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Post by smokepurple on Mar 1, 2022 9:29:36 GMT -5
Y'all keep an eye out...there is a nasty rumor going around that Hickory Star and Straight Creek are going to be private-members only. Recently the launch passes at Hickory Star went up to $150.00, Which is up from $75.00, the price for the last several years. I got into a passionate discussion with one of the big wigs at Hickory Star around Christmas over this. I was polite because I want to represent fisherman in a positive manner, but inside I was boiling mad. They, meaning the dock owners are trying to run us, the fisherman out of their Marinas. I tried to explain to the guy that he is alienating the locals, some of which who have been coming to these docks for fourty years or more. My dad wasn't a fisherman, never fished. But he kept a boat at Hickory Star for years. I remember going there in the 70's and 80's when I was a kid. Yes we have the free launches, which I do use quite a bit, especially Brogan's. Y'all know how crowded they are now. Imagine how crowded they will be when all the docks become private. TWRA is supposed to start expanding Brogan's ramp and lot real soon. Reported that they are going to make a lot for 300 trailer spaces. We all know that those spaces will be occupied with the little compact cars who are not pulling a boat trailer and therefore wasting the space for a fisherman. This is a real problem, especially at Brogan's in the warmer months. Expansion is only going to create overcrowding at an already overcrowded ramp when the boat docks go private, because not all of us can afford to join a boat dock. One more jab, are we going to be able to afford to fish when gas goes to $7 a gallon. I'm lucky my boat isn't a gas guzzler, also lucky I have the ability to float the rivers. I'm sorry for my rant, but this stuff has really been getting on my nerves. I understand how private business works. I'm not knocking the dudes for trying to make a buck. I just wish the didn't have to knock out the people that have grown up here and supported that business before those guys took over. Again, excuse my rant.
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Post by dan21XRS on Mar 1, 2022 10:59:48 GMT -5
That's a lot of money to spend to launch a boat... If I'm not mistaken Cedar Grove Marina only charges $5 to launch... Anyway you cut it it's going to be an expensive year to go boating... Dan
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Post by fish2win on Mar 1, 2022 11:46:24 GMT -5
Smoke about 15 years or more ago while I was still writing for the news paper I did a whole series of articles on this subject. You probably know that I have use of a private ramp at the end of my driveway that is shared with my brother. In the winter when the lake goes down 25 plus feet I usually go to Loyston point which is far from crowded in the winter. One particular Sunday I decided to launch at what was then Star Dust , It is just over the hill from me but by lake is a great distance. I pulled up at the dock and went to see about paying a launch fee, I found no one so I started to launch, Out of no where a old lady appeared and informed me that launch fee was 20 dollars. I was set back because standard launch fee was 5.00 everywhere. So I ask her when this started , She said a while back, I told her that I didn't think they would not get many locals to launch for 20.00, She with a real attitude said that was the whole idea, I didn't launch and went away never to return, I later went by Andersonville know waterside and talked to the manager who is distant kin. He said a number of the local docks had been bought out by a group from Lexington and they were trying to discourage local trade , especially fisherman. I ask why and he said that fisherman rarely spend more than the launch fee, They buy there gas snacks drinks and ice on the road where its cheaper and do not trade with the dock. Later one day I came in off the lake to purchase gas and was refused service by one of his dock hands , I ask why and he said fuel was reserved for members, At this time all the docks on the Powell side had been bought along with Waterside and harbor Club( new names). I did a whole set of articles about this and the jest was that they were allowed to operate a for profit business on TVA land which is public domain and now arte denying service to select people. This just did not make any since. It turned out that the group was partnered with Rob Woodson from Lafollette . If you talk to old timers in Campbell county its hard to find anyone who is fond of him, I spoke with many people at TVA in Morristown and my protest fell on deaf ears. Here is a problem. There is a segment of people from Indiana and Ohio who over run the lake in the summer, Some have a hauty attitude that they have the run of things, That they bring big money in and that locals should bow down to them for providing a living for us poor starving ignorant hillbilly's. They