



What: Weed Beds
Where: Lake Winneconne / Lake Poygan
Link: N/A

Don't let the name fool you, the sand here is really nice and the water is fairly clear - this is our favorite place to float around. Lake Winneconne and Lake Poygan are basically two sides of the same body of water and the Weed Beds are right on the border of the two lakes towards the southern shore. There was a fairly even mix of adults and kids the two times we anchored here.




2- Sandbars/Coves that I haven't been to but have heard of:

What: Terrell Island and the Sand Pit
Where: Lake Butte des Morts (southwest shore)
Link: Sand Bar Bash LLC

There are two spots on the map - Terrell Island (where the Sand Bar Bash is every year) at the top and the Sand Pit At the bottom. We drove by the Sand Bar Bash last summer early in the morning as boats were starting to raft up but we decided to bail. We couldn't stay all day and trying to get out of a raft line early is frowned upon from what I understand. The Sand Pit sounds nice and we will definitely hit that this season. To get to this area you hug the south shore of Lake Butte des Morts as you come under the I41 bridge - you can't miss Terrell Island as it juts out. The Sand Bar Bash takes place by a tiny little island (if you can even call it that) just off the shore of Terrell Island so that's a good landmark.



What: High Cliff State Park Beach and Waverly Beach
Where: Lake Winnebago (north shore)
Link: About Us AND High Cliff Wisconsin State Park System | Wisconsin DNR

There are two spots on the map - Waverly Beach to the left and High Cliff State Park to the right. High Cliff State Park has a beach area that I've heard people anchor at but the one time we were in the area it was late in the season and too cold. There is also a harbor with a snack shop and gas available. The Waverly Beach Bar and Grille is located at Waverly Beach and it appears that they have a tiki bar. A couple of photos in the Gallery from the Bar and Grille website show boats tied up just off shore. On days where wind is coming out of the north this area would be as calm as you're gonna get on Winnebago.



I'd love to hear about any other sandbars/coves that I'm missing - I'm sure there are a bunch.

 

[Brad460]

We have only been to Streich's cove, but would like to check out some others that you have mentioned. I’ll be following this thread..

 

[drewkaree]

All of these are great, IMO. I know for certain that service suffered last year due to all the restrictions, but barring service problems, all of these places have great food and/or drinks/hospitality!

Fox River Brewing. There's public piers for you to tie up at, and once the weather's nice enough, there's wait staff for the outside eating area. Fill up a growler, have a few pints with lunch/dinner...I've always had great food there, and as long as I stick to beers I know are in my flavor profile (never an IPA to be seen around me, hope you like stouts!), always good new stuff to sample.

NEXT to Fin N Feather (the big paddlewheel on Winneconne) is The Landing. On-water fuel, but while you're there, stop in for a beer and a spin on the wheel. Best with a group out for bar-hopping or just seeing the local scenery (both good AND bad! LOL). I've never been to the Fin N Feather, but I've heard it's good. Without fail, EVERY time we decided to go there, they were closed, either due to restrictions or simply the day/time we were there. There's a lot of places local to us, so it's far enough for us to have to make it a special trip. Can't say if it's worth it or not, but would love to hear others chime in if they've been.

If you like camping and boating, and want to head out on Winnebago, Calumet County Park was a GREAT place to go. I'd suppose it would depend on what you liked, but the green circled area was the only spot we camped. We would routinely reserve 5-8 sites for our group, must have gone there for 8-10 years or more. Launch is close by, and if you're good with climbing the rocks, you could anchor off your site and come up the hill.




For fun with the family, Indian Point / Norwegian Bay is the green circled area. You can take your boat in there pretty close to shore. Those who don't know what you have will be telling you to make sure you trim your motor up and cut it off well before you have to (or at least I'm comfortable to within 100-150 yards from shore). If the weather is nice, you won't be able to miss the area - boats will be there in force. If you're heading along the north shoreline, the heart icon (and the "empty" lot there) is mine. Honk your horn and wave with all five fingers. That creek is Alder Creek. There's a landing there if you want to drop in there, it's about a 35 minute drive from Skipper Bud's in Oshkosh, or an hour-ish by boat. You'll be fine from that landing, to the right, and down the creek across from the landing, but DO NOT go right of that house on the corner or you WILL get stuck if you're going with any speed. The path out to the lake is perfectly safe, and dredged and ribbed for your protection/satisfaction.

