Possible Lake Ouachita Gathering in 2017

[LTM1964]

Ugh that is unfortunate timing! We're planning on bringing all the food we need with us so hopefully shouldn't need to run into town. I was going to try and get a slip so I don't have to trailer the boat everyday. Any specific island or beaches to check out?

I will look at a lake map with navigation points in the next few days and give you some ideas.

 

[Bruce]

Just booked a family trip to check the lake out July 5th, 6th and 7th. Staying in a cabin at Lake Ouachita State Park. Any specific places (nice islands, beaches, etc) we should check out on the lake? Will anyone be on the lake those days?

Here is The Corps map of the lake

Unfortunately my family will likely be off to Bimini while you are here.

Here are some ideas for you;

1. Visit the caves on the SW side of the island between markers 40 and 41 at a slow time when you can have this area to yourselves.

2. Hang out on Crawdad Island which is marked by a green pin on the way to the dam.

3. Visit the dam by boat and enjoy the clear 200' deep water.

4. On busy days head toward marker 19 or 24 where you can likely find a calm area.

5. Go out in search of the perfect island to hangout on.

6. Go to Crystal Springs for a great breakfast buffet with the locals.

7. Go to Mountain Harbor for the best dinner on the lake.

8. Take the kids to the Mountain Harbor fuel dock for ice cream.

9. Go to Shangri La for amazing pie.

10. Visit the dam by road and try to walk out into the cold water of Lake Hamilton or even better launch your boat into Lake Hamilton and try to get people to jump into the water near the dam.

 

[LTM1964]

I agree with everything that Bruce provided. Here is a little more:
1. Ask at the park visitor center if the Purple Martins are inhabiting Bird Island at the time of your visit. For most of the summer, thousands of Martins come to roost on the island at sunset. It is near the green pin between points 36 and 40.
2. The cove behind the cabins is a no-wake zone all the way to the launch ramp. It is excellent for kayaking.
3. The cove on the south side of the state park is a good place to ski and wakeboard in the mornings. You can start there and ski all the way to the dam.
4. Another good restaurant is at Echo Canyon Resort. While I am on that subject, I should give you a note about location names on the lake. The Corps location names are different than the resort names: Echo Canyon = Spillway, Mountain Harbor = Joplin, and Shangri La = Tompkins Bend.
5. The coves between points 47 and 48 to the east are calm places to hang out for the day in addition to all of the coves near the dam.
6. There is one thing to be careful of: It seems like when they made the lake, none of the trees were cut down. If you stay in the middle of all channels you won't have any problems. There are buoys marking any shallow spots near the channels. If you turn from one channel to another, make it a 90 degree turn to stay in the deep water. Don't cut close to any points, there are likely to be trees very close to the surface. When you see a beachy area where you want to pull up, approach it slowly. The water is clear enough that a spotter will be able to guide you around the trees to the bank. The coves near the dam are about the only place where I don't see trees in the water near the bank.
7. While you should explore the lake some, I think you are staying at the best part. There are periods where we go every weekend for two months or more and never go further north than point 47 or west of point 44. The water is clearer and deeper on the east end of the lake.

 

[SeanPC]

Here is The Corps map of the lake

Unfortunately my family will likely be off to Bimini while you are here.

Here are some ideas for you;

1. Visit the caves on the SW side of the island between markers 40 and 41 at a slow time when you can have this area to yourselves.

2. Hang out on Crawdad Island which is marked by a green pin on the way to the dam.

3. Visit the dam by boat and enjoy the clear 200' deep water.

4. On busy days head toward marker 19 or 24 where you can likely find a calm area.

5. Go out in search of the perfect island to hangout on.

6. Go to Crystal Springs for a great breakfast buffet with the locals.

7. Go to Mountain Harbor for the best dinner on the lake.

8. Take the kids to the Mountain Harbor fuel dock for ice cream.

9. Go to Shangri La for amazing pie.

10. Visit the dam by road and try to walk out into the cold water of Lake Hamilton or even better launch your boat into Lake Hamilton and try to get people to jump into the water near the dam.

