city overnight opener

Usually hit the river from shore on opener, but with new boat the plan now is to take its maiden voyage Friday night. There is no overnight parking in the 3 rivers park district and other metro lakes I frequent same story. Private launches on lakes no longer open to public BC of AIS , and bringing boat out on high river doesn’t sound appealing. Does Independence or Sarah have overnight launches? What would be a good spot to launch out of Minnetonka? ALL options are open and have a chip so not worried about navigation. Minnetonka is such a labyrinth of lakes, not to sure how to tackle it early spring. Almost think run and gun all the riprap on all wind/current swept channels would be effective.

It’s not overnight if you show up at 12:01 in the morning

Quote:

---

It’s not overnight if you show up at 12:01 in the morning

---

My thoughts exactly, but when I spoke with a couple people from the park districts and city and both said it wasn’t a good idea. After getting kicked out several times over the years on the river shorefishing and now this parks own the city lakes and their rules is really starting to infuriate me.

Why bother with the lakes that have time limited parking when there are so many “other” non limited parking time launches in the metro, Tonka, Waconia, BE, WBL, Forest Lake… Either that or just use them, it’s not likely that they will flag you in from the water and tell you to leave.

But I agree in this day and age why shouldn’t a boat launch (non-private) be subject to “hours” – way to many fisherman in the metro and sometimes going out after-hours only makes the most sense.

On Minnetonka, I like the ramps on Maxwell, and 2nd the ramp on North Arm, both connect easily thru Crystal to get the deeper east side, and also out of Crystal west to the warmer shallower lakes.
Crappies should definitely be going, Walleyes may be harder to find.
Good luck,
Jack

Will be going out of North Arm. My grandpa and me would fish there all the time when I was a lil lad, and seems fitting to give my first launch there too. He was so proud when I said I bought an Alumacraft, he had the first aluminum boat on Lake George and still recants the tale of people coming up asking what the thing is he was in. Anyone see a guy cruising about in a 14′ red one that’s me wave me down and we can introduce ourselves.

24 hours to go….
Good Luck,
let us know how it went.
Jack