Pewaukee Lake recon - sandbars??

[WiskyDan]

Thinking about trailering my boat to Pewaukee Lake the Saturday of Labor Day weekend and looking for some input:

• I've heard it's a shit show on holidays as it gets crowded?
• Only a couple of boat ramps and I'm assuming they are packed?
• Any sandbars to hang out at? Can you anchor close to the shore by Pewaukee Beach on the east end of the lake?

Open to any suggestions in the Washington County and Waukesha County areas that may be a better option for a day trip.

 

[jcb1977]

Big cedar lake by west bend is supposed to be nice. I have not been on in yet though

 

[drewkaree]

Big cedar lake by west bend is supposed to be nice. I have not been on in yet though

Not sure of the boating situation there, but I have a relative who lives on that lake, and he's a cranky old guy who complains about all the boat traffic from "people who don't even live on the lake"

When I pointed out that people don't have to live on the lake in order to use it, since it's not a private lake, his response was "they still should go somewhere else, this isn't big enough for extra boats from outsiders"

I tell him every chance I get, that I'm gonna bring my boat over and visit. It goes EXACTLY as I expect it to, which makes me laugh at him.

Dan, that Lake would be a great idea, I've got some directions to give you

 

[WiskyDan]

One thing I'm trying to avoid is a shit show at the boat ramp. I've gotten much better at trailering my boat over the past couple of years but I'm nowhere near being a pro at it.

 

[WiskyDan]

I did a little more digging on Big Cedar and it does look like they have a nice sandbar so that may be an option for Saturday. A gal I work with boats there on occasion and she said that while it can get busy it is fun.

 

[Van_in_wisco]

Pewaukee public launch on the west end of the lake can get crowded but it also has quite a few ramps (4 i believe?)

 

[WiskyDan]

Looks like it will be Big Cedar if the weather holds.

 

[RiverRat]

I tend to do Nagawicka over Pewaukee. Both have county run launches, Pewaukee has a city owned launch near Smokey’s bait shop and Gina’s Sportsdock has a launch. I used to prefer Sportsdock since it wasn’t the craziness of the county launch. It’s also deeper.
Pewaukee does have a sandbar of sorts, it’s on the north and east side of Party Island, about the central south part of the lake. Decent sandy bottom especially for us jets that can get a little closer to shore.

As far as craziness at the launches, I’ve found that getting there by ten am usually avoids most of it.

 

[RiverRat]

There is a courtesy dock on the east end of the lake near the beach/downtown Pewaukee you can use as well.

 

[WiskyDan]

Great info, thank you!!!

 

[RiverRat]

Great info, thank you!!!

Feel free to ask me about any of the overcrowded lakes in SE Wisconsin anytime! I’ve been around most of em.