Highway 13 Ramp

[Sam]

I just got back from Kimberling City, where I put in for a little while from the Highway 13 launch ramp. I didn't fish very hard or seriously, but I scoped some good banks and found a bunch of non-biting staging crappie for future reference.

I had a real hard time getting my boat in the lake! They've closed off the "free" launch ramp between the docks at Hwy. 13 Marina, and they've closed off the road going around the point to the other ramp. After driving around in frustration for awhile I stopped at the campground office and asked if I could just pay a launch fee to use their ramp out on the campground point. "No", said the snotty lady, "We had to put a stop to that."

After driving in circles a little more, I stopped in at the Marina office. I found that they've put an automatic gate across the only remaining road to the second ramp, and it costs $5 to get through! The gate takes cash and credit cards. Once you get to that ramp, there's NO parking - room for 5 or 6 trucks and trailers to park beside the little road only, so that place is going to be a mess later in the season when the ski boats and jet skis get going.

Well - that outfit has got their last and only five bucks from me. I don't mind the usual $2 in-season fee for state park launch ramps, but this is different. My question is, where else can I launch to get to that water west of the bridge, Point 7, Schooner Creek, Cow Creek, and all that area? It's kind of a long run around from Indian Point.

Thanks for any info.

[Hunter91]

Sam,

I have found the same frustrating situation. We used to launch there a lot and spent our share of money at the marina there. We now launch at Mill Creek a few miles past the bridge and to the right. It adds a couple miles run to get back in the Kimberling area but I am not paying that extra fee to launch there either when I have a COE pass.

[RSBreth]

I like Mill Creek also. The ramp isn't much, but there is a single floating courtesy dock and lots of parking, and generally fisherman use this ramp, so things go pretty good with folks not tying up the ramp most days.

Just go across the lake on the Kimberling bridge, go around and up the hill a mile or so, turn right on RB. If your eyes are good, you can see the parking area from the bridge on a clear day.

[Sam]

Thanks. I'll start using Mill Creek - I've launched there before, but it's been a while.

It's probably better to leave the Hwy. 13 ramp to ski boats, jet skis, and yachts anyway. Like you guys, I should have been staying away from there already because of the congestion.

Two years ago I was onto big bass off those points across from the bridge, and I was putting in at Hwy. 13. I'd done real good on two mornings the week before Memorial Day, and I had another day off on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

I knew I shouldn't go there then - but I figured if I went early and got off the lake early it would be OK. I got out there at the crack of dawn and I was catching and releasing big bass, having a great time. With the good fishing I overstayed of course, and about 9:30 a.m. the ski boats, party boats, and jet skis started coming out. With all the noise and wakes, the fish quit biting and I headed back.

I didn't know if I was going to make it back. The wakes were so bad water was washing across the bow of my Tracker no matter how careful I was. I had the bilge pump on all the way across, and just about sunk the thing.

I really don't understand why people want to run boats that could take you to Japan on a lake that's about 1/4 of a mile wide. At times like that, Hwy. 13 is a good place to stay away from, so switching to Mill Creek will be a good thing.

[flipper]

also an old ramp down Joe Bald at the old state park no dock but its free.

[rps]

I used to fish out of a 20" Supreme river boat. Loved it. Easy to haul and any ramp or steep shore was good to go for launching. Had a good front deck to stand on. It was also great for fishing tailwaters and best of all, it was inexpensive. What they don't have are tall sides or bilge pumps.

Two summers ago I was swamped, twice. Once I was just outside Campbell Point marina. That long point there is great for spots and walleye. The second time was near Big M. Both times boats resembling Queen Mary were making wakes by making circles. One time what looked to be a grandson was wake boarding. The other time multiple jet skis were wake jumping.

I finally decided I can't change people - the majority are always going to be idiots - but I could change boats.

There times when I miss that river boat.

Speaking of jet skis, I have come to the conclusion that our only hope is to spary where they breed.

[Sam]

When I started this thread (complaint) I emailed a link to it to the owners of Hwy. 13 Marina. This morning I received the following reply from Kelly Swanson.

I certainly understand the points made in the reply, and to be fair I'm posting it here for all to read. Because of the new high launch fee and congestion at Hwy. 13, though, I'll be launching elsewhere when I want to fish that part of the lake.

It was nice of Kelly Swanson to write this long email, and I do appreciate their past hospitality when I've launched out of their park.

---------------------------------

This is slightly unfair and one sided. I tried to respond on the sight and it wouldn’t allow me to; I guess it is easier to criticize than to find out the facts.

This is not a Corps of Engineers Park and it hasn’t been since 1988. The Corps spends no money here and we have to maintain all the roads and launch ramps ourselves. The Corps charges for their launch ramps and says we should too. They have had their fees in place for years and we just started Memorial Day weekend 2006. They have just implemented a rate increase and actually charge if you walk into their day use area $1per person. We sell a season pass electronic card for $50 per year. We have spent over $25,000 to improve our launch ramp and we have added bleachers @ a cost of $1000 for tournaments we expanded our tournament hosting site and added lots of truck and trailer parking which also cost thousands. Our trash service is around $8600 a year.

