Haha, I agree with you about stupid people at the launch. I always think that I have seen it all but no way, not even close. Sometimes these people make my blood boil while other times it is just hilarious.

It really is not rocket science to launch and take out a boat but, I swear, some people have no clue!

100% agreement about the launch, thought about going to Rock today but figured this time of the year there would be a lot of people who don't have their boats figured out.

Haven't had problems with kayakers at Rock, but definitely at Bonnie Lake and the Snake River. One was a URec class that needed to put all of their kayaks on the Wawawai launch ramp then practice "air" paddling for about half an hour. Bonnie lake seems to attract severely clueless and entitled nature lovers generally not happy to share that treacherous launch with power boats. I've got a nice scratch on my vehicle trying to navigate around some kayaks that the owners didn't want to move out of the way.

Poeple in the know will treat this lake with respect or could be fish food. No one wants this but , word to mouth only can do so much. This time of year it might be a good idea to post a person incharge of the launch. After all we know they wont let someone post a warrning sign.

Might as well chime in. The launch is tough and yes there are rock spires in the lake, All of this when coupled with the possibility of monster waves, if the wind comes up, should cause the ill prepared to take caution. March always brings out lots of boaters when the weather is good because there are not that many places to go. Also posting monster fish on WL really heats up the interest.

Patience is not always easy when people don't have any launch "Etiquette". Morons indeed! Tight lines and as always "No fish is worth your life" be careful out there.

I as the one just in front of the two kayakers who were blocking the boat launching lanes much longer than necessary. I have the dark green Custom Weld Storm so think I might have been the big boat in question. I am the one that pulled into an lane making the kayaker notice that he was blocking it. He apologized immediately and got out of the way quickly. He is a young man and he just had a brain f*rt. I didn't think it a real big deal. The young man was anything but arrogant about it.

The first poster mentioned that the "fool" with the big boat hit a rock. Since I launched right after the kayakers, I thought that the fool might be me. After all, my Storm is a wide body 21ft and is a little bit of a challenge to launch at Rock. But I know for certain that neither wheel ever touched anything and I inspected by boat trailer frame very carefully and it does not have one single mark on it. So maybe I was not the "fool" in question. Had I been that fool and someone witnessed my possibly damaging my equipment, I would have appreciated notice. That would be better than equipment failure hurting someone down the road.

One thing I have always liked about this forum is the respect and the lack of insults found on the forum. I am afraid to say, A couple of the posts above are an exception to that though. The "I am so smart and I can prove it by pointing out stupid people" needs to go elsewhere. It is just plain silly! And it is anything but good for this forum. So please, take it somewhere else. Thank you

Well put tjblocker. No need to bash and slam and it sounds like you and the kayakers have launch "Etiquette" . You and they are certainly not morons and if I insinuated that please accept my apologies. This is indeed a great forum thanks for your input. Alan

APOLOGY ACCEPTED!
Do you remember if it was a large custom weld storm (jet boat) that you thought was damaged? One has to pay very careful attention to launch that boat there.

I have launched a smaller boat here dozens of times and know that with a wide boat you must split that right lane very carefully. Otherwise, you can cause trailer rails to impact the ground. You also have to avoid the rock in the water or it will damage a taillight lense. Don't ask me how I know that. But the rock was out of sight that time.

I always favor the rocks that are in the middle a little and was watching it pretty carefully, I think. I think I even got out of vehicle once or twice to look it over. But I did not block the lane for more than 3 or 4 minutes.

I once saw a guy destroy a trailer at this ramp.

I am having brakes inspected in a few days, will find out then if any damage was done.
Thanks for the comeback. All is good.
Tom

Anglinarcher made the original post about the trailer hitting a rock. I was not there and so don't know what may have happened. Love to fish Rock....all is good.

