Lake Buchanan vs lake LBJ

[Guest]

Fellow Tige owner Kvon and I are setting up our annual guys trip for this summer and looking at hitting a central texas lake. We are looking at Lake Buchanan and LBJ at the moment. Any of you have experience on both? We will be wakeboarding and surfing mostly. Are there areas with good smooth water for wakeboarding? If so what part of the lake are they on? I understand that LBJ is constant level and I am not sure if Buchanan has recovered from the drought the last few years in central texas. Based on that and the house rental options LBJ seems like a better choice. Also how crowded are these lake on a weekend in lets say June? We will pick a non holiday weekend.

As always your advice is greatly appreciated! And open to other lake suggestions in central Texas if I am missing a gem somewhere. Skipping Lake Travis at the moment just because we spend so much time there.

[skyski_tige]

If you want the ultimate riding in Texas... Try the Trinity river just North of Huntsville. There is a camp ground where you can either get a room or rent a trailer.

http://www.bethycreek.com

Miles and miles and miles of glass

Only downside is if Dallas gets a bunch of rain. The river sometimes is flooded with debre.

Another bonus is that Bethy Creek has a 2.0 cable park onsite.

[Guest]

We have gone there two years in a row for the guys trip and it is the ultimate water for boarding. We just want to go somewhere new with nicer water as in less debris and cleaner. Half the guys are not into boarding and just like to swim and drink. Bethy will always be a go to place for us.

[Kimber]

We went to LBJ last summer and found a cove that had good water most of the morning, but by afternoon there were too many boats. This was mid July. I grew up going to LBJ, and I can remember always waking up at daylight in order to have the good water. After mid-morning, it becomes a lake for tubers only!

Haven't been to Buchanan in 20 years, but I believe the water level is back.

That Bethy Creek place looks awesome. Is it easy to figure out where safe water is? Or do I just head up river and I am fine?

[Guest]

I wonder how deep the water is up the colorado and llano river arms on the north end of LBJ, that would at least be protected from the wind and most of the wallys.

Bethy is easy, once you find your way out of the cove, which is tricky, you simply head either up the river or down it and you have buttah for miles!

[Kimber]

On LBJ, I know you don't want to go up the Llano arm very far bc it gets shallow with big rocks in random places. You can go for miles up the Colorado, and it's decent water.

[skyski_tige]

We have gone there two years in a row for the guys trip and it is the ultimate water for boarding. We just want to go somewhere new with nicer water as in less debris and cleaner. Half the guys are not into boarding and just like to swim and drink. Bethy will always be a go to place for us.

Don't forget about the big *** gators and alligator gars!

[skyski_tige]

We went to LBJ last summer and found a cove that had good water most of the morning, but by afternoon there were too many boats. This was mid July. I grew up going to LBJ, and I can remember always waking up at daylight in order to have the good water. After mid-morning, it becomes a lake for tubers only!

Haven't been to Buchanan in 20 years, but I believe the water level is back.

That Bethy Creek place looks awesome. Is it easy to figure out where safe water is? Or do I just head up river and I am fine?

For Bethy Creek. The local wakeboard group is doing a 'Round up' in April 29-May 1 at Bethy Creek Resort
http://www.gcwa.com

Junior can show you how to get through 'the cut'. I usually go up river in case something happens to the boat, I can just drift back to the take out point.

The Trinity is very deep (40+ feet in most places). You can go for an hour without having to turn around.

[Ewok]

We have gone there two years in a row for the guys trip and it is the ultimate water for boarding. We just want to go somewhere new with nicer water as in less debris and cleaner. Half the guys are not into boarding and just like to swim and drink. Bethy will always be a go to place for us.

You should check out lake Amistad. I used to live there, beautiful clean water and many finger coves to find glass on the most blowout days. If you decide to go shoot me a PM and I'll let you in on the secret local spots and hidden rocks

[Guest]

Ewok - We have been to Amistad and it is awesome, we rented a houseboat a few years ago and spent most of our time in the "flats". We are looking for a shorter drive for the guys in Austin and Houston than Amistad.

I found a cool house to rent up near where the colorado and llano split up on LBJ. Looks like there is a nice skinny section of the lake that goes for about 3.5 miles down to the bigger body of the lake, assuming google maps 1000ft key is correct. Need to find someone that knows that part of the lake to be sure it is not too shallow and ride-able.

[Kimber]

Ewok - We have been to Amistad and it is awesome, we rented a houseboat a few years ago and spent most of our time in the "flats". We are looking for a shorter drive for the guys in Austin and Houston than Amistad.

I found a cool house to rent up near where the colorado and llano split up on LBJ. Looks like there is a nice skinny section of the lake that goes for about 3.5 miles down to the bigger body of the lake, assuming google maps 1000ft key is correct. Need to find someone that knows that part of the lake to be sure it is not too shallow and ride-able.

We cruised up and down that section back in July. It is only going to get shallow on the west side, so favor the east side. You will have decent cruising up and down there, with all the other boats!

There is one big sandbar area that I know about on the main lake, and it is visible on most aerial maps, but not visible by boat. Pull up Google Maps and find Beaver Island Rd - on the east side of the lake and looks like and island that goes out. Then switch from Map vies to Satellite - then the sandbar will show up. I think there is a buoy or 2 marking this area.

[Guest]

Thanks Kimber! Did you venture up past that sandbar (I saw it on google maps) up the Llano and Colorado and would you consider this area a decent wakeboarding area? We would board early and late, it sounds like there are cruisers in this area.

[Kimber]

Thanks Kimber! Did you venture up past that sandbar (I saw it on google maps) up the Llano and Colorado and would you consider this area a decent wakeboarding area? We would board early and late, it sounds like there are cruisers in this area.

Yes, I covered the whole area while there - pulling tubers. Head north from the sandbar and up into the Colorado and water should be decent. Just a lot of cruisers in that area. Early and late you will be good to go.

[upper20]

Never been on Buchanan, but have been going to LBJ for years. If you can go during the week, the Colorado River portion will be great. However; if you go on a weekend in June, July, or August, you are going to be disappointed.

[Guest]

Kimber & upper20 - thx for the detail on this area of LBJ, sounds like exactly what we need. We hope to get there on a Thursday so we have Thursday and Friday before the crowds get there. Sounds like this area of LBJ is the ticket. Now just need to get guys committed to a weekend.

And thanks for the info everyone, as usual Tigeowners rocks!