The red circled area is Captain's Cove. Older folks own the place, so I have no idea if they're selling off, or how they weathered last year, but it's worth the kitschy vibe, and the drinks are cold, cheap, and good! There's only one pier there, but the place isn't big, so if you don't have a place to tie up, there's no room in the inn for you either! If you take the kids there, they don't do pull tabs, they have "balloon pop", and if the nice older lady is working the bar, your little ones will be treated to all the goofy dollar store prizes that they'll love. For the adults, the prizes are drinks and money. If you see the old guy there (you'll know him when you see him behind the bar), get him to talk about the fishing, see if he'll show you his photo album...you'll leave with a bit of knowledge about the area, most likely.

The blue circled area is Boom Bay Bar & Grill. I guarantee that you'll be questioning me on this one, and I'll stake a beer on me for this one. If a little corner of burnt toast will ruin your day, keep on boating, I never heard of the place, for you anyway To get there by boat, the next pic is vitally important, so look at the first 3 places here:



GETTING to Boom Bay will seem like you've missed or misread some of the directions. You haven't. You will not know there's an actual bar/grill there until you turn the absolute last corner right at the boat launch, at which point there is plenty of public parking, even though it looks tight. You'll NEVER have to worry about being so close to the boat next to you. Protected from any and all wave action, simply make sure you're tied off to keep your nose off the front deck, or put some bumpers out there. This place is most likely going to get you familiar with your cleanout ports, but it's worth it. My very first ride in (and my neighbor's refusal to let me back out without starting the engines first - big no no here - resulted in my first "HOLY F$*%$ IT'S OVERHEATING!" alarm. Everything pulled off easily. The reverse maneuver once I got out dislodged 80% of everything, and I was back in business.

Follow the line along that eastern shoreline. You will come upon a line of buoy markers showing you the way in. Look for the right turn I've marked - there will be a telephone pole with a sign on it. I can't recall if the sign has the bar name on it, but that's your indicator. Once you make that right turn, there will be a campground (buncha mobile homes too) on your left. Keep going. No, those aren't banjo's you're hearing. Once you see the boat launch, that's your indicator that you're going to be turning right. DO NOT park on the left side of that pier right at the boat launch - should be self-explanatory, but I might very well be the person coming over to call you a dumbass and to move your boat next to mine. Bar outside, wait staff if it's nice (although outside service is ALWAYS slower than inside service). Inside, there's more kitsch and stuff to see. If you see the big fish above the kitchen entrance, that's Pat's mug. Don't piss Pat off. One of the greatest and nicest law enforcement officers I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

If you want to get to the river, follow the blue line again, and make the long U-turn. DO NOT cut across. Early in the year, it'll look like you can - DO NOT cut across. Go almost all the way back out, make the U-turn, and follow the blue line I've laid out on the left. This is what's called "The Cut", and it will lead you to the Wolf River. It's slow-no-wake, and we DO have sheriff patrols in the area periodically. You could probably open it up and make better time going out on the lake and around to the river, but I guarantee it's a nice float through The Cut. Once you reach the river, take a right if you want to head up to Fremont or Partridge Lake or other areas up river

 

[drewkaree]

Heading upriver (same blue-colored line), you'll come across the green circled area first.

Chico's Landing has parking for your trailer if you wish to drop in here, as well as lodging if you'd like. Right next door to that is the Wolf River Lodge. The owner secured permits for campsites, and this year he's supposedly going to be putting in several thousand dollars worth of work to create campsites on the property. IMO, they've got THE best all you can eat fish fry. I'm a pretty big boy, and I've NEVER felt the need to ask for more than the first plate full, and have walked out taking one of the fillets home with me! They're new-ish to the location (opened last year in the middle of summer), but not to the area - Danny used to run the Wolf River Diner, now closed, and he's NEVER offered anything other than stellar food. Next to the Lodge is Hahn's (Hahn-a-Lula). Campsites, mobile home weekly rentals, slips available...outside bar, inside bar, hall for special events with its own bar...another awesome place.

