Ramp rant

[phoenix]

As a guide here on the Cumberland River, I think I have seen it all at the ramp and then some. Was on the TN River a couple of weeks ago and a guy had a Bass Tracker and was trying to unload himself just as i pulled up to the dock. He floated his boat off and went too deep and the wind caught it and pushed it sideways against the trailer. I finally tied my boat to the dock and got out and helped him, up to my waist in water. He was just inexperienced and didnt know better, he was apologizing the whole time.

On another note, I had a lady call me several years back and wanted to hire me for a day. And as I was trying to find out what type of Catfishing she liked to do, she explained that she had a 14 yo son, and that her husband had passed away (army) and all she wanted to do was learn to back a trailer and unload/load their bass boat. She said her husband had taught her how to drive the boat, once it was on the water but that he had done all of the backing/loading and unloading. At that time Kmart had sold one of their stores here in Clarksville and the whole parking lot was empty. I picked the lady up at her house, hooked up the boat and proceeded to the parking loat. I set out a bunch of orange cones and proceeded to teach her how to back a trailer. Once she was good at that, I took her to a ramp that i knew would have very little traffic at it and taught her how to prepare her boat and launch it, and also how to load it. I guess some of the ex Drill Sergerant came out in me, because we stayed at it till she was very comfy doing it. She would unload the boat..go park the truck..take the boat for a little run and come back and load it. It was a full day, and I didnt charge the lady as I could tell it meant a whole lot to her, as she wanted her son to be able to fish, as he and she had done with his dad.

I got a call the next week, thanking me, she had taken him out and caught some pretty good bass, and couldnt thank me enough.

Very nice of you Trophycats, I knew there were still some good people left in this old world ! and most of em are fishermen, I think?

[mhall]

As a guide here on the Cumberland River, I think I have seen it all at the ramp and then some. Was on the TN River a couple of weeks ago and a guy had a Bass Tracker and was trying to unload himself just as i pulled up to the dock. He floated his boat off and went too deep and the wind caught it and pushed it sideways against the trailer. I finally tied my boat to the dock and got out and helped him, up to my waist in water. He was just inexperienced and didnt know better, he was apologizing the whole time.

On another note, I had a lady call me several years back and wanted to hire me for a day. And as I was trying to find out what type of Catfishing she liked to do, she explained that she had a 14 yo son, and that her husband had passed away (army) and all she wanted to do was learn to back a trailer and unload/load their bass boat. She said her husband had taught her how to drive the boat, once it was on the water but that he had done all of the backing/loading and unloading. At that time Kmart had sold one of their stores here in Clarksville and the whole parking lot was empty. I picked the lady up at her house, hooked up the boat and proceeded to the parking loat. I set out a bunch of orange cones and proceeded to teach her how to back a trailer. Once she was good at that, I took her to a ramp that i knew would have very little traffic at it and taught her how to prepare her boat and launch it, and also how to load it. I guess some of the ex Drill Sergerant came out in me, because we stayed at it till she was very comfy doing it. She would unload the boat..go park the truck..take the boat for a little run and come back and load it. It was a full day, and I didnt charge the lady as I could tell it meant a whole lot to her, as she wanted her son to be able to fish, as he and she had done with his dad.

I got a call the next week, thanking me, she had taken him out and caught some pretty good bass, and couldnt thank me enough.

I gotta say it too, well done, super nice of you.

[rickey29]

Hey Dizzle I seen that guy jumping his jet ski.

I do believe that some boat ramps have the rules of launching your boat posted were you are supposed to prep your boat prier to launching. Hey maybe they need to paint yellow lanes for some of the none drivers out there to follow and then maybe they will stay in the right stop on the ramps. Why don't they post the signs all the way down the road to the launch ramps so maybe they will see at least one of them before they launch.

[300ZX]

One of my worst pet pieves is headlights on the ramp at night. Most of us only use our parking lights on the ramp, but some don't. I don't care how many years you've been backing things up its almost impossible to back down a ramp with headlights shinning in your eyes! I wish all night tournaments had a 1lb deduction rule for haveing you headlights on, on the ramp. LOL.
Chris.

[trentonc2000]

Tropycats. You da man!!!

[BigPoppy]

here we go with the bass pro and the poor old dumb A** who just takes to long to launch and retrieve. Yes prepping on the ramp is a definte no no and like some others have said if your a master backer over up a helping hand. I will tell you the straight of it I am not the greatest at backing that pontoon of mine out there and i have a bum leg and it just happens to be the right one so it takes alot of concentration to figure out pedals when you can not feel them under your foot. I can not handle a NASCAR 1000HP race car but I can still drive on the highway so dude if your fishing for R&R you should rethink a few things we all have an equal share of the lakes and our skill level of any part of it should not determine who should get to play the most. I am gald you a master backer, and since you seem to love fishing I bet you are a master "no I won't go there" at picking your baits too,if you know what I mean. I mean this in good fun Man just relax maybe you will like the new ramp by the dam it looks like it will be much easier on everyone.

[Dover]

I agree except most folks don't take to kindly to being told how to launch at the ramp....perhaps if KWRA ort TWRA posted a few signs at the ramp that once on the ramp, you need to launch the boat / jet ski, not prep to launch then perhaps over a year or so, everyone would get the picture....... I've learned that getting the blood presssure up does no good except 'cuase frustration and the "ramp" thing is just part of it especially on the weekends.......JMHO...tight lines

[djh480]

Thing is unless someone tells these individuals that are prepping their bots while on the ramp that it should be done prior to backing down ramp. They aren't going to know any different, so I let them know in a nice way. They thank me and let me know that they will do what's proper next time for sure.... Just takes a little patience and ask if you can back their trailer down for them to speed things along. You'd be surprised how grateful some people are if you offer help...I'm too good to not offer help to anyone who might want some.

Very well put MsgMills. All people dont fish or boat 3 or 4 times a week and dont know what to do and/or lack the experience of backing a trailer down an incline. I know when I first tried it I was all over the ramp. Be patient and wait your turn. I think I would have just tied my boat off turned on the auto bilge and seeked some cover.

[Tim_T]

Everything that needs to be done should be done in the parking lot, even I know that. If someone is having trouble, but they have everything ready, it is okay to give them assistance. If any of you had been at the Greenwood boat ramp on Wednesday about 9:30, I would have driven you crazy as I was trying to back in the trailer to load onemorecast Durango/boat trailer. I hate driving someone else's vehicle. I can put my boat in the water, but seem to struggle with others.

I think most people don't have a problem with launiching the boat, but more of a problem with doing pre-launch work as they block the ramp.

BTW, you haven't experienced ramp nervousness until you have tried to back Davey Hite's trailer down the ramp at Taylorsville with lot's of people watching!

[djh480]

Hey BUZZ I have a lot of friends that are pleasure boaters and like to take their wife and kids out on the water for a little leasure time to get back to the ramp to find out there is a 100 boat tournament putting in their boats. Now they got tired hungry kids and a sun burnt wife wanting to get home and wow what a cluster of men and trucks and big boats in a hurry to compete, yelling get that thing out of the way old man we got a tournament to get started here. I seen that happen a couple weeks ago.

[kyfishing]

I can back my boat and trailer in pretty easy but I can understand where
others may not Be able to and we all need to have some compassion and understanding for the ones that may not have the experience or the Patience we have for backing trailers and boat into the water. A buddy of mine and I fish tournaments and yes it can get very stressful when backing in someone else's truck and trailer. The problem with folks today are they are all in too big of a hurry. They do not allow themselves time to enjoy the simple things in life.

Best of luck and may you be watched over by the spirits that guide us,

KYFishing