Alan

When my wife and fished Rock the first time, we were a little concerned due to all the negative remarks about the launch. We live in Hell's Canyon, and primarily fish for Steelhead and Bass, most of the time launching at gravel / rock sites, using a 21' Northwest Jet Boat, and a tandem trailer with dropped axles that has limited clearance, we have never had trailer damage from hitting rocks. I always carry a pair of hip boots in the boat, if it is a first time launch I put the boots on, and check out the spot the trailer is going in. We did the same thing at Rock, and it was a very easy launch, just check it out and be careful. Most of all ask the other guy if you can help him, we have all been on both sides, and it's good to pay it forward.

kenbarb,
I've been reading your posts for some time. Don't know that I would call Rock an "very easy launch", but compared to the launches I know that you do, I guess this makes sense.
I don't think Rock is hard, but you must pay attention to what you are doing. It's not like launching at Boyer. Don't know that I would want it to be...
I plan to play in the waters you play in after a little more practice. I recently bought my storm for this purpose, and must admit that your reports on Hells canyon was encouragement for me to replace my prop job. Would have done it anyway but...
Your advice is good. I love reading your reports. And I totally agree, let's all help each other when we can.
I say let other forums be about what is ugly about this electronic world we live in.
It really is too bad that this digital world makes it OK to say things we would never say to each other in person. We can be better than that, I think.
Thanks
Tom

Tom,
Thanks for the reply. We have been jetboating for thirty years, with all the dents and dings it is a forever learning process. One of the things we learned early was how easy it is to launch, and take the boat out, we always power off and on. At Rock you don't need to back the boat in very far, but might have to reposition a time or two to get the trailer somewhat level, there's quite a bit of trailer out of the water, but the 212 Hamilton Jet Pump makes it pretty easy, would be difficult with the same size prop boat.
Your Storm is perfect for the Snake River in Hell's Canyon, or the Clearwater, just read the water carefully, use common sense, and your chance of hitting bottom or a rock is greatly reduced.
I compliment you on your #5 comment, it made my day when I read it, was wondering what kind of "stupid", or "fool" category we would have been put in.
Ken

I use corn

kenbarb,
Thanks very much for the advice. It is appreciated.
My 21ft Storm has the Hamilton 212. I wasn't going to settle for one of the white ones. It also has the Kodiak 350, though would kind of rather had the 383. But it runs very strong.
I bought it to play where you play. And I can't remember how many of your reports I have read over the last couple years. I catch a good many metal heads and chinook, but not as many as you.
Thanks for the come back, you made my day.
Tom

I was in the water so I did not see the axle damage, but two of my friends say they did see the axle damage on the boat trailer. The size of the boat sounds right, but I did pay attention to color and type, I had issues of my own at the time. IF that was you, seriously, I did see the driver never even got out of the vehicle to see where they were backing! What if that was a kid or some person back there, or the Kayak owners equipment?

I cannot say it was you, but I can say I saw what happened. No apologies offered by me, none deserved.

Wasn't me, I got out of the vehicle to look where I was going. Once to talk to the Kayaker and again after backing a few feet to check where I was backing. And I don't have axle damage.

But if you do see someone that does serious damage to the equipment, then you should tell them. Losing a wheel on the highway could kill. It costs you nothing and you might be saving a life. Not doing so is foolish!

tjblocker, You are of course correct, I would have at least left a note on their vehicle window but I was half way home before my friends mentioned the damage. You were not the only large boat on the water, and I did see you now that I think of it, but I still don't remember the boat I saw at the launch. The Kayakers were in orange yaks, but that is a pretty common color and they seem to be everywhere on Rock anymore. It is interesting that the last death on Rock was a Parks and Rec party in a Yak. Side notes: Buc, did it work for you, I mean the corn? It should, I have seen a lot of it used on Badger.

Anglinarcher
Thanks for submitting this report, always glad to see one of yours come up, they are very precise and contain useful information, really enjoy and look forward to them. I'm sure your pointers on the hazards encountered in the lake, and at the launch have helped many boaters, and fisherman avoid damage to their equipment. When I read this report, I figured it was not one of your better days at Rock, and it did open up a lot of room for comments.
Ken