deny that we have any rights to the lake and refuse to except that many local families lost homestead generational farms when the lake was built. Let me put a disclaimer on this. I know several folks that come here or live here that cam here from the north. Many are good courteous people that want to get along, fit in and respect local folks. Its like anything else. You have good folks and bad folks. The over crowded positions that this has created have actually made week ends dangerous on the water in areas like Loyston or the Powell Clinch confluence. They are not licensed to operate a boat in Tennessee and in many cases have not knowledge of right ways, safe operation or courtesy.Because of this I do not fish Norris on Weekends or Fridays after about 1.00 or at night during the summer or at night. It last from memorial day until labor day, Currently there is nothing t6o do about it. Maybe this summers gas prices will keep the part timer home. Bottom line shun the docks that adhere to this attitude against locals and use the public facilities. Press TVA and the TWRA to enforce the boating laws and to provide more and better facilities to the public. Norris has two real good public facilities. Loyston Point and Anderson County Park. brogans could be good if they would provide better lighting Parking and make it a 4 wide launch ramp, Fisherman pay registration fees, Buy license and pay gas tax . Pleasure boaters pay far less in government fees but once again fisherman get disrespected. Kill them with kindness. They are not here all the time. Dan is correct not all the docks are included, Patronize the ones that are not. I will try to provide a list of them if you know of any please post them. F2w
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Post by smokepurple on Mar 3, 2022 9:56:17 GMT -5
I know, after spending many years in Lafollette of the Woodson's. I as you all know do use Brogan's quite a bit, and it looks as if I will be using it more. We have all encountered the rude guy from Ohio or the surrounding region. I just try to ignore them but sometimes it is impossible. I will do my best to keep away from the docks now on. Hickory Star is so close to my house that it will be hard to not go there. Friday afternoons on Norris are ridiculous. You would think no one has a job. TVA is expanding the ramp at Brogan's to a 4 lane according to an officer I know. I wish they could have more manpower on the lake. As a fisherman though I have always bought things other than my launch pass at Hickory Star. I've tried to support my local dock, just as my dad did when he had a boat. I just feel our docks have stabbed us in the back. I am close to the point of only fishing Norris in the winter. Melton Hill has alot less summer traffic. Also toying with the idea of maybe selling my prop boat and buying a used jet boat to river fish more and more efficiently. There are hardly any people on the rivers.
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Post by rangerz518 on Mar 5, 2022 7:55:07 GMT -5
I did not know that was going on at Hickory Star. I was last there on November 20th. I have seen locals there for years launching their boats. I hate to hear that they are running people off. Not good at all. I have been coming down there with family since the 70's. I have seen many changes there over the years from the different owners and workers over the years. I don't get to come down as much as I would like. I always stay up on the hill at the motel and I rent a slip for my boat so I don't have to launch each day. Other than that I don't spend much there at the dock as it is really expensive, but all these docks are. I remember once back 10 or 12 years ago on Cherokee a guy who worked there at German Creek marina, who wore pink coveralls, was from Ohio and was a real piece of work. He tried to charge us $20.00 to launch. He was very rude about it. We left and went to a free launch. I had left my boat there before and seen him before and had not had a problem with him before. When the new owners took over that place he was gone. I have always been courteous to the people at these docks, but don't like to be taken advantage of.
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Post by dan21XRS on Mar 6, 2022 9:46:57 GMT -5
I was at Brogans the other day and noticed the guy from Turkey's Dry Dock (it's right across the road) grading the gravel parking lot. The next day I got stuck behind a group launching a houseboat. I saw the guy from Turkey's and asked if he knew anything about the TVA expanding the parking lot and ramp. He just sort of laughed it off and said not anytime soon... Just thought I'd pass it on... Dan
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Post by smokepurple on Mar 7, 2022 8:27:54 GMT -5
The rumors are flying around like crazy about that ramp. I talked to an actual TWRA guy who said they were supposed to start this summer. Who knows what to believe anymore.
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