Windiest lakes, roughest water in the West?

jazzwannabe · Post by **jazzwannabe** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:13 pm

For my money, it's Isabella for high wind and pucker-inducing rides. What are your experiences?

I should also mention Lopez. Always windy, but I've never seen it get too rough.

LEN B · Post by **LEN B** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:26 pm

#1 Isabella for high wind . #2 San Luis and #3 Clear Lake. Thats my 3. LEN

bryanmc · Post by **bryanmc** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:27 pm

Mead or Mojave... coin toss

pete gardner · Post by **pete gardner** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:30 pm

ALL THE ABOVE CAN BE NASTY!

kopper_bass · Post by **kopper_bass** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:33 pm

lake Powell @ bullfrog #1 - biggest waves i have ever been in. they literally wouldn't even run the ferry in the waves we were in. Guys got stranded on the other side of the ferry.

Runners up that make me pucker:
#2 - Clear Lake @ narrows
#3 - (tie) Oroville slot / Berryessa

Kopper

Slippy · Post by **Slippy** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:37 pm

San Luis would be by far worst lake if it wasent so deep.... Clear Lake is nasty!!! i have been on some nasty nasty days in CL...

Garrettt · Post by **Garrettt** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:44 pm

6'ers @ mead were pretty hairy in an 18' boat

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:52 pm

The Delta is Rough
Clear Lake is Tuff
But
Mead is the badest of bad

LV Ba$$ · Post by **LV Ba$$** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:58 pm

MEAD & MOHAVE!

longshot · Post by **longshot** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 5:05 pm

The roughest day I have experienced is the 2nd day of holder year before last. Comin through the narrows runnin back after taken shelter up in cache was brutal.
#2 berryessa
#3 folsom

I dont get out much lol

DanWarme · Post by **DanWarme** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 5:13 pm

Everyone has touched on most of the bad ones.
Isabella, consistantly bad with only a sporadic calm day. But really not a contender for worst. Just the top of the heap for almost always bad.

Clear lake, have had to surf my way back a number of times to get to weigh in. Can get wicked, but still don't think it is the champ.

Mead, can be life threatening. Could see the waves crashing into Bonelli Bay from the road to temple Bar when we were filming the garland brothers gitzit video. They looked to be 12 footers+ on that particular day. A N-S wind when you are in Overton is Hell. But if you are at temple or greg's, crossing the Virgin basin isn't that bad no matter how hard the wind blows from the N-S. For me a N-S wind on Mead makes it a contender for the champ. 40+ miles of open water and desert winds make it a real bruiser and should have to carefully looking at the weather if you intend to fish Overton or the Virgin Basin. Very easy to get blown out or not get back to weigh in.

No one has mentioned Powell but that may because it is more far out. That sucker can get bad and also has the added dimension of going from calm water to really bad stuff and back to calm, depending on the turn of the lake. Can definitely surprise you if you don't plan for bad conditions somewhere in your trip. Almost missed the opening partner pairing at a BASS pro event because my 35 minute boat ride turned into 2 hours because what was relatively calm where I was fishing wasn't so nice in other areas.

Other candidates include the Columbia river with wind ripping through the canyon south of kenniwick. Not a good day.
Particularly when they have water flowing through the dam to add current to the mix. I hear 15' waves are not unheard of. Luckily I didn't have to go through it for my fish when I was there, but I heard Tauber did!

And let's not forget what the San Juaquin river at the delta can be like with the right winds and tides.... with heavy weekend boat traffic and a barge wake thrown in for good measure. Ouch! I can feel my spine jamming up through the top of my skull all over again.

I haven't mentioned Mohave because I have no personal experience with it, but from reputation, knowing the general size and shape and its terrain, it can be a contender as well.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 5:24 pm

Eisenhower as well as Tri City Park can be downright nasty.

TEAMDEADMONEY · Post by **TEAMDEADMONEY** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 6:41 pm

I hate wind regardless of which lake it is blowing at..
That being said... Mead takes the cake from what Ive seen.

Ive heard the MOTHER of all windy lakes is The Columbia River....But Ive never been there..

