TOPIC:

Is it best if you want to fish New Buffalo to buy the license and put in at NB, or is it not that far from Washington Park? My boat only goes about 15mph.

And what are those 24hr Michigan licenses? Is it for a specified date?

Thank you!

And, is it that much better in NB to make it worth buying the license, make the extra drive, etc?

License is for 24 hours from midnight to midnight of the day you choose. My boat does 40 MPH on a calm day and I trailer to NB or St Joe come mid-July on until the kings are all the way in. I actually buy the Michigan annual license now because I go out of Mi enough to offset the cost of buying daily licenses. Also NB is much better launch and generally not as crowded as MC. St Joe is even nicer launch for cheaper and has the best facilities around. The advantage of NB and SJ is you can get deeper much quicker and of course it is that much more North for when they move up the lake. Just my two cents.

Thanks! Where is the SJ launch located?

jsheroan wrote:

Thanks! Where is the SJ launch located?

There are a couple launches in St. Joe area

The St. Joe city launch is the one referenced above with all the great facilities. I believe it is a $5 fee daily. goo.gl/maps/sSeV7zUe8JehamHA8

Directly across the river is the Benton Harbor DNR launch. There's no fish cleaning station, and it requires a Recreation Passport to launch

The only downside is that it takes a long time to get out to the lake.

New Buffalo launch is a lot closer to the lake, but there's no fish cleaning station (which is a shame)

All else being equal with trailering your boat and weather/waves, it's a lot faster to get to deeper water out of NB and SJ. Fastest from time of launching to out in 100 FT would be NB.

I've fished out of St.Joe DNR ramp and didn't know you had to have a Mich Passport sticker to Launch?
Yikes.

Wallin wrote:

I've fished out of St.Joe DNR ramp and didn't know you had to have a Mich Passport sticker to Launch?
Yikes.

There is no St. Joe DNR launch - the launch there is operated by the City of St. Joe

There is a Benton Harbor DNR launch, however

State boat launches in Michigan can be accessed if you have a recreation passport. I do not think there has been a lot of active enforcement however. People are saying they are seeing more signs go up at accesses, reminding people that they need them. They are cheap and allow access to every boat ramp, state forest, state park, etc in the state. Pretty amazing bargain really. 11 bucks for residents and 33 for nonresidents .

MC_angler wrote:

jsheroan wrote:

Thanks! Where is the SJ launch located?

There are a couple launches in St. Joe area

The St. Joe city launch is the one referenced above with all the great facilities. I believe it is a $5 fee daily. goo.gl/maps/sSeV7zUe8JehamHA8

Directly across the river is the Benton Harbor DNR launch. There's no fish cleaning station, and it requires a Recreation Passport to launch

The only downside is that it takes a long time to get out to the lake.

New Buffalo launch is a lot closer to the lake, but there's no fish cleaning station (which is a shame)

All else being equal with trailering your boat and weather/waves, it's a lot faster to get to deeper water out of NB and SJ. Fastest from time of launching to out in 100 FT would be NB.

They Raised it this year to $7 which is still a bargain for what you get.
Also as stated it is all no wake from launch to lake out of NB and SJ but SJ is about 25 minutes to the lake from the ramp where as NB is about 10 (also no wake). I go to the SJ due to the further North and also I don't know if they stock Kings in NB so not sure if they would have any kings coming back to NB where i know SJ has kings come up the river.