Just wondering if anyone knows of a ramp that I can use on Limestone to get a 22 foot boat in the water on? The lake is 4 foot low and I have never put in on that lake when the water is that low.

Lake Limestone Marina and the Jewett Ramp by the dam north side you should be able to launch at either ramp.

Other than private launches & ramps, there are 4 public ramps & 2 Marina ramps for Lake Limestone. I was thinking the Lake had risen some, but have not checked recently. I live downriver about an hours drive thru the back roads, from Running Branch Marina.

As to the 4 public ramps, there are two on the north end & two on the south end (bottom of the lake). Both are on opposite sides. I do not know their specific names, but they usually are assigned numbers on the maps. My maps are in my backpack in the living room at the moment. I've got about 5 of them. Hang on, let me go get them.

Here they are (for information):

Lake Limestone & S.C. Robertson Dam -Brazos River Authority [no year listed FREE]

Cities of Groesbeck & Mexia with Limestone County [no year listed FREE] (only has Limestone County portion of the Lake)

Limestone County -Groesbeck Chamber of Commerce [2006 Edition- Liberty Marketing FREE] (has all of the Lake)

Lake Limestone -A.I.D. [1984/1985 Pd. $2.65 UPC #0-48402-25641] (Special Sportsman's Series- Contoured Depth/Aerial Map)

Lake Limestone -A.I.D. [2001/2002 Pd. about $6 UPC #0-48402-60104-3] (Waterproof/ GPS Grid for Lake Limestone/ new contours/ also has Fairfield Lake)

They were mapping out the lake around 2007 thru 2009, so there may be a newer one avalable now. Ronnie at RB Marina was raised on the River at its north end before it became a lake. In fact, my Mom was too, but not when the lake came about. Ronnie's Aunt was my Mom's best friend. Sometimes life is interesting as to how all things meet.


The BRA map used BRA assigned letters for the 4 free parks & ramps. The older AIDs map has numbers for the bottom two, but the north ones were not numbered. I think the Lake was opened in 1979 if I recall.

Those 4 public ramps are:
A) [#1] SW bottom- RR (Rest Rooms) This is next to Lake Ranger/BRA/Game Warden offices & their separate state launch. Robertson County

B) NW portion about a 1/4 down the lake- free park, not sure on RR. Located on the down side on the bridge (on west side) of FM 3371 which crosses the lake. Limestone County

C) NE portion about a 1/4 down the lake- Located on the up side on the bridge (on east side) of FM 3371 which crosses the lake. Limestone County

D) [#2] SE bottom- It has a free park & RR. Leon County


If it is 4 feet low, that will mean that you cannot get out of Running Branch (RB) Marina. As you come out & veer to the left after the bridge, there is a low flat "stretch" which makes it impossible at 4 feet low for a big boat. This ramp is at the tip of the west side or Running Branch fork of the lake. This stretch is a good 75 to 100 yards of mud silt/sand.

Not sure how low it can get at the Lake Limestone Marina ramp before its a problem there, but should be OK for the moment, as J-Rods just noted. This is on the east side between the Power lines & bottom of the lake.

Not sure how low it can get as to any of the public ramps will become a problem. But I am thinking Ramp C is the most shallow. Next would be Ramp A. Ramp D might be next. If I recall, the last man standing (last hope) if the lake goes really low, is Ramp B.

When the drought hit in 2011, the CTC (Central Texas Catfish) Kids Catfish Tourney was held at Running Branch Marina. The big boats had to drop in elsewhere. We managed to barely get in & out as it was pretty low in the RB Marina area & campground. We were using a wide 14' Mon Ark with a 25 HP. I think I had to prop the motor up some and help push thru the stretch. This was in June on the Saturday ahead of Fathers Day. By August or so, the only water at RB was the little pond below the ramp there. We walked all the way out to past where the ramp at Herman's Hideaway used to be (now privately owned by a company). I think it was about 7 or 7.5 feet low then. I went for Thanksgiving 2011 & it was 10 feet low. No ramps were operable. I took my sister's 12' Porta-Bote & toted it on its dolly wheels (they attach) from the Ranger public ramp about a quarter mile to get to water. Going up into the RB fork, I could make it up to almost a private resort called Laguna (something), at least near there, but they had no access to the water. It was amazing to see all of the things that were exposed.

And the Rangers & Game Wardens, if needed, could only launch from their state Launch near the dam wall, by taking the tractor hitched to a boats trailer & driving out on the rock bottom out far enough to launch. So if you were out on the lake & in trouble, due to that, it might be a 15 to 45 minute wait on rescue by water.

Well, there you go, for future reference if needed.