www.iFourWinns.com

Looking at exploring the Lake Erie Islands of Kelleys, Middle Bass, and Put in Bay. Currently planning to launch at Catawba Island using the State Park launch unless there is a better option. Any advice on these islands? Recommended places to eat? Places to avoid? Any advice appreciated!

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

Do some homework on what weekend you are planning on attending. Look up an event calendar. We had a trip planned and at the last minute I decided to check calendar and it was a Christmas in July party. Their biggest weekend of the year. No slips available and I didnt want my kids around that mayhem. I havent been yet but I think you guys might prefer the Middle bass island state park marina. It is all brand new. More low key than actually staying at PIB. If you stay at Put in Bay, you generally have to raft up and depending on how much you want to party that is an option. There are a few slips that dont raft at the yacht club i think, but it is members first. Lots of neat things to see on PIB winerys and underground crystal cave. Take your bikes or rent a golfcart or bikes. We have been going to go visit the other islands but just never have made it. They are more nature hike type stuff. I will be looking forward to a blog post..lol Soccer has started for the kids so our boating other than local has come to a screeching halt.

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2001 Four Winns Vista 248 by rick2752, on Flickr

If you want a crowded party atmosphere South Bass(Put in Bay) is the place to go on weekends, generally much quieter during the week. Most marinas in town will require rafting on weekends. You can also get a buoy and they have a water taxi to take you to shore. Lots of good places to eat and many more tourist type activities.

Kelleys Island is much more relaxed. On weekends the Casino is the place for the GFBL crowd. This island is more residential than South Bass but still enough places to eat and drink. Bag the Moon has daily 40cent wings and shrimp and you can wash it down with $1 Busch or Busch Light. We camp there so don't eat out much but do hit the happy hour a couple of times for a cheap lunch.

I have never been to Middle Bass Island bot I don't think there is really much going on there.

Will Catawba State Park let you leave the truck/trailer overnight? There are a lot of marinas on the east side of Catawba and the north side of Marblehead.

Lake Erie does not have the nice sand beaches that Lake Michigan does. There is a decent beach on the north side of Kelleys by the State Park. It is also a place where boats will come in and anchor for the night.

Put-In-Bay would be one of my favorite places to boat to in the western end of Lake Erie. With most of the marinas being so close to the downtown area, all the various restaurants and bars and shopping if you wish you shouldn't find your self with nothing to do. It can certainly be busy on weekends and with events, but you could see if you can get dockage at Miller's Marina. We stayed at Miller's the last time at Put-In-Bay and they have dockage without rafting which was our preference. We have stayed at the municipal docks before and rafted with our boats in our group but I don't want to be subject to rafting at the municipal docks with people we don't know. If you have never been to Put-In-Bay, I'm sure you could enjoy touring the island by rental golf cart (many places to rent carts from) and checking out the restaurants/bars and local attractions.

When we stayed at Millers we docked at the end of a finger dock where the stern of our boat overlooked the mooring buoys. My wife and I enjoyed having a couple beverages while relaxing on our boat watching some people try to hook a mooring buoy in a little bit of wind. Cheap entertainment there I tell ya. Millers would only be about a 5 minute walk to the heart of downtown Put-In-Bay and the centre of the park in Put-In-Bay which gives you a great view looking out into the waters of Put-In-Bay and the various marinas. Perry's Monument is cool to go up and get a fantastic 360 degree view of the waters around Put-In-Bay.

Have fun.
Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

Millers is a good marina, but call them as soon as you decide on a date. The buoys are vary convenient with the taxy if you cant get a slip. We have stayed at Kelly's lots of times, for sure a little more laid back. You are in for a treat at PIB its a great time, prepare to have fun.

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Current Boat - '04 328 Vista "Be As You Are"

Previous Boats
'04 268 Vista
'97 238 Vista
'94 210 Marada
'88 175 Sunbird

We have a place up on Middle bass island, there are three bars /restaurants on the Island. Walleyes ( Great place) , Hazzards (Back up and running, Neat area) and Uncle Joes Pizza. Eddie runs the place, Great guy. Middle bass is a more laid back area.. (Our hidden secret.) Put In Bay is a total crazy bar island. Lots and Lots to do over there. Great food (Boardwalk) but call ahead and get a slip. Be prepared to be rafted off of though. Their is a new State marina at Middle bass that has open docks you can rent, and then take the Sunny S ferry over to PIB. Kellys island is a great place as well , Dockers bar and the Casino are great places, Strawberry shots at Bag the Moon are awesome.

