Top Ten Best Boating Lakes

Top Ten Boating Lakes

When it comes to boating there are plenty of lakes that allow you to have fun. However, there are few lakes that are the best for boating and you should take advantage of the fun these lakes have to offer.

1. Houghton Lake - Michigan

Houghton Lake is the largest inland lake found in the state of Michigan and it is also one of the largest natural inland lakes in the entire United States. The lake is an extremely popular resort and is know for its year round fishing and water sports including ice fishing in the winter.

2. Lake Tarpon – Florida

About ten miles west of Tampa is Lake Tarpon, Florida which has 52 square miles of water. This lake is popular with boaters because of its renowned largemouth bass population. Because of their two largest tributaries, South Creek and Brooker Creek, this is a regional recreational destination that offers some excellent fishing for boaters.

3. Red Lake – Minnesota

In northern Minnesota there is Red Lake which is the second largest natural freshwater lake found in the United States. It is divided into two sections with a peninsula in the middle which is home to the Ponemah community. The size and quality of this lake offers some excellent boating opportunities.

4. Lake Geneva – Lake Geneva

Southwest of Milwaukee there is a resort city located on the edge of Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. Because of railroad access from Chicago this lake has become both an excellent resort and outdoor recreational facility. Everyone can enjoy any type of boating they want at this lake or they can relax beside the lake in one of the many resort communities.

5. Clear Lake – California

The largest natural lake located entirely in California is Clear Lake. Many streams feed this lake, but it only has Cache Creek as the outlet. The lakes capacity and outflow is regulated by a dam located on Cache Creek. It is also believed to be one of the oldest lakes in North America. Due to its large capacity and the fact that it stays at the same depth all year round makes it an excellent lake for boating sports or for fishing.

6. Lake Travis - Texas

On the Colorado River in central Texas there is a reservoir known as Lake Travis. It is a man-made lake after the Mansfield Dam was constructed in 1942. It is popular recreational lake due to its large capacity, which makes it one of the largest of seven reservoirs known as the Highland Lakes.

7. Lake Marion – South Carolina

In South Carolina the largest lake is Lake Marion, which has about 315 miles of shoreline. They offer several public boat ramps so it is easy to get your boats in and out of the water. It is also known for some of the largest fish, which offers excellent opportunities for those who want to catch large fish such as striped bass, trout, white perch, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, Arkansas blue catfish and bream.

8. Lake of the Ozarks – Missouri

In central Missouri the Osage River was impounded to create the large man-made reservoir known as the Lake of the Ozarks. This lake features over 1,150 miles of shoreline. Although much of the shoreline on the lake is privately owned it is also a popular site for recreational activities. In fact it is home to Party Cove, which is one of the most popular boating gathering spots in the United States and has even been featured in several magazines and newspapers.

9. Reelfoot Lake - Tennessee

The northwest portion of Tennessee is home to a shallow natural lake known as Reelfoot Lake. It is more of a swamp and bayou-like ditches rather than a lake. The lake features a system of parks, wildlife refuges, recreation areas and public boat ramps so you can always enjoy the lake no matter what type of boating you do. For those who want to do some fishing it is one of the largest lakes for crappie in the United States.

10. Deep Creek Lake – Maryland

The largest inland body of water found in Maryland is Deep Creek Lake. It is a man-made lake that has a variety of freshwater fish for the fishing enthusiast. While fishing has been the most popular draw for the lake it is also expanding into a recreational boating community during the summer. Some of the fish species found in the lake include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout, rainbow trout, black crappie, walleye, yellow perch, rock bass, bluegill, common carp and northern pike.