Ramp Caution! CFP Ramp

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silvertalon

Active member
Careful at Chester Frost Park Boat Ramp. Right now the lake level is only about 1/4 foot over last years low. My back axle dropped off the edge both launching and loading. Single axle trailers are still ok. Major tip to remember: if your back axle drops off- STOP and launch your boat. Don't try to pull back out with your boat on the trailer. I've seen a guy tear off a back axle last year. Be sure when you load out that your empty trailer has all 4 wheels on the ramp! Also, watch your tilt angle and prop right now. Its better to winch the boat up to the stop than to throttle up all the way up on the trailer. I say this because , even at a modest tilt angle, I felt my skeg hitting as I powered up on the trailer. If the lake level gets any lower, I may not be fishing anytime soon. I still wonder if Hamilton Co Park will be using a few hundred bucks to dump some 3-4" rock off the end of the ramp. They were awarded 22K last year for improvements and maint. This is an annual issue that must be maintained. The prop wash from boats loading out, blow out huge holes in the gravel. CReating a drop off at the end of the ramp. This is why they need to use large rock in place of gravel. I saw a back hoe down there 2 yrs ago. They just scrape the old crap up against the edge of the ramp.
 
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Bucksbass

New member
My axle started to drop off today at CF. Lucky I noticed before it was to far gone and was able to ease up. I also felt my skeg hit a little. Had to trim up allot to play it safe while loading.
 
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porthos33

New member
Call the Mayor. When Meigs County got some money a could years ago I called to have them fix a boat ramp I use regularly and they got it fixed within a couple weeks. Or you guys could just get some rocks and drop them in yourself's if that doesn't work.
 
FishingwithRusty

FishingwithRusty

Active member
thanks for the heads up
 
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silvertalon

Active member
Level this morning says 675.5 and the TVA app shows a 1/20 midnight lake level of 676 and rising. Thats good news for Saturday launch and load. Hope its accurate. Hope we get some good rain tonight. That may help.
 
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silvertalon

Active member
IMO, I think that every winter, the Army Corp should work in cooperation with TVA and local Gov- where they draw the lake an extra foot or so for ramp repairs. Corp facts; Problem is they are only concerned with flood control. -Flood control, power generation, then environmental. That is the order the Corp follows- nation wide. They could care less about the fishing or boating industry or how it can effect local commerce etc. unless they are petitioned by local gov. There are exceptions. The difference between TN River and say- White River (MO & AR); On the White, the Army Corp actually owns the property up to the Corp take line. The line is about 20 feet over full pool. Very strict rules govern property owners and they require permits for anything below this line. Even for cutting trees and brush etc. Old dock permits bring big bucks- up to 50k or more but a dock can only be placed in a red or green zone. The Corp however owns and operates the parks and ramps. There are about 8 Army Corp Parks on Table Rock. Extremely nice campgrounds, ramps, facility's etc. So, when the ramps or shorelines require work, they need to draw down the lake a little. Here on TN river, the Army Corp doesn't own the property (the waterway itself). I think is owned by the TVA. Sounds like we are stuck with what we've got. I think other ramps are more accessible like down at the dam. I haven't used it in winter.
 
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lafae7

Member
The water is down atleast another foot today. I tried my best to launch my 21 foot shadow today and couldn't. I even tried to launch the boat sideways emolaugh. After about 30 min I ended up just trailering the boat to chickamauga dam boat ramp.
 
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tnbsfsher

New member
Wolftever Creek ramp is good in the winter but the dock is in the mud. Always wondered why they didn't extend it a little further out.
 
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Hook1

New member
It may be different this year but in the past I've always used the side to the left if you're facing the water. Closest to the Coke machine because the ramp extended out further. On the opposite side there was a big busted off part that shortened the ramp
 
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275prostratos

New member
this is why I don't power load, us as fisherman are doing this to ourselves . if everyone would stop power loading the ramps wouldn't be washed out
 
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fischnrod

Active member
The best thing that could happen would be a concrete slab poured and pushed into the water at the end of the ramp
 
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lafae7

Member
Hook1 - 1/19/2017 3:41 PM

It may be different this year but in the past I've always used the side to the left if you're facing the water. Closest to the Coke machine because the ramp extended out further. On the opposite side there was a big busted off part that shortened the ramp
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I tried all three lanes and no luck. As soon as the top of my tires went under the water they fell off the ramp. This is my first winter with this boat and trailer combo. I never had a problem in the winter months past with my bullet and trailer combo. The axles on my trailer are farther back then my other boat trailer also.
 
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porthos33

New member
Yup only time it was really ever lower was 2014. And only about a 1/4 of a ft lower. Sure is making those fish bite! Love it like this haha
 
F

finbully

Active member
silvertalon - 1/19/2017 10:29 AM

IMO, I think that every winter, the Army Corp should work in cooperation with TVA and local Gov- where they draw the lake an extra foot or so for ramp repairs. Corp facts; Problem is they are only concerned with flood control. -Flood control, power generation, then environmental. That is the order the Corp follows- nation wide. They could care less about the fishing or boating industry or how it can effect local commerce etc. unless they are petitioned by local gov. There are exceptions. The difference between TN River and say- White River (MO & AR); On the White, the Army Corp actually owns the property up to the Corp take line. The line is about 20 feet over full pool. Very strict rules govern property owners and they require permits for anything below this line. Even for cutting trees and brush etc. Old dock permits bring big bucks- up to 50k or more but a dock can only be placed in a red or green zone. The Corp however owns and operates the parks and ramps. There are about 8 Army Corp Parks on Table Rock. Extremely nice campgrounds, ramps, facility's etc. So, when the ramps or shorelines require work, they need to draw down the lake a little. Here on TN river, the Army Corp doesn't own the property (the waterway itself). I think is owned by the TVA. Sounds like we are stuck with what we've got. I think other ramps are more accessible like down at the dam. I haven't used it in winter.
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The Corps does not control the Tennessee River levels, TVA does. The Corps does control some rivers, yes for example the Cumberland - remember Nashville's flooding. That was from the Cumberland. Thankfully for Chattanooga the Corps does not control the Tennessee. The Corps just operates the locks on the river. TVA has to maintain a defined minimum pool level to assure a minimum channel depth of 8' for navigation.

While it would be great to have a better ramp at CFP especially since it is used at a high capacity, it would be expensive and it would make the ramp unavailable during the construction of a coffer dam to provide a dry working area. There is no easy fix for a poor ramp compared to what it could be.

An easy aid would be sinking a couple of poles in the mud on the sides of the end of the ramp and maintaining them because I assure all there would be some who will find ways to destroy them while backing trailers in. But maybe that is too easy for Hamilton County to do. Call Coppinger 423-209-6101 good luck- he about as worthless as any career politician I've asked for help. Hamilton County owns the ramp.
 
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