Just past Hahn's is Anchor Point Marina, if you need fuel. I know that Hahn's had/has a fuel pump on the pier, but I have zero idea if it is operational. I honestly can't recall EVER seeing anyone filling up there. If you're getting low, fill up at Anchor Point. There's another place further up river by Fort Fremont, but the hours/service are more sporadic, IMO. The red circle is Gala Resort. They are/were up for sale, and they really seemed like they were having a tough time of it last year with all the restrictions. If they haven't sold, and you roll up, expect good drinks and food. Service and/or wait times will be your indicator if you want to stay longer than a drink or two. If things are back to "normal" this year, I'd wholeheartedly recommend this place, if not, pay attention to the wait times. From others, the rental places they have are nice, or bring your camper. There's a little "creek" dredged out of the middle of the campgrounds for mooring your boat. The places with piers on the river...it's wide open there, so I would definitely recommend against those unless your fender and line game is strong. There are some double-deckers and some SERIOUS displacement boats that will steam past there, as well as a local boat club that makes some runs up into Fremont past that area - again, not recommending a pier rental on the river, the cut-in creek down the middle of the campgrounds is where it's at.

The yellow circle is The Bridge Bar, and The Hotel Freemont. The Bridge will have a very fun atmosphere, kid-friendly food, outdoor dining is far more popular here than indoor dining, and the outside bar, when open, is generally packed. If you're there Monday-Friday, DO NOT tie up parallel to the river, you're just gonna get the crap beat out of your boat. If it's Saturday/Sunday, park wherever you can find a spot. This is the farthest spot that the local waterski show makes a turn, and they may drop off a skier or two at this place (it's easier to run down the sidewalk back to the stands!). The Hotel makes some great food as well, outdoor or indoor dining is equally great, and if they've still got it on the menu, the Blackberry Old Fashioned is stellar! Ask for Adam's mushrooms as a garnish (unless you don't like mushrooms, in which case, you might want to see a doctor, there's something wrong with you!).

The pink circle is two places in one. Upstairs is Pier 5, downstairs is The Nauti Turtle. During boating season, the downstairs is open, and Pier 5 is usually open for special events only. This is a place where, if you're trying to get into a slip to tie up, make sure you're ready for it. The river bends right there, you won't be able to miss the giant rocked hook that's directing the river, and it makes it tough to slide into a spot sometimes.

The Fuschia rectangle is the tie-up spot on Partridge. You won't be able to miss it, there will likely be plenty of boats already there when you roll up. It CAN be deeper than you'd like, so a mat or floats or something are recommended for much younger kids. If you have a mix of kids, the younger ones can always hit the beach that's right there within eyeshot of the tie-up spot - it's 3-4 houses down from the Nauti Turtle as well. Last year, it was closed for Covid precautions, so that might not be an option - let me know and I can check for you if need be.

Lastly, the blue rectangle is Blue Top Resort. Reed & Amanda are the new(ish) owners, and according to some friends that I know who've been going there longer than I've been alive, they are great to work with, and have made some noticed (and approved) improvements on the place. There's a spot to launch your boat, campers welcome, and they do have rentals. If you have a larger group, call to see if "the big house" is available. Not sure about that one, as that's one of the improvements, and my friend is going to be testing it out this upcoming year.

Further up the river, I spoke about before, but this is all for me right now. I'm looking forward to hearing of places you guys have seen. @WiskyDan directly across the river from where you store your boat is an ampitheater. In years past, they had concerts every Tuesday (or was it Thursday?) there. The neighbors introduced me to the concert series when we were asked "you guys wanna go see a band by boat? It's over in Oshkosh". Yeah, turns out, we were going to see Styx! Ted Nugent, 38 Special, Bad Boy...they had some really great acts. The sooner you got there, the more you paid, but if you waited too long, you ran the risk of not being able to get in at all. Our plan was for a night ride if we couldn't get in. A nice moonlit night, and we're banging along about 45-50mph in his Ski Brendella. They didn't have anything set up last year, as Oshkosh was really clamping down on stuff wherever they could. Gala Resort was one of those casualties, because they're in the same county as Oshkosh, and that was one of the reasons they took such a beating last year (Oshkosh even went so far as to have undercover cops stop in to check on Hahn's & Gala).

