there isn’t too much to hit just a few wing dams up on there mn side by the dam you should see them. buy a map chip your good to go. early spring usually only everts is open. after that many other ramps open up.
Watch for water logged logs floating down river and your speed. Saw someone motoring up river and when they hit the floating log their lower unit went flying past them! Most amazing thing I have seen to see lower unit and prop flying past a boat.
And it gets pretty chaotic at the landings. Work on backing the rig in an empty parking lot.
I like the Wisconsin back channel landing. Very easy in and out
My backing is pretty good. Was out just about every day for the last two months of last season. But I appreciate the tips! I would have to think that lower unit was a sight to see!
Pool 4 has many boat landings from Alma to ld3 above red wing, kinda hard to answer y our question
I know it was pretty vague, I guess more on the Lake Pepin area. I’m just worried about messing up my fiberglass by hitting something so I was curious if there’s a deeper launch than others. Doesn’t really matter where.
Once the ice clears out Mahtofire, I would suggest Colvill Park. Great ramp, free, docks and in a harbor. The water isn’t too deep so I keep my motor trimmed up. You’re about 5 miles to the head of the lake and you’re in the last no wake zone on the river portion of the pool.
Lake city Roschen park is my go to. I wish the dock was longer but its a really nice launch. Probably the best fish cleaning facility in the area. It is typically not as busy as others because it can be affected by wind so it helps to have 2 people. This time of year you have 2 options.
Backchannel Wisconsin side or Everts.
Park point in Red wing is another public ramp. For the time being your best option is Everts Resort. There is a fee, but having a dock to tie up to and the best part. It’s the closest ramp to the dam, and if you follow the river rules no closing wing dam to watch for. ( like on the Wisconsin back channel)
Park Point? Oh, Bay Point Park in Red Wing.
If a person can’t see the closing dam on the way out of the backchannel ramp, they might not want to go toward the dam. LOL! There are four wing dams up there!
There are two no wake zones by launching at Bay Point or upstream before a person gets to the lake.
If launching out of the back channel at these lower levels, can one cross the closing dam/wing dam just upstream of the launch anywhere or does it have a cut in the middle to navigate to? It’s easy to see from the bridge, but not so clear on the water. I attached the Navionics pic below which is no help.
Screenshot_20180305-084425.png
I always have just gone real slow down the middle, hopefully you can follow a boat and let them find the gap. There used to be markers if I remember right.
My 3 favorite ramps are the Wisconsin back channel, Colvill in Red Wing and Roschen in Lake city.
There are a lot of ramps in P4. Evert’s, Wi Back channel, Baypoint, Colvill, Bay City, Frontenac, Hok-Si-La and Roschen. There are a few other smaller ones, but these are the main ones.
Pretty much all of the landings on the river are safe for all types of fishing boats. Only landing I have run into issues is the Frontenac landing, but I only use it once or twice a year. Find a landing close to where you want to fish and drop the boat in, you’ll be a happy camper.
You want to stay far right going upstream and over that closing dam. There are usually bleech bottles marking the sweet spot to get through there. (Or tail pipe a boat going through on the right side there. Downstream, you can usually trim motor way up and float over.
Its actually marked on your map image. You want to pass through near that white marker.
-J.
closing-dam.png
Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it.
If launching out of the back channel at these lower levels, can one cross the closing dam/wing dam just upstream of the launch anywhere or does it have a cut in the middle to navigate to? It’
Yes you can cross it as shown.
Saturday I ran the race track from the Wisconsin channel landing through dead slough lake all the way to where it hooks up with the Wisconsin channel again…I was incredibly surprised to make it that whole way only to find out it was iced up where the two channels come together… Back tracked through the race track and exited to main channel downstream of redwing bridge. I wouldn’t advise taking that cut the main channel right now. Need another foot of water or you’ll be on top of rocks.
The Slough is about 12-18″ in main channel in spots. That was fun with a 30 mph headwind.
No fish in race track, I just wanted to see if I could run the whole thing.
I know this is an old post, but thank you for the visual reference Jon! I am new to navigating the river as well, and I have clipped this dam twice now. Everything still works thankfully; was observing the no-wake zone so the damage was minimal. Was at the boat shop asking the guy where the spot to get through the closing dam was and he told me it was marked with a couple bottles, but I didn’t see any. At least now I know where to “feel” for an opening. I could not find a visual anywhere until I stumbled on this post.
he told me it was marked with a couple bottles
Someone puts them out infrequently. I never know if they’re going to be there or not.
I’m assuming you have a gps. Once you go through the area that Jon marked on his map, drop a waypoint there.
IDO. Learning more by accident then other places by design. 
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