Looking for Ideas on the best camping spot on the Flowage

[jason6586]

Hello,

Its been a couple years since I have been up to camp and fish on the flowage and we are planning on going during the 2nd week in June. I would like to know everyone's ideas on what the best island camping spot on the flowage is. I would like a very secluded nice site for my gf and I, it would be our anniversary so its a special week-weekend. I have stayed at a few over the years, they all were nice but I keep thinking there is the "crown jewel campsite" on the Crown Jewel of WI i just couldn't find it. Any ideas would be great, even better if you may have a pic or two to post. I'm not very worried about access we will be in a small aluminum boat.

Thanks In Advance!

[George G]

I know they closed some of the camp sites due to the tornado. Not sure if they have been able to open some of those. Some were really heavily damaged. I don't think they have reprinted the brocure either showing what are closed. Try contacting the warden in Mercer Wisconsin. Just go to the DNR site and you can find the contact information their. Enjoy your camping, it is still excellent. 2 walley limit. Take care.

[Tom502]

Not an answer to the original question, but a note to let everyone know that WI-DNR has done a 2011 update on the TFF lake map (showing campsites) and there also is an updated listing of campsites showing GPS coordinates.

The link is:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/facilities/turtleflambeau/index.html

Look in the "Whats New" box on the right hand side of the page.

Tight Lines,

Tom502

[Ron J.]

Jason -

Since it is your anniversary with your girlfriend I think you need to ask Tiny to show you were Mattress Island is....

On a more serious note, here are the direct links to what Tom posted:

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/facilities/turtleflambeau/documents/2011Turtle-FlambeauMap.pdf

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/facilities/turtleflambeau/documents/GPSCoordinates2011.pdf

Never stayed there, but R-7 by the entrance to Rat Lake looks pretty secluded.

Good luck!
Ron

[jason6586]

Thanks for all the information. Has anyone ever been down to the R-14 & R-15 areas? If so what is that like. We never made it down that far. About how long should it take to get there from Springstead? The last couple times we stayed there we were at f-15 & f-10.

Thanks

[ski2313]

Where would mattess island be? Sounds like the kind of place I could take the wife on a scenic tour this summer!

[jason6586]

I guess i could take a look at "mattress island" also. Where is that located? Like i said has anyone ever stayed or went by campsites number R-14 & R-15. They look to be way out there and i would think quite quiet. I'm going to be taking a small boat and by the way the map looks it may be a long trek from springstead. Any idea on how long with a 16' v bottom and a 15hp. Also is it a nice campsite(s).

Thanks

[perchoreno]

I have never looked at the campsites, but I can tell you that the area is waytahell downdalake, and I would expect it is a 20 minute+ ride from Springstead in your boat, minimum, and if your boat isn't fairly deep draft, it could be dangerous if you had to negotiate the big water in a storm, or high winds on an emergency basis. Also that area is very shallow and flat and ....
buggy at night due to bogs, and some larger stagnant areas. There might be some panfish in the weeds down there, but the water is so shallow I would expect warm weather to pretty well clear bigger gamefish due to water temps. And I can't guarantee panfish, I never fished them down there, as I didn't like the flatness of the areas.

As for seclusion, yes it is secluded at night, however during the day there is almost always one or four or eight boats that slowly negotiate their way down there to see what it looks like, because it is waytahell downdalake. True, and totally within character for intrepid explorers braving the waters of the TFF. We watch em from up lake and always hope they don't hit something and require a tow 7 miles back to a landing. If you are just camping to camp it will probably be fine but somewhat buggy. If you are fishing, there are better places to camp on the flowage, and much more central to many fishing areas. If you don't like skeeters or deerflies, there are many sites on the flowage that are much fresher wind wise, to camp.

[jason6586]

I have never looked at the campsites, but I can tell you that the area is waytahell downdalake, and I would expect it is a 20 minute+ ride from Springstead in your boat, minimum, and if your boat isn't fairly deep draft, it could be dangerous if you had to negotiate the big water in a storm, or high winds on an emergency basis. Also that area is very shallow and flat and ....
buggy at night due to bogs, and some larger stagnant areas. There might be some panfish in the weeds down there, but the water is so shallow I would expect warm weather to pretty well clear bigger gamefish due to water temps. And I can't guarantee panfish, I never fished them down there, as I didn't like the flatness of the areas.

As for seclusion, yes it is secluded at night, however during the day there is almost always one or four or eight boats that slowly negotiate their way down there to see what it looks like, because it is waytahell downdalake. True, and totally within character for intrepid explorers braving the waters of the TFF. We watch em from up lake and always hope they don't hit something and require a tow 7 miles back to a landing. If you are just camping to camp it will probably be fine but somewhat buggy. If you are fishing, there are better places to camp on the flowage, and much more central to many fishing areas. If you don't like skeeters or deerflies, there are many sites on the flowage that are much fresher wind wise, to camp.

Well if the water level is low i can imagine it being stagnant. I have never made the trek down that far and maybe i wont again this year. I also looked at the map and saw the one lone campsite on blair lake. Anyone have any input on that campsite. I figured that someone would be posting some pictures from campsites they have stayed at, hopefully some will come. Thanks for the information, hope to keep it coming.

[ski2313]

the Blair site has a steep grade to get up to it... kind of a pain in the butt, and not much space at all for tents, etc.. Gets alot of traffic back there, too, at times..

[sbarick]

c-8 used to be the best site untill the tornado erased it. i want to try some of the ones on the way to the bonnies mounds area this year. they looked nice

[Randy]

R7 is a nice kinda quiet campsite. Not a lot of traffic back in Rat Lake and los of places to fish in that area. Bugs can be a problem back there as you're really sheltered from any wind.

We always stayed on R5 when we camped. It's not exactly secluded but Lake Ten gets a lot less traffic than other areas and it's a really nice and convenient campsite. Ther's also a ton of places to fish nearby.

Good luck and have fun!

[jason6586]

I see on the map that there are R & F designations for the campsites. What does this mean? Also how many of the campsites in the designated quiet area were damaged? Do the campsites listed on the 2011 map that someone posted a link for mean all of them are open or are some of them damaged and closed?

Thanks

[ski2313]

I could be wrong (not likely hehe), but R= rustic, ie just a campfire ring and john.. and F=family, ie campfire ring, john, and log table..

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

The ones shown on the 2011 map are all open.

[jason6586]

I'm still looking over the map and may take a look at F-15. Anyone ever stay there or know any detail about it?

Thanks

[the other andy]

Very nice site, also VERY popular. There's a stump in the channel there that you can get hung up on, so be careful. Has a picnic table, good fishing within a close proximity. Not very private as the site is in view of the channel and there is quite a bit of traffic through there. Show up early in the week or it will be occupied.

[mikesgotone]

There's not a single campsite on the flowage that could possibly disapoint. Unless there's a crazy tornado, of course.