This is kind of a poll / question.

Last week we went to deep river and fished for sturgeon. The rules for taking out was that whichever boat got back to the launch was next in line. Period. So then each guy is walking up to get truck wile the launch sits empty. STUPID.(in my opinion)
I think the trailers should make the line, with or without boat. Then never a gap.
I've heard its kinda like deep river at narrows.
so who knows the specific rules at the different local launches, and who made em?

I know what you mean about deep river. I've jumped ahead of people before because they were slow. Got boat out of the water before they even got there trailer close to the launch. I followed them in too. Usually who ever gets back first, but there are instances where a slow guy will get passed.

I know what you mean about deep river. I've jumped ahead of people before because they were slow. Got boat out of the water before they even got there trailer close to the launch. I followed them in too. Usually who ever gets back first, but there are instances where a slow guy will get passed.

I'm pretty quick at launch/ retrieval, and will jump in if there is nobody else ready. The only time I know of set rules is if the ramp is monitored and they are directing traffic.

Funny you bring this up about deep river... My first trip there about a month ago we got back to the launch I droped off my friend. Then I waited. There was about 3 other boats there. Anyways I see no one near the ramp with any boat trailer then I see him coming and I am wondering were the other guys are.... He pulls up and I see the guy helping at the dock wave him down.... ok I'm like whatever.... then these jerks start yelling and screaming like little babbies (actually they were older guy's) So after a few words he pulls back out of the water to the top and waits for about 5 minutes before any other truck came.... I couldn't beleive it, very frustrating but I just let it go and waited for about 15 more minutes to get out..... The point is we would not have held anyone up and the launch sat empty for at least 5 minuites!! I do understand that some ramps have rules and thats fine.... but sometimes they just don't work.

Jeff

This has been the unwritten rule at Deep River for as long as I have been fishing there. Over the years I have seen some really heated conversation about boats jumping in front of the ones at the dock. I know the folks that operate the place will get after you for jumping ahead too.

The only system that makes any sense is the one in which the position of your trailer in line determines when you take out. Otherwise the ramp sits empty. Every launch crew where things are organized, like at the Port of Chinook during B10 season or any Seattle Parks ramp during sockeye season, lines you up by position of your take out rig. Same thing HC shrimping - hell, there is no room on any launches to even park trailers during shrimp or sockeye season - some folks have to park a mile away. I'm sure everybody is going to wait for him to leisurely walk walk to his trailer just because his boat got in first . If they do this line up by boat thing at deep river then they are stupid for doing so, and any time the launch is empty anyone has a right to get their boat out if they don't hold anybody up.

I was thinking the same exact thing, Spawnout. All of the busy fisheries I have participated in had ramps that were ruled by trailer position. I just doesn't make sense.

I always put in and have one of our group park the trailer while I hold offshore fifty yards or so, waiting for them to return, then I head in and pick them up, usually there about 1 minute max for the whole launch.

When it is time to trailer up, we drop off the trailer man, and again hold off shore 50 yards or so to stay out of the way. Unless it is windy, usually 1-2 minutes max on the takeout.

FRS radios also help when you can't see the tow vehicle in line until they are on the ramp.

If everybody followed these rules, and were familiar with their equipment, launch ramps would run very smoothly, but then again, we'd miss some of the free entertainment.

My post from last fall:

After a long summer and fall we have all witnessed plenty of amazing mishaps and misfits on the boat ramps. I saw one guy get pushed in, a boat get rammed and one unhappy camper who managed to dump his new boat on the ramp on an out-going tide. That was just this year. In addition to all of this I have seen many tempers flare in the mad rush to be the first to the fish. How fun would it be to sit on the ramp at Olson's on opening day with a video camera?

The common sense rules for a busy ramp:

Always turn your headlights off.

Relax this is supposed to be fun.

Putting in;

Load everything that is going in the boat prior to launching.

Make sure the plug is in, tie-downs are off and all lines and necessary fenders are in place.

If you're not ready, don't pull out onto the ramp. Let the boat behind you go ahead.

After the boat is in the water, move your boat down the dock or beach away from the ramp to allow others to put in. Most of the time on the river ramps the guy before me dumps his boat off the trailer and then beaches it right down river from the ramp. Now I have to float around this boat to reach the beach or beach it on the ramp. This is annoying. It's so easy to dump your boat and then let it float down river a little ways before you beach it.

If you can, have someone park your truck so you can wait with the boat away from the ramp.

Try not to leave someone attending the boat that is not capable of moving it or adapting to other boaters gross stupidity.

Taking out:

The trucks are in line not the boats. This has been the source of many disagreements. It seems pretty simple to me. I usually try to avoid the dock all together until my trailer is in the water.

Hook it up and go! Don't clean up or swap stories if others are waiting.

Don't stop at the top of the ramp. Move your rig far enough away to allow others to maneuver for the ramp.

I know this all sounds like common sense to a lot of us but it seems to me that all of us could benefit from some kind of a code of conduct or ramp etiquette. Please post your amazing boat ramp stories and your thoughts on my set of rules.

That reminds me of back in the days of summer long chinook fishing at Freshwater Bay. Trucks lined up for 1/4 mile. If the tide was in and you had to launch at the ramp it could be a real zoo. All you have to do is be organized. Everything ready before you even back down the ramp. With 2 guys it should take 30 seconds. Any longer and you were not with the program.

I have fished Deep River for years.I try to Arrive at times when the lines arent bad.(early or late) stay longer than most.just to avoid the headaches at the launch.
I have seen the guy that runs the launch,make people pull out and go to the end of the line for jumping in.Because somebody wasnt ready.That 5 minute wait while the ramp is empty could be a lot longer if you jump in.
Dont necessarily like the protocal,but at some ramps its better to just adapt.

I launched out at Kayak state park this weekend and that went fine, but when i came in there were kids playing all over the lauch. I had to get out and tell their mom to get the kids out of the way, unbelievable! If i would have hit one of them they would have been all over me, but they wouldn't get off their ass to move their little brats. Complained to the parks guy and he went down there and gave them hell, threatened giving them a ticket, some people are just incredibly selfish, and stupid...

SomethingSF,

You gotta love that
How bout this one, the "fisherman" that sets up his pole holder right next to the ramp, then proceeds to complain about you messing up his water. Had this one happen to me few months back only he was to gutless to come over and say something so he sent his drunk old lady over to give me an earfull.


RL

the last 2 posts remind me of fishing ward lake in olympia. it's a nice lake to fish, but the people that hang around the boat launch are absolutely horrible. they stand on the launch and won't move when you start to back your trailer down, and give you hell about screwing up their fishing. last time i went out there i got yelled at for taking some casts about 200ft out from the access while waiting for a guy to clear the launch(his truck broke down when he was going to pull out). they told me to piss off because i was in their line of fire, and sure enough as soon as i moved they started pounding the area with 1oz sinkers...for a few stocker trout!