Lake Murray info...

[svnipp]

Just curious what you folks may have to say about Lake Murray. I've never been there, but I've heard rumor of decent diving so I'm thinking of trying to get up that way before it cools off too much. Right now I'm thinking if possible I'll be heading up that direction either the weekend of Sept 18th or Oct 9th.

Anyone have any suggestions on diving spots, camping or hotels, air fills, and eats up around there? Right now I really don't even know where up there is. Don't worry though, my next stop is Google Maps. Anyone interested in heading up there to dive around that time?

 

[MSltr]

I was at Lake Murray 25-27 Aug 2010 and prepared a trip report for OK dive club. My first visit; consequenlty, the sketch is based on only two dives. The file exceeds the size limit on this board, and I can't compress. You can acces it via this link to Acrobat.com. There are twelve Powerpoint slides.

https://acrobat.com/#d=PRH9bmP81z*Ai01FOC-p9w

 

[ZzzKing]

Murray has some nice dives. The later (or earlier) in the year the better as far as I'm concerned. Cuts way down on drunken boaters. The visibility is better in the cold months as well.

The most interesting spots are by Tucker Tower and along the dam. The area out front of the Marietta Landing camp site is kind of flat and muddy and not not nearly as good but a lot of people seem to dive there.

 

[ZzzKing]

Edited: For some reason it posted twice.

 

[richerso]

Been to murray many times. Agree with zzzKing (just this once -- he and I normally argue if for no reason just to argue).

Murray is a good lake. I like murray. Diving off the tip of Tucker Tower is interesting. Diving the official dam location is bad. There's just nothing there. However, head slightly to the east of the dam and things get interesting. Look for the official control tower associated with the lake bottom outlet. It's a stone tower thing (not Tucker Tower -- cause someone always says this). That's an interesting dive. Farther to the east is Marietta Landing. As zzzking said, marietta is popular with all the divers. Enter Marietta Landing and turn left. Follow the dirt road until it stops. Wander down to the water and enter at the smallish sand beach area. Swim out and swim around. There's a small dive park (not maintained) there. Have fun. You can swim all around that cove. There is an area that is 80 ft deep. That's your challenge. Find the 80 ft. deep spot. Most of the area is 40 to 60 ft deep in the deeper areas and 15 to 20 ft deep in the shallow areas.

 

[svnipp]

Thanks for all the good info. What's the fish situation like in Murray? Just curious if I might see anything interesting or unique.

 

[ZzzKing]

There is one fewer 4# channel cat since Timeliner's last visit. I understand that it was tasty.

Murray has the standard assortment of freshwater lake fish including black bass, white bass, catfish, drum, carp, gar and miscellaneous sunfish. You won't see any of these when you're deep enough to be enjoying an interesting dive but you'll see them coming and going. For the most part they are small.

Edited to add: if it's interesting and unique you are after, and you don't mind zero viz (and I mean ZERO), the Red River is just 20 miles or so away and has the current record for alligator gar at 140+#.

 

[Timeliner]

My first dive at Lake Murray was my first solo dive..... Winter.... some years 5 ago.
I really have had a bunch fun there since then and did my first dives with many of my dive buddies. Good Times !
Plenty of funny stories too
The over all the best season is coming soon... before in gets too cold.
Best Vis. in the Winter.,,, nobody there.

Bring a rope and do the Crab Trap

 

[Kunk35]

Thanks for all the good info. What's the fish situation like in Murray? Just curious if I might see anything interesting or unique.

In the interesting catagory I've seen a very small fresh water jellyfish. I know another guy that sent me a photo of one. (might be the same one..) Haven't seen it since that one time, but it was wayyyy cool.

The camping is decent at Marietta landing. One of the few downsides of the park is the trash. It seems like no matter how much we pick up stuff off the bottom and from the shore, it always seems to be trashed up within a few days. Not the parks fault, just the idiot people that show up there.

 

[jalistair]

Most people are idiots and think the woods or the lakes are their own private dumping grounds.