How to scout kiting spots

[Netdewt]

What are the criteria? I know bigger is better for lake size, how about specific spots in the lake? I'll have access to Woman Lake (Waconia sized) this weekend. There is a nice sandbar off an island that could maybe work well for launching? I can drive to Winnibigoshish or Leech pretty easily, but would not have a boat. Mille Lacs is 1.5 hr away. I am just trying to get my kite up for now... Just figuring things out.

[Stroh]

Winnibigoshish is one of the best kiting spots in the in the state. I highly reccomend it!
I have only been to Tamarac point but it is spectacular and there are some good looking spots on the West side as well!

[Tighe]

Yes size is important.
When learning it's important to find shallows that extend out numerous kite lines into the lake.
It's also good early on to find shallows that have sideshore conditions, so any downwind travel (to some degree all inexperienced riders go downwind) will be along the shore, not into the shore.
Look for obstacles upwind, that may create turbulance, such as ridges, hills, or peninsulas.
Stay clear of anything downwind.
Boats and people are not good.

Ideal is a large lake, with shallows fairly far out along the side of the shore that runs parallel to the wind and has an entry point 2/3rds of the way down the shore. (clean wind and room to go downwind). Oh yeah and no boats or swimmers or powerlines downwind.

hope that helps.

[Netdewt]

Yes size is important.
hope that helps.

Everything helps.

Woman doesn't have many shallows. It's a deep lake with no real public beach, but there is an island with a nice sandbar on the NE and W sides.

The whole West side of Winnie looks pretty empty. I wonder if there is access somewhere?

[dave12341234]

just do an MN DNR search on public access or boat landings on the lake, Im sure you'll find atleast one landing along the west side.

[Netdewt]

Great idea. Found it.

[Denis]

This looks right for Lake Winnie. You can launch out of that boat access. If I remember well (it was back in 2007), there's also another break in the trees around that loop. Nathan, Matt and I rode there on a West wind and the sand bar extends pretty far from that little peninsula. Overall, a pretty awesome spot.

[BBAddict]

There is actually a dead end that is down the forest road from that loop. There are two breaks in the trees that you can walk a kite through and it is super shallow and awesome kiting for the right wind direction.

[BBAddict]

In general the approach I have taken for scouting spots is to use google earth when possible to find spots that might have sufficient shallows or a big enough beach to launch a kite. I also use the DNR website to look for their launches and use quite a few of those. A lot of the lakes have a depth contour map on the DNR website as well that is useful for finding a launch spot. Sometimes they also say what type of surface the lake bottom is. Pay attention to that. I've driven to more 3-5' spots that I thought I could launch from only to find that it is mud that I sink up to my thighs in. You pretty much have to keep a really good attitude and realize that finding something is great but you might not but you are accumulating knowledge for future kiting that will have long term benefits.

FYI, Cass Lake and Leech Lake both have some awesome spots on them as well, depending on what direction the wind blows.