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Post by carnivore on Oct 11, 2015 8:11:22 GMT -5
I know it's a tough launch for me always at Struble but is it any worse now than usual? I have a 16' Lowe V bottom with a 20hp outboard. The only way I can get the boat off the trailer there is going hard in reverse and slamming on the brakes. It's not pretty but it works. Getting it back on the trailer is just a winch workout.
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Post by shellback on Oct 20, 2015 18:14:30 GMT -5
The docks have been taken out! Best fishing time of the year and they pull the docks. PS That ramp sucks just about any time of year or water level. The gap between the ramp and the concrete dock is an ankle breaker. An old timer fell in the gap and was wet to his chest. Fortunately I was there to help him out.
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Post by carnivore on Oct 21, 2015 16:45:18 GMT -5
Wow that sucks was going to try to get over there this week... so early what's up with that. I could launch I guess but would need waders and a second person. May be easier just to take my kayak. Love that little lake but man that ramp is bad. I know what you mean about that space between the ramp and dock... I have had a trailer tire go over the edge. Thank god you were there and the old timer didn't get hurt. My other boat had little tires and I could get it to float off. With the 12" tires now it's not getting off the trailer unless I push it off or slam on the brakes.
It would be nice if they upgraded the ramp but I doubt that they ever will. You would think when a ramp is constructed it would be in a place where there is enough depth to get the preferred slope. There are and have been specs out there for years... even way back when the lake was conceived and built.
"A slope of 12% to 15% (7° to 8.5°) is ideal. On a ramp shallower than 12%, a typical car will have its rear axle in the water by the time the boat is in far enough to be pushed free. Any steeper than 15% and people are likely to slip and fall, plus it's hard for front-drive vehicles to get enough traction on steep, wet slopes."
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Post by Allen Knapp on Nov 5, 2015 9:29:13 GMT -5
I fished Novb 4th with a car topper. Im disabled. I pulled the boat off the roof rack by my self and picked up the front while gliding the back into the water. Then pulled it over to the shallowswhere the dock use to be loaded my stuff in the boat. I use a wooden pole to push off bottom until i get away from the rocks by the dock. If you pull the trolling motor up to right at the surface It's no big deal. Come on guys if you want to fish bad enough you'll find a way.
I fished from 11 am until 3 PM first I hit the rip rap to see how the bass fishing was. I caught 6 bass nothing big only up to 2 1/2 lb's. Lost a good hit. The bigger fish were caught on my own version of a salty spider. I use a floating jig head, cut the size of the lure down then put a split shot on the back of the hook to take the presentation down off the surface. The bass laying in the rocks cant resist this.
after trying for bass I did a controlled drift towards the dock fishing just off bottom. My total was around 25 crappies most were in the 10 to 12 inch range. A surpise along with the crappie's I caught some real nice perch a few up to 12 inches. Most were caught in the 6 to 7 foot range just off the dock area and to the left. I was using a beatle spin with a chartruse colored jig and same trailer. There was a good chop on the surface so I worked it only a few feet down at a moderate speed. They were banging my presentation.
There were anglers fishing the shoreline using a float and minnow. My beatle spin out fished them atleast 5 to 1. The surprise was all the fish were very cold when handleing them. They were hugging the bottom but would come up to take my offering.
Oh yes I did have a real good fish in around 13 feet of water on a small rattle trap. It made a few runs where I could feel the head shake. before i got him close to the boat to get a glimps it got off. Gotta say I've caught tons of walleyes already. Ithink that is what I had. Comeing back to do a night time trip to troll and cast the shore lines on the southern bank should catch some eyes.
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Post by carnivore on Nov 5, 2015 14:53:21 GMT -5
Glad you had a great trip and thanks for the report.
I'm also disabled now and I admire your zest to fish your boat. When there is a will there is a way and my way is to usually fish a easier place to launch my boat so as not to further injure my spine. Not sure if you understand my particular problem though. That ramp is so shallow that my 500+ pound of boat and motor will not float off the trailer. It will however fly off the trailer if I back up fast enough into the water then slam on the brakes. So technically I can launch there but its a hassle, then getting back on is a back breaker since most of the weight is laying on the trailer bunks. Anyway its usually easier to fish struble with my kayak which is kinda like launching your car topper.
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Post by shellback on Nov 5, 2015 15:29:33 GMT -5
I can launch my boat just about anywhere there's enough water to float it. In Canada, it's just down the bank of the river. But we are talking about a Fish Commission lake. It's poorly designed and can be dangerous with the gap between the ramp and concrete dock structure. The dock was pulled with most likely 60 days of ice free water left to fish. I understand lakes that are drawn down for winter having to have the docks pulled early, but I don't believe there's a need for it at Struble. PS My wife has had MS for over 20 years, I know about disabilities. She isn't able to drive, walk or her own, or drag a car topper off a roof to launch. When the docks are pulled, that pretty much ends her fishing for the year, and fishing is one of the few things she is still able to enjoy.
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