Thanks Bruce, I really appreciate the info!

 

[SeanPC]

I agree with everything that Bruce provided. Here is a little more:
1. Ask at the park visitor center if the Purple Martins are inhabiting Bird Island at the time of your visit. For most of the summer, thousands of Martins come to roost on the island at sunset. It is near the green pin between points 36 and 40.
2. The cove behind the cabins is a no-wake zone all the way to the launch ramp. It is excellent for kayaking.
3. The cove on the south side of the state park is a good place to ski and wakeboard in the mornings. You can start there and ski all the way to the dam.
4. Another good restaurant is at Echo Canyon Resort. While I am on that subject, I should give you a note about location names on the lake. The Corps location names are different than the resort names: Echo Canyon = Spillway, Mountain Harbor = Joplin, and Shangri La = Tompkins Bend.
5. The coves between points 47 and 48 to the east are calm places to hang out for the day in addition to all of the coves near the dam.
6. There is one thing to be careful of: It seems like when they made the lake, none of the trees were cut down. If you stay in the middle of all channels you won't have any problems. There are buoys marking any shallow spots near the channels. If you turn from one channel to another, make it a 90 degree turn to stay in the deep water. Don't cut close to any points, there are likely to be trees very close to the surface. When you see a beachy area where you want to pull up, approach it slowly. The water is clear enough that a spotter will be able to guide you around the trees to the bank. The coves near the dam are about the only place where I don't see trees in the water near the bank.
7. While you should explore the lake some, I think you are staying at the best part. There are periods where we go every weekend for two months or more and never go further north than point 47 or west of point 44. The water is clearer and deeper on the east end of the lake.

@LTM1964 - Thanks for the write-up and advise (especially about the trees).

 

[Bruce]

@LTM1964 - Thanks for the write-up and advise (especially about the trees).

I would add rocks to the trees. Many locals prefer pontoon boats or aluminum deck boats so they can beach at speed. Despite having a keel guard it is rare for me to beach the boat. I typically get close enough to shore to check for obstacles then throw the anchor out in 10 to 15 feet of water and back toward the shore. When it starts to get shallow I abandon the helm and sit on the swim deck with my feet in the water. Once they hit bottom I jump off, have @Rana or one of the kids kill the engines and tie a rope from the stern to shore. Having an anchor buddy is really nice as it allows me to let the boat back out into deeper water and increases the holding power of the anchor.

If you have a chart plotter with decent charts or Navionics on your phone or tablet it does a great job of identifying the channels and submerged obstacles. Not only were the trees left standing as a fish habitat but farms, houses and entire towns were left behind. It is amazing that the trees are still standing after 60+ years.

 

[SeanPC]

I would add rocks to the trees. Many locals prefer pontoon boats or aluminum deck boats so they can beach at speed. Despite having a keel guard it is rare for me to beach the boat. I typically get close enough to shore to check for obstacles then throw the anchor out in 10 to 15 feet of water and back toward the shore. When it starts to get shallow I abandon the helm and sit on the swim deck with my feet in the water. Once they hit bottom I jump off, have @Rana or one of the kids kill the engines and tie a rope from the stern to shore. Having an anchor buddy is really nice as it allows me to let the boat back out into deeper water and increases the holding power of the anchor.

If you have a chart plotter with decent charts or Navionics on your phone or tablet it does a great job of identifying the channels and submerged obstacles. Not only were the trees left standing as a fish habitat but farms, houses and entire towns were left behind. It is amazing that the trees are still standing after 60+ years.

I have Navionics on my phone after reading another thread about it. I'm a tech guy so any I want almost any useful app or device I can. I haven't installed a keel guard yet but I consider it a necessary add-on. I've never beached a boat I've owned and don't plan to unless necessary but want the added protection.

