Icy Boat Ramps

I have seen many posts the last couple of weeks about people fising when it is obvious that the AIR TEMPERATURE is below freezing, at least in the morning when the tournament, or other fishing trip, started. There was one post last week about a Tournament at Rough when it was 19 degress (accordiing to the posts about it). There are several posts now about people fishing Dale Hollow this week when it is below freezing.

I have plenty of cold weather clothing, boots, etc. to stay warm even below Zero but I don't go out a lot because I am afraid of the ramps having ice on them, either when I launch or when I am coming out. especially after a bunch of other boats/trailers have been on the ramps.

My question is: how do you handle ICY BOAT RAMPS?

Or, are the ramps really not as bad as I think they may be? Or, what happens on a day like yesterday, when it was 48 degrees in the morning but by mid-afernoon it was below freezing with freezing rain, sleet, snow, etc. that would be on the ramps? Or, am I just a big scardy cat?

Thanks,

Grumpy

[QUOTE=Grumpy;348069] Or, am I just a big scardy cat?
Grumpy[/QUOTE]

Well, if you are then that makes two of us. In Elnuts article about the FnF, he mentioned that everybody should pull up just enough to let the water run out of the boat into the water before heading up the ramp (when coming off the lake). That would help some if everybody would do it. I guess taking it really slow is your best bet. I know if I got to the lake and saw a frozen sheet of ice on the ramp, I'd have to pass.

I fish all year long, in fact my better months for Big Cats is during Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar. I have to deal with ramps like this almost on a daily basis. If folks let the water drain off their trailer prior to pulling out, it sure helps alot. However, I also carry two 5 gallon buckets of salt with me in my truck. If the ramp looks nasty then I spread 5 gallons of salt on it, and save the last bucket for when i come out. In fact, on of the ramps we use alot for catfishing, the TVA has put a big pile of salt there for us to use. Its just what I do, and it has saved many a fishing days for me. Warren

Carry a few bags of salt and sand in your truck. Up north (So Dak) the walleye fisherman i knew carry a lot of salt and sand. When we moved ice shacks from one spot to another the ramps get slick with packed smow, we carried salt and sand with us. Chains helped too. Be slow let the salt do the work, then spread the sand down to keep the ramp open. The sand acts like sand paper with the tires to help keep the ice off. The ramp will eventually freeze with the sand, so you spread more salt. But above anything else, use common sence, take your sweet time. If it looks slick, it is. The people waiting ahead of you might loose patience, but your rig will be safe. So will their's.

if its froze when u are backing in the boat should stop when it hits the water.... if u dont jackknife in the process... we fished a college bass tourney a few years back on cland and it was like 9 degrees adn when the first guy put in adn pulled out teh ramp at conley froze almost instantly so the other guys when they back in they just slid till the boat hit the water and it stopped... but one guy just about jackknifed... its tricky busness.... but for the most part there isnt alot of traffic in the winter time and some of the ramps i go to have groves or like channels poured or cut into the concrete on the ramp.... but the best advice i could give is to use your best judgement...

I carry several bags of salt in the tournament trailer. At our tournament this month it was COLD and we went through about 5 bags of ice. Only one that had trouble was a smaller SUV pulling a big ranger, but they made it ok

In the USA Bassin we had 0n Dec 7 we put down sand on the ramp and had everyone roll out there tires to the edge of the water and let the trailers drain. We had to get a permit to do this. I asked them about salt and them said no that the salt had some kind of effect on the water and fish but I do not see how with it used in small amounts but thats what they said sand was ok salt was not so pack you a bag of sand and have a blast.