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So since my truck broke down and we couldn't take my 21' Sea Ray out anymore, my fishing partner bought a 14' aluminum gregor w/ a 10hp honda outboard.
We've been fishing Willow and getting skunked every trip so I'm dying for a trip to the lake since I rarely leave there without catching anything. We were out at Cottonwood a couple weeks ago and stayed too late, when the skiiers came out we got bounced around a bit and it made him real nervous. So now he doesn't want to go anywhere but Willow.
Anyway, he swears that if we take it out to the lake that we'll sink it. I figure if it's a no wind, calm day and we get out early and leave before the big boats got out we'd be fine.
I'm not entertaining ideas of driving across the lake, just launching from say callville and staying close.
Am I crazy?
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I go out in a 17 foot aluminum bass boat that is relatively low profile and I have no issues. The only time I get a little nervous is when we would launch out of Boulder harbor and jet across the lake. If there is no wind you should be fine and the way Callville is if you stay near shore and around coves you should not have a problem.
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Thanks for your response BillyH.
Keep em coming boys, I'd like to get feedback from as many as possible.
I know the Lake is very dangerous and not to be taken lightly, but there must be a middle ground between the way I think and my buddy's "no way, jose" thinking.
Then again, may be I'm just crazy.
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Yes you are crazy. But at least you are crazy like a fox.
I too have a small back up boat, 12ft Sea King. We would launch at Kingman Wash before the divers moved in.
You might try going to Crawdad or Boxcar Coves.
-The SMF- S=smart (sometimes not so smart)
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I have an older bass tracker but it has a bit bigger motor (35hp). it is late 80s so its not a very deep v. It is only 15 foot 7 and I used to think the same way as your buddy. At least I wouldn't dare go out in waves. I had my buddy talk me into it being okay and we have gone out in some pretty big waves in it. 2-3 feet waves maybe even bigger. It makes me nervous as all can be but if you cut the waves right I think its fine. I would do as your talking about and stay in coves and close to shore. I like launching in gov wash from the dirt launch ramp around there. The waves do not seem to get to big in that area even with a little wind. I have even gone out at night with some waves from boulder and trekked up to gov wash area. I still have lots of respect for lake mead having almost sinking other boats with other people in big waves that came over board.
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Launching at Callville gives you that whole Callville Bay area to work and even in real windy days, most of those coves just to the north are pretty protected (and fishy).
I also like the idea of launching from gvt. wash and staying in that area. I used to take my 12' sea nymph and drive into crawdad and just carry her out. lololol
The cooler we get the less weekend boaters you will see. Pretty soon we will have it all to ourselves 
I would have no problem taking a boat of that size out. I would probably stay within a stones throw of the shoreline though
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I have a 15' aluminum V-hull with a shiny 2007 3.5 hp merc on it.
Its pretty damn dinky. And I'm braver than I should be.
I'm the kind of guy who wont turn away from the lake until the lightning makes my hair stand up. I will always try first, and run away before it's too late.
I haven't sunk my boat... yet. I probably will. BUT I really have been out in some crazy s#%*. You have to take the waves right. It can be pretty scary. They change all the time, and you always have to watch for the next one, but those little boats handle them well. Just dont put too much weight in there. The more freeboard, the better.
I don't think I'm totally crazy. The lake can be bad, but good judgement goes a long way. There are more calm days than crappy ones. Read the weather reports AND check the flag warnings at the lake. Then make your game plan. Stay as close to shore as you are prepared to swim, and wear a PFD if necessary.
As the saying goes, "Don't bring anything on a boat you aren't willing to lose".
The Whizzle
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We use to always launch our 14' alumaweld outa boulder or hemingway. You just gotta be careful don't stray to far away and watch the weather. Watch out for ski boats and be alert on afternoon weekends. Only problem we ever had when we were out at night all the sudden it got really nasty out.
