Never been to either. Any tips on launching and running these lakes would be appreciated. I'm heading out early in the morning. Thanks in advance!

Not trying to be difficult at all but if I recall I think there have been some maps posted here of both lakes and where you can and can't run. Try the search feature as some were in the past but seems like a couple were posted recently. I keep meaning to download them and forget.
Best advice I can give you is all the ramps are on the TP&W site and all seem to be decent. When in doubt on both lakes please idle. Both are loaded with hazards and both are small enough that its not a big deal not running on pad. Good luck, have fun and catch a bunch.

If it's Welsh, get there early. There is only a single ramp. It is popular even on weekdays. There are previous posts here on TFF that spell out where to be careful running on both lakes.

Thanks guys. I think I have a map of Welsh saved but nothing for Monticello. If anyone has it and wouldn't mind sharing that would be great.

You can run to the highway bridge on Monticello. You can run further but as a newbie on the lake I wouldn't. Past the bridge, I would idle.

Thanks Brian.

Anyone know how the fishing has been up that way?

On Monticello, once you go under the highway bridge, look to your 2:00 position and you'll see a point. You can run straight from the highway bridge buoys to the point. Shut down out in front of the point and idle from there.

^^^ thanks a lot. Your advice worked out great.

How was the fishing Mayo?

Was horrible for me. Only two bites. I only saw one guy boat one that wasn't fishing at the fence at the discharge.

Are you talking about Welsh ?

No I haven't been to Welsh yet. Was going to go today but but hardly slept all night. Was feeling pretty bad all night for some reason.

Im from Nebraska and fish Monti every year with my uncle that knows the lake well. We saw a boat last year run from Hwy bridge on pad 1.4 miles to the North right down the gut into the death timber without hitting anything. Can anyone explain how he lived or how he did this, my uncle does not even know.

No idea how he made it. Just lucky I guess. I would not try it and I've fished the lake for 25 years.

That is the old BAL run from back in the day.......Blind Arse Luck also known as the DA lane...I'll let you figure that one out.

I've seen guys run North where they shouldn't and in most cases they are from OK, AR or LA that just think it looks clear enough to run.....every one of those stumps can be a widow maker up there....they are the hardest stumps I've ever seen in any lake.

I've fished a lot of lakes over the last 10 years and I've only ever come up on 4 boats that has just recently sunk....1 from Tawakoni and 3 at Monti with 1 of those just a few months back that me and Heath Taylor came across. It was "perched" on a stump and had been abandoned.