Boating the Mississippi River

[Ramblin Wreck]

Does anyone have any first hand experience boating the Mississippi? If so, can you share your experiences?

Any must-sees? Any section(s) to stay away from?

 

[swatski]

Just stay away from all the SaintLunatics on here and you will be safe!

But seriously - @007, @jcyamaharider, and @sstegh crews know the Mississippi confluence (w/Missouri and Illinois rivers) probably better than anyone.

 

[RiverRat]

I've been boating the upper Mississippi for 32 years(my whole life). Its my happy place. It can be intimidating for sure, but with a little research and an understanding of how the river works and how to read the surface, it can be no problem. What part of the river are you looking to boat?

 

[Scott Huse]

I've been boating the upper Mississippi for 32 years(my whole life). Its my happy place. It can be intimidating for sure, but with a little research and an understanding of how the river works and how to read the surface, it can be no problem. What part of the river are you looking to boat?

I was thinking about taking a trip on the river between Wisconsin and Iowa any experiences there?

 

[RiverRat]

I've been boating on Pool 9 (Wisconsin on the east side, Minnesota and Iowa on the west) my whole life. It's my favorite place to be. My family has a place near De Soto.

Pool 8( by La Crosse) is very nice as is Pool 10( Prairie Du Chein). Let me know where about you want to go and I can hopefully point you toward a good launch. And depending on when, I might be out there and can meet up or something.

Also welcome aboard!

 

[RiverRat]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/umnwfr-upper-mississippi-national-wildlife-and-fish-refuge.7091/



@Scott Huse
Check out this thread for more Upper Mississippi specific stuff.

 

[Scott Huse]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/umnwfr-upper-mississippi-national-wildlife-and-fish-refuge.7091/



@Scott Huse
Check out this thread for more Upper Mississippi specific stuff.

Thanks for the info, I'm not sure exactly where I want to go. I just don't want to be confined to a small lake and like to adventure. I was thinking about the dubuque area because I thought I might be able to find a place I could spend the night on the water with a pier so I could enjoy a few days in a row.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Peelz]

We are in pool 19, from Oquawka, IL, to Keokuk Iowa. Theres some cool places to beach and hang out... or just cruise up and down... BUT, my opinion is the the water level needs to be 12' or below. Last year, for the first time since being a boating family, late summer was absolutely stellar.

Ive linked you the navigation charts of the upper part of the river. (my area is chart #'s 87-97) hover your cursor over the areas on the left, and it will bring up the charts for each section, you can open as pdf. Each chart is 7 miles i think. Watch for wingdams.

http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Navigation-Charts/Upper-Mississippi-River/

Is it spring yet?

 

[Peelz]

oh see you are in Janesville...

looking farther north, and wanting places to stay. Area between lacrosse and dubuque has TONS of restaurants on the river. many more places to stay. Sadly, Not much in the way of that in our pool.

There are way more marinas than we have as well. seems to be less current up there also.

small town of Lansing was nice(from a motorcycling and watching boaters perspective lol) but that whole area is beautiful

 

[RiverRat]

oh see you are in Janesville...

looking farther north, and wanting places to stay. Area between lacrosse and dubuque has TONS of restaurants on the river. many more places to stay. Sadly, Not much in the way of that in our pool.

There are way more marinas than we have as well. seems to be less current up there also.

small town of Lansing was nice(from a motorcycling and watching boaters perspective lol) but that whole area is beautiful

Lansing is right across the river from us, I love that town.

 

[Peelz]

Lansing is right across the river from us, I love that town.

yeah its gorgeous. I enjoyed the old steel bridge.... Wifey and I sat on the terrace at one of the diners on a corner there... watching the bikers and boaters go by, and overdosed on cheese curds. LOL seems to be a more common MN/WI delicacy than Id see here. did the Iowa side up, Wisconsin side down....Stopped at that nonsensically ginormous Cabelas shop, seemingly in the middle of nowhere....

planning a river ride for June to visit some friends in LaCrescent, MN. I'm sure well stop there again. I was jealous of all the marinas, and riverside bars. Our area is missing an opportunity, in my opinion.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Pool 26 here. I love the fact we can hit up the Mississippi river then go over to the more calm Illinois river for some water sports activities. More like a lake on that side that flows slow. Before I met the rest of the crew in my Xr1800 days we boated the Missouri River. People may have called me crazy but we had local hangouts like the rest.

 

[swatski]

Before I met the rest of the crew in my Xr1800 days we boated the Missouri River. People may have called me crazy but we had local hangouts like the rest.

Where do you launch on Missouri? I did it once off of the 2nd and Olive (just South of 370) years ago, it was a bit challenging. I would love to make some trips to Washington or even Herman, would be pushing the range but doable.

--

 

[jcyamaharider]

Where do you launch on Missouri? I did it once off of the 2nd and Olive (just South of 370) years ago, it was a bit challenging. I would love to make some trips to Washington or even Herman, would be pushing the range but doable.

--

I have launched in Washington ( wouldn't do it again even if you paid me ) New Haven ( most of the time ) and Hermann. That is the area that we typically boated when on the Missouri. No Fuel docks in the area either.

 

[buckbuck]

People may have called me crazy

Some of us still do.

 

[jcyamahariders wife]

If you want to hear crazy for Jerry . . . . . Before wake wedge was released he tested his wedge design in the Missouri river in New Haven access when it was at almost flood level and the water was like chocolate milk. My dad braved going with us think he even took video and of nerve racking event !

 

[jcyamahariders wife]

Oh and testing his perfect pass install in a wicked storm on the Missouri river at the Hermann access and his bunk boards came off and I had to jump in to save them. He has no fear sometimes gotta love him ! @jcyamaharider

 

[jcyamaharider]

Those were minor! LOL

 

[SCP1]

I was thinking about taking a trip on the river between Wisconsin and Iowa any experiences there?

I've been from Dubuque, IA up to the Twin Cities, MN. As well up the St. Croix just north of Stillwater, MN. I'm some what bias as I went to school in this area however my favorite part is south of Lake Pepin (which Redwing, MN is on the north end of Lake Pepin) and North of Lacrosse. One key thing to note is the barges do not push out huge waves as a normal boat, they throw huge turbulence waves behind the props. Make sure you pass off to the side rather than getting close behind and trying to pass. They are huge rolling waves! Also if you traveling through the locks it takes about 2 hours or more for a bardge to go through a lock as they have to break them apart to get them through (so it's easy to get stuck in a pool).

 

[Peelz]

I've been from Dubuque, IA up to the Twin Cities, MN. As well up the St. Croix just north of Stillwater, MN. I'm some what bias as I went to school in this area however my favorite part is south of Lake Pepin (which Redwing, MN is on the north end of Lake Pepin) and North of Lacrosse. One key thing to note is the barges do not push out huge waves as a normal boat, they throw huge turbulence waves behind the props. Make sure you pass off to the side rather than getting close behind and trying to pass. They are huge rolling waves! Also if you traveling through the locks it takes about 2 hours or more for a bardge to go through a lock as they have to break them apart to get them through (so it's easy to get stuck in a pool).

if you hit those just right, and not too close to the barge, they can be fun.