Ramp Etiquette

[Fullnet2]

I fish twice nearly every week and generally have a great time with no problems. I’ve heard complaints about bass fishermen but it’s been my experience that most are very efficient at loading/unloading boat.
Monday my buddy and I pulled into the parking lot at Little River to load our boat. Four guys in a little Truck came past us and backed up on the ramp where they began unloading truck onto boat . This was taking forever so I went to the adjacent ramp which is a bit difficult before daylight. Naturally he’d left his lights on bright.
Ok, for the few that don’t know.
Never back on the ramp until your boat is completely ready to be launched. Even if no one is in sight. It’s not ok so don’t even consider doing this. From the time you back onto the ramp until you pull out should take a maximum of 2 minutes and this is generous. Five minutes if you’re by yourself. A bit longer at Laurel Park because of the hike .
Probably preaching to the choir.sorry.
Anyway, we caught 25 crappie and had an otherwise good time.
Good Luck Fishing

 

[notnksnemor]

Some of the most efficient boat launching I've ever witnessed was at the Lakeside campground ramp near Ardmore Oklahoma on Lake Texoma.

All the striper guides (about a dozen) would arrive at the same time. All would back their boats in the water and just let them drift out from the ramp, and go park their trucks.
All the guides would get in the last boat to launch and he would drop them off at their boats.
A dozen boats launched and trucks parked in less than 15 minutes.

 

[BeerThirty]

There's always going to a be someone with bad ramp etiquette. But man o man, the kayakers are consistently the worse.

 

[Ruger#3]

There's always going to a be someone with bad ramp etiquette. But man o man, the kayakers are consistently the worse.

How in the world? Load the kayak and take off straps. As soon as it floats walk off the ramp and beach the yak. Go park.

 

[BeerThirty]

How in the world? Load the kayak and take off straps. As soon as it floats walk off the ramp and beach the yak. Go park.

Every time they seem to be in a big group. They unload their stuff across the entire ramp, blocking both ramps. They have to wait on all the other kayakers to back up, unload their gear, back and forth to their cars, etc... I've seen them wait on the ramp, completely blocking it, for someone who hasn't even arrived yet! They leave their yaks right on the ramp, take of their life jacket and go to the bathroom. They are not mindful at all of any of the boats waiting to get in or out of the lake. It's not too hard to pull a kayak off to the side so that the ramp can still be used.

 

[Batjack]

Every time they seem to be in a big group. They unload their stuff across the entire ramp, blocking both ramps. They have to wait on all the other kayakers to back up, unload their gear, back and forth to their cars, etc... I've seen them wait on the ramp, completely blocking it, for someone who hasn't even arrived yet! They leave their yaks right on the ramp, take of their life jacket and go to the bathroom. They are not mindful at all of any of the boats waiting to get in or out of the lake. It's not too hard to pull a kayak off to the side so that the ramp can still be used.

But.. but... but.. they might twist a ankle walking around on all those slippery "webble / wobble" rocks beside the ramp. Or .. fore bid.... they get their Crocks "dirty".

 

[1eyefishing]

I have politely moved a kayak that was laying perpendicular across the bottom of the ramp at the water's edge while the owner was parking his truck in the lot.
The idiot came back asking who moved his stuff, as if it wasn't obvious.
This was a single lane ramp on the chattahoochee river with a line of boats waiting to put in.
Idiots abound. But not all of them are kayakers.
I'd be embarrassed to let my level of inexpertise shine as much as some fools do.
Also had a kayaker yell at me from the water because he was getting ready to paddle his kayak onto the ramp instead of the side of it as I was backing my boat in the water.

 

[LowerAl]

I fish twice nearly every week and generally have a great time with no problems. I’ve heard complaints about bass fishermen but it’s been my experience that most are very efficient at loading/unloading boat.
Monday my buddy and I pulled into the parking lot at Little River to load our boat. Four guys in a little Truck came past us and backed up on the ramp where they began unloading truck onto boat . This was taking forever so I went to the adjacent ramp which is a bit difficult before daylight. Naturally he’d left his lights on bright.
Ok, for the few that don’t know.
Never back on the ramp until your boat is completely ready to be launched. Even if no one is in sight. It’s not ok so don’t even consider doing this. From the time you back onto the ramp until you pull out should take a maximum of 2 minutes and this is generous. Five minutes if you’re by yourself. A bit longer at Laurel Park because of the hike .
Probably preaching to the choir.sorry.
Anyway, we caught 25 crappie and had an otherwise good time.
Good Luck Fishing

Well I had my shifter cable give out at Sardis Monday AM and had no reverse. I will not be casting stones, but launched pretty quick I thought for a cripple. BTW, What were them crappie biting?

