Cedar Creek launch fee!!!
 

Took my grandson to the Old Hickory Cedar Creek Marina ramp for the first time this year, to hit a bream flat I fish near there. I've been using that ramp for the past few years from time to time. There had never been a launch fee before. Now, there's not only a fee, but IMO, a pretty unreasonable one at that! I could see a couple bucks, but $8 and $10? I turned the boat around and went back to Shutes, where it's free.

I believe they may just not want people using their ramp. Anyone else here think that's a bit excessive for launching?

Lone Branch is just down the road from Cedar Creek.

So do they lease that property from the COE and then are allowed to charge people to have access to the ramp?

Elm Hill Recreation Area (now "Safe Harbor RV Park") on priest has put in an automatic pay gate that charges $8/car. They have also cut down every tree on the narrow point that goes to the marina and filled our beautiful shoreline with a bunch of RVs. Not sure how they're getting away with this on public property.

Here in Tennessee with the abundant 'free' launch ramps I think it is excessive, but in other states I have seen marina's charge as much as $25.00 :(

Maybe the Clinton Foundation purchased the land. That would explain why laws for all others do not apply.

zing!

Careful bad-mouthing Queen Clinton though, you might die of "suicide".

I think it's a way to make money, and run off the common guy..

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Launch fees are the new easy money, bribe your way in to a lease/ownership gig and bank a load of cash out. Four Corners and Cedar Creek are the same group of people. The ramp at 4C is worst now than it was 15 years ago and parking is a joke. Corruption and payoffs in this country is par with the rest of the world now...probably worst after the eight years of the bozo administration we presently have, everything is for sale to the highest bidder and the pheasant citizen-workers only duty is to pay tax.

When the common man quits going there and paying the $8/$10 launch fee things happen. Maybe, like deezelteck, they don't want our money. They want to run us off, and cater to the 1%ers. So, it's as easy as not going to that ramp. And use a free public ramp.

Now, if there was armed security there 24/7, I'd pay $5 to launch, or a yearly fee. I've seen that in Indiana on the reservoirs up there.


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Same thing it's been going on on Normandy, you get charged for using the boat ramp on cedar point or the bathroom for that matter. the way I see it is they build it with our taxes then someone leases it and makes money off of that and we have to pay again if you want to use it, I may be mistaken but sure feels that way

It was my go to ramp for years. the new ownership and as mentioned same owners of four corners that's when the fee started. I had about a 10 minute discussion with the owner about this. He said he sent a diver down to look at the ramp and said it was washed out around 30 feet. Larger boats will have trouble at this ramp. The corp would not help pay for it so he has to charge to eventually improve the ramp. He also said a lot of people would use the ramp take up parking and not use the marina restaurant or gas etc. I explained to him I did spend a lot of money down here did not need the extra expense. I've used that ramp twice this year.


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@Dakota...sounds like you've used it 2 too many times!!! I will not pay that much to launch a boat. Especially with gas being under $2/gallon...I can almost drive to Ky lake on $10 worth of gas towing my boat.

And people not using the marina is bs too. People will always use the marina because of the convenience of it being right there. This guy is full of 💩


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Sounds like you guys need to get kayaks, we don't need no stinkin' boat ramp!

ive never had a problem paying launch fee's IF it is a good ramp & parking lot and somewhat secure. ive pitched and pitched re-instating the fee's to the people of Long Hunter. They all agree they wish the state would bring some kind of fee system back. either daily or yearly passes. Fix the parking lot, add a few more lights, tie-ups on the docks and some kind of durable dock bumpers. i would pay $50-$75 a year if a launch could give me those things. Hell, create some jobs, put in an automatic gate, pay a tenet to be there to check passes. thats how things were done up in MI on St. Clair at alot of the launches and we all know how busted broke that disaster of a state is. It can be done, our leaders just choose to take our cash and ignore the issues.
I guess im a little taken back by the quality, or lack there of, of the ramps in this state as a whole. there are some good ones, but others are just a disaster. Dont get me wrong, im glad to have the ramps in some of the places we have them, but good grief. when the water is low, you cant even launch below old hickory dam, the ramp just stops a few feet into the water and there are big rocks to either smash your boat on, or jack your trailer up on. The docks, when there are any have more broken concrete, broken cleats/or no cleats and enough sharp steel and exposed bolt heads to rip your boat to shreds.
if the ramp is good, the docks are horrible, or non existent. if the ramp is tore up, the docks are great but no parking.
im not a fan of launching a $25-30K boat and having to beach it on chunk rock cause there are no docks or even a somewhat clear shore spot.
Again, im not crying too loud, but geeze, where does all our money go that i would think should go to maintaining the ramps/docks and parking lots.
all these entities take sportsmans money for all these causes and efforts but where is our R.O.I?
Whew! rant over. LOL

