St Jean Launch?

[SethV]

I am looking for a good place to launch to fish the south end of LSC, or north end of the Detriot River.  Is the St Jean launch any good?  Is it safe?  What is the launch fee?  Hours?

Thanks!!!
Seth V

[dartag]

talked with a guy that was there last week... lot was full of walleye guys..  10.00 to launch..       not sure on the hours but i would be out of there before dark..

[SethV]

Thanks for the info....man, $10 is steep!  Do they have an anual pass or something?  Any cheaper ramps in the area?  Of course with gas at $3 a gal I would burn that $10 runing down from metro....that 225 Merc is thirsty!

Seth

[djkimmel]

Supposedly, they are trying to keep an attendant during the day at St. Jeans. I've told my scary story many times - short version - only launched there once and once was enough.

4 piles of car glass and 3 cans of Fixaflat - first things I saw (after the burned out crack houses).

Later, the friend who recommended it to me calls me to say one of the piles of glass was from his suburban broken into the day before.

I talk to guys who say they've launched there for years without any problems. Some tell me to "just leave your windows open so the thieves won't have to break them." Not a good option for me (usually have my camper).

I was not comfortable at all. Been a few years. There was supposed to be an attendant there the day I launched. No attendant when I launched or when I came back in. Maybe it's changed now. I doubt the niegherhood has though.

[SethV]

Dan-

Where do you launch when you want to fish the south end of LSC?  You painted the picture of St Jeans I have heard from others.  Does not sound like fun.  Too bad Detroit just does no bulldoze the slums and move the trash out.  Shame that the city has such a wonderful resource that can't even really be enjoyed.

Seth

[Skulley]

I have launched at St. Jeans many times.? I have never ever had a problem.........probably just lucky.? However, lock your vehicle and do not leave anything visible.? I grew up in Detroit...so it does not bother me to launch there.? You people who are not city dwellers of course are always squirrelly about that launch as you should be.? I have a CCW so I don't hesitate to have my piece on hand in case...........In the city, if you look and act afraid, the natives can tell.? But if you don't make eye contact and you mind your own business, then you usually will be left alone.? Just some advice to those of you who are not from around here.? The closest launch not in Canada that one could use is the spillway launch.? Still about an 8 mile run down to the river.? I have made that run lots of times.? It is not bad for gas as long as you drive the boat for economy and not WOT.? Anyone who is going to St. Clair on Sunday may see me at the Spillway launch in the a.m.  At least that is the plan.

BD? ? ? ? ? ? ?

[djkimmel]

Did they dredge it out yet?

That's where I try to launch if I know I'm running down - you have to get there real early on the weekends though to get a parking spot - it fills up between 6:30 and 7 AM most weekends.

I know you can launch at a few marinas at 11 Mile and 9 Mile, but it is $10 to $15 for nonresidents and not real convenient with parking and ease of launching.

I often run all over the place to I use Harley the most on the lake, and the North Channel ramp in the river.

If I fish the Detroit River, I just bite the bullet and launch at Wyandotte, Elizabeth Park or once in a while at the Metro Park. Depends on where I'm going.

[Skulley]

I don't know if they did dredge it out.  I have never had a problem with having enough water.  I usually get there at the crack of dawn so that I can park.  I have never been not able to launch at the Spillway.  If the weather is right, I will be there Sunday.  If not I have been thinking of going to White Lake up near Duck Lake in Highland or maybe Tipsico, or Long Lake in Oakland County.  So many places.......so little time.  Thompson could be good too.  I would kind of like a lake that holds both largies and smallies.  White is usually good early in the year like this.  And I'll bet the smallies on Ford Lake are hitting.

BD             

[Revtro]

I am a former city dweller and I still stay away from St. Jean.  Unless you come packin' like BigDog, it's not safe in low light conditions around there.  I have had similar bad experiences to Lt. Dan.  Plus the launch is a very steep launch, which I hate, especially if your tow vehicle isn't up to the task.

Two weeks ago thery were dredging the Ballard Launch (Spillway Launch), so I would guess they're open for biz now.  You can get the annual DNR sticker which will allow you access to Harley also.  The launch at 10 Mile (Blossom Heath) is ok, but it will get expensive.  Same with the newer 9 Mile launch. 

That launch is a 1/4 mile walk from the parking lot to the ramp.  So you get way out of sight of your boat when you go to park.  You might want to bring a skateboard or something for that ramp. 

Also, you better be out of there by 9pm because they will lock you in and give you a $70 ticket. (a fact which isn't very well posted in the lot!  Grr)  I know because it happened to me.  The Blossom Heath launch lets you leave anytime.  But the 9 Mile launch closes early and locks the gate.  I had to drive over the median to get my truck out so I could go retrieve the boat at Blossom Heath.  What a nightmare.  Good thing I wasn't alone that evening.  I will never launch at 9 Mile again.

The best advice I could give is launch at Ballard and keep the boat at 4000 - 4500rpm on the trip to the river.  Also, they will let you park along the side of the lot if you can't get there real early.  Usually you can work out some kind of parking out.  Saturdays of course are the busiest. 

[Skulley]

I have only used St. Jeans in the morning.  I have never gotten there before sun up.  I usually launch there after the sun is up.  I would never go there in the late afternoon or evening.....even when packing.  I have never had a problem there using the launch first thing in the morning.  The neighborhood thugs probably aren't up that early.  I have probably been lucky.  I usually don't use that launch until September or October anyway.   By the time you come off the water in the afternoon, there are plenty of people around launching and retrieving boats. 

BD     

[djkimmel]

The odds aren't the same for everyone I guess. It would be nice if they would fix up that ramp and protect it somehow.

I use the MDNR ramp at the spillway when I know I'm fishing the West shore down to the Detroit River Lots of spots along the way anyway. I heard that ramp is closed right now for dredging (maybe), but someone reported it was supposed to be open this weekend. Don't know for sure.

Another option is to go across to Windsor and launch at the marina behind Peche Island where the Windsor Canadian Open used to go out of - Lake 'something' Marina. It will come to me later. You launch in a small river there just off the lake next to a large marina. It's not ideal because of time and the trickiness of crossing over the international border, but some guys do that, or even go over to Pike's Creek when they fish the South shore.

[Revtro]

Just a head's up.  The Spillway (Ballard Ramp) is currently closed.  Went there yesterday (May 5) and the ramps were up on land and the gate was closed.  I created a different post and will update it when I see that the Ballard Ramp is open.