 

[Ruger#3]

Every time they seem to be in a big group. They unload their stuff across the entire ramp, blocking both ramps. They have to wait on all the other kayakers to back up, unload their gear, back and forth to their cars, etc... I've seen them wait on the ramp, completely blocking it, for someone who hasn't even arrived yet! They leave their yaks right on the ramp, take of their life jacket and go to the bathroom. They are not mindful at all of any of the boats waiting to get in or out of the lake. It's not too hard to pull a kayak off to the side so that the ramp can still be us

Must be pleasure paddlers, I fish from mine. The few folks I fish with load, launch and get gone quickly. If we go in a larger group, 4-6, we rally out in the lake.

Wake boaters and the ski boats tie up the ramp a bit loading. That’s usually as alcohol has been involved prior to loading.

 

[dwhee87]

I must say, when I had my little jet boat, the ex and I were pretty good at unloading/loading. I'd get everything loaded, including her, and unhooked up on the parking lot, and then I'd back it/her into the water and bump the brakes to float her off, then pull up and park. Coming back, she'd drop me off and circle, I'd back in and she'd drive it up on the trainer. I'd hook the front and then pull out, and finish strapping in/unloading in the parking lot. If we were ever on the actual ramp longer than a minute, I'd be surprised.

 

[Browning Slayer]

I must say, when I had my little jet boat, the ex and I were pretty good at unloading/loading. I'd get everything loaded, including her, and unhooked up on the parking lot, and then I'd back it/her into the water and bump the brakes to float her off, then pull up and park. Coming back, she'd drop me off and circle, I'd back in and she'd drive it up on the trainer. I'd hook the front and then pull out, and finish strapping in/unloading in the parking lot. If we were ever on the actual ramp longer than a minute, I'd be surprised.

you are suppose to toss them over before they become "the ex".. It's easier that way..

 

[Ruger#3]

you are suppose to toss them over before they become "the ex".. It's easier that way..

Wisdom, wisdom I tell you!

 

[dwhee87]

you are suppose to toss them over before they become "the ex".. It's easier that way..

Cheaper, too, and I'd be out in "5 to 10" with good behavior.

 

[Batjack]

Cheaper, too, and I'd be out in "5 to 10" with good behavior.

Now she might...

 

[Browning Slayer]

Cheaper, too, and I'd be out in "5 to 10" with good behavior.

Don't be sloppy like the kayakers.. Be smart like "real fisherman".. And not them bass guys..

 

[LTZ25]

No group launches as efficiently as a Bass tournament , I rather have 20 bass guys ahead of me than 2 bow riders . Real question is how did you catch the crappie ?

 

[hopper]

I have to much "Ramp Anxiety" to diddle daddle. It's a ramp not hangout!

 

[teebert]

I must say, I've have my first boat 2 years and I still can't back it down straight. If anyone is watching they probably think I'm drunk. Still, I'm very aware of everything that's going on around me and I try to get out of everyone's way as quickly as possible. This weekend I put in at Little Hall Park on Lanier and couldn't believe the number of people just lingering around the boat launch and docks that were fishing. There's a whole lake out there! Get out of everyone's way! It made it hard to tie up to the dock. If you see someone struggling it may not be that they're being inconsiderate...they may be like me and just lack the talent. It never hurts to ask if you can lend a hand unless they're being outright obnoxious.

 

[TurkeyKiller12]

Ramp anxiety will be the reason I likely will never own a boat. I can back a trailer just fine and have no issues unloading/loading a smaller Jon boat. Let a crowd of know it all fisherman show up and I'd likely jack knife it in a minute.

 

[Fullnet2]

No group launches as efficiently as a Bass tournament , I rather have 20 bass guys ahead of me than 2 bow riders . Real question is how did you catch the crappie ?

Caught all on jigs with most being 1/32 bobby garland .Colors varied but a white/char was pretty good .
Lake was real busy but still beats watching tv. .