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Wanted to see what everyone’s thoughts were on this. It looks like I may have to start fishing alone sometimes and wondering what everyone does when you launch your boat by yourself. Do you leave it tied up at the dock at the ramp? Or do you drive it off to the side and tie it up at a pier?. I just don’t want to be one of those guys. LOL

That's a tough call Rudey. If its real busy then putting it off on the transient dock might be best. Often times it can take just as long to move it to the transient dock and get back to the truck as compared to leaving it at the ramp dock and parking the truck. Now if boats are already parked in the rocks (portage) then its going to take a while to walk back and moving the boat to the transient dock is probably a better option. Gage it by how busy it is IMO.

Rudey I fish by myself alot at times. The spot I launch from mainly is Portage. If they are real busy I will move my boat over to the transient dock. Or, at least back my boat up as far as possible and tie off. I will let the other fellas know coming in behind me that I am by myself and will be back as soon as possible. I try to not fish on weekends if I'm using the launch. Week days= less boat traffic.

Another option is use Doynes they are not as busy and a short walk from the parking lot.

Thanks Jeff, L-S & Bob. I didn't think there was anything in stone just a judgment call. I'm sure we ALL have been at the ramp and had people back up block the ramp then start to get their boat ready. Also I've seen it in the reverse, pull the boat out stop and tie it down, put everything away then pull away. . I'm taking my grandson who is 13, out tomorrow morning , we will launch out of Portage but not to early around 8:30 am. to let the crowd die down (I hope). I'll probably go with Splits way of pulling the boat to the end of the ramp dock and tie it off. I agree 100% I always try to only fish during the week. But when the coho or perch are in it doesn't seem to mater, everyone gets out . I'm not sure where Doynes is at I'll have to check into it. Thanks guys Rudey

Like they said. What I'd like to remind everyone is to turn off headlights. Most new cars they are automatic, but you can over ride them. The lights while you are backing down the ramp blind the other guys trying to use other parts of the ramp.

The headlights were always the most irritating to me.........thats for sure. Time I can deal with, lack of sight I cannot.

Everything went great today at the ramp and on the water. I chose to use the smaller far north ramp against the wall. Floated the boat off the trailer tied it up and parked the truck. Came in only one at the ramp, tied up at the far south, went and got the truck backed into the water on my trailers “sweet spot “drove the boat on tied off and pulled out. No one had to wait on us in or out! Rudey

There's a reason they don't allow "power" loading at Portage. The ding-dongs who designed the ramps initially didn't make them long enough (and this in a period the lake level was dropping.) No one realized it except the lake level dropped even more over the winter and it was discovered the power loading (then allowed) had washed a giant hole at the end of the concrete. Trailers backed "too far" would fall off the end and be stuck. Wrecker companies made a killing. Instead of extending the concrete (which would have been expensive, but doable, they dumped coarse gravel into the hole at the end of the concrete. That worked until enough guys ignored the "no power loading" signs and washed out the gravel. Now there was both a hole at the end of the concrete and a gravel bar farther back to eat the boat propellors. Again, instead of a permanent fix, the rock trucks showed up and dumped rip-rap rocks in the hole. This worked slightly better and the lake levels started back up after hurricane Ike rained 12 inches over most of Lake Michigan. But the short concrete, the gravel and rip rap rocks are still down there and when the cycle reverses and the lake level drops, blame the engineers for faulty design and blame the power loaders for ignoring the signs.

Good info Mike