So after at least 4 attempts this week I was so excited to finally get a chance to fish Deep lake today so Nick and I loaded up the boat with kokanee and lake trout gear and made our way through the state park to our little oasis in the canyon!

We arrived to a pretty busy parking lot but there were no boats in the way of the one boat launch so quickly got the boat ready and Nick got down on the dock with the rope as I back the truck down the ramp. After I bumped the boat off the trailer, I put it into gear and hit the gas but started sliding down the ramp into the lake!! Yikes! The ramp was so slimy that my tires had no traction what-so-ever and I had to hold both the emergency brake and the brake pedal to the flour just to keep it from going completely down into the water. Nick jumped in and put a big rock under of the front tires and one of my tire chocks under the other. Now I was finally able to get out of the truck and we quickly unhooked the boat trailer to take some of the weight off the truck~ pretty soon someone offered to go get a park ranger and then someone who had a chain hooked up the front of my truck and pulled it tight just so I climbed back in and he pulled me out until all 4 tires were back up off the slime! Now we had to carefully go down and bring back the trailer to hook it up to the truck which was a challenge as there was no foot holds except the spaces between the slats in ramp. Once we did that we were able to get the boat far enough on where I could wench it up on fasten it and said a blessing!! I thought about how many times this week I actually drove down here by myself and almost launched the boat but decided not too as that would have been a disaster since not many people were in the park this week! Whew!

We never did see the ranger but since were there decided that it would not be a total loss and grabbed our gear and did some fishing from the bank. Had a few followers and saw a beautiful fish about 25" cruising the shoreline and the only reason I rated this a 3 as the scenery was so beautiful and to make sure people read this as it is a very dangerous situation at that launch and until the clean off that slime I would be very very cautious when you try and put your boat in no matter what it is. Someone from our group did tell the rangers about the situation and someone could easily have their rig go into the lake!

See you on the water! (not in the water)

baydog1990

5/19/2014 7:59:00 AM

SB think a front wheel drive would fair better at that launch?

Thanks!

downriggeral

5/19/2014 8:45:00 AM

Wow Barry - Sounds like our escapades in the winter when we launch here on the east side. Was there any sand on the beach? Sand/fine gravel may save the day. I don't know what you tow with but that's what four wheel drive is for. I know it seems like over-kill based on where you live!

I'm just thankful you didn't go by yourself. I have slid all the way to the water before on the ice; the good part is the truck will stop after the waters edge because that's as far as the ice goes.

Tight lines Barry and one more story for your log book! - Alan

salmonbarry

5/19/2014 7:37:00 PM

Thanks guys! No even the people helping me said a 4 wheel drive wouldn't have helped unless you made sure to keep your front wheels out of the water as there was so much slime on the ramp but for sure on my next rig I will be looking that avenue

MotoBoat

5/19/2014 8:08:00 PM

salmonbarry, what about the sand or gravel option? Was that available on the beach or waters edge, for spreading on the slime? Might keep that option available, and stacked in your bag of fishing tricks.

That was the first thing I thought of when reading the slime part of your report. I am adding that to my McGiver list!. Good sounding tip, from a Eastside winter angler, thanks downriggeral.

downriggeral

5/20/2014 10:22:00 AM

MotoBoat - I usually carry a five gallon bucket of sand in the winter (be sure to use a lid as it does no good if frozen from not keeping it dry) . Never have carried it in the summer though....who woulda' thought?

schu7498

5/20/2014 12:21:00 PM

Glad that trip to deep lake didnt end up costing you a truck! I would never have thought of slime being an issue on a ramp!

G-Man

5/20/2014 12:27:00 PM

Glad to hear no harm was done. Darn, I still haven't removed the 3 sand tubes from the back of my truck. I was at Blue lake a couple of weeks ago and had I know the problem existed would have happily make the short trip and dumped them on the launch.

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