Anyhoo, here's the pic of what I was blathering on about

 

[WiskyDan]

Thanks @drewkaree this is the kind of info that us noobs need.

I’ll make another post soon on the bars/restaurants that we frequented last summer.

 

[anmut]

The summer of 2020 was my first season as a boat owner and I decided to dry stack my boat on the Lake Winnebago chain and was very happy with that decision. The connected chain of lakes/rivers (Lake Winnebago, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Winnecone, Lake Poygan, Lake Partridge, Wolf River, Fox River) is so large that I'm pretty sure it's going to take us several seasons to hit all of the good spots. Since I was new to boating, and not from the area, it took us some time to get the lay of the land so I thought that starting a thread that would do a couple of things:

1. Provide a resource for those that are new to the chain and/or just visiting.
2. Have some of the locals chime in on the places they really like (@drewkaree) and maybe offer up some hidden gems.

I did a search in this forum for Lake Winnebago and found a few hits but nothing comprehensive. There is a "Boating on Lake Winnebago" Facebook group that looks fairly active but since I'm not much of a social media kind of guy. There is very cool map pinned to the top of their page that already mentions many of the places that I've visited:

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If I screw up any of the following locations, or descriptions, please correct me.


1- Sandbars/Coves that I've been to:

What: Streich's Cove
Where: Lake Winnebago (southwest shore)
Link: Log into Facebook

This is a pretty popular spot as it's close to many of the marinas and boat ramps that are situated in Oshkosh, Fon du Lac and the Fox River. I was told that this is where all of the drunkards gather on the weekends and there was quite a bit of partying going on the 4-5 times that we anchored. Didn't see anyone doing stupid things but definitely seemed like a more adult oriented crowd. To get there follow the west shore of Winnebago south as you exit the Fox River which you can see at the top of the map. On most weekends all you have to do is follow the steady stream of boats heading that way.

View attachment 145423

What: Velvet Beach
Where: Lake Winnebago (southeast shore)
Link: Calumet Harbor Marina - Lake Winnebago, WI AND Columbia Park | Fond du Lac County

The beach area is just north of the entrance to Calumet Harbor which is down the road from the town of Pipe. The sand is nice (it is called "Velvet Beach" after all) and there is a marina, park, and lighthouse as well. Jim and Linda's Supper Club is adjacent to the park and is supposed to have good food but we haven't visited it yet. We anchored here three times and it's much more laid back - maybe 15 boats at the most. A good place to float if you just want to relax.

View attachment 145424

What: Weed Beds
Where: Lake Winneconne / Lake Poygan
Link: N/A

Don't let the name fool you, the sand here is really nice and the water is fairly clear - this is our favorite place to float around. Lake Winneconne and Lake Poygan are basically two sides of the same body of water and the Weed Beds are right on the border of the two lakes towards the southern shore. There was a fairly even mix of adults and kids the two times we anchored here.

View attachment 145425


2- Sandbars/Coves that I haven't been to but have heard of:

What: Terrell Island and the Sand Pit
Where: Lake Butte des Morts (southwest shore)
Link: Sand Bar Bash LLC

There are two spots on the map - Terrell Island (where the Sand Bar Bash is every year) at the top and the Sand Pit At the bottom. We drove by the Sand Bar Bash last summer early in the morning as boats were starting to raft up but we decided to bail. We couldn't stay all day and trying to get out of a raft line early is frowned upon from what I understand. The Sand Pit sounds nice and we will definitely hit that this season. To get to this area you hug the south shore of Lake Butte des Morts as you come under the I41 bridge - you can't miss Terrell Island as it juts out. The Sand Bar Bash takes place by a tiny little island (if you can even call it that) just off the shore of Terrell Island so that's a good landmark.

