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schodackbassman.
I usually dont pay a lot of attention to ramp antics, but I watched something yesterday that is eventually going to hurt those of us that have enjoyed tournament fishing.Part 1. Got to Beeswax creek launch, and found the parking lot stuffed (yesterday, Saturday, Feb 11). Ok, a tournament. Just have to work around their weigh-in and it wont be an issue. First thing that happens is two older guys are pulling a 28 boat OUT of the creek. Ramp is 4 lanes wide. They are dead center on the two right-most lanes. They are sitting at the top, fooling around. Took them 30 minutes to put a useless strap from the upper handrail on one side, under the trailer, and to the upper handrail on the other side. Strap looked like it might support 100 pounds, max. Nothing to do with tournament, but then…Part 2. We always prep for launch BEFORE we get on the ramp, as most of us do. Backed down, launched, and went to go pick up my son who parked my truck. NO place at either of the two pretty big docks to pull up to to get him on. 6-7 boats tied up the long way, no driver to be seen, apparently shooting the breeze up at the weigh-in point. WHY? Pretty stiff wind, so I was not willing to try to “crowd in” and eventually one spot opened up, where a jet ski was tied off. I pulled in carefully, nose first, to let my son hop on and off we went. These things usually end at 3-4pm so we decided to stay away. But eventually he wanted to take our dog to the ramp for a “rest break”. Went back to the dock at 3:30, SAME boats tied up, still no dock space. We had to go elsewhere. Ready to leave about 5:00 to go meet my wife for dinner, get back to the ramp, boats STILL tied up. Drivers doing who knows what. Managed to nose in to a small gap, let son jump out (wind still howling) and we pull up to the side to tie down, etc. I mentioned to one of the guys that if they were not careful, Alabama Power would pull the plug on these events if they get too many complaints. He asked “complaints about what?” I pointed out into the creek. See those 4-5 boats sitting out at the edge of the no-wake zone? They WANT to get to the dock so they can load their boats and go home, but there is no room for them to dock, particularly with this cross-wind. He said “so what, a dock is for docking”. I said “OK, I see what the problem is” and started to walk away.” He asked “what do you mean?” I said “If you dont think of courtesy for others, youll get a wake-up call one day when you pull up and there are large signs “NO TOURNAMENTS MAY LAUNCH HERE OR WEIGH IN HERE.” Ive seen this at other places over the years. He said “why dont they pull up on the ramp, hop out, and then load up?” I asked “Why dont you pull YOUR $50,000 boat up on the ramp instead of taking up all the dock space.” (There is no place to beach a boat in this area now, since all the remodeling, weigh in station construction, closing the swimming area to replace it with the weigh-in pavilion, etc) I dont think he was capable of “getting it”.I dont fish tournaments any more, I enjoy the family outings to fish when we want, for how long we want, without all the crowds. So if they want to screw up tournament fishing, I doubt anything more I say will have an effect. I see lots of complaints about the number of tournaments being held, over-crowding, over-fishing, etc. If this continues, I suspect restrictions will follow. All it takes is a little common courtesy. I have run tournaments in the past. I did NOT launch my boat and tie it up to the dock all day when I did this stuff. Dont quite see the point of taking up 25 of dock space (at least, since significant wind increases the space for weekend family boaters that are not used to threading the needle with their boats in calm water.) I know “you just cant fix stupid”. But I hope any of you fishing in tournaments might keep your eyes open and casually mention “this is not a real good idea from a public relations point of view. We dont want to get the whole world pissed off at us..”End of rant. 2008 Pantera Classic2014 Mercury Pro XS 200
I have found over the years of fishing, both for pleasure and in tournaments, that people in general only think of themselves and the thougt never crosses their pea sized brains that they might need to consider others. Not only can it be a cluster at a ramp, but there is no courtesy while fishing either. Cant tell you how many times Ive been fishing a section of bank and had someone pull up less than 100 in front of me, cutting me off. Or come by creating the largest wake possible. Some people just never learned fishing etiquette, or simply just dont GAS.2017 Sabre FTD AE DC2017 Yamaha 175 SHOMK Fortrex 80Helix 10 Mega SI in consoleHelix 7 GPS SI GN2 on bow
Midnight Rider, I agree with you. Most people in general only think of themselves and a lot of them just dont think. I see it as a bigger picture problem in society too with most people not taking others into consideration, not thinking ahead, not taking responsibilities, not wanting to work….I better stop before I have an aneurism from getting so fired up.2017 Eyra / 250 Merc Pro XS
People are rude and could care less about anyone else. Last year I pulled up to a ramp that is 2 boats wide. Both ramps were taken, one was a pontoon boat that was already on the trailer and the other a 10 foot jon boat. Im sitting in my truck waiting my turn, both parties can easily see me.The two gentlemen with the pontoon boat pull up out of the water, still on the ramp. The driver proceeds to get out of the truck walks around the trailer. Then they all start talking and smoking. I sat in my truck for 10 minutes watching this and could not believe that people could be this inconsiderate. I finally got out of my truck and asked them if they need a hand and that if they are done they should pull of to the side to talk so other people can launch. They all looked at me as if I did something wrong.