Joe Bald Park is 6 miles from Kimberling City . They don’t have restrooms or lights or dumpsters to throw your trash in. But they are free because the Corps closed that park they couldn’t afford to keep it open.

We provide clean restrooms, dumpsters for trash a 3 lane launch ramp that was extend last year during low water for those low water periods. We repave roads and have tripled parking. NO it isn’t right on the ramp but it is close by.

As for how this affects the businesses inside the Port of Kimberling last year all of our businesses were actually up in sales after the gate went in. What’s Up Dock doesn’t own Port of Kimberling they are a sub lease just like the other retail businesses. There is a restaurant next to What’s Up Dock that is open in season.

Honestly most bass boaters and fishermen fuel on shore which is fine.

If you are upset about the fee we regret we can not afford to maintain these areas so people can use them for free.

Lakes across the country charge to come in to launch and to use day use areas. The Corps found out they couldn’t afford to do it for nothing and neither can we. We regret anyone had a bad experience or had difficulty using the facility. There are signs every where to direct you. I’m not sure what else we do. During season we man a booth at the fee gate but in off season when we have 5-20 launchers a day $5.00 per launch doesn’t pay the help.

This is purely a matter of economics and feasibility certainly reasonable people can understand that. I have to question why no one contacted us directly by e-mail or phone. We serve thousands of people annually and we try to do what is in our best interest and that of the public we serve. We regret some don’t agree.

As for the Waters Edge Campground, they don’t have a public launch ramp. The ramp on their side of the park is for campers only. I’m sorry if someone was mistreated by them but we don’t operate the campground it is leased. We can only control what is in our power to control.

Sincerely, Kelly Swanson, Port of Kimberling Marina

[CMAC]

This is an interesting post and growing situation. I have to believe economics plays into the whole matter. Considering lake of the ozarks, my home lake, I am accustomed to paying $5 in and $5 out or $5 dollars to lauch. You can pay $50 dollars to use PB2, but are restricted to using their facilities (which might include Pa he si and PB1)?

Either way, this income appears to be necessary to sustain viability since they are privately owned. However, I will say this, us fisherman are fairly low maintenance, we tend be conservationist by putting trash into its appropriate place, whether that be a trash can at home, lauch ramp or floor board of the pick up until it can be properly disposed and finanly, the last time I checked I didn't always require a toilet to piss in.

I guess what I am trying to say is it may be necessary to charge and for some necessary to pay. But I will always look for the better deal as long as the ramp is in good condition. Sometimes at LOTO the water is slow you don't have many options. Other times it pays to use the free ramp, depends on how many times a year you fish and what your tolerance is for amenities and convenience.

My two cents.

[taxidermist]

I dont have a problem with a private ramp, but who paid for the intital install?

I do have a problem with the fricken corp, Most of the ramps have been there for years, most have never been improved and yet they are still charging for us to use them.

Tax payers funded them and yet we still have to pay for them again and again.

I used Tucker Hollow Sunday, yea the made some new parking spaces a few years back, but thats it that ramp has not been improved since it was new. They did some riprap work, but crap it was already rock.

The Arkansas Game and Fish did built a ramp Lead Hill several years ago.

Oh the corp ramp at Lead HIll no improvements since 1968 that I know of! But still we pay to launch.

I only pay half price but it still grips my rear to have to pay at a public owned ramp or one built originally with public funds.

Bleachers, to hell with that! Those are of zero concern to me and 95% or more of the people that fish, I dont care to watch a weigh in.

Well I dont care if there was never another bass tourney, I think they harm the fish populations.

Yea, I get a break on corp ramps with my passport but still. Hell I get into to Yellowstone, Mt Rushmore, Devils Tower for free and yet I must pay to put my boat in the lake or risk getting a ticket at one of many areas I grew up putting a boat in the lake. Yo know the places up the creek arms Like YOCUM!! Or Cricket

Oh Speaking of Cricket, the first ramp at Cricket was put in by the town of OMAHA and was suppose to be free, well someone in the local corp office(s) changed that while Clinton was in office.

Thats all I have to say about that.

John

[Flysmallie]

I know a lot of you are upset about this, but it's 5 freakin dollars. You've spent tens of thousands of dollars on a boat and a truck to get it there. Probably $100 per trip on gas. $50 on food and refreshments. Heck we even spend $18.95 on a Tim Hughes Custom stickbait (money well spent I might add). You can drive the extra 10 to 15 miles to get to the free or cheaper ramps but remember gas is around $2.50 per gallon.

I'm not trying to start an argument with anyone, just trying to put it in perspective. It is a nice facility and they do take very good care of it. $5.00 is still cheaper than going to a movie and it's a hell of a lot more rewarding.

I took my wife and daughters to dinner and a movie a couple of weeks ago. That was a quick $100.00. Yeah a hundred freakin dollars to go eat and see a movie. And now you tell me that I could have taken them to the lake and spent the entire day for $5.00, oh yeah, I don't have a problem with that.