View attachment 145442

What: High Cliff State Park Beach and Waverly Beach
Where: Lake Winnebago (north shore)
Link: About Us AND High Cliff Wisconsin State Park System | Wisconsin DNR

There are two spots on the map - Waverly Beach to the left and High Cliff State Park to the right. High Cliff State Park has a beach area that I've heard people anchor at but the one time we were in the area it was late in the season and too cold. There is also a harbor with a snack shop and gas available. The Waverly Beach Bar and Grille is located at Waverly Beach and it appears that they have a tiki bar. A couple of photos in the Gallery from the Bar and Grille website show boats tied up just off shore. On days where wind is coming out of the north this area would be as calm as you're gonna get on Winnebago.

View attachment 145445

I'd love to hear about any other sandbars/coves that I'm missing - I'm sure there are a bunch.

And to anyone not familiar with Winnebago, check the weather a few hundred times before you decide to go out there. It's a big, but shallow lake, and it can get SUPER choppy out there really quick. I've been to High Cliff park in the past as a non boater and experienced waves at the beach that you could surf off of.

RE: the sandbars - those are all the ones that I was aware of as well. Great info!

 

[WiskyDan]

The old guy at Cabela’s that I bought my Garmin from last spring recommended Windfinder which shows wind speed/direction and came in quite handy:

Windfinder - wind, wave & weather reports, forecasts & statistics worldwide

Wind and weather reports & forecasts for kitesurfers, windsurfers, surfers, sailors and paragliders for over 160,000 locations worldwide.

www.windfinder.com

Link to apps:

Windfinder Apps for iOS and Android - Windfinder

Windfinder Apps for iOS and Android - Windfinder

www.windfinder.com

 

[anmut]

I bought the Dark Sky app - I've found it very accurate.

 

[906Tony]

Thanks @drewkaree and @WiskyDan for all good info, looks like some good times ahead!

 

[WiskyDan]

@906Tony You're most welcome - if you ever get down to Winnebago let me know. We'll drive past the @drewkaree residence and "salute"......

 

[WiskyDan]

Bars/Restaurants that I've been to:

My descriptions won’t be as colorful as @drewkaree but I’ll do my best.

Neenah / Lake Winnebago

We’ve been up to Neenah a couple of times, docked along the sea wall at Riverside Park the first time where all of the sailboats are moored and went a little further down the river to the public docks at Shattuck Park the second time. The public dock at Shattuck Park is much closer to the bars/restaurants downtown but not a lot of green space, Riverside Park would be nice for a picnic and relaxing. On both occasions we ended up at Greene’s Pour House. The food was good and they have all of the large windows open when it’s nice outside so you get an open-air vibe. They usually have about a dozen rotating microbrews on tap in addition to the standard Miller/Bud offerings. They were really the only place open during the pandemic in that area so we didn’t get a chance to visit anywhere else.

Stockbridge / Lake Winnebago

There is a nice boat launch and small harbor at Stockbridge which is on the east side of Winnebago. If you tie up at the sea wall, and walk up the hill, you will find the Harbor Bar and Grill. They have a nice deck that overlooks the lake and the food is your normal pub type stuff.

Fox River between Lake Butte des Morts and Lake Winnebago

We’ve frequented a couple of places since they are very close to where I dry stack the boat:

• Dockside Tavern: Located towards the entrance to Winnebago. The outdoor patio and bar are nice and there are several slips to tie up at. Food is your normal pub type stuff.
  
  
• Fox River Brewing: Located towards the entrance to Lake Butte de Morts. The outdoor seating area is big and they have a tiki bar. Lots of slips to tie up at, the food is your normal pub type stuff. For being a brewery they don’t seem to have a lot of in-house options.

Winneconne / Lake Winneconne

Fin and Feather is located next to the bridge in Winneconne. They have several slips in front of the restaurant and several more public slips on each side of the establishment. The outdoor deck overlooks the southern tip of Lake Winneconne. Food is your normal pub type stuff.

