Hill Country Lakes - Great State of Texas

[Driller]

What lake so you mainly boat on?

Favorite Restaurant / club / hangout?

What is you favorite Marina?

Secret Hideouts (that you don't want to be a secret any longer?

Recommendations?

[Driller]

I'll start.

I slip my boat on Lake Travis and don't have a trailer, so I'm pretty much stuck with that lake.

So far we've eaten at Gnarly Gar, Sundancer Grill, and Ernie's Dockside. Went out to Ernie's weekend before last and the water is so low the only docking is a good way from the restaurant. Didn't eat. Been up Sandy Creek and scoped out Shack 512, but it got late before my company made a decision and I didn't have my GPS then, so passed. I really want to try Canyon Grille at Rough Hollow looks like it is a little more upscale with better food, but I need to check out the docking situation. Maybe this weekend.

I pretty much use the Crosswater Yacht Club for fuel and ice. They have good attendants to help dock and they fill the boat for you. They pre-add stabilizer to the fuel and I have not had a problem in 2 seasons. It is just North of Hurst Harbor. It is very close to my slip, so that is a plus also. Only Marina on the lake I know of with Ethanol free is Lakeway Marina.

I've given up on Devils Cove. Too deep to anchor my boat reliably and crowded. Plus on the South end of the lake the traffic is a lot more dense that further north. Lately I've been going up to Point Venture. Now that the water is lower there's a "Beach" and you can anchor up in 10' of water and it is 5-3' just a little behind the boat. Hasn't been too crowded the last 2 weekends.

I recommend boating during the week if possible. Failing that, hit the water as early as possible. Beat the heat and the traffic. Doesn't get crowded until around 1 o'clock.

[Ytmsn]

I dont know anything about the lakes but the Hill Country is a little piece of Heaven on Earth. My favorite part of the state next to east Texas.

[rrfisher]

Ytmsn, East Texas > Hill Country? Come on man...

I started the season on Travis. I trailer and my main ramp was Cypress Creek until they closed it due to depth, now I launch from Jones Brothers Park. Early in the season Travis was OK, but it's getting too busy for the times I can be on it and beats my little 206 to death over around the Starnes Island headed towards Devil's Cove area.

We did hit up Shack 512, the old Cafe Blue, a couple months ago and it is really good, nice atmosphere and marina. Pretty decent area to ski/tube around there so that's where we spend a majority of our time.

The drive for me to LBJ is an hour so we frequent that lake as well. I much prefer to stay a few days at Horseshoe Bay during the week because that lake is a ghost town Monday-Thursday. HB marina is top notch and for the $45/day slip fee they back you in/pull you out and then take your trailer to the airport drop it off and bring back your truck which is extremely convenient. The brand new slip I had was probably 12 X 35, but no lift. If we're not on the boat we go to the HB Yacht Club, food, drinks, nice pool/spa/beach. Top it off with great people watching (saw Anna Kournikova), we love the whole set up.

We really like Lake Belton as well, but haven't made it up there this season.

[Ytmsn]

Northeast Texas. I like pine trees!

[Driller]

Northeast Texas. I like pine trees!

Spoken as a true Okie.

[Photo_G]

Ok, I'll jump in. We're slipped in Lake Travis too (almost a year now) and don't even own a trailer anymore...I'm not missing it myself. There is a lot to see and do here! The Gnarly Gar is pretty decent. When there's live music on the deck, we like to get food to-go and "dine in", if we can get a front courtesy slip. Tried to boat to the Rough Hollow grill on a Friday night, but there were no courtesy docks open (it looks like there are only four spots, but I could be mistaken). I've been there before though, and the food and view are both great!

My favorite marina has to be Lakeway. Nice folks over there! I'd like to find a few quiet hideouts that are still accessible (currently -23 ft.)...mostly, we just float near the cliffs. Went to Devil's Cove once, it was cool but doesn't look like the kind of place that we would frequent.

Starnes, a.k.a., Rattlesnake, Island (not a secret) was awesome on July 3rd...it was among the best fireworks display that we've ever seen!!

G

[Driller]

Starnes, a.k.a., Rattlesnake, Island (not a secret) was awesome on July 3rd...it was among the best fireworks display that we've ever seen!!

Yep, we were out there also. Looked like driving a freeway with all the boats headed back home.

[Driller]

We're slipped in Lake Travis too (almost a year now) and don't even own a trailer anymore...I'm not missing it myself. There is a lot to see and do here!

ATX is slipped on Travis also, that makes 3 of us that I know of.

[Big Block Power]

We're slipped in Lake Travis too (almost a year now) and don't even own a trailer anymore...I'm not missing it myself. There is a lot to see and do here!

ATX is slipped on Travis also, that makes 3 of us that I know of.

And still no pictures of a meet up!

[Ytmsn]

That's because they're Texans, and Austin Texans at that! I have had some sightings though... here are the pictures.

They're generally real good folks though. Just don't piss a Texan off!

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[Photo_G]

Ouch...

[Driller]

That's because they're Texans, and Austin Texans at that! I have had some sightings though... here are the pictures.

They're generally real good folks though. Just don't piss a Texan off!
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You must have been cruising one of the "high dollar" marinas to get those pics. My neighborhood is decidedly down scale from that area.

[rrfisher]

They just closed 2 of 3 ramps at Jones Brother park which is a bummer as that's where I launch. So my options for Travis is launch with no courtesy dock or fight the Mansfield crowd. We need some rain.

[Photo_G]

We need some rain.

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