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Yea I agree with you for watching out for ski boats. I know of someone who got swamped by a guy in a big boat and sunk his boat. He was with his son too. I also agree with whizzle about not taking anything you arent prepared to lose and to pack light. A lighter boat will take the waves better, is faster, and will take the waves better. I also agree him again on not straying farther away from shore than you are prepared to swim. But besides that you should be fine. I always check the weather before going out. I check a couple different sites just to make sure. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=NVZ021
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Yeah, sometimes those huge cabin cruisers can put out some serious waves. On saturday I was floating just around the corner of the hemm. wall towards the dam and this huge cruiser (40'+) comes flying around the corner and I was like dayum, "tsunami" I just pointed the bow at the waves and took them head on.
When traveling in a small boat, I always try and cut the waves at around 45deg. Even if I have to zig zag to where im going.
If the waves are bigger than your boat though, you are supposed to hit them dead on or it could flip you at an angle.
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Haha. I wondered what that "S" stood for. I haven't been over to Kingman Was for a while. Is there still a paved launch there?
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Yeah, he's primarily concerned with it getting swamped by large waves. I taught him to take them at a 45 degree angle which helps.
I've had giant ski boats mess me up in my 21' boat while going through the narrows. 2 of them came speeding through on either side of me so I could only pick one wake to take. It was kind of scary, bounced me and my girl around.
I'd like to check out gov't wash, haven't been over there for a while.
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Yeah, I really want to go chase bass at Callville. When I was a kid, we always went to boxcar and crawdad coves but I haven't been over there in a long while. I'll have to check it out.
I've been looking forward to the Cold to get the pleasure boaters off the lake. I've been factoring that into our ability to go out in the dingy.
I'm still not sure I'll be able to convince my friend.
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You fish with that boat out of Callville, right?
Good advice on the freeboard. I figure we'll keep it light if I can get him out there. 1st thing I'll leave off the boat to save weight is the cooler full of beer. [ ]
That'll help with the "good judgment" lol.
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[quote vegaskid]
When traveling in a small boat, I always try and cut the waves at around 45deg. Even if I have to zig zag to where im going.
If the waves are bigger than your boat though, you are supposed to hit them dead on or it could flip you at an angle.[/quote]
I hadn't heard that last part, good to know. If the waves are that big, it makes sense that the boat would flip easier at an angle than dead on. But as long as the waves are smaller cutting them at a 45 will reduce the amount you bounce around.
I sure hope I can convince him because I'm dying to catch some fish and I'm starting to despise Willow.
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No no no... You just leave the ice at home. The beer is important.
Yes, I launch out of callville - and I will leave the bay area. I go out towards sandy beach to the east, and crawdad to the west. Sometimes I would launch out of boulder harbor and make the trek to sand island. I dont like going too far, just cause it takes so long with that 3.5hp. I would really like to sell/trade it for a 15-20 hp.
And taking the waves at a 45 degree angle is important, unless, as was stated above, the waves get so big that they can flip you over. Always go head on if you are unsure.
The Whizzle
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man, I hear you on willow. I drug around plugs and swimbaits for like 13 straight hours a few weeks ago and got nothin. You just never know when that monster is gonna hit though...I keep telling myself that[cool]
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lol. I agree. My buddy will feel better if neither of us is drinking though. I'm fighting an uphill battle with him and so I'll concede catching my buzz, if I can catch some damn fish...at least the first time out.
I see you changed your Avatar to that pig striper you caught down at Willow. Rub it in, why dontchya? haha. just kidding, my friend. That was last year, right? Ac plug?
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Yeah. We've put in 6 trips now with nothing but a few hatchery trout to show for. I know that you have to log alot of hours out there to land a pig. I just really don't have the patience to do that every trip, so I'm going to get out to that damn lake even if I'm shorebound [frown]
Here's hoping I can convince him. [fishin]
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Yup, Halloween of last year. And I caught him on a castaic swimbait.
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