Lake Tahoe Boating & Several Important Tips for a Fun Trip

By Andy Whitcomb

Nov 13, 2017

Lake Tahoe is a popular western destination. Many types of boating and water sports are available.  

Lake Tahoe is a famous lake on the border between California and Nevada. Lake Tahoe is big; about 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, fed by 63 tributaries. Lake Tahoe boating is extremely popular not just because of this size, but it is also a unique destination because it is incredibly deep with a staggering maximum depth of over 1600 feet. That’s well over twice the length of line you have on your spinning reel!

A brief search on the internet reveals that there are a wide range of opportunities for Lake Tahoe water sports. Besides lake kayaking and stand up paddle boards, there are other lake boat options such as guided cruises, Jet Ski rentals, and even parasailing for the truly insane, I mean, “adventuresome.”  There are numerous events to check out, too, such as sailboat racing and a wooden boat show.

Besides keeping your boat registration up to date, there are other Lake Tahoe boating tips to keep in mind. For example, make sure you have all of the safety equipment on your boat for seriously big water. It looks like there is even a coast guard presence there. And with so many water sports available, be sure to watch out for other water crafts and share the water responsibly.

And what good would Lake Tahoe boating tips be without including a fishing report to let you know where to boat?  When I’m on a boat, I need to be fishing.  From the reports I’m reading, Tahoe lake boats have opportunities to chase deep, coldwater species such as Kokanee salmon (landlocked sockeye salmon) and lake trout, which the locals may refer to as Mackinaw trout. At the tackle shops or marinas, you may even hear these fish referred to as “kokes” and “macs” for short. You also can try to hook a rainbow and brown trout while kayaking in Lake Tahoe or you may find it worthwhile to hire a charter boats to try to learn some of the time-saving techniques, lures, and locations first.

Although winter is almost here, there is still time to experience some Lake Tahoe boating if you are in the area. And it looks like there is something for everyone. Have you experienced Lake Tahoe boating?

Andy Whitcomb
Andy Whitcomb
Andy is an outdoor writer (http://www.justkeepreeling.com/) and stressed-out Dad has contributed over 380 blogs to takemefishing.org since 2011. Born in Florida, but raised on banks of Oklahoma farm ponds, he now chases pike, smallmouth bass, and steelhead in Pennsylvania. After earning a B.S. in Zoology from OSU, he worked in fish hatcheries and as a fisheries research technician at OSU, Iowa State, and Michigan State.