 

[WiskyDan]

Gonna be a great on the Winnebago chain this weekend - fairly calm and mid 80's. We're gonna head to the Weed Beds on Lake Poygan on Saturday and up to Waverly Beach and the beach at High Cliff State Park on Lake Winnebago on Sunday.

Will report back on how sandy the Waverly Beach and High Cliff spots are.

 

[WiskyDan]

I can report that Waverly Beach is a destination well worth the trip. The admiral liked it so much we never made it to the beach at High Cliff State Park. It’s sandy and 3’ or less at least 150-200 yards out from shore. The really nice thing, besides the sandy bottom, is Waverly Beach restaurant and bar. They have a big outdoor dining area and tiki bar and there’s a platform that runs from the water up onto the property which gives you easy access to food/drinks/restrooms. They even have four cornhole lanes and a sandbox play area for smaller kids.

We had pizza which was pretty good and the admiral had a couple of daiquiris which she said were very good. Once it got to be about 12:00pm the place was pretty busy so it seems to be popular with the locals. They even had a live band on the patio that started around 1:00pm.

It was a calm day on Winnebago which made conditions perfect and it’s maybe a 30 minute ride from the Fox River entrance.

Saw a few Yami’s - a newer 242EX right in front of us and an AR250 that pulled off our port side.

Took some photos with the admirals phone that I’ll post later.

 

[WiskyDan]

A few more…..

 

[anmut]

Damn, that water is glass, I would've been wakeboarding like nuts!

 

[WiskyDan]

Damn, that water is glass, I would've been wakeboarding like nuts!

I’ve only been on Winnebago for a season and a half but it’s the calmest I’ve ever seen it.

This photo is looking due south at about 10:00am:

 

[WiskyDan]

I wanted to update the original post in this thread as we've visited more of these spots but it appears after a certain amount of time that option is removed. The connected chain of lakes/rivers (Lake Winnebago, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Winnecone, Lake Poygan, Lake Partridge, Wolf River, Fox River) is so large that I'm pretty sure it's going to take us several seasons to hit all of the good spots. Since I'm new to boating, and not from the area, it took us some time to get the lay of the land so I thought that starting a thread that would do a couple of things:

1. Provide a resource for those that are new to the chain and/or just visiting.
2. Have some of the locals chime in on the places they really like (@drewkaree) and maybe offer up some hidden gems.

I did a search in this forum for Lake Winnebago and found a few hits but nothing comprehensive. There is a "Boating on Lake Winnebago" Facebook group that looks fairly active but since I'm not much of a social media kind of guy. There is very cool map pinned to the top of their page that already mentions many of the places that I've visited:

Facebook Groups
Boating On Lake Winnebago has 4,686 members. "Boating on Lake Winnebago" is maintained by avid boaters of the Winnebago Pool of lakes. Our goal is to provide an informational source and online...

www.facebook.com

If I screw up any of the following locations, or descriptions, please correct me.


1- Sandbars/Coves that I've been to:

What: Streich's Cove
Where: Lake Winnebago (southwest shore)
Sand rating: B+ (the deeper into the cove the better)
Water rating: B (we have seen floating chunks of algae at times but usually it's fine)
Link: Log into Facebook

This is a pretty popular spot as it's close to many of the marinas and boat ramps that are situated in Oshkosh, Fon du Lac and the Fox River. I was told that this is where all of the drunkards gather on the weekends and there was quite a bit of partying going on the 4-5 times that we anchored. Didn't see anyone doing stupid things but definitely seemed like a more adult oriented crowd. To get there follow the west shore of Winnebago south as you exit the Fox River which you can see at the top of the map. On most weekends all you have to do is follow the steady stream of boats heading that way. It can be a challenge to get deep into the cove on busy weekends but if you can the sand is very nice.

