House boating Shasta?

ACP · Post by **ACP** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:05 pm

My family & I are going house boating on Shasta with another family in mid-August. This will be our first time on Shasta & our fist time doing the houseboat deal. We'll have a ski boat & my bass boat. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on where to go, what to see, what to do or not to do? Any info would be appreciated.

ScottyJ · Post by **ScottyJ** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:53 pm

PM sent

bassz21 · Post by **bassz21** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:55 pm

antlers is good for houseboats sugarloaf too i have family in salt creek i go up every year for 18 years and hear good things and they look nice personally i would go with antlers hope this helps they also have good burgers and fries, and frosties at the little store up top however if i remember correctly antlers puts your boats in for you i dont know if that matters to you or not just fyi. you could check out shasta caverns thats pretty cool the kids would like that im sure lots of steep stairs though i hope this helps.

Adam

rico · Post by **rico** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:12 pm

Go up the McCloud arm and do the Shasta Caverns tour. The Caverns are about 1/4 mile into the McCloud on the right side. There is a dock where you can tie up the houseboat. Bring a sweatshirt or light jacket, as it's 58 degrees in the caverns

ACRon · Post by **ACRon** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 4:34 pm

A third vote for Shasta Cavern's on the McCloud arm. On a hot summer day it is a great relief. Run up there with the ski boat and tie up to the courtesy dock. Take the bus up to the top you can pay on that side. Nice and cool inside take a sweat shirt. If people still want to go for a ride head on up the McCloud arm. Great rock formations and scenery. It's just upstream from the entrance to Holiday on the east side of the river. You can see it up on the hill and/or watch for the ferry to come across.

Bridge Bay is great for supplies at the store if you run short. Make sure you bring plenty of sun block and sun burn aloe. Somebody will fry!!! A couple of battery operated fans (extra batteries) make it easier to sleep if you get a bad night. Bring plenty of floaties/noodles/air mattresses cause everybody will spend most of the day floating.

Everybody brings plenty to drink (if you know what I mean) but nobody drinks enough water and dehydration catches up by the end of the trip. So bring plenty and pound some bottles each day.

Watch out for the poison oak this year. The water is so high everybody is getting it on the shore or even from the oil floating on the water.

Is this you first houseboat vacation?

ACP · Post by **ACP** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:20 am

[quote="ACRon"]
Is this you first houseboat vacation?[/quote]

Yes this is our first houseboat trip & we are all looking forward to it. We're doing our best to plan our food, clothes, toys & anything else we might need while there but like all vacations something usually is forgotten or left behind.

Gene Bowen · Post by **Gene Bowen** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:46 am

HOUSE BOATING ON SHASTA IS VERY INJOYABLE, MORE SO WHEN THE LAKE HAS PLENTY OF WATER IN IT.THE THING TO WATCH FOR AT NIGHT WHEN YOUR STAKED DOWN FOR THE NIGHT ARE BEARS THAT SEEM TO LIKE HOUSE BOATS. I HAVE HAD THEM COME ON BOARD AND HELP THEM SELVES TO MY ICE CHESTS SETTING ON THE FRONT DECK. THEY COME RIGHT OVER THE RAIL AND DRAGED THEM UP ON THE BANK,DRANK SOME MILK AND AND ONE BEER . THIS ONE WAS A BLACK BEAR. HE STAYED AROUND FOR A WHILE THEN WENT ON HIS WAY.THAT HAPPEN UP AT THE NORTH END OF THE MC CLOUD ARM.THERES LOTS OF BEARS ON SHASTA.YOU DONT BOTHER THEM THEY WONT BOTHER YOU.IT MAKES FOR A EXCITING HOUSE BOAT TRIP. LOL. THE CAVERNS ARE A NICE SIDE TRIP.GET OUT ON THE MAIN LAKE ON THE SAC ARM AND LOOK NORTH AND YOU WILL SEE MT SHASTA REALLY PRETTY VIEW.SHASTA IS ALWAYS FUN IN A HOUSE BOAT AND REALLY FUN WHEN YOU GOT A BASS BOAT WITH YOU. HAVE A GREAT TIME.

kopper_bass · Post by **kopper_bass** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:50 am

ACP,
As Gene mentioned, there are plenty of bears there. be smart, dont leave food out on the bank overnight, and put your stuff away on the houseboat. if it has a gate, use it, or pull the plank.

