What I did a short while ago when the city of prescott informed me that yearly launch pass fee increased by over 40% from last year. Dont you just love govt and greed?
At $13.25 a pop for non-res launching I now have to weigh how many times I anticipate going.
I always put in at Hastings and motored down the extra couple of miles. Was the Prescott launch less hectic than the Hastings free launch to warrant a fee?
It far outshines the free launch both for facilities and convenience to the fishing grounds in my opinion. Along with constant police patrol it really is a gem. Just expensive.
what are they going to charge?
Mike, the last time I bought a seasonal it was $30 and $10 for non res.
I heard it had gone up…what’s it at $50?
It’s lighted and with the police patrol personally I think $50 for the season is reasonable for the dock, lights and patrol although it always hurts when a person was paying less before.
Remember I’m the frugal guy that doesn’t like paying more for anything. 
Depending how often one fishes the Prescott area the new charge of $50 for a season pass is still a great bargain. Its a lot better than what their charging from Afton and up. St.Croix Bluffs is a great deal also for the cost of a county parks sticker.
i pay 100 bucks for a pass at hastings marina, have for the last 4 years and i will again this year. i also use the launch 30-50 times a year.
Yes. $50. Sorry I didnt include that number before. Duh.
I know its a great launch and I shelled out the 50 BUT that is a huge increase from one year to the next.
I keep expecting them to drop the program and function like
(barf barf) Hudson……
It went up from $30 to $50 this year which is a pretty big increase, but I’ll pay it because I use it a lot. It’s also now $13.25 for non-res launch under 20′. Whey the 25 cents is my question. For 13 bucks each time, four times and your season pass is paid for so toss that around.
$13.25 to launch. Un #$@&*%0 believable.
I found the extortion list of rules if anyone is interested.
Look at 2011 Misc Fees.
http://www.prescottwi.org/gov/cityservices.html
Say what you will but its a hard pill to swallow when you consider boat launches are primarily a free service to the public on most state water. Done complaining for now. Ready to continue fishing. 
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I always put in at Hastings and motored down the extra couple of miles. Was the Prescott launch less hectic than the Hastings free launch to warrant a fee?
There is little current and a dock at Prescott. It is much easier launching there by yourself than hastings. Prescott is just as hectic as Hastings in the afternoon with all the pleasure crafts.
The 13.25 is silly. But I guess they figure everyone has a quarter, 25 pennies, or two dimes and a nickel etc. I may have to use the Hastings launch myself more unless the bridge construction gets the traffic backed up too much.
The lot in Prescott is full most of the fishing season so the price doesn’t appear to be keeping most people away.
Too bad they don’t open the bluffs launch earlier than 6 am. How do we get that changed? I use several Washington Cty parks so the 25 bucks for that is fine with me.
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Depending how often one fishes the Prescott area the new charge of $50 for a season pass is still a great bargain. Its a lot better than what their charging from Afton and up. St.Croix Bluffs is a great deal also for the cost of a county parks sticker.
Great thing about Park Stickers is that they are reciprocal with some others County Parks, (Carver County for one, I believe Anoka is another) which makes it a great deal for me.
If you buy a Washington County sticker you can come over and use the Carver County Parks (Lake Minnewashta, Chanhassen & Eagle Lake, Norwood/Young America).
Yes, to go south of Prescott I have to boat a little ways, but if I am driving from Chaska to begin with, what are a few miles in the boat?
I did not know about the reciprocal thing that is a great thing to know. 
all the money collect that gos into the general city fund, but they never up date the docks (south side) or the cement ramp, have lost 2 tires to rusted angle iron in the ramp that rusts and has cut the side wall of my trailer tires. its a nice landing and i live in prescott and just pisses me off that they make there money there but never re-invest back in to the landing
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I did not know about the reciprocal thing that is a great thing to know.
Yep, I’ve done that in the past. I get the Prescott one for days I wanna hit it earlier than 6 AM. I also spend the $25 for the Washington Park sticker so I can launch from the Bluffs as well. The Bluffs is one of the nicest launches there is. But if I’m fishing the Confluence or south of it I generally go out of Prescott.
Fees going up sucks but it’s how everything is now days. They know we are going to pay so they do what they want. I think it’s a little high for a “public” launch but if you look at what some of the private launch sites charge for a year, it’s not too bad.
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The Bluffs is one of the nicest launches there is.
The best launch on the St Croix River is the Wind Mill Marina. Last time I checked it was $16.00 for a fishing boat…but the dock hands made it worth while. 
13.25 doesn’t surprise me. Beanies charges 15.00 on weekends. As a Hudson resident, I pay 3.00 per launch in Hudson. They don’t have a yearly option. So even 50.00 wouldn’t be a bad deal.
They must not be charging enough, because if you try launching on a weekend, you can’t get a parking spot unless you are one of the early birds.
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The Bluffs is one of the nicest launches there is.
The best launch on the St Croix River is the Wind Mill Marina. Last time I checked it was $16.00 for a fishing boat…but the dock hands made it worth while.
Service wise on the Croix, I would agree. However, the Bluffs more open to move your trailer around and has great parking.
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However, the Bluffs more open to move your trailer around and has great parking.
Are we talking about the same Wind Mill Marina in Afton? Unless there’s a boat drydocked in the lot, that’s a pretty large area.
Correction:
2011 Launch Prices
Monday-Friday Any Length $14
Weekends/Holidays 24′ & Under $21
Weekends/Holidays 25′ & Over $29
At some point, someone with some open land and a couple of teenage sons will drop off your boat and park your vehicle on their land for $10-15. Since everyone has cells these days, just tell them when to pick you up.
All these prices dissapoint me. One can say its not that much and no big deal but not me when you consider launching a fishing boat is historically and typically to this day a free event on nearly every waterway in Mn and Wi. Gas at $4 has me thinking about my travel, and now THIS! Seems very very unecessary and avoidable. Even cruel. Especially when you know that money isnt all going back to the cause.
Someone mentioned they know we will pay it. True statement but also a reflection of the character of those in charge….and to them I say 
I can stomach the fee at the Bluffs, and even the season pass at Prescott, but Windmill will never get another nickel from me. A kid on a dock with a hook doesn’t constitute boating knowledge. They seem to think they had more right to handle my boat than I did.
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A kid on a dock with a hook doesn’t constitute boating knowledge.
Depending on how good looking she was…I might argue that.
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As a Hudson resident, I pay 3.00 per launch in Hudson. They don’t have a yearly option.
The parking spaces in Hudson furthest to the south in the lot are for yearly purchasers
That’s for “A” listers Jesse. Obviously you are not one. 
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The parking spaces in Hudson furthest to the south in the lot are for yearly purchasers
Jesse,
Those spots are for Hudson residents with a resident sticker. The stickers are free, but you still have to pay 3.00 per launch. It prevents the Hudson lot from being filled up with vehicles with those ugly blue plates. 
I thought they sold some seasonal stuff, wish they did 
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A kid on a dock with a hook doesn’t constitute boating knowledge.
Depending on how good looking she was…I might argue that.
I agree
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