Thread: Oologah Archives

Good info guys. Thanks for the warnings. Is the vada ramp the u turn at Talala creek?

Originally Posted by Crappie ciller

Is the vada ramp the u turn at Talala creek?

Yes. The ramp you stay to the right in the rough rock/gravel then straighten out on the ramp to back into the water. It's really bad when the water is this low. My boat is fairly light and does not set very deep in the water. First off, the ramp itself ends very quick with about a 15" shear drop at the back of it in the water. Just beyond the shear drop the bottom of the cove raises back up and there are a few big rocks that you just can't avoid. I launch with my front anchor in the bed of my truck. I back in just enough for the back of the boat to float then the trailer hits that shear drop and the boat slides off. The tongue on my trailer is still a good 6' from the waters edge. I get out and take the anchor to the side and pull my boat to shore. When I push off, I stay up front and use the trolling motor with blade barely in the water to ease out into deeper water. If I have even one of my children in the boat, it's too heavy and I have them move up front with me until we can get the boat out from the ramp some. Coming back in is the worst since I'm in the back of the boat with the motor tilted up as much as I can while still pumping water through the cooling system. I'll get her aimed where I want to beach it then stick it in nuetral gear so I won't hit the rock with the prop. Getting it onto the trailer is an art as well. If the wheels are in the shear drop area, the pitch is WAY TOO HIGH to load. I've just been keeping the trailer wheels just at the edge of the shear drop and ease the boat in. Once I've bumped over the rock and into the siderails of the trailer, I'll goose her enough to run uphill onto the trailer boards. I have to leave it in forward gear while I go up front and hook the strap and crank the slack in. I go back and shut the big motor down, tilt it out of the water and then pull out.

I would advise anyone with a heavier, nice boat, to avoid the ramp until the water level comes back up. (and if the fish are biting, really stay away. HA)

The fishing was much better yesterday than today. I got out around 10 and took two daughters out. Only one keeper was caught in a 3.5 hour span. I think I'll start doing a few things around the place for awhile and let the fish settle for a while.