Pete

TheFish · Post by **TheFish** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 6:58 pm

1. Columbia River
2. Mead / Mohave (toss up)
3. Isabella
4. Clear Lake

Also I should mention that after the BASS Central Open Lake Lewisville is definitely up there with the Columbia river. We had 3-4 foot white caps Day 1 in the protected areas west of I-35 and were too concerned for our safety to consider fishing the East side/Dam area of the lake. Heck they had tornado sirens scattered throughout the lake which was a bit unnerving.

davet. · Post by **davet.** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 7:03 pm

Most scared I've been was on Berryessa, wind came up while we were in Putah, had to come all the way back. 5+footers, stabbed every few rollers, ripped off the front lowrance. Got just as wet as taking a swim. Was just glad to get off the main body in one piece.

N.A.R · Post by **N.A.R** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 7:53 pm

Mead!

KPalmer · Post by **KPalmer** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 7:57 pm

Lindo or Santee #5...Toss up

bassinbillmc · Post by **bassinbillmc** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 8:48 pm

Another vote for Mead!

Larry Hemphill · Post by **Larry Hemphill** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 9:32 pm

Any lake with huge open water - Almanor, Clear Lake, Mead, Berryessa can be very dangerous! The most violent wind I have every seen however has been at Folsom Lake. Twice!!! I was guiding 2 guys in my 17 ft 10 inch Ranger. Not sure how we made it back to Granite Bay - but we did. Several boats sunk that day - many sailboats. One boat was wrecked on the ramp. They said my Ranger would never sink - I was hoping! Estimated the swells at 6 to 7 feet. NEVER underestimate Folsom!

Ray Coleman · Post by **Ray Coleman** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:42 pm

Gotta be Elephant Butte, Mead, Mohave

jrbasspro · Post by **jrbasspro** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 5:48 am

Lake Meads got my vote bar none

Walt

Mr Gambler · Post by **Mr Gambler** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:46 am

Ray Coleman nailed it, the butte can be unreal when the wind blows 40-50 m.p.h. & the rollers roll down that lake for 40 miles

Hipster · Post by **Hipster** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:00 am

We all have our stories and they all are correct!!!

I have to say though Folsom Lake is just plain Nasty when that winds gets to howling down the two river arms and meets up on the main body.

I recall a WON team event in "02 - "03 where one boat bout sunk and two other took on water (AT THE RAMP)!!!

Then I recall an A/c in ealry 2000's where my partners ranger filled up to the brim inside

I was scared as hell and still do not know how we made it to the Browns ramp from the Penninsula.

Folsom is underrated as a wicked body of water

toddmc · Post by **toddmc** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:08 am

Bigger water means bigger waves. I've been on Mead when it took me half an hour to cross the mouth of Vegas Wash. There are rollers over 6 feet on Mead on a regular basis. It scares the heck out of you when you are miles from the shore. Those rollers are so big that you can't see land for seconds when you are between them. I saw three big boats sink in the Temple Bar area one day.

toddmc · Post by **toddmc** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:17 am

I want to see the answers of Gary Dobyns or the other pros that have a lot of time on all of the big lakes!

elfish16 · Post by **elfish16** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:39 am

back in pre-fish for the ABA TOC in 1998 at Mead, one day before the derby we couldn't even get out of Calville bay...the waves in the bay were over 6' and main lake were over 8ft! in a small 18ft Ranger wasn't a very fun day!

Mead is my #1

Clear Lake #2

#3....most likely Isabella.. just cuz its ALWAYS nasty!

Eric

bassmonkey · Post by **bassmonkey** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 10:15 am

I have throw in another vote for Folsom. I have encountered danagerous conditions on all lakes I have been to but Folsom took the cake for me. One March we had sustained south winds at 66mph with higher gusts. I was literally climbing waves like the 'Perfect Storm' in a 20' Bass Cat. It took me an hour to get from the North Fork to Brown's Ravine which is less than 10 minutes normally. I know other places get worse more often, but that day Folsom would have gave any of them a run for the money. From the hole at the bottom of the waves to the top was taller than my boat was long. Every time I came over a wave, the wind would catch the hull and try to blow us over backwards. At the narrows I was running 4 footers that were about 1' apart. I have never seen the wind stack the water up like that. I never want to go through that again.

