Hello,
I’m a new boat owner and am itching to get it out. Are there any landings on the Mississippi or other rivers close to the cities that has an easy ramp for entry and exit? Would also like to stay away from heavy current and a lot of boat traffic if possible. I would look at going early in the morning to help with the latter part.
Is Evert’s a good option or is there a more “quiet” option? Backwater would be ideal.
Thanks for any information! Can’t wait to get out!
Where are you located?
SW Maple Grove
Champlin landing is a good one early season. Should be open?
Stick to the middle of river from the 169 bridge to the dam south and plenty deep.
Great, the info is much appreciated!
All the landings from Hidden Falls and south are open. If you are new to the river, now is a good time as the flow is low. Only thing to get you in trouble right now is ice coming down but last weekend it was minimal.
You can also launch at Watergate Marina which has a protected landing. You have to call ahead during the week to get a gate code, though. I don’t think they are staffing the marina on the weekends yet.
Lions Levee access is on a back channel. Also has a dock in. (Only dock in the water on pool 2 right now.) Not much for fishing on the lower end of the pool right now. But if you just want a place for a no crowd – new boat shake down cruise, this is your spot.
-J.
If you are new to boating and landing a boat on the river I would actually not recommend Hidden Falls or Lillydale. I would go with 494 (been open for some time now) or Lions Levy (I believe it is open but not sure), current is easier to deal with. Watergate is also easier to launch but I am not sure if it is open, and the post above a phone call prior would be best.
There is a really nice public launch in Hastings on pool 3 (just upstream from the Hastings bridge) and it is pretty quiet this time of the year. I was out on Sunday and there was only two other trailers in the lot. Make sure you have a map chip if you are not familiar with pool 3, there are lots of wing dams and some extend a considerable distance into the channel. If you stay between the channel marker buoys you will be fine, just remember to stay to the right of the red markers and left of green when travelling downstream. (And opposite when going upstream) There is a no wake zone through Prescott which didn’t have the no wake buoys out yet.
There was a fair amount of debris and ice in p3 yesterday and Michael was on pool 2 telling me more was on the way. FYI things are changing. Use caution.
And just a thought here…if it was my new boat, I’d fire up the outboard in the driveway and make sure it ran well before I dropped the boat in the river.
SR
And just a thought here…if it was my new boat, I’d fire up the outboard in the driveway and make sure it ran well before I dropped the boat in the river.
SR
Agreed, or at least go where there is another landing down current, which champlin would not be assuming the coon rapids dam launch is still iced in.
All the landings from Hidden Falls and south are open. If you are new to the river, now is a good time as the flow is low. Only thing to get you in trouble right now is ice coming down but last weekend it was minimal.
You can also launch at Watergate Marina which has a protected landing. You have to call ahead during the week to get a gate code, though. I don’t think they are staffing the marina on the weekends yet.
Have you launched at Watergate yet Matt? Last week it looked like the water was *almost* open back to the launch, but there was a lot of snow piled up on the ramp itself yet.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Matt Moen wrote:</div>
All the landings from Hidden Falls and south are open. If you are new to the river, now is a good time as the flow is low. Only thing to get you in trouble right now is ice coming down but last weekend it was minimal.You can also launch at Watergate Marina which has a protected landing. You have to call ahead during the week to get a gate code, though. I don’t think they are staffing the marina on the weekends yet.
Have you launched at Watergate yet Matt? Last week it looked like the water was *almost* open back to the launch, but there was a lot of snow piled up on the ramp itself yet.
Sunday it was open.
Awesome, game on. Thanks!
Thanks everybody for the tips. Went out at Lion’s Levee and had a good afternoon. No fish but were able run the boat through everything.
Some of those ice bergs are big!
The Fort Snelling ramp must be open now, correct?
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