LMAO....drinking that kool-aide man....thats just what THEY want you to do. sell your boats, downsize, then they can sell all the land with boat ramps to make more money on kayaks.
Friggin "yakers" jam up the steam plant every morning in the winter, now you are the reason we are losing our ramps. you all should be ashamed of yourselves. LMAO

:cool:Yoahwzaa - that is a rant :) .. Years back when I decided to relocate to the south ,the amazing Free ramps in H'ville were definitely on the plus side of the pro's/con's list...... It is nice to have a decent facility to launch your boat and park your car.

I agree with ya there. Old hickory has some great ramps. Flippers, laguardo, ect. Who maintains those ramps?
Nothing is perfect, im not that dilusional, but it seems like having decent & safe access to launch is being taken away or not maintained and its frustrating.
Ofcourse i will, still launch where i need to and deal with problems when they arise, but it stinks no doubt. Lol.
I would love to launch at the ramp at lock 2, but ive been there without my boat and its just not a place i would feel comfortable leaving my truck and trailer there....day or night. Thats what sucks.

I mainly launch at DuPont or rockland. And so far so good, never have had a problem. Did have one sketchy situation at night, guy walked up and said his fishing partner had gotten a hook in him and asked if we'd look at it. Just felt weird. So, with my pliers and a pocket knife, me and deezelteck walk over and sure enough, guy had a hook in him. With the crankbait attached. But the situation didn't feel right at first.


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Yea, I know what you mean there. .. I would love to fish the river below OHL dam but never have felt comfortable enough to try the various put in's. ... it seems some people recommend to lock thru but in the back of my mind I think how I'm gonna get back up there if I have any kind of mishap and/or breakage... how's that Toby Keith song go : ' I ain't as young as I used to be' LOL

Yeah ive launched at rockland several times and locked through to fish below the dam. Thats pretty convenient. Beats that death trap ramp below the dam. Lol. Ive seen alot of different mishaps on that long narrow ramp in the past.
Whenever possible or practical, i try to launch downriver of where im fishing on the river, especially in the winter. That way, if i do have mechanical problems, the current will get me close to the ramp.
55lb trolling motor doesnt do much against at 20-30k flow. Lmao

What security does the ramps that charge offer? A patrol or a camera?

If neither, it's the same as all other ramps in my opinion.

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If you want to hit the river sometime, let me know and we will try to hookup. The ramps aren't bad, as long as the river is at 388 ft I'll put in. But there has to be flow and not shutting gens off. When they shut down, water falls fast and you better be getting on the trailer. Thought I was gonna have to spend the night down there one night.


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I frequent lock 2 but only when I'm going fishing at sunrise, can get sketchy at night, haven't a had any problems there to date I don't keep anything of value in the truck other than my straps and transom saver. That death trap you speak of Is the first ramp I ever backed a boat down lol

Sounds good, ... haven't been able to make time to fish lately as been spending a lot of time with elderly relative (home hospice) but will PM when schedule free's up

Hit me up and let me know when you have a free few hours.


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I used it all the time before they started charging. There's been two times I've paid the 8.00 both when my family came out. My girls always need a bathroom nearby. LOL. Only used their gas pumps when I was low and didn't know it. I'm with you gas is to cheap on the street right now. Not a big fan of lone branch ramp but it works and it's free. Happy fishing!


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That Lone Branch ramp is tricky. You can always tell if people have put in there before or not Lol. Its almost worth the wait to take out just to watch.

Now that's a good strategy, ...... let mother nature work for ya :) ... I've spent thousands of day's out on the water and i have been lucky enough to make it home every night.. (silent thank-you prayer).. LOL

Like you, knock on wood, ive never had to use that method before and would prefer no to have to. Lol.
Lakes are no big deal, bust out the paddles or hope for a passer-by. Lol. January, temps in the high 30's-low 40's on a quick river, paddles wont do anything but wear ya out and you can pretty much forget about a tow in. Lol.
I keep a spare truck key at the house incase i do have to drift it out, somebody else can go get my truck and meet me at the next ramp. Lmao