DanWarme · Post by **DanWarme** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 12:32 pm

With all this talk of which water is worst,
I think it important to pass along how to deal with it when you come acrossed it.
No matter what body or size you are on.
I pass it along because I have seen WAY too many guys that don't have a clue.
And that includes the pro circuit unfortunately.

Number one rule in my book:
This is no time to believe the marketing of your boat manufacturer and think you are "Unsinkable".
TITANIC ???
ANY Boat can sink and thinking it won't is the first step on the road to proving it.
Put your ego in it's holster, and slow down, or even get to shore and wait it out.
Which brings up number 2 rule:

Rule 2: NO Sack of fish or weigh in time is worth dying for. Make no mistake, nature can and will kill you given the opportunity.

Rule 3. Slow down. No boat, no how, can safely run at top speed into or with the wind. That is how you spear waves. Going with or against the wind is the toughest thing to do. Best to go at an angle, slip over the crest of one wave and slide down the back side to try and prepare for the next. You need to think surfing, not powering through. Also think angles. Sailors call it tacking with the wind. You may go at a 45 degree angle to the wind, (into or against it), then carefully shift directions to go 45 degrees to the other side of the wind path. Zig zag it. Go until you run out of water or get too far off your destination then shift back to get back to your heading.

Rule 4. When ever possible run towards sheltered water. You may think it is the longer route, but it can be far faster. Passed 40+ boats at mead during an open years ago in 4'+ stuff coming from the canyon. Everyone headed straight for the canyon. I took it easy, shot across to donkey flats, and then put the hammer down in far better water. Be smart, plan your route for the safe route. Not the most direct.

Rule 5. The ONLY time you can run high speed in heavy water is when you are running across the wind. Mead on a NS wind is miserable, but shooting across the Virgin basin on those conditions is a piece of cake. You do have to still be carefull, particularly for off shore reefs. A rock pile that had 10" of water on it during flat water conditons could be bare of water in the trough of a big wave. But running parallel with the waves is a welcome break from trying to go with or against the suckers.

Rule 6. it should go without saying, watch for other boat traffic, debris, and the surprise wave that always seems to come up. Waves come in sets and that can help you if you can observe the rythmn that is happening. But big boat wakes are always a surprise and never fit the wave pattern.

Again, shouldn't have to say it but going to. Lifejackets, kill switches on, tackle stowed, (including sonar units) TM strapped down, Hatches closed and latched, Bilge pumps on and running. then work with what nature throws at you. Think Barry Sanders dodging tackles as he runs up the middle. Light and quick on the wheel and the throttle. Not Larry Csonka running over all commers. Take it easy and get home to come back another day.
Remember, someone at home loves you.

No I don't know why.

Oldschool · Post by **Oldschool** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:10 pm

For it's size Isabella is extremely dangerous in high winds and the only small lake I know of with wind warning system.
Tom

Deejay quick · Post by **Deejay quick** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:27 pm

mead and mohave hands down when you have a 21 ft boat and can still get inside two wave and not see shore then you know your is the baddest lake around. ive had it happen on bot.

gofish42189 · Post by **gofish42189** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:40 pm

MEAD!

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:29 pm

I have fished all the waters mentioned. I have had my share of bad experiences in rough water, including getting caught on Kentucky Lake when a tornado passed next to me. Thought I was dead for sure, and my boat was without a lot of equipment after that, including the entire bow panel and trolling motor. I have been in a bass boat on Isabella that we had to beach because the rough water separated the top cap from the hull, and we were taking on water fast.

BUT, beyond a doubt in my mind the roughest water and most dangerous water day in and day out is the Columbia River in the Dalles pool or Cellilo pool. This area not only blows, but it sucks just as hard and the wave patterns will jar your fillings loose. Some days it is hard just to stand on your deck on these pools. Nobody likes to hold tournaments on this awesome fishery because they get cancelled due to wind and unsafe weather conditions.

ciao,
Marc

N.A.R · Post by **N.A.R** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:24 pm

I drew Mark Kile at Mead years ago.....

We were fishing in the Overton arm, Mark says you hear that? I said yah sounds like a plane. Nope its the wind lets go.... You could watch the Clouds roll behind us. We were flat out flying in his Skeeter, I thought for sure we would beat mother nature with that Yama on the back.NOPE By the time we hit the basin we were in 8 footers. We went down in a swell cameup and saw one boat about 200 yards to the left. Went down into the swell, came back up and we had (I shat you not) 5 boats within 50 yards of us.