I like your process of backing in. I am going to order an Anchor buddy today.

Man am I ready for some sunshine and warmer weather!

 

[LTM1964]

I see in my response where I said "pull up" gave the impression that I beached the boat. I don't beach it. Same as you guys, I get close and then use an Anchor Buddy to keep the boat away from the rocks and trees.

 

[SeanPC]

@LTM1964 I didn't think you beached your boat from your post. Just saying I certainly wouldn't beach mine without a keel guard and even with probably wouldn't do it unless there was an emergency and I had to.

Thanks again for the suggestions. I'm printing them all out and will be taking them on vacation in July!

 

[Bruce]

I made an exception to my beaching policy when we ran into @LTM1964 on an island last year. Unfortunately I did so too softly to actually beach and ended up sideways along the shore. No harm was done but I learned beaching works much better in the sand!

 

[USN SCPO RET]

My bride and I are up for one of the gathering events...Lake Ouachita, Texoma, Lake Eufaula or Lake Tenkiller.

 

[PEARCE]

Is this gathering gonna happen? We're looking at booking a lake trip with the Yamaha this year since we're on Texoma with the cruiser or Yamaha the rest of the weekends. We're looking at the possibility of exploring Lake Conroe for the first time or going back to Broken Bow which is one of my favorite lakes. They are about the same time and distance from our home and the lodging will be about the same cost. It's gonna be one of the three. If there's gonna be a gathering then Lake Ouachita is still on the table. If not, then it's off. There hasn't been much discussion on this gathering in a good while and our summer is beginning to book up so I wanted to raise awareness of it again to see if there's still interest.

 

[Betik]

I am in for this trip as long as it is not the weekend before or after Bimini.

 

[Bruce]

@PEARCE, @USN SCPO RET, @Betik, @LTM1964, @SeanPC, @kthrash, @jcyamahariders wife, @clint6760, @swatski, @Wayloncle, @Speedling, @BAC.94 what June days work for you? Weekdays are better on the lake than weekends but even weekends are much calmer than the lakes you are used to. On a Friday, Sunday Afternoon or Monday we could get the best spots on the lake to ourselves.

 

[SeanPC]

@PEARCE, @USN SCPO RET, @Betik, @LTM1964, @SeanPC, @kthrash, @jcyamahariders wife, @clint6760, @swatski, @Wayloncle, @Speedling, @BAC.94 what June days work for you? Weekdays are better on the lake than weekends but even weekends are much calmer than the lakes you are used to. On a Friday, Sunday Afternoon or Monday we could get the best spots on the lake to ourselves.

Tentatively still planning on heading up for a couple days during the weekly of July 4th. That could change as people are bailing out of the trip. Have to check with my better half but think June is pretty much open right now.

 

[PEARCE]

I'm in continuing discussions with the admiral on dates if it will even be able to happen at all. If it's a June weekend then the 10th and 17th would work for us, but I can't promise that we will be there yet.

 

[Betik]

Any weekend in June should work for us. I have to save the vacations days for Bimini.

 

[SeanPC]

Talked with my wife and so far don't have any weekend plans in June. Thinking we make it a long weekend. We have a 7 - 8 hour drive so will probably leave Friday after work and get 4 hours in and then finish the trip up Saturday morning. Leave Monday AM. What weekends work for ya'll?

 

[Betik]

Talked with my wife and so far don't have any weekend plans in June. Thinking we make it a long weekend. We have a 7 - 8 hour drive so will probably leave Friday after work and get 4 hours in and then finish the trip up Saturday morning. Leave Monday AM. What weekends work for ya'll?

Stop in Frisco ? I am 2 miles from 380 which is in on the way.... we could make a mini convoy on Saturday am.

PS. We have a rolling gate and vicious dog, so you precious will be super safe.

 

[maboat]

Add my name as a definite maybe. Will be watching this thread...