Unloading boat at Squaw creek when solo

As anyone knows that has fished squaw creek during a big tournament day, the boat ramp is a get the boat unloaded and get out of the way. How do you go about unloading your boat when you are fishing one of these tournaments solo? I don't want to take up ramp space in the amount of time 5 boats could get unloaded but also don't want to be the last one on the water either. How would y'all go about this?

Be the first one on the water, show up early

Some on here will try and make you float it off and then hopefully someone will give you a ride to it. I wouldn't do that if I were solo. They could just wait. I would try to get a ramp on one end or the other, though.

Get there super early or late or try to get the furthest ramp next to the dock.it's just fishing they'll wait

I normally wait til it slows down on the ramp but if they have to wait, they have to wait. They should have gotten there before you. I've never seen anyone get mad about it as long as you look like you are trying to get in and out as fast as you can. This is where an ulterra comes in handy. LOL

Oh I know the answer to this one. Back your boat into the water, already unlatched from the trailer with no one in it. Let it float away. Just let it float into the trees. They will keep it safe. Now go and park your trailer. While you are parking the trailer the trees will wax and fill it with any necessary fluids. Once you get back there will be a valet service to wisk you to your 20-70k boat in pristine condition. No holding up the line for you sir.

Get there when you get there and do your thing. There are 5 ramps, we work around the slow pokes pretty good. You're no different than the cat fisherman that show up in the middle of the rush



It really slows down about 30 minutes after they open the gates, so 715-730 will avoid the rush and not put you in last.

In all seriousness if you back in and pull up to the closest dock there it shouldn't take more than 5 to 10 minutes max. I wouldn't worry about it. Like mentioned earlier, if someone has to wait, then they have to wait. Those ramps aren't there for tournament fishermen only. You do you.

I use a rope. Sling the boat, pull up a little so I don't get wet. Take the boat to the side of the ramp and tie it off. Or tie it to the dock. Then pull the jeep up and park. Takes me about 3 minutes. Almost as fast as trying to yell to a co angler to back a little more....a little more.....a whole lot more.....damn. Toooooo much. Etc. then wait on them to figure out how to drive and lock the doors.

It's not a big deal. Just don't waste time while others are waiting. Be 100% ready to go. When someone decides they want to check a bunch of [censored] while they hold up the ramps,my hats irritating. We've all launched solo. We all know it's a bitch sometimes. Just don't get on the ramp till you're ready.

im waiting for him to show up lmao

Bingo

If it makes you feel better... I watch Jason Christie back in solo in MS. He looked frustrated. I bet if anyone offered to help launch the boat for a ride along on practice, he'd of said ok.

Even some of the best don't like doing it alone.

So sounds like as a solo if you Re there around 7:30 it's not too bad?

Just have the boat ready, put in and go fish don't worry about it.

Yep,this. You paid your $30 just like everyone else. As long has you have your boat ready it's not really a big deal. There is four other ramps so it's not like your holding the whole line up.

I can start backing down a ramp, hop in the boat, start it, back off trailer, beach or tie, and pull truck off ramp in less than 5 minutes most of the time. There is always a potential 'hitch in my giddy up', but most people are happy to wait just a bit longer. I can beat some pairs off the ramp, so on average I am about the same.

Just do your thing, and smile, wave, chat. Be nice, and don't worry!

Never had a problem

Your all good just do you. But to help. The ramps are steep so wile backing in go slow your back end will fill full of water if you go to fast. Wile pulling out make sure your trailer is out of water more then usual and throttle the boat up on trailer.

Good luck

it gets fun when it below freezing. ice on the ramp. watch your self getting out of the truck.

I throw it off and get a ride to it. Some will poo on the idea, that is because other than making YouTube videos they don't know what they are talking about. We, me and 99.9 percent of the tourney guys will give you a lift. Just don't do it when wind is blowing into ramp.

Its nice when people are holding onto the dock with power poles down waiting for there partner blocking the dock when your by yourself.

I unload my boat solo all the time. Like people have said before just have everything ready and you will be fine. My big deal for me is starting the boat my is sometimes hard to start and I can still have it done in about 5 or less.

Think of it like this. I can either be in a rush, jump in boat, find spot on dock or beach, run back to truck all while people wait. Or kick it off drive off walk down while nobody waits. I'm a little lazy and boats by the way don't have legs they won't get out of the lake.

The YouTube part!

Don't you have homework Stetson. Lol

Nope two finales today then a month off

Honestly, just launch how you normally would. Don't rush too much and make a mistake, the extra 2mins it takes you isn't going to hurt anybody. Like said above, it has 5 ramps. I bet you end up being faster than one of the ramps anyway. Someone will trust their partner to unlatch something and they will forget and waste 5 mins wondering whats wrong.

