Norris Lake hot spots

Just booked our houseboat for Norris lake in july. out of Pennington 33 Bridge Marina. suggestions from any regulars? I heard that there is some good bars on the lake? where should we tie up? Is there any popular party palaces? I know Cumberland has the party cove, Does Norris have one? Thanks

First time out of Pennington? From my experience, it's pretty far off the beaten path for the normal hot spots, but I could be wrong. Attached is my idea of where most stuff is.

With that said, we search out seclusion to get us the best water possible.

Here's another map. It might be a litte outdated, but you get the idea the more stuff might exist in the area I outlined above.

I know Shanghai has a great setup and I've heard that Sequoyah runs a decent gig on some nights. I've highlighted them for you.


(Message edited by P-hat in Cincy on March 07, 2007)

i rent out of penningtons. first of all i can't say enough about the people there. great to work with.

second - there is nothing around on the water. couple marinas, no real bars, but great water. if you are looking for lots to do and lots of places close, don't go 33 bridge. but if you are looking to board and some good coves to chill - PERFECT!!

I agree with Mike on all comments. I wasn't sure there was a party environment around Pennington's so you'll have to take a boat ride to find them. We just usually make our own!

Regarding houseboat tie up points and marinas for fuel, see attached. We're switching our cove this year because a new development was going in on our previous cove.

Shanghi actually has a really good set up for party...but they are a long boat ride away from the 33 side of the lake. The No Wake Marine guys come out of that marina. I also heard there are some nasty sandbars on that side of the damn...but that is hearsay. We usually ride out of Deerfield. Sequoya has a good wing night on Friday nights, but's that's all I know about.

Shanghai has an awesome HB for rent. We had it 2 years ago and it was amazing. That was also my intro to the lake. Nothing like running across the lake at Midnite and then waking up to the butter!

I'll second what Eric said about the sandbars/rock shelfs. The attachment shows the areas that I understand you may need to be careful in. Man...I feel like such a tool ( ) with all these pictures, but if it helps I guess it's worth it.

PHat, Don't feel like a tool. The pics are definitely valuable. I am taking a weekend trip down there this March 30th for a drysuit spring ride. Have never been there but here great things about it. We usually ride in Columbus, Ohio (Griggs Resevoir). I have a friend who has a 3 bedroom home on the water with a 3 slip dock renting out to us.
I think we will be close to Norris Park or Norris Point? can't remember the exact location.

Is it pretty shallow in the spring?

BTW love your MC 205v.

if your looking for some great water man you need to go up past Flat Hollow and Blue Springs to Union County Marina and when you get past union county you can go left or right..left will take you up the river where there is usually some great water..usually only some fishermen and boats sitting that watch and point lol..but it you go the the right at the marina there is a nice huge cove where there is ALWAYS butter and it is great to ride there...so if your lookin to make a trip its deffinatly worth going up there

Diego,
They'll be brining it back up to summer pond, but probably won't be there by the time you go. Right now it's about 20' down, but you shouldn't have an issue as long as the ramp reaches the water.

Thanks for the compliment on the boat. It's been on Griggs a time or two.

Here's a link to a good map!
http://www.norrislakemarinas.com/images/norrismap.pdf

(Message edited by P-hat in Cincy on March 07, 2007)

Thanks to everyone who responded. Great info. Also the maps are awesome and I saved them to my computer. Diego I am out of Columbus (pickerington) are you always at griggs?

Wade, I live 2 minutes from the dock at Griggs. I am there every chance I get. Can't wait to get back on the water, that's why I'm making the early weekend trip to Norris. Spent the winter skating a mini half pipe but that doesn't completely kill the boarding fever.

Here is the link to the lake levels I was looking for. You can look at the prior year ('Daily Levels by Month') to get an idea of when it's brought up to full summer pond (1020' above sea level). Right now it's ~1002'

http://www.norrislake.info/level.asp

I run a pro shop at Sequoyah marina on Norris lake called Mission Boarding Co., and every Friday night at this dock they have Beer and wing night. I have an 07 23LSV that will leave the dock at 5 on friday and get back at dark. We did this every friday last summer and it was a great way to get people out on a wakeboard and the party after was always alot of fun. Just look us up when you come http://missionboardingco.com/

Doug Goins, I'll be staying at a lake house between Powell Valley and Flat Hollow for the weekend of March 30 thru April 1st. How's the water level in that area? Areas deep enough to wakeboard without worrying about sandbars and stumps?

Doug i got my o5 byerly from you at the end of last season...thought id throw that out there lol

Diego,
From my experience you should be fine. Just stick to the center of the main channels. The picture highlights a couple areas of concern near where you'll be.

The red circle: At full summer pool there is a cut thru that is manageable. This time of year it may be land, but if it is not I would not risk it. Follow the main channel around the tip of the pennisula. (That pennisula area is a good riding spot anyway.)

The blue circle: Don't hug this pennisula. There are shallows here.

Take a couple slow passes to check things out (depth, debris, etc...) and then tear it up. It's a good area for good water!

BTW...if I had to guess, this picture is of winter pond level. Too much shoreline showing as well as that summer cut thru is gone.


(Message edited by P-hat in Cincy on March 14, 2007)

man you do not have to worry about norris at all that lake is deep, you don't want to hug corners any way, bass boats run about 70 around them. There are a few things that you can hit but TWRA marks them pretty well, send me an email at missionboardingco@tds.net before you come and I will let you know of any events that are going on that week and we can ride together

You can not go wrong on Norris lake! Beautiful, deep, always flat water and plenty of coves! You can find a few more area Norris riders on www.knoxwake.com Good luck!

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm for sure heading down Friday March 30th and staying until Sunday night. We'll be right on the water, bringing drysuits and just 2 and a half riders for now. My wife counts as the half because she's only good for one set when the water's cold.

Should only need full suits at the most. Usually by the end of March we are riding in shorties or just suits.

diego, we rode this past week in just heater tops and it was not bad, by then it should be good.