Ilwaco vs Hammond

[Ramstrong]

I was just curios about how the launch facilites at Ilwaco compare to Hammond. Things such as quality of ramp, amount of parking, launch fees etc etc. It looks like it's less of a ride to the ocean from Ilwaco, and most of it is in Baker bay. Just wondering about the facilities.

Thanks

Hi Ryan. How's it going for ya? I will give you and others my take on the launch thing (Illwaco sporties likely would prefer not to broadcast this - I'd like to see it all spread out better). ...

I spent the weekend at Gearhart with my wife and kids (no fishing) and after checking out of our room late Sunday morning we drove up to enjoy the town of Long Beach, WA. On the way I drove in to check 3 ramps for salmon action reports. The Hammond ramp is always overcrowded for both put in and take out! On the Washington side, the Chinook ramp is about the same distance to run to buoy 10, but is closer to the Church hole to bridge area (good fishing there) and gets a little less crowded. Driving into Illwaco is always a nostalgia thing for me because it's where my Dad took my 2 brothers and I out to fish the ocean every summer for a number of years. It has plenty of parking and less crowds of launching sportfishing boats. It is also the closest to buoy 10 and cuts the run much shorter; but not as close to the Church hole to bridge section as Chinook. Limits were common for boats at all 3 of these ports (at least ones we checked on Sunday). I'm going out with Jeff Whitehead (a young ol' salt [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] ) on Friday. I expect him to put on a clinic with his Puget Sound tricks. If you are going that day look for us in his white Habercraft windshield V sled with a 'rude OB jet. Good luck - Steve