On Champlain we deal with blow boaters whos owners are a, how do we say, “unique” group of folks who live in there own little world. Here late fall this past season I pull in trying to get out and find this. Yep, bubba and two of his buddies decided that the place to take down the mast and do whatever else one does to prepare a sailboat for transport over the road was at the Fish & Game dock. Never mind there was a dock to right available plus about 8 more belonging to the marina where they could have at least prepared the boat to put on the trailer before tying up to the F&G dock/ramp. Though its F&G dock (lots of signs) its understood we all share the ramp but long term use of the dock and any use of the very small parking lot are not supposed to be used unless fishing/hunting. They wouldnt move the boat but I did get them to move the truck/trailer and tied off to the private marina docks where they were supposed to be. Was able to maneuver trailer at an angle so I could at least pull out after half hour of waiting. Once on the trailer I did find the need to move an extra inch up on the trailer and sure the Fury was pointed at the boat. Man that thing moves a lot of water and will bounce a blow boat around pretty good. If ya cant tell, this wasnt the first time I have had encounters with blow boaters tying up and doing chores at the F&G dock…… Have buddies who troll for lake trout and salmon up north and the blow boaters up there sail into their lines, clog up the F&G docks/launchs, and drop moorings in traffic lanes (in VT you can drop a mooring about wherever you want). They have no concept that they have to share the lake. See what you started OTLast edited by schodackbassman on February 13th, 2017, 9:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
. Ive been fishing since I was 5 or so. I have been seeing this stuff for about that same length of time. Not every time, but enough. Sort of like the idea of the “fury shower” however. 2008 Pantera Classic2014 Mercury Pro XS 200
oldtimer57 wrote:Part 2. We always prep for launch BEFORE we get on the ramp, as most of us do. Backed down, launched, and went to go pick up my son who parked my truck. NO place at either of the two pretty big docks to pull up to to get him on. 6-7 boats tied up the long way, no driver to be seen, apparently shooting the breeze up at the weigh-in point. WHY? Pretty stiff wind, so I was not willing to try to “crowd in” and eventually one spot opened up, where a jet ski was tied off. I pulled in carefully, nose first, to let my son hop on and off we went. These things usually end at 3-4pm so we decided to stay away. But eventually he wanted to take our dog to the ramp for a “rest break”. Went back to the dock at 3:30, SAME boats tied up, still no dock space. We had to go elsewhere. Ready to leave about 5:00 to go meet my wife for dinner, get back to the ramp, boats STILL tied up. Drivers doing who knows what. Managed to nose in to a small gap, let son jump out (wind still howling) and we pull up to the side to tie down, etc. I mentioned to one of the guys that if they were not careful, Alabama Power would pull the plug on these events if they get too many complaints. He asked “complaints about what?” I pointed out into the creek. See those 4-5 boats sitting out at the edge of the no-wake zone? They WANT to get to the dock so they can load their boats and go home, but there is no room for them to dock, particularly with this cross-wind. He said “so what, a dock is for docking”. I said “OK, I see what the problem is” and started to walk away.” He asked “what do you mean?” I said “If you dont think of courtesy for others, youll get a wake-up call one day when you pull up and there are large signs “NO TOURNAMENTS MAY LAUNCH HERE OR WEIGH IN HERE.” Ive seen this at other places over the years. He said “why dont they pull up on the ramp, hop out, and then load up?” I asked “Why dont you pull YOUR $50,000 boat up on the ramp instead of taking up all the dock space.” (There is no place to beach a boat in this area now, since all the remodeling, weigh in station construction, closing the swimming area to replace it with the weigh-in pavilion, etc) I dont think he was capable of “getting it”.I would have used their boat as an extension of the dock. Problem solved. They knew what they were doing.
