There are countless recreation groups and activities on Lake Wylie, find yours!
When you live on Lake Wylie, with 325 miles of shoreline, you have lots of neighbors with a common interest, their love for water!
Several groups and businesses on both sides of Lake Wylie will help you make friends while getting the most out of living in the waterfront community of McLean. Along with their primary activities, most groups offer social events, public service activities and even trips.
Here’s a sampling of those groups and activities on Lake Wylie, plus their websites and Facebook pages. Good luck!
Harbortowne Marina
Living in McLean means having easy access to Harbortowne Marina, a great facility and boat store right next door to our South Shore neighborhood. Harbortowne Marina is much more than a convenient place to dock your boat or get supplies, however.
“Harbortowne has several social events each year designed to accentuate your boating experience. Whether it is a band playing on July 4th, a river clean-up, or a boat rally for charity, Harbortowne Marina always has something fun scheduled,” the marina website says. Website / Facebook
Catawba Yacht Club
Dedicated to sailing, rowing and water fun, this club “launched” nearly 50 years ago on the Charlotte side of Lake Wylie.
“The Catawba Yacht Club has the most active club racing program in the Charlotte area,” the club website says. “On any given race day, sailors will find active one design and Portsmouth class racing at CYC.”
The club hosts four sailing series each year and, since 1991, has operated a vibrant rowing club that travels extensively to compete, including participation in the US Rowing Southeast Regional. Website / Facebook
Belmont Rowing Center
The “new boat on the lake,” Belmont Rowing Center, offers many ways for teens and adults to get fit, compete and enjoy team camaraderie. The all-volunteer organization offers classes for beginners and teens all the way up to elite masters competitors. There’s even an indoor cardio rowing class.
Currently located at 1500 River Lane, the center recently signed a 10-year lease with Belmont to relocate to new Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park. Website / Facebook
Carolina Show Ski Team
If you’ve ever wanted to race across a lake on the shoulders of another skier, here’s your opportunity. The Carolina Show Ski Team is a competitive, entertaining, family-oriented team that performs water ski shows throughout the summer at Windjammer Beach Park in Tega Cay, SC and other events around the Carolinas.
“We practice, perform weekly ski shows, compete in Regional and National Tournaments, and give back to our community,” the website says. “The team seeks volunteers to join the team and support it.” Website / Facebook
Carolina Thread Trail
Don’t let the name fool you – this amazing effort to create 1,500 miles of trails throughout the Charlotte region includes not only hiking trails like our Seven Oaks Preserve Trail but also “Blueways” on Lake Wylie and the South Fork River.
That takes many hands, and the group seeks volunteers to build and maintain trails, help stage community events and more. Members can join groups like the Greenway Gals, who get together several times a year to hike and kayak. Website / Facebook
Lake Wylie Covekeepers
A natural resource as beautiful and environmentally significant as Lake Wylie deserves TLC. The volunteers of the Lake Wylie Covekeepers and their parent group, the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, help show that love.
With much help from volunteers, the Lake Wylie Covekeepers run educational programs, gathering water-quality samples, identifying problems and taking part in the annual Lake Wylie Riversweep – a daylong cleanup and post-event party for scores of participants. Website / Facebook
Catawba Sail and Power Squadron
Join a group dedicated to boating of any kind, water safety and boating education, as well as social events including the best known one on Lake Wylie, the annual Tega Cay July 4th Boat Parade.
Among its many civic projects, the group provides boater safety programs, offers free vessel safety checks and sponsors a coed chapter of the Sea Scouts, a branch of the Boy Scouts.
Other activities open to members of the Catawba Sail And Power Squadron include raft-ups, cook-outs and picnics, dinner meetings, community service projects and attending district and national conferences of the U.S. Power Squadrons. Website / Facebook
Fishing basics, tournaments, guides and more
We don’t know of any fishing clubs per se around Lake Wylie, but we know there are thousands of avid fishermen who love hunting for the plentiful bass, catfish, stripers and crappie.
- General information -The Lake Wylie Marine Commission website is a good starting point for information on boating, fishing, public access points and marinas around the lake’s 325-mile shoreline. Click this Google link for a map and directory of access points, marinas and other features.
- Learn what’s biting – Check out this useful chart of the lake’s primary fish courtesy of lakesonline.com.
Courtesy of Jerry’s Fishing Guide ServiceGet a guide – If you’re new to the area and want a pro to help acquaint you with the lake’s best spots, just search the Internet for “Lake Wylie fishing guide” like we did. First name on our search results is Jerry Neeley of Jerry’s fishing Guide Service.
- Jerry’s been helping people with Lake Wylie fishing for 40 years and is often quoted in local fishing reports. Learn more at his website.
- Tournaments – Several fishing tournaments take place on Lake Wylie, including the Carolinas Bass Challenge event in early March and the Lake Wylie Tournament Trails – five months of Thursday night competitions followed by a two-night fish-off in early September.