Boat Ramp Etiquette

There are approximately 595,000 registered boats in the state of Texas, that number increases yearly and inevitably leads to crowded conditions at Texas boat ramps. Unless we educate ourselves on common courtesy while using the ramp, I'm afraid there might be new laws enacted to protect those less experienced captains.

As anglers we have all heard the term "it takes a lot of patience to be a fisherman", but if you frequent the boat ramps along the Texas Coast, you know as well as I do that patience is lacking. That might explain why fishing can be so relaxing for some of us, we're so wound up by the time we leave the boat ramp there's only one way to go, and that's down.

I do understand peoples frustrations, I'd be a liar if I said I was never frustrated at the boat ramp, but at the same time, I'd never allow that frustration lead to me losing my cool because someone is "taking to long". Unfortunately not everyone thinks alike, and as the case with road rage, there are people that will lose there cool and do who knows what. Those people need more help than we can give them in this article, but until they get that help, there are some things we can do to avoid those situations.

While this article is less than exhaustive, it should provide a pretty good guideline for those looking to enjoy their time on the water, and avoid ramp rage.

Before you back down the ramp.
Prepare your boat at far end of the parking lot, or while in line if at all possible. This includes installing the plug, removing straps, loading gear, readying lines, checking fuel, finding the key, turning on battery switch, or anything else you might do prior to launch.

When it’s your turn, back down the ramp, get your boat off the trailer, and move your truck to the parking lot. You should never load gear on the ramp while others are waiting to in line to launch. When you back down the ramp the boat should be ready to go.

If you have mechanical issues such as the engine won't start, either launch the boat and tie off to a dock, or leave the boat on the trailer and move to the side. One should never "work" on the boat while blocking the ramp to others.

Most anglers launch in the pre-dawn hours, backing a boat in the dark can be difficult for some in crowded situations. Do everyone a favor and turn off your headlamps while waiting in line, it could get YOU on the water faster if the guy ahead of you can see what he's doing.

Returning to the ramp.
When you return to the ramp, approach the ramp area and tie-off to the waiting dock, never tie off in the ramp area blocking others from using it.

Once your boat is on the trailer, raise the propeller and immediately move the boat to the far end of the parking lot or out of the way of the ramp, only then should you proceed to remove plugs and gear and install straps. etc.

Launching and loading your boat should be routine, you should at least have a mental check list that you go over as you prepare to launch. By being prepared you'll avoid that last minute rush that inevitably leads to forgetting things, such as putting the plug in the boat!

J.Dean

www.texasflats.net

Beginners Basics for Coastal Fishing

As a kid growing up in southeastern Kentucky the opportunity of seeing a coastline, let alone fishing the gulf coast never occurred to me. But that didn't discourage me from heading out the back door and down the hill to the river we grew up on to chase large mouth bass. I remember flipping rocks in search of the bait that a bass just couldn't pass by, crawdads. There were very few spring and summer days that I didn't wade for miles in either direction fishing the numerous holes and wash outs that were so familiar back then.

I was still just a kid when I decided to head south to escape the cold fishless winters in KY, going as far south as I thought possible, I landed on the west coast of Florida. Talk about culture shock. But I wasn't deterred, and although Florida has numerous ponds and world famous lakes that most bass fishermen only dream of fishing, I was bound to try something different. When the first invitation came to join a friend of mines father on the salt, I eagerly accepted the invitation. That first trip was educational to say the least. I had no idea that most saltwater species could either bite, sting, cut, or several combinations of the above that were sure to leave a lasting impression on unsuspecting fishermen. A lesson I'm still learning to this day through trial and error unfortunately. After several unsuccessful trips, it finally happened. I stalked through the flats and landed my first redfish. And although bass fishing was fun, it was just a fond memory from that day forward. The thrill of wading a shallow flat looking for signs of activity were undeniable. Slowly sliding through the water in search of a passing shadow, or the nervous water created as bait fish fled for their lives from a hungry predator were an adrenaline rush like I'd never experienced. And you can bet there were numerous cast at objects that I thought were definitely fish, until getting close enough to discover they were nothing more than a clump of grass, or an oyster shell that had undoubtedly been mistaken in the past by unsuspecting anglers.. But when the stars aligned, and the lure hit the water several feet in front of that passing shadow, and that gentle twitch of the rod was just convincing enough to get a reaction.. All that was left was setting the hook, all those fruitless casts were quickly forgotten and the battle was on. The adrenaline rush of it all coming together can be somewhat overwhelming. Gone were the days of tossing crawdads at hungry bass in southeastern Kentucky with my old, indestructible Zebco 33. Great memories to say the least.. That was a long long time ago, and a lot has changed since then. Today we have electronics that will almost locate the fish for us. There are lures on the market today that cost in the double digits, boats the will run in barely inches of water, rods that are lighter than air, and GPS mapping devices that enable us to explore areas we may have never seen without them. But with all this technology at our disposal, heading out in to the vast bay systems along the Texas coast and locating fish can still be a daunting task. Much like locating the preverbal needle in a haystack. And that my fellow anglers leads us to the fruit of this article. Have you considered hiring a professional to show you the ropes? Think about it. If your considering taking up the sport of saltwater fishing consider this. There are experienced guides all along the Texas coast that have more experience on the water they fish than we will gather in our entire lifetimes. Let's face it, they fish several days a week, every month of the year. They have patterns on the fish that we target that we'll unfortunately never have without there "help". They know what fish are eating and when. They know what depths they are holding in during any given time of the year. They know how to get to the fish and what time to be there! And a good number of them are willing to teach us the tricks of the trade. There are numerous guides along the Texas Coast that specialize in teaching not only technique, but also navigation of the local waters they work in. And most if not all are ready and willing to share their wisdom with guys like us. Some will even take you fishing on YOUR own personal boat. But there are some keys to selecting the right guide, and choosing the right one will not only make your "on the water classroom" more enjoyable, but it will be money well spent. You'll take away a wealth of information that will be with you the rest of your days. You'll also have a great time in the process while on the water. And that's priceless. Some things to consider when shopping for a guide. Be selective, locate one in the area you plan to fish that has a history of one on one instruction. When contacting the guide don't be afraid to ask questions, you'll get a pretty good idea of what to expect while on the water. When the day arrives, be on time and ready to go at launch. It's YOUR time if you waste it. Have a mental list of questions you'd like answered. Such as navigating the bay you plan to fish, baits for a particular time of year, water depths that are likely holding fish, different structure that fish are going to be on, what equipment works best in different circumstances, why they chose the boat they use, what's the best time of year and why. You get the idea, the more you ask the more you'll know. Knowledge unshared is a waste, and the better guides know it. Until next time, tight lines! J.Dean Texas Flats Fishing www.texasflats.net