Willard 6-16

[Gone Forever]

Launched late but I did launch...11am.  Some were already leaving when I got there.
Ramp is center only, between the yellow lines.  Watched one guy drop his trailer off the edge.  I was yelling, but his window was up and he didn't hear me.
Made my way over to freeway bay, marked a few along the way, hugging bottom and as far as 2' off the bottom.  Trolled producers, DT-8's in shad.  Picked up a big kitty out in front of the feed lot.  Hit like a wiper, fought like a walleye until it got to the boat.  Then it became the 4lb cat it was but to close to the net by then.  It now occupies a baggie in the fridge while some whities thaw for taco's.

Covered a good amount of ground, back and forth in front of the north marina and around freeway bay.  No wipers, no walleye.  Others did better but they were not late like me.  A good group of boats out by the light pole, to far for me to run.  Covered 8' depths to 12 which was about as deep as I found.  One 14' spot in freeway.

[2knots]

Was that you I talked with when leaving the north marina, the producer lure comment got my attention

[Gone Forever]

Was that you I talked with when leaving the north marina, the producer lure comment got my attention

With the little aluminum boat?  That was me. 
I spoke with several people, which boat did you have?

[2knots]

Was that you I talked with when leaving the north marina, the producer lure comment got my attention

With the little aluminum boat?  That was me. 
I spoke with several people, which boat did you have?

I was in the brown truck with the shell pulling a 21’ Duckworth. You were parked just past the lot that goes to the fish cleaning station and having a snack when I stopped

[Mildog]

The ramp not being marked is ridiculous and just plain poor work and effort by the park people. Last year it was blocked off, earlier this year I noticed cones still out underwater, If I had been wearing shorts I would have waded out and moved it to dry ground. I have mentioned it to a park ranger (when I saw the first one in 5 trips at the south marina the one time I launched there) that they should mark that section on the NORTH MARINA ramp, I have warned and stopped several people every trip and have watched serial others drop trailer off the end. Stopped one guy just a foot short of dropping his back axle of vehicle off the end. It’s s pretty good drop!
The ranger said we fixed that with gravel and stuff! I told him the fix did not work and there was still a cone marking it but it was underwater!! and that it should be marked to only
Use the section between the yellow lines. He said he would pass it along to the “ guys” up there. I told him someone is going to damage a trailer or vehicle and it should be marked for safety sake. Simple to do with not much effort. Clearly they have not done anything. What do they do all day??
Frustrating to me that most don’t seem to care unless they can write a ticket for it.

[Gone Forever]

2 Knots, yep, that was little ole me and my tin can.
That's a nice Duckworth.

Mildog, yeah, They figure the yellow lines are all that is needed... easy way out. You pay your money and you take your chances.
That's a pretty ramp for a body of water that size, that close to the population. I can't imagine what it must be like when it's busy. Only 2 lanes, maybe 3 IF everyone is good when it could easily be 6 at a time. The pathetic courtesy dock doesn't help, either.
I think they are implimenting the laissez faire management method to discourage use during the peak times. Easier to restrict use then to enforce laws.
It would have been nice if they had fixed it better when the water was so low last fall. I saw the "Gravel"... again, easy way out. Use at your own risk...
I will say that the young man checking my STD certification did tell me to stay between the yellow lines when launchng.

[Mildog]

Gone forever, you are right would have been an easy fix when it was low. Then they were so inattentive
They had cones out that got covered with water when it came up and nobody noticed or bothered to move them or mark the bad section!?
Come on!
Pretty
Mildog out