What: Velvet Beach
Where: Lake Winnebago (southeast shore)
Sand rating: C+ (there are patches of rock scattered around)
Water rating: A (cleanest that we've seen - could see down 3'-4' the last time we were there)
Link: Calumet Harbor Marina - Lake Winnebago, WI AND Columbia Park | Fond du Lac County

The beach area is just north of the entrance to Calumet Harbor which is down the road from the town of Pipe. The sand is nice but there are patches of rocky areas scattered around to avoid. Fortunately, the water is very clear here so you can avoid them for the most part. There is a marina, park, lighthouse, and seawall that you can tie up at as well. Jim and Linda's Supper Club is adjacent to the park and is supposed to have good food but we haven't visited it yet. We anchored here three times and it's much more laid back - maybe 15 boats at the most. A good place to float if you just want to relax - just watch out for the rock patches.

What: Weed Beds
Where: Lake Winneconne / Lake Poygan (south end)
Sand rating: A (firm and soft)
Water rating: B (was cleaner in 2020 than what we've seen in 2021)
Link: N/A

Don't let the name fool you, the sand here is really nice and the water can be on the clear side - this is our second most favorite place to float around. Lake Winneconne and Lake Poygan are basically two sides of the same body of water and the Weed Beds are right on the border of the two lakes towards the southern shore. There was a fairly even mix of adults and kids the two times we anchored here.

What: Terrell's Island
Where: Lake Butte des Morts (west side)
Sand rating: Incomplete (we were pretty close to shore where it was pretty mucky)
Water rating: C (We were pretty close to shore and it was about average)
Link:

Terrell’s Island

Terrell's Island currently offers three hiking trails for visitors to enjoy. The Club is continually working to improve them and we are hoping to have a nice map of them made in the not too distant fu

www.heritageparkway.org

This used to be the site of the Sand Bar Bash which was moved to Clark's Point on Lake Winneconne in 2021. Most people seem to congregate by the tiny island (if you can even call it that) just off the shore of Terrell's Island where the music/band barge used to be positioned. We've only been there once and I'm not sure if we will be going back. Area's closer to shore are a bit mucky and I ended up with two impellers packed with weeds on the way out. I've been told that the area around the small island is sandy but since wind was gusting out of the north we got in closer to the shoreline than most do which may have been the cause of the weed issue as well. To get to this area you hug the south shore of Lake Butte des Morts as you come under the I41 bridge - you can't miss Terrell Island as it juts out.




What: Waverly Beach
Where: Lake Winnebago (north shore)
Sand rating: A (soft and firm right up to the shoreline)
Water rating: B (wide open area allows water to move and not stagnate like a cove would)
Link: About Us

Waverly Beach is at the top of our list for places to float. The sand is great and it's only about 3' deep out to about 150 yards from shore. The Waverly Beach Bar and Grill is accessible from the water via a small platform so food/drinks/restrooms are an easy walk which makes this spot unique. There's been a nice crowd both times we've been there (30 boats or so) and it was a mixed crowd - adults and kids. To get there, head to the north shore of Lake Winnebago and look east when you get close to the entrance to the Menasha channel - you can't miss the huge tiki bar and outdoor patio and eating area.

What: Norwegian Bay
Where: Lake Poygan (north shore)
Sand rating: A (soft and firm right up to the shoreline)
Water rating: B (wide open area allows water to move and not stagnate like a cove would)
Link: N/A

This is (literally) in @drewkaree 's back yard and the home of the Barge Party. The sand is soft and is a popular gathering spot on Lake Poygan.




2- Sandbars/Coves that I haven't been to but have heard of:

What: The Sand Pit
Where: Lake Butte des Morts (west side)
Sand rating: N/A
Water rating: N/A
Link: N/A

The Sand Pit is just south of Terrell's Island. We had hoped to try this spot in 2021 but we haven't had a chance to yet.




What: High Cliff State Park Beach
Where: Lake Winnebago (northeast shore)
Sand rating: N/A
Water rating: N/A
Link: High Cliff Wisconsin State Park System | Wisconsin DNR

High Cliff State Park has a beach area that I've heard people anchor at but the one time we were in the area it was late in the season and too cold. There is also a harbor with a snack shop and gas available.



