TOPIC:

For you guys who are familiar with Hammond, can you tell me if it's open? How are the facilities? Directions? I'll be coming up 65. I've never been there and want another option to get to the ship channel. I think I'll be fishing Mon-Wed next week and just looking for options. I'm familiar with pastrick.
Also, the cal park area, another area I am not familiar with, but isn't it ok to fish that area with a Indiana license?
Thanks for any tips guys, I'm a Mich city guy and make a occasional trip to the nw corner in spring.

Hammond is open, the number is 219-473-0591 if you want to check with the guard shack for hours. I've never not been able to launch there during the season. Ramp is very nice, but only 2 lanes, so sometimes there is a line. Parking is a little bit of a walk, probably comparable to Pastrick, but a lot of times the guards shuttle you in a golf cart. Overall the facility is very nice in my opinion. Getting there from 65, you have some options. Quickest and easiest is going to cost you a couple bucks, but just stay on 65 all the way to the toll road, north of 80-94 and take it west to the skyway and then get off on Indianapolis Blvd, and the entrance to the marina is right there. Cheaper is to take 80/94 west to Calumet or Indianapolis, they end up merging just S/E of Hmd Marina. Not bad, but you have to potential for a train, traffic, and a lot of lights. You can fish all of Calumet Harbor with IN license, Ship Canal is all Indiana. I'm on spring break next week, hoping to get out as much as the weather allows. I'd advise getting a visual on the area via a map before you start driving. That area has some goofy angle streets and as I said, Indy and Calumet merge in on Hammond/Whiting border, and the entrance to the marina involves an overpass. It's all pretty well marked, but if you're in traffic in the AM rush hour and towing a boat it could get aggravating.

Thank you south shore...excellent info!

Haven't launched at EC this year. Do they still let first 30 boats launch free?

To add to the Hammond - If your not from Hammond I think there is a $5 charge to get in (it may be Lake County - not sure). Also you follow the signs to the Horseshoe casino - once you go turn off Indy/calumet (turn like you are going into the Casino) then when you come around the casino will be straight and there is a turn off on the right that brings you around to the Marina entrance. Like SS said - the walk from the lot is a little bit of a hike but not bad. In general the guards don't give rides until summer when they are busy. Launch is nice but two lanes. The dock is pretty long so generally people drop their boat in and pull to the rear so the next person can launch while they drop the truck/trailer off.

I used to love Hammond Marina.

Then they closed the Cline Avenue extension and due to politics, it's never been reopened. Was only 9 minute drive from Pastrick to Hammond and an easy drive. Now it seems like it takes an extra 45 minutes to get there. I drive up I-65 and do as southshore said, just go past 80/94 and get on the toll road. With boat it's five or six bucks. Go to exit zero and go south on Indy Blvd a quarter mile or so as though going to Horseshoe Casino. You can't miss the sign. Go over the overpass and right at the bottom of the overpass, you need to turn right. RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM. As far as parking goes, you just never know. Bring hiking boots. Wat-N-Ell is with these marinas that treat trailer-boaters as second class citizens? Park the friggin boats in the remote lots and give us a few spaces close to the ramp.
I've heard Whihala has been redone and is a viable alternative. Haven't been there for years but I used to launch there frequently. It was a bitch to tell customers how to find it but on fun trips with friends, all in the same truck, if it's really been reworked, a solid options. Anyone know?
Hammond is free for Indiana residents.

Being we have a conversation about ramps going on I was wondering if someone would mind giving some direction to the Pastrick Ramp? It looks like It would be the closest ramp for me and the shortest boat ride when the fishing is best from the Gong to the Wrecks. I normally come up on I 65 from hwy 63 near Morroco. I can also come up hwy 63 to 41. Is there a charge to launch at this marina?

Don, just head north until you hear the slot machines jingling and see the flashing lights of the casino's! But in all seriousness, it is very easy to find. From 65 take 80/94 west to the Cline Ave exit North. Head north to exit 5C - East Chicago Marina. Take the off ramp down to the first stoplight (flashing red), turn left. Down to the next stoplight, turn right. Check in at the guard house on your left. The marina is located directly adjacent to the Ameristar Casino and Hotel. As far as cost to launch, I've honestly found no rhyme or reason to how they decide who to charge. I believe its $15 if you do get charged. I've been told that the first 15 boats with Indiana plates for the day are free. But I've been charged when there were far fewer than that on the sign in sheets. Hope this helps, Nick.

At first you had me wondering when you mentioned Morocco and Rt. 63 in the same sentence. Then I remembered 63 is the "Rockville bypass" heading down 41 to Terre Haute. I've had a Morocco address almost forever since I started fishing the big lake. Distance-wise, I'd say just staying on 41 all the way to 80/94 is the shortest route. I have driven that route both north and south for decades. In the morning (predawn) that's still the way to go. Coming home, I'd run east to I-65 then south to Rt 14 and back to 41. Once you get south of 14, I-65 starts veering to the east. They just repaved 14 last summer so it's a nice road now.

As a side note, I no longer live west of US 41 but am about halfway from I-65 to US 41, just off route 14. If you want to stop by for a coke, beer, advice, to show off your fish, feel free.