BASS Columbia river years ago below the Mcnary dam was no fun either!

B Becker · Post by **B Becker** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:38 am

Most scared I've been was on the Columbia River (actually the Snake). You can't tack back and forth, you have to stay in the channels, That place was crazy!! Then it goes Mead, Mohave, Clear Lake!! That thunder storm that hit the ABA championship on Mead last October was some of the biggest stuff I have ever been on as well.

Andy Giannini · Post by **Andy Giannini** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:57 am

The 100% in Feb. 2001 on the Delta first day was pretty bad. It was cranking up 60 at times. Guys were fishing in motorcycle helmets. (I don't mean running in them, FISHING in full face helmets.)

Drew Randy Pierson, we tried to hide behind some trees, and the wind was cracking off tree limbs at us.

It was severe enough, had to call and get people to cover for me at work, and watch for erosion on the island

Had to surf to get back.

Ray L. · Post by **Ray L.** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:07 am

The 5 worst for me. Not in any order.
Lake Powell
Mohave
Mead
The Butte
Columbia River
They all have there moments to be sure. Mohave because of it being shallow in the main basin and the rollers get very large peeks.
Same with Columbia. Both of these stack up on you very fast as well.
Mead just 1 big monster. She can be calm in the morning and just a beast to try and get to weigh in.

Deejay quick · Post by **Deejay quick** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:26 pm

had a california guy with me a couple years back at a pro am and the day before i told him to bring his rain gear....he told me it wasnt going to be any rain tomorrow. I let hin know we were running to temple...well he didnt listen. dude wore jeans and a small jacket and was soaked from head to toe. we had 8 boats close to us until we hit the end of the narrows well not one of them made it past there. it suck to run mead in the wind but us locals are used to it this dude wasnt I thought he was going to sh** himself

but we made it there and back without spearing one wave......good times

fish_food · Post by **fish_food** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:46 pm

Potato Patch
Mavericks

Matt Lisiewski · Post by **Matt Lisiewski** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:53 pm

Mead / Mojave get my vote

Had plenty of nasty days on Mead but last spring i went south from Cottonwood cove down to katherines and the wind started howling out of the north.

On the run back I speared a wave so hard it almost ripped my trolling motor off, had to get off plane and plow at 5 MPH just to get back to cottonwood.

When i got in the bottom of the swells i couldnt even see land, just walls of water

/

ricky · Post by **ricky** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:54 pm

Columbia River
Mead/Mohave

Those are three that come to mind. Any lake can get rough but those three are oceans.

TeamBeefmaster · Post by **TeamBeefmaster** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 1:27 pm

I know its not in the west... but Champlain is a 120 mile long wind tunnel.... I cracked my jackplate there this September in 8-12 footers.... suck

Doug Warren · Post by **Doug Warren** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:43 pm

The Columbia River is the wind surfing capital for a reason. The only time it doesn't blow is when it is changing directions

swimbait · Post by **swimbait** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:56 pm

West end of San Miguel island. 80' boat running upswell watching sheets of water running over the top of the boat and on to the stern. For rockcod. Why, I don't know. Reeling up 2lbs of lead with 5 bloated red snapper out of 300' isn't that cool. I'd call it 12' at 8 seconds.

Rule #7 - Buy a Champion.

CN · Post by CN » Wed Mar 09, 2011 1:25 pm

Well not the widiest lake but one of the worse experiances I had was at San Antonio. They have two ramp's on the North shore the main one and another one about a mile or so apart. I launched at the secodary one and was fishing down at Bee rock which is a big cove by the dam.

Well the fishing was good but about 2:00pm it was blowing pretty bad so I decided to get off the lake. I ran back and by the time I got to the ramp one of the dock's had either got blown by the wind or came loose somehow and was at a 45 touching the other dock. There was no way to get the boat out so I had to run back to the main ramp which is protected from the wind. I had to tie up to the dock and just my luck there was nobody around so I walked back got the truck and got the hell out of there. The only time I was ever scared was at San Luis.

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