I have a 18' Horizon and I run all over the place, I as well put in at Catawba state park dock and cruise over to Middle bass Island. Usually 1' - 2' waves on normal days, its calmer once your are on the west side of PIB. Keep your radar up cause it can change quickly. I would recommend getting a map of the islands due to some shallow areas around the islands, East Point of Middle bass has a rock ledge that goes out around a quarter mile and it is only a couple feet deep. There is a Green Chanel marker you can go out around, and watch out for Shallow water between Sugar Island and Middle bass. It is the same, 2' with a grassy bottom , we go out and around sugar to get the coves and dock and hang out on the north side of middle bass. All in all a great place to go.

Best of luck, let me know what weekend your going up, were up there 2 - 3 weekends a Month.. Id love to show you around Middle bass. We have Golf carts and Jeeps to run around on. actually let me know and you might be able to use our slip if I dont have our boat up there.

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

Thanks for all the replies everyone I really appreciate it! The plan so far is to launch and head straight to PIB since it will be a weekday hopefully we can avoid some of the crazy drunks and just enjoy what the island has to offer. After a night there either at Miller's or on a mooring ball(never done that before) we will head over to Kelley's Island for 3 nights. Has anyone stayed over night on the mooring ball in PIB and how was it?

The other option is to spend all day at PIB and then head over to Middle Bass to stay the night. My concern is with a very pregnant wife staying on a mooring ball with no a/c might make for a very poor night of sleep.

I figure from Kelley's we can take day trips and explore Middle Bass, go walleye fishing, or return to PIB if we find something we like there but at least we will have a slip to return to every night. I currently have Thurs-Sat reserved at Portside Marina on Kelley's. We originally only planned 2 nights there but the guy on the phone was so enthusiastic about Kelley's Island and his marina we booked a 3rd night

We received our Lake Erie chart plotter chip in the mail yesterday and we've also been studying our charts so hopefully we can avoid all the shoals. We are getting really excited to explore the area so hopefully we have good weather...I've heard horror stories about Lake Erie chop and how quickly it builds.


Thanks Toddely! I will send you a PM

_________________
Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

My wife and I have stayed on the mooring ball in PIB and very much enjoyed doing it. Your right about considering the overnight temperatures though, especially if its really above average temperature overnight and you don't have a genny where you could cool the boat down if needed with AC. But it is enjoyable on the mooring buoy where the little ferry boat will come get you from your boat and drop you off on the dock with a simple VHF radio call. I like Portside Marina, but if it where me I'd probably do two nights in PIB and two at Portside instead of one in PIB and 3 at Portside. There is more to do and see in PIB, but Kelly's Island is certainly nice to visit as well. I wanted to stay at Middle Bass when we took our boating vacation 4 weeks ago but gale force wind warnings took Middle Bass out of our itinerary.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

All good information we plan on going next week travelling from Lake St. Clair to Put in Bay area .
Will likely stay on Detroit river at Bob-Lo island Sunday night and travel across the lake first thing in the morning.
Wife's first time across Lake Erie and she is very nervous of the bigger water. Taken me the last two summers to talk her into the trip.

That would be starting Monday Aug 17 to Friday or may stay the weekend also.

May even take in Cedar Point but all options open at this time.
Have never stayed tied to a mooring buoy for the night sounds like may be a fun option. We have generator but rarely ever use.

We have no reservations since we have been told should not be an issue through the week.
No schedule, just wing it !!!!

Thanks again for the Information.

Anyone in the area that would like to get together for libations and some food please don't hesitate to contact us.

Pm us and will provide cell phone number

juslaxin22@gmail.com

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Jus Laxin
2002 Four Winns 328 Vista
Mitchells Bay, Ontario, Canada
2006 Rinker 270 Fiesta Vee
1977 Stracraft 25, Hardtop
1957 Yellow Rubber Ducky

We will be back up on the 21st for the weekend. If anyone is up there let me know we can try and meet up for a beer. Enjoy your week fellas.

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

Looks like we will all be there around the same time, we might have to have a Four Winns rendezvous.

_________________
Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"