Hey Drew, new to these boards, but a AR190 owner in Oshkosh for 6 seasons. We have been sticking to Winnebago every year with a little bit of BDM depending on wind conditions. I have been eyeing Lake Poygan lately as a boating lake and possibly move to. I have never boated Poygan and Winnebago folks say the lake is mostly shallow muck, but I read your posts which sound really lovely. As we are leisure boaters and our kids are into tubing and boarding, is Poygan tricky to navigate because of shallower waters? Also, you note Captains Cove in a few posts. Is that shoreline down there sandy and generally navigable to a Poygan wewbie? I'd love to hear more. Thank you for all your posts. I'm warming up to Poygan. -Peter
So...I'm partial to this lake. My family has owned land in this area as long as I've been alive, and possibly back to the 40's. I am aware that I am biased, but I also live what I relate to others, so you can either take it for what I experience, or take it with a jaundiced eye of a biased local. I think I try to paint a fair picture, but I also want to be an ambassador to the area, because I DO find it to be a special place to me.
The average depth of the lake is 8'. This means there's going to be LOTS of areas that are less, but as long as your depth finder is working well you shouldn't be getting yourself in trouble. Absolute worst case for you is to take your emergency oar (you DO have one of those, right? No matter where you are, it may save you, go get one) and stick it as far down as you can off the swim deck. If you hit bottom, you're getting close. This is ONLY if your depth finder is something you don't trust. Even still, as long as you're 100 yards off shore, you SHOULD be in safe waters for our boat. It's what I PERSONALLY will trust with my boat, and once you get to know the area (and your boat), you'll go even closer for some things. I will, but I'd NEVER tell you to, as I'm simply more familiar with it. If the stars align, and you'd like a guide around the lake, I'm more than willing to meet up so you can see the area. If you're a jerk, I'd toss you overboard in waist deep water LOL
I have only experienced Winnebago via fishing excursions with my FIL, and I'm aware of how quickly it can turn. That is a lot larger and more complex body of water than people give it credit for, and if you're familiar with that, and comfortable with your boat on that, Poygan is a walk in the park comparitively. Is it shallow? Most definitely. Can you boat it? Same answer, most definitely. I've got a 21', and there are at least 2 24' boats that I've seen multiple times in the area. I've seen 3 other 21' boats consistently in the area, and 2 19' SX's around Norwegian Bay. I'm not saying this to convince you, I'm simply pointing out that others either feel the same way as I do, or they're comfortable with their boats in the area.
The only trick to navigating Poygan is to avoid the weed beds, and to stay far enough off shore until you've explored enough to feel comfortable going shallower than your depth alarm might be set to. I have mine set to 2', and if you've seen pics of my property, just after passing through the mouth of the creek I'm on, headed out to the lake, it's A-L-W-A-Y-S going to trip the alarm about 20 yards past the mouth, especially after a rain, because that's where things build up. For comparison and some comfort in your mind, I have a neighbor on the same creek who's got a 30+ foot Fountain that takes that same route, and a 32' cuddy cabin that does likewise. The lake is as safe as I can imagine, and if you're using Navionics, the only issue on the north shore is the rock pile clearly marked (depending on your settings) that are in front of the neighbor's pier (10 houses down the shoreline) about 40-50 yards offshore. They've been there since I was a kid, and really aren't an issue for our boats. Once you head over to Boom Bay, well, there's areas to watch out for, but they're currently doing some shoreline restoration at the mouth of the river and along the lake's shoreline there. Look for 3 islands along the lake side of The Cut, and if you only see one island, stay WELL offshore from that island. Your depth finder will be your greatest friend when following the shoreline of Poygan, and once you're comfortable with your surroundings, your depth finder will be the biggest pain in your ass.
