Recreation - it's in our name!

America has some swell lakes in its National Recreation Areas. Great places to pull your houseboat into a secluded cove, park on the beach, set up a Frisbee golf course, and fire up the grill for the fish you just caught. Where else can you do all of this under the watchful eyes of a bald eagle flying overhead, or with that herd of big horn sheep looking on from across the beach?

America's favorite waterways, flowing with recreation and relaxation, are getting ready for an exciting summer ahead. Most rental rates are the same as last year, some are even lower, and gas prices are still way down. So which lake are you planning to be on this summer?

Check out 2009 houseboat rental rates
Many rates are the same or lower than last season!

In this issue of Waterways we take a fresh look at Lake Mead, a true fishing mecca with great wildlife for you to experience and tons of fun to be had by your entire crew. There's also a handy listing of Mead's bass tournaments this year and a delicious bass recipe for the grill.

Happy Houseboating!

Houseboating fun is alive and well on amazing Lake Mead

So everyone keeps asking "What's the scoop" on the water level at Lake Mead? Glad you asked. With local snow pack currently at 104% of normal and with the lake at over 50% full, the forecast lake level for this year should be the same- maybe even up 10 feet or so depending on Spring weather.

But remember, this huge lake still has over 500 miles of shoreline, is still 85 miles long, still has huge basins to move around in, is still over 300 feet deep in the Colorado Channel and has over 250 square miles of surface area, still... It's one huge lake.

We asked Randy Roundtree, Callville Bay Marina General Manager, what he thought about the lake level: "There is more than enough water to have a blast in for you and thousands of people, and there are plenty of watercraft available. The party areas are bigger, there are many new clean beaches without vegetation and there is also less vegetation in the water. And the fishing is still great!"

Houseboats are available at two Lake Mead Marinas; (1) Callville Bay on the Nevada side, and (2) Temple Bar Marina in Arizona.

So, there you have it, a thirty-minute drive over Sunset Mountain from Las Vegas. The 11th most visited tourist destination in the USA with plenty of water, beaches and fish to go around.

Lake Mead was America's first National Recreation Area and locals will tell you it is still the best. The contrast of desert and water, mountains and canyons makes this a unique playground with some sweet scenic views. Try paddling a canoe along a steep red rock cliff. Peek into the many caves that line the waters edge. Jet skis, wake boards, knee boards, and water toys of all kinds are super popular here. Randy reports that divers are seeing 30 foot clarity. With over 250 square miles of lake surface, there is definitely room for everyone.

Perhaps the best part of lower water
is the wider beaches and even better fishing

Lake Mead Wildlife
Did you know that the Lake Mead Recreation Area is home to an amazing variety of wildlife? Keep your eyes open on the shore for big horn sheep , Mule Deer , Coyotes , kit foxes , Bobcats , ringtail cats , desert tortoise , and numerous lizards and snakes. Boat on over to the Temple Bar area. It is especially popular for wild burro herd sightings (see map #2).

With over 240 kinds of birds recorded on or around the water, dedicated bird watchers might call this a paradise. Keep an eye out for majestic bald eagles soaring overhead and hummingbirds darting and diving a little closer in. Try wading up to a blue heron fishing on the shoreline (well, it's the thought that counts) with a wingspan of over 5 feet. The north/south migration routes, along with all of the fresh water here in the middle of the desert, make this an ideal bird stopover. Don't forget your binoculars.

Bass Fishing at its Best
You can fish for bass on Lake Mead all season long, and dine well too. On the East Coast, bass is considered a delicacy. To help you get started, without a menu and waiter, the Marina Shop has a fully stocked fishing department, a friendly staff with lots of advice on where the best bites are, and help getting a local fishing guide if you'd like.

Get a fishing license on the spot too and find out which other fish are biting while you are there! And check out the Bass Tournament and Sportfishing information in this issue.

There you go... With over 500 miles of accessible shoreline, soaring red rock cliffs, abundant wildlife, plentiful fishing, sandy beaches, activities galore, friendly hosts and a sun drenched location within an hour of Las Vegas, Lake Mead is hard to beat.

Gettin' Hitched at Lake Mead

This could be the best kept secret in Nevada! Yes, it's true... people are getting married at Lake Mead, and more often than you might think. "If you have an idea for your special day with Lake Mead as your backdrop, we can pull it off for you" says Bump Elliot, Food and Beverage Director and our Lake Mead wedding guru. With 30+ years of experience on the lake along with his catering talents, Bump's the go-to guy when planning an unusual and unique event on these shores.

Weddings at Lake Mead are no typical affair. The combination of beaches, blue waters, warm evenings and surrounding desert vistas make for a spectacular setting.

Picture this one: A well-groomed beach lined with tiki torches flickering in the setting sunlight. A Polynesian band plays in the background as the barefoot wedding party steps into a future together. Guest attire; Hawaiian shirts and shorts, shoes optional - what bridesmaid wouldn't love that?

Even traditional wedding styles take on a lake like ambiance all their own. "They can be arranged on a beach or on the top deck of a houseboat." Bump says, "Either way, the view is great and the memories are forever." Some weddings have been small intimate affairs with 5 or 6 people and some have had over 150 in attendance.

How to deal with a $1200 cake that's late:
Just deliver it to the wedding in a speedboat!

Overnight accommodations are often arranged for guests and Callville Bay's proximity to Vegas provides an unlimited variety of entertainers. Elvis, aloha, a harp? The choices are endless.

Renewing wedding vows on the water is also a popular tradition at Lake Mead. Recently a couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows at sunset, on the water... in the same cove... where they met 26 years ago.

They arranged to have the same friends who were originally there when they met, together again... only this time, as the groom likes to brag, they "did it in style on the 70' Millennium. We didn't have a jacuzzi on the top deck 25 years ago, and this time everyone had their own state rooms." The reception dinner was served up in style, right on the boat, and after dinner they all danced under a full moon on the top deck.

"It is all in the timing," says Bump. "Bringing the pieces together in perfect sync is what can make or break a wedding or special event. This is what our food and beverage department does best." As Bump tells it, once a party had ordered a large wedding cake that arrived late. The wedding flotilla had already left for the remote beach location. The three-tier cake cost $1200 and Bump was not going to let it miss the main event, or the reception. So the cake was loaded carefully into a speedboat and raced to the location just in time.

The Callville Bay crew have planned special events anywhere from 6 days to 6 months in advance or more. Obviously the more advance notice the better, but either way, you'll find that they'll make the details work for a great event.

To find out more and experience Bump's can do attitude, give the Callville Bay F&B department a call at 702-565-8958.