I have been fishing there countless times where a houseboater will tell us about how they had to move because a bear came on board (tried) and would not go away.

pick a good spot, with flat land and anchor in. i personally like the flat areas of the Squaw. the wind typically blows from the north, so find a north sheltered cove.

Have fun,

Kopper

Dewayne · Post by **Dewayne** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:32 am

In August you will probably live in the lake, it is usually quite hot. Get a fire permit from the forrest service so you can legally have a camp fire. The lake should be low enough to do it safely then, but be sure to put it out completely before going to bed. Once you think it is out about two more 5 gallon buckets over it will usually soak the coals well enough. Bring a 5 gallon bucket to accomplish this. A hand saw is also handy to make gathering wood easier. Of course lot of floating toys and an air pump.

I am not sure if the creek is still flowing in August, but the natural water slide at the back of Little Backbone is a nice hike and a lot of fun. We did it on Monday and the creek water was very cold, but the hike was beautiful and the slide was entertaining. You have to anchor your boat in the back and swim from the boat to the creek. Wear water shoes or good sandals as you are rock hoping and climbing. The slide is about 1/4 mile up and requires you to pull yourself up a rope on a 70 degree rock face for about 10' then you get a 15 foot slide down the rock into a pool. Be careful on the hike as you could easily get hurt. My kids loved both the hike and the slide. The views of the rock canyon are awesome too. As mentioned the Caverns is also fun and provides a cool break. The Dam tour is another fun activity, but we have gone ther by car, not sure if you can by boat.

The meat bees (Yellow Jackets) are bad that time of year. We use a bee trap, but I am not sure that it works all that well. It does attract most of them away from your food at least. They are a pain when you are eating. If you leave food in an uncovered trash can on deck you will have a lot of them around. Keep it covered and do not throw food or bacon grease on the bank near the boat as it will attract the bees and the bears. The more food trash you seal the fewer bees. Also water for rattle snakes as they are pretty thick in some areas of the lake.

The refridgerators on most boats do not work all that well in 100+ degree heat. Use them to store food and keep the drinks and other items kids want out of the fridge so they don't open it every 20 minutes. Your going to spend a ton of money on ice. Since you are probably bring a lot of water bottles bring them frozen.

If you are renting from Bridge Bay gas up your boat at Packer's Bay before returning as their gas is less expensive.

The Sherrifs boats were writing a lot of tickets this weekend for skiing after sunset (might be 30 minutes afrer sun set, I am not sure) and for no lights. If you have lights on after dark and keep the speed below 15 MPH night fishing can be fun that time of year.

Have fun and please keep the lake clean.

Beach Steve Biechman · Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:58 pm

Have fun!!!!! The best bass fishing during the day is usually where cool water enters the lake. Late evening try top water over humps in Jones Valley. Ski when it's hot fish when it's cool.

speedo · Post by **speedo** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:39 pm

I know a gal whose rental houseboat was boarded by bears that rummaged around on the deck and when they finally got off, they wouldn't leave the beach. The ended up having to cast off their lines from the back of the boat and leaving them and the stakes on shore. Went back to marina and they got new lines and stakes. Marina guys told them it wasn't uncommon and didn't blame them for leaving the lines.

Just talked to a guy who had a meat bee problem in his yard. His solution was to get some Friskies trout-flavored cat food, mix some insecticide with it on a paper plate and set it out in the yard. He said the bees would take the food back to the nest and it killed off the other bees. Said he hasn't had a problem with them for years.

He also said he didn't know if it was legal, so try at your own risk. For the lake, you could probably just put out the cat food away from where you're eating and they'd leave you alone.