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The Illinois Chain O’ Lakes
Yeah, sure, Chicago has its famous lakefront. But there’s another water wonderland in Illinois, just about an hour’s drive from the Windy City, where boaters can enjoy 15 lakefronts that are all connected. The Chain O’ Lakes, sometimes called the Northern Illinois Chain O’ Lakes or the Fox Chain O’ Lakes, stretches 45 miles from […] Read More
The Complete Listing of Marinas and Locks on the Inland and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways
Catching Summer Catfish
Updated 8/5/21 “They’re the biggest fish around,” answered Jeremy Leach when asked why he targets Midwest catfish. “There’s nothing to match the rush of catching a fifty- or sixty-pound cat!” That rush has reached Leach at least a dozen times during the quarter-century he’s been in the hunt. His largest is 58-pound blue cat. He […] Read More
Exiting a Sinking Boat
I belong to a club, one composed of those who’ve had to abandon ship. Membership is simple: Just believe, as I did 30 years ago, that basic boat maintenance and responsible navigation are for wimps. Sure, there are unforeseen situations — semi-submerged debris or inexplicable equipment failure — that can cause a vessel to go […] Read More
Summer Breeze: Lake Lanier, Georgia
Nestled in Georgia’s northeastern countryside, Lake Lanier (a.k.a. Lake Sidney Lanier) is the state’s largest lake, boasting some 38,000 acres of water and 692 miles of shoreline spanning five counties. This splendid retreat, which gets its name from favorite son/poet Sidney Lanier, offers an idyllic locale that lures enthusiasts to what is considered a mega-boating […] Read More
Inland Inspirations: Those Who Helped Shape Boating on Heartland Waters
For some people, boating is a pastime enjoyed casually and, perhaps, briefly. For others, it’s a calling that becomes a lifelong passion. Among the latter group, here are a few of the individuals and families who stand out as major contributors to boating on Heartland waters. RON & EVA STOB Ron and Eva Stob opened […] Read More
Secrets of the Great Lakes
Why do they call them the Great Lakes and not the Good Lakes? Because they’re Great! Indeed, glacier-carved Superior, Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Erie make up the largest interconnected body of fresh water on the planet — accounting for 20 percent of the world’s surface fresh water. The lakes are surrounded by 4,530 miles of […] Read More
Tested: Harris V270
For the record, I own a Harris pontoon boat. It’s a 20-foot FloteBote model of mid-1990s vintage and my everyday fishing craft. I keep it at a local, all-pontoon boat club comprised of about 100 members who dock our craft along the shore of a local water supply impoundment. My FloteBote is a basic, no-frills […] Read More
The Complete Listing of Marinas and Locks on the Inland and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways
Cruising The Great Horseshoe
A book excerpt from “Halcyon Days: Cruising America” by Bill and Ellen Fiero. We were in Eufaula to service engines and provision. The town, built on the bluffs over the Chattahoochee River and on the site of a former Creek village, is one of the beauties of Alabama. Brilliant azaleas and dogwoods bloomed along the […] Read More