Columnist Barb Henderson: How to float your boat on Lake Mead

Barb Henderson

Friday, Feb. 21, 2003 | 9:50 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Southern Nevada boaters and anglers navigate the waters of Lake Mead year-round.

But before you float your boat, check conditions by calling the Alan Bible Visitors Center at 293-8990 or by clicking onto the Internet at: www.nps.gov/lame.

The National Park Service conducts daily ramp inspections at Lake Mead. Following are this week's conditions:

With Lake Mead water elevation at 1,155 feet, boaters need to use extra caution. The Nevada boating safety program reminds to "Boat Smart from the Start, Wear your Life Jacket." For information, click onto the Internet at: www.boatnevada.org.

The latest boating and outdoors activitiy information also will be available at a variety of booths during the 14th Annual Sportsman's Boat, RV and Travel Show which runs through Sunday at Cashman Convention Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

Briefly

The Wal-Mart Kids All-American Fishing Derby program will take its fishing events beyond the lakes and rivers of the United States this year. Casting across the world's two biggest ponds, the Atlantic and Pacific, organizers have scheduled derbies for at U.S. military bases in Japan, Korea, Germany and England.

Hooked on Fishing International of Ketchum, Okla., announced that derbies are being planned for U.S. Air Force bases in Mildenhall and Lakenheath, England; in Yokota and Okinawa, Japan; in Osan, Korea; and in Gembach, Germany.

The Wal-Mart Kids All-American Fishing Derby will schedule more than 1,700 derbies this year in all 50 states for nearly 300,000 young anglers aged 6 to 16. Additional information can be found on the Internet at: www.kids-fishing.com.

Until next week, enjoy the great outdoors.