DO's AND DON'TS
Back home in Montana and the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch is due to hit any day. The Ladyfisher and I take a walk down to our city park and we stroll up to the boat ramp on the Yellowstone. There are a number of vehicles parked along the road with empty boat trailers behind them indicating that the anglers are out looking for the hatch. It was a cool, but not cold day and there were a few caddis beginning to hatch. As we sat watching the water a truck pulled up with a drift boat in tow and two wader clad anglers stepped out. They parked back from the ramp and began putting gear into the boat. So far so good.
After several trips back and forth between the vehicle and the boat they finally had all their gear loaded and they proceeded to back the boat down the ramp into the river. This is where things started to go awry. With the boat trailer in the water they proceeded to fiddle with equipment in the boat. I am not exactly certain what they were doing but it appears that they realized that they had not replaced the drain plugs in the boat before backing it down the ramp. Several minutes passed as they fiddled with this and that. Finally they launched the boat and the driver pulled the vehicle off the ramp.
Now fortunately there were not any other anglers waiting to launch their boat. At this particular ramp there is only room for one boat at a time so anyone launching here needs to get their boat in the water and get out of the way as quickly as possible.
Now you might be inclined to give these two anglers the benefit of the doubt. After all there were no other boats waiting to launch and it is early in the season. However, the bottom line is that it’s the boat owner’s responsibility to make certain that their boat is ready to launch BEFORE they back it down the ramp. Since I have seen similar situations throughout the season I don’t attribute this incident to early season forgetfulness. If you own a boat you need to remember the following list of do’s and don’ts each time you launch your boat or pull it out of the water.
Before you even think about launching a boat at a public ramp make certain that you know how to back up with a trailer behind your boat. Practice backing your boat up before you arrive at a busy launch ramp and proceed to spend several minutes trying to get your vehicle and trailer down the ramp into the water. If there are others waiting to launch their boats it is likely that you will hear words directed at you that you have not heard in quite some time.
First, do all your prelaunch operations clear of the ramp and the approach to the ramp. This includes putting in your gear, cooler, oars, anchor, and drain plugs. All tied down straps should be removed and stowed before the boat is backed down the ramp.
Secondly, don’t cut in front of other anglers waiting to launch their boats. Once you are ready to launch your boat get in line and wait your turn. I have witnessed some ugly incidents where impatient anglers have zipped in and launched their boat in front of other anglers that had been waiting in line.
Third, back your boat down the ramp quickly and get it off the trailer. Once your boat is off the trailer quickly move it away from the ramp, secure it by dropping the anchor or tying it off to the bank, and then get your vehicle and trailer off the ramp.
Fourth, if the area around the ramp is especially busy park your vehicle and get back to your boat as quickly as possible. Move your boat away from the launch area before you start tinkering with your tackle so that there is room near the ramp for other anglers to leave their boats while they move their vehicles off the ramp.
Similar rules apply when you arrive at your take-out point. Don’t block the ramp with your boat while you go to retrieve your vehicle from the parking lot. Back your vehicle down the ramp and get your boat on the trailer quickly. Once the boat is on the trailer pull it off the ramp and unload your gear and finish securing your boat on the trailer in the parking lot and not on the ramp.
While all of this might seem like nothing but simple common sense I have witnessed more than one preventable disaster at public boat ramps. With a little forethought and planning you will not be part of one of those disasters.