PhilAddison wrote:oldtimer57 wrote:Part 2. We always prep for launch BEFORE we get on the ramp, as most of us do. Backed down, launched, and went to go pick up my son who parked my truck. NO place at either of the two pretty big docks to pull up to to get him on. 6-7 boats tied up the long way, no driver to be seen, apparently shooting the breeze up at the weigh-in point. WHY? Pretty stiff wind, so I was not willing to try to “crowd in” and eventually one spot opened up, where a jet ski was tied off. I pulled in carefully, nose first, to let my son hop on and off we went. These things usually end at 3-4pm so we decided to stay away. But eventually he wanted to take our dog to the ramp for a “rest break”. Went back to the dock at 3:30, SAME boats tied up, still no dock space. We had to go elsewhere. Ready to leave about 5:00 to go meet my wife for dinner, get back to the ramp, boats STILL tied up. Drivers doing who knows what. Managed to nose in to a small gap, let son jump out (wind still howling) and we pull up to the side to tie down, etc. I mentioned to one of the guys that if they were not careful, Alabama Power would pull the plug on these events if they get too many complaints. He asked “complaints about what?” I pointed out into the creek. See those 4-5 boats sitting out at the edge of the no-wake zone? They WANT to get to the dock so they can load their boats and go home, but there is no room for them to dock, particularly with this cross-wind. He said “so what, a dock is for docking”. I said “OK, I see what the problem is” and started to walk away.” He asked “what do you mean?” I said “If you dont think of courtesy for others, youll get a wake-up call one day when you pull up and there are large signs “NO TOURNAMENTS MAY LAUNCH HERE OR WEIGH IN HERE.” Ive seen this at other places over the years. He said “why dont they pull up on the ramp, hop out, and then load up?” I asked “Why dont you pull YOUR $50,000 boat up on the ramp instead of taking up all the dock space.” (There is no place to beach a boat in this area now, since all the remodeling, weigh in station construction, closing the swimming area to replace it with the weigh-in pavilion, etc) I dont think he was capable of “getting it”. I would have used their boat as an extension of the dock. Problem solved. They knew what they were doing.Weve had to do this before. They get all huffy and puffy when you step across their boats…they ask what youre doing until you tell them you couldnt park because they were in the way.Fished a one man tourney recently, it was a hassle putting in and pulling out but youd expect it with one-man tourneys. Some helped others that knew other people but not everyone, including myself, knew someone to have help them. Kind of hard to let a complete stranger drive your truck or boat either way in that situation. Sometimes its hard to let someone you know drive!!! HAPurchased new 5/4/15Bass Cat Sabre Vision EliteMercury Pro XS 150MotorGuide 75lb Tour EditionHumminbird – Stock (will be changing soon I hope)
They should really start charging admission to some of these boats ramps, they are a comic show a lot of times. I was thoroughly entertained at Beeswax a couple of weeks ago…..somewhere there is a Ranger with gouges in the trailer fender from the prop, (someone forgot to take the passenger side strap loose) LOL
At the Albany launch on the Hudson, folks actually bring chairs and sit on the hill overlooking the launch to watch the show. In June you mix in the stripe bass fisherman with everything from 30 center consoles with duel 300s to 17 game fisher with a 9.9, pleasure boaters some of whom have never launched before, a coupe bass boats, and to make it extra special add in the skullers (4-8 man skulls with high school/college kids) and you have a true show.
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