What: Roosevelt Park
Where: Lake Winnebago (southeast shore)
Sand rating: N/A
Water rating: N/A
Link: https://wibarge.com/

I wasn't aware of this spot until I found a link to the "Bago Barge and Beach Bash" which is a newer gathering from what I can tell. We were busy the weekend that the 2021 Beach Bash so were unable to attend. I don't know much about the area but from the photos from Beach Bash 2020 it looks pretty nice.



What: Clark's Point
Where: Lake Winneconne (north shore)
Sand rating: N/A
Water rating: N/A
Link: Sand Bar Bash LLC

This is the new home of the Sand Bar Bash that used to be on Lake Butte des Morts at Terrell's Island. If it's much like Norwegian Bay which is farther to the West I'm guessing that it's nice and sandy.

 

[WiskyDan]

A quick update to the sandbars that we've visited:

What: The Sand Pit
Where: Lake Butte des Morts (west side)
Sand rating: B+ (The sand is soft and firm but here are a few rocks mixed in)
Water rating: B (wide open area allows water to move and not stagnate like a cove would but wind out of the north or east can create wave action)
Link: N/A

Tried this spot over the Memorial Day weekend and it was nice. It's not a big area, and can fill up quick, but for those days where the wind is whipping from the S/SE/SW (which happens a fair amount around here) it stays fairly calm. There were about 15-20 boats tied up here and the atmosphere was festive. You could go a smidge west into the small bay that is in between the Sand Pit and the Lake Butte des Morts boat and Kayak Landing for some sandy area as well. The sand is a bit mucky at about 3 1/2 feet of water but once you get into about 2 1/2 feet it firms up nicely.




A couple of photos - this one looking east:



This one looking west:



What: High Cliff State Park Beach
Where: Lake Winnebago (northeast shore)
Sand rating: A (Sand is soft and firm)
Water rating: B (since this is in the northeast corner of Lake Winnebago the water can stagnate and there was some algae floating around)
Link: High Cliff Wisconsin State Park System | Wisconsin DNR

Was finally able to visit this spot and it's pretty nice. There were about 20 boats and a fairly even mix between adults and adults with kids. Access to restrooms is a nice feature - all you have to do is walk down a bit to the beach area and then up the hill about 50 yards. There is also a marina and gas dock just north of the beach area which is convenient. The only issue is if wind is whipping up out of the south. southwest, west, there is gonna be quite a bit of wave action. This is a great place if the wind is coming out of the north, northeast, but these conditions aren't as common as south/southwest/west.

 

[Brad460]

Anyone going to the Sandbar bash next weekend?

We did a nice trip up toward Fremont the other weekend. We got a hotel room at the Wolf River Lodge and our friends had the couple cabins next door. This gave us a nice pier to park at. We hung at a sand bar right around the corner. Had a storm blow through that afternoon- I was prepared and brought our cover. Had a great time at the bar - they had a live band. The next morning had a breakfast brunch at Hahn a lulu. Overall we had a great weekend!

 

[WiskyDan]

Anyone going to the Sandbar bash next weekend?

I’ve driven past it when it was at Terrell Island but didn’t want to get in the raft line so we didn’t stay. Now that it’s up on Lake Winneconne it’s even less likely that we will go. Gonna be a crap ton of boats heading back to Oshkosh when it’s over and I don’t want to get caught up in that. A guy at Streich’s today said that they are expecting 1200-1500 boats next week which seems way more than they’ve had in the past so maybe he got the numbers wrong.

We did a nice trip up toward Fremont the other weekend. We got a hotel room at the Wolf River Lodge and our friends had the couple cabins next door. This gave us a nice pier to park at. We hung at a sand bar right around the corner. Had a storm blow through that afternoon- I was prepared and brought our cover. Had a great time at the bar - they had a live band. The next morning had a breakfast brunch at Hahn a lulu. Overall we had a great weekend!

Looks like a lot of fun. We have been trying to plan a run up to Fremont for the past two seasons but we can’t seem to get things lined up. I thought that the only sandbar in that area was “The Wall” farther north once you get on Partridge Lake?