Pay Launch Ramps?

[CrappiePappy]

Clint, be glad you don't fish Herrington Lake, up my way. Lake is public, but the land around it is privately owned ... ramp fees range from $5 -$10 to launch.

COE ramp at Homes Bend Marina, on Green River Lake, charges $3 to launch. And there are ramps on Cave Run that have launch fees. Taylorsville Lake & Cedar Creek Lake ... all ramps are free to use.

The COE Day-Use Pass (hang tag) is $30 per year, and allows you to launch at any COE ramp without paying any additional fee. If you use a COE ramp more than 10 times a year, you're saving money with the pass.

... cp

[wicklundrh]

In Michigan you have several different types of launches. You have state launches, county launches, city launches, private launches, and public launches.

The state charges two ways: 1. a yearly fee that can be paid when you purchase your vehicle tags (10-12 bucks per year). This allows you to use ALL state launches (which most in Michigan are). You can pay by the day (not sure on the fee but after a couple times you pay more than the yearly pass).

City and county launches are up kept by the city or county. They can charge whatever they want. Some have a yearly access pass, some do not. Some have good launches and parking, some do not. Public launches are usually owned by county or city but they do not charge to use. First come, first serve basically.

Private launches are just that. Owned by a Marina or other municipality. I am a member of a private launch on the Detroit river. It costs me $100 dollars per year. Small price to pay when others are waiting in line to launch for up to two hours at a time.

[SirBob]

New Corp of Engineers INFO

Beginning January 01, 2016, all 240 US Army Corps of Engineers recreation projects nationwide will begin issuing America the Beautiful National Park and Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Passes.

Visitors to Corps projects throughout the nation will be able to purchase or obtain the following recreation passes--Interagency Senior Pass, Interagency Access Pass, Interagency Annual Pass, Interagency Military Pass, Interagency Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass, an the inter...agency Volunteer Pass. These passes will allow their holders free access to boat launches and swimming beaches managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The senior and access passes also provide holders a 50 % discount on campsites at Corps managed campgrounds. Additionally, the Corps will continue to sell its own annual day use pass, which allows visitors free access to boat launches and swimming beaches managed by the Corps.

NEW THIS YEAR:
-From now on holders of any of the above mentioned passes will use their pass as their hangtag to launch their boat at Corps of Engineers fee boat ramps. In year's past your pass allowed the pass holder to get a 50% discount off the daily launch fee or allowed the pass holder to get a 50% discount on the Corps Annual Pass, NOW your discount card is your Annual Pass.
-Pass holders can get a free holder for their discount cards to use in their vehicles from the Green River Lake Office.
-The price of the Corps Annual Pass has went up from $30.00, it is now $40.00.
-The price of the daily boat launch fee has went up from $3.00, it is now $5.00.
For more information on the America the Beautiful passes, visit http://store.usgs.gov/pass/annual.html or call the Green River Lake Office at 270-465-4463.

[Clint]

Excellent!!! It took some website hopping but I can go over to Golden Pond in the LBL and for $10 I can get a lifetime Senior Pass.

Thanks!!!

[cwright]

Here in nc if it is a corp ramp it is usually $3 to launch, but as stated earlier I think I paid $30 for a year pass.

[Osnola]

Normal fee in my area, SE Louisiana, for launching your boat is from $7 to $10. I don't mind paying it for the security of my vehicle and the fact that the upkeep is pretty good. There are some free launches, but you have to be careful because some of the characters around there are a bit sketchy and they know that if you go out from there, you will be gone for a couple of hours...Also, poor upkeep, and the way some of the people park that use the free launches, you can find yourself blocked in until they return. When you get on their butt about it, it practically turns into a fight because they have usually been drinking and you are pissed about having to sit there for a few hours waiting on them...

[Crestliner08]

When I was stationed at Fort Devens the public launch at Quabbin was free. However I left New England in the late 80s.

Been fishing the Quabbin since 1970, when I got out of the service. Never been a "free" public launch there. Only the walk-in gates (shore fishing only) are free as they still are today. But the three lunching gates always have and always will charge fees to launch.