It should not matter if there is a tourney going on
at $30.00 a pop to launch,
don't worry, they can wait a few minutes.

You paid for your launch.

I think there should be no more than one tourney a day on squaw, it is to small for 2 a day.................just my 2 cents

The same people enter both so it really doesn't matter

I would launch the boat and tie up to the dock then go park the truck. I did that all the time many years ago.

I do it all the time. 3-4 minutes to unload, tie to dock and get my truck out of the way. There is a select few posting on here a couple weeks ago berating anyone solo who doesn't back up and just let their boat drift off and get your truck out of their way. Park your truck and then come back and hitch a ride out to your boat? Really? Just be efficient and conscientious and do your thing....everyone else can chill! Have fun.

5 ramps out there now...wow, I used to launch when there was only 3 out there.

I just want an elevator to the top parking lot. That's all.

For all the impatient people out there you need to plan on not going when BLT is having an individual tournament. Just trying to help.

Been years since I've fished tournaments at Squaw, but in the olden days, we'd designate a couple of non-boaters to help solos launch. Much better to drop the non boater off in a boat with a driver than to drop the solo in a boat adrift.

Solo tourney last year was extra slow at ramp. Don't worry about holding lane up everyone is going to get in eventually before launch. However, myself and a couple others did the dump and go, it worked perfect. I wouldn't do it in higher winds especially if blowing back into the ramp. All of you get equipment and wraps like the pros, so why don't you learn to unload like the pros sans a personal assistant.

Just do what you need to do. Everyone has fished alone, and should understand the situation. I normally agree with the early arrival advice, but at Squaw the gate means that there is always a crowd at launch time. Just do your thing, do it efficiently, but don't get in too much of a rush and make any mistakes or tear up your equipment.

shouldn't take you more than 2 minutes to get your truck off the ramp launching solo.

I would consider just floating the boat off though, I guarantee you someone will take you to your boat

you could have some one else pull your truck and trailer off to the side while you get situated in the water. Im sure if you asked a guy on the ramp or one that was already power poled down they would oblige. If you're not comfortable with that then just do what you have to and don't worry about anyone else. if you are ready and do everything in a timely fashion (IE don't start spooling rods with your truck on the ramp) then no one should have cause to complain. if it is Saturday you are talking about, send me a PM and ill come help and then help my partner.

For 30 bucks you would think they would have the guys on their utv's shuttling us to the top.

This ^^^^^^ I have done it a bunch. It wont hurt a thing and most anglers know what happening. And don't make a big deal out of it. But you always have the key board expert.

Tell anyone that complains to come launch a boat at Grapevine between Memorial Day and Labor Day. They will never complain after that experience. 2 lane ramps...pleasure boater takes their half out of the middle and then attempts to push their 30' wake board boat onto the trailer while wading chest deep.

Haha. Pool is just as bad. I once waited 30 minutes to load up as I waited on a hillbilly, cussing his wife, because his boat wouldn't start.... Even with multiple shots of starting fluid....because his wife had the boat backed "crooked"... The other ramp had a guy that was trying to load up a two ton pontoon boat onto a 10ft wide trailer connected to a 1985 4cyl ford ranger. It was slowly getting dragged back down the ramp. All the while the guy cussing his wife is getting madder by the attempt. His wife practically looks like a jack knifed parallel parking attempt on the ramp. She's crying her eyes out instead of the asshat just telling her to pull the boat up the ramp.

Normally I would just sit, watch, laugh my [censored] off....but I had to [censored]!

On more more than one occasion at two different lakes I have launched at daylight with a truck & submerged trailer on one lane of a ramp without a boat or soul in sight. At least they didn't use the middle. Might not be a good idea at Sqawl Creek.

The best ramp story I had is when Grapevine was low and this guy has this massive pontoon...probably close to 30' and 3/4 ton 4x4 truck. He had backed the trailer off the end of the ramp and was trying to pull it out. I told him to take the boat of the trailer...go to another ramp that was deeper, and put it on there. After letting out a stream of profanity directed at me and telling me I didn't know anything...he revved up his truck, slammed it gear, and proceed to yank one of the two axles off of his trailer.

I would just launch like normal , protecting myself and my boat . If I get looked at then so be it , they will get over it .

People are funny.... and it's pretty amazing this thread is still going

Don't be too proud to ask for help. I can guarantee that almost every person there would be willing to help out by pulling your truck out of the way while you tie up. We've ALL been there!!! Also I live very close to Squaw & if you want a co angler that CAN back up I am available. I would probably fish it more but don't really like going by myself much anymore. I have a boat also. PM me if you want