It is not illegal in Iowa and is a serious problem on some lakes. We have no laws regarding blocking or using a boat ramp for a length of time, so people will just take over a ramp at a lake for swimming. They'll set up blankets and stuff on the ramp and then swim and float on the ramp, refusing to move for boats for the day. Nothing you can do about it but ask them to move, and they dont have to if they dont want to. The wardens cant even do anything but stand around and make sure it doesnt turn physical.
We have ordinances for fishing/loitering on docks in some cities, but not the ramp itself.
Ironically doesn't part of ones boat registration go to the upkeep and funding for boat ramps? If they would register as a watercraft. They then would be fully entitled to ramp usage. I have bicycles come by the house. Riding across 3/4's of the road with traffic stacked 50 cars deep behind them. They are fully within their rights to block the road. That is paid for by those people stuck behind them in cars and trucks, that pay road usage tax for every gallon of gas the buy, tires, tags, required insurance, and the list goes on.
The love for fishing is one of the best gifts you can pass alongSlabopotamus LIKED above post
I think this is much more common on lakes here that have zero public beach and only access other than private land is "semi public" boat ramps.
I see more people fishing the ramp than swimming but it is frustrating.
I have little problem with swimmers and their parents. It isn’t right but I just don’t run into that. Others using the ramp and their inconsiderate ways abound here from time to time. They test what little patience I have.
Several trips ago I was going back to ramp and pulled up to courtesy dock and couldn’t even use it as a family was lined up sitting on coolers fishing and wouldn’t move. Never launching at this area in summer time again when lake rats are out and about thick.
That sounds like a teaching moment to me. Explain what and why?
I am jet skiing with my son and a friend of his. I head to the ramp tie off and say y'all sit here while I get the trailer. I get back to the jetski friend is in the water between the jetski and dock. My 12 yr old son looks like he's seen a ghost frantically trying to get the friend to get back on. It was teaching moment for the friend at that point. He's never been out again.
Don't hate me for the jetski. I also own a Supra surf boat. Main river & main channel for me in those. If you fishing there you deserved to get rocked
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