Muck? Depends on where you go. In front of my place, you can easily walk out 100 yards on a sandy bottom. In my creek? You can sink up to your hips in loon shit. Take a look at the surrounding area. If there's lots of trees, yes, you'll have "muck". It's old decomposed leaf litter, duck/goose shit, or whatnot. All of Poygan used to be a wild rice paddy many years ago, well before even I was alive, so the bottom will be conducive to plant life, but muck is going to be specific to areas where the local landscape fosters it. If you can't find a sandy bottom, move around the lake, you'll find something to your liking. It's the same on 'bago, they just have a bigger body of water and WAY more wave action to move stuff around. They have mucky areas too, but nobody hangs out in those areas. Same as with Poygan. Unless you're in a bay or creek, the "muck" you'll encounter isn't the problem it's painted to be, and moving a few dozen yards in another direction can, and often does, find you perfectly fine bottom. It's a silt-filled lake, partly because of the depth, and partly because of the bottom. Think about it, you don't get silt from "muck", because the muck will clump together on the bottom. You WILL get silt from the current and winds moving the water about, stirring up the bottom. Hard to move muck, not so hard to move sand and fine bottom debris. Come visit, I'll show you places the kids will like, even the "mucky" parts will be more than enjoyable.
Covid seems to have beaten up Captain's Cove. I've met one of the new bartenders for that bar, while at another bar in Fremont. It seems to be that the older folks are either retiring or not working as much. I have no idea if that's due to Covid and business slowing down, or if age and retirement are looming. Captain's Cove is on the SOUTH shore, which is going to be the less enjoyable side of the lake, IMO. I still make the trip (it's 4 miles across), and there's still bays and hot spots on the south side to drop an anchor, but the prevailing winds are from the south, and that side seems to be a bit choppier than my side - maybe the winds have died down or lessened in strength after crossing the lake?. Once I have my boat projects finished and out on the water, we'll be checking out how the lake looks for this season. Guaranteed if the "old lady bartender" is there, my grandkids loved the "balloon pop game". They're 5, grandpa likes the "balloon pop game for drinks" version of that same game! LOL
As for looking for a possible move, look for Alder Creek off the north shore. As you're looking to the north, anything EAST of Alder creek is already owned/sold. If you found something available, you'd be my neighbor. It's a nice secluded neighborhood, and there's no way you'd be allowed to be standoffish unless you chose not to inject yourself into the neighborhood. There's a few, but not many. Problem is, that's why there's very few places available ? I can tell you this, if something DOES come up in my neighborhood on the lake side, $400k is likely the starting point. The last house that sold was 4 houses away, modular home right on the lake, 62' of water frontage, for $325k. We have realtor friends in the neighborhood, who were the buyer's agents, and we were just talking about it a few hours ago - that house could easily sell for another $50k or even higher now. Anything WEST of Alder Creek, we call "Millionaire's Row". Business owners in the area are buying houses to tear down and build their own Taj Mahal. They're assessed $1400/foot higher than on my side of the creek, and prices are going up in the immediate neighborhood. On the north shore, the best bet is something in Tustin (5-10 minutes down the shore from me). Beyond that, or anything on the south shore, I really don't have a good feel for the property, but if you're looking for something, my realtor neighbors are awesome folks who not only have a second place down the street from us, but they live in Neenah and have several properties and opportunities in the area. They're the second-newest folks to the neighborhood, but they fit in like they've been lifelong neighbors, as well as living in the house of one of the kids I played with as a youngster. If you're looking for something, I wouldn't hesitate to help you get in touch with them. If you chose not to deal with them, no skin off my nose. That's called business, and life. Deal with who you feel comfortable with, and make sure you are getting your money's worth from them, as much as they'll get in commissions from you.
At the absolute least, stop on by my place, let me know you're coming and the neighbor will let you tie up at his pier while I give you the lay of the land, and you can either go explore yourself, or I can take you around the lake and show you just how close you can go, and what the area's like. Really, up the river is where it's at for food and drinks, as well as a change of scenery for the kids and a different area to drop anchor and have fun for the day, but out on the lake is also a nice fun, easy day for mom and dad as well, and food and drink is available close by on the lake as well. As long as you're aware that you're not in Milwaukee or Madison anymore, and accept the "changes in lattitude", the experience can be as fun, kitschy, and memorable as you want to make it. It suits MY character perfectly, but I lack a certain pride or shame gene, I've been told ? If you really want my experience, you can use the same launch as I do, and park on my grass. If I pee on your trailer tires, that's on you for blocking my wife's view. A man's gotta mark his property and let his lady know he's watching out for her!
Hopefully, I'll be done with boat projects this weekend, and things can set up or cure or solidify until I come back in 2 weeks, and I'll be able to finally drop my own boat into the water and play around myself!
