Walk Around The Boat Ramp
Dec 12, 2020I had to run a couple "Secret Santa" errands yesterday morning, and one of them took me near a familiar launch site on nearby Lake Murray, South Carolina.
No, really; my destination was within a couple miles of the launch ramp.
Seriously, it wasn't planned...
So, a lake-side reconnoiter - a walk around - is the next best thing.
Its actually calming, usually interesting, and always informative.
Besides, it was a beautiful Autumn day with bright skies, a fair breeze, and temps in the upper 60's.
So, lets get into it, shall we?
This particular ramp is on a pretty big back arm of the lake, so it has quite an expanse of water around it. Heck, in some places this might be an entire lake.
But this is just a tiny fraction of Murray's 85 square miles.
Big Bunch of Water
The Dock Ramp
Kind of a neat name, I think, "courtesy dock."
This looks like its dropping off into space, but it actually leads to a floating boat dock out on the end.
Winter is a unique period for Lake Murray, as it is the time of the, "Winter Drawdown."
This is a power generating reservoir, and it's the second in a pair of flood control, power lakes that comprise the Saluda River watershed.
As such, it funnels all the water from about 2 million acres of the upstate through it's basin.
As such, it funnels all the water from about 2 million acres of the upstate through it's basin.
However, since winter is basically a dry season here, with little cumulative rainfall, the power companies draw down the lake over winter in anticipation of all that upstate water that will come with the Spring rains.
3 Feet Low... And Not Done
They are calling for a 5 foot drawdown this season.
How Low Will It Go?
(hint - I've seen it drawn down to 15 feet)
Rocks
Lake Murray has a hard pan bottom.
These rocky outcroppings run straight
out into the lake, and will be underwater by next summer
"Ol' Stumpy"... high and Dry
One of my wife's favorite photo subjects
"The Cousins"
"Ol' Stumpy" in the background
All will be under water next year
Other Things, Some Fishing Related
One of the things that is cool about such a walkaround is you see, "stuff."
We often overlook "stuff" in our daily lives, as we rush to do things, to be productive, to keep moving.
But Life is journey full of stuff, and all kinds of interesting things appear if you look. You also get a better understanding of the near shore structure, in this case, if you choose to see that kind of 'stuff.'
One of the things that is cool about such a walkaround is you see, "stuff."
We often overlook "stuff" in our daily lives, as we rush to do things, to be productive, to keep moving.
But Life is journey full of stuff, and all kinds of interesting things appear if you look. You also get a better understanding of the near shore structure, in this case, if you choose to see that kind of 'stuff.'
The Courtesy Outhouse
Like the dock, this also has a fun name.
Say it with me..."courtesy outhouse."
Used and Abused
The interior of the courtesy outhouse could stand a little sprucing up.
Shell Beds
Okay, this is some better 'stuff' than an outhouse, I suppose.
What your looking at are spent mussel shells.
The entire bottom of the lake is covered with mussel beds, with at least half a dozen species of them represented, that I know of.
When these mollusks end their little shellfish lives, they float to the surface and are eventually deposited along the shoreline in large drifts of empty shells.
They crunch loudly as you walk on them, with a crackly sound reminiscent of crunching snow.
Mussels Galore
These mussels filter silt from the plentiful rain runoffs, and they comprise a crucial benthic eco-system within the lake.
But, more importantly (at least to me), they are the primary food source for one of the prominent sunfish species in the lake: the red-ear sunfish, aka, "shellcracker."
But, more importantly (at least to me), they are the primary food source for one of the prominent sunfish species in the lake: the red-ear sunfish, aka, "shellcracker."
Shellcracker
Here in the South, the shellcracker is mentioned in hushed and whispered tones; it enjoys a near-godlike status among in-the-know anglers. The native Americans of the region called it, "chinquapin" - and we name roads after it.
You have your bass guys, and your striper yahoo's, and a devoted cadre of catfish guys.
Yeah, okay,.. fine.
But good shell beds produce nice shellcrackers, year after year, and Dixie fishermen guard their locations jealously.
I'll tell you where to catch those pesky, fool stripers any time, but don't ask where the good shell beds are!
Decomposing Fish Skin
Food for ants; the cycle of Life continues...
Fungus Among Us
Wherever you see a mushroom or toadstool growing, there is a very peculiar set of biological circumstances at work - in just the right balance - to provide for their brief, but fascinating growth.
Cedar Cones
Depth of field shot
Cypress Knob
A little macro action
Cedar Cones
Depth of field shot
Cypress Knob
A little macro action
The Trash Haul
Of course, no walkaround would be complete without a load of trash hauled away.
The Trash Baboons leave their refuse, and I haul it off.
Old shoes, dead ball caps, bottles, fast food waste, you name it.
The two rectangular items in front are nightcrawler containers.
Those I will reuse.
The Trash Baboons leave their refuse, and I haul it off.
Old shoes, dead ball caps, bottles, fast food waste, you name it.
The two rectangular items in front are nightcrawler containers.
Those I will reuse.
The Tackle haul
Walkarounds usually result in some tackle being found, as well.
And as the water is lowered for winter, it can often be surprising what else you might find.
Besides actual tackle, I've found entire fishing rods, tackle boxes, camp chairs, ratchet straps, jewelry, a golf swing trainer....
Today, it was just these few items. Fair enough.
And as the water is lowered for winter, it can often be surprising what else you might find.
Besides actual tackle, I've found entire fishing rods, tackle boxes, camp chairs, ratchet straps, jewelry, a golf swing trainer....
Today, it was just these few items. Fair enough.
The Money Lot
As we all know, fishing today is big business, and people spend fortunes on it.
Gone are the days of saving up for a $20 reel, or fishing with string and safety pin.
Lake Murray is, among other things, a party and recreation lake for urbanites with money.
As such, the boat ramps around it are almost always abuzz with rigs I could never afford, but which I enjoy looking at.
This parking apron runs back up the hill a bit more, and you're seeing only a portion of the truck and boat rigs in the lot - probably a quarter million dollars worth, all totaled.
This time of year, they're mostly fishermen...
Gone are the days of saving up for a $20 reel, or fishing with string and safety pin.
Lake Murray is, among other things, a party and recreation lake for urbanites with money.
As such, the boat ramps around it are almost always abuzz with rigs I could never afford, but which I enjoy looking at.
This parking apron runs back up the hill a bit more, and you're seeing only a portion of the truck and boat rigs in the lot - probably a quarter million dollars worth, all totaled.
This time of year, they're mostly fishermen...
Soft Plastic Hand-Me-Downs
I usually find something like these around the ramps, too.
These were discarded by someone, and make the perfect accompaniment to the rods I find.
I could probably fish the whole season through, with just the soft plastics and other lures I find....
So, that concludes our walkaround.
It was only about 45 minutes, but it was a nice day, and a nice diversion.
Thanks so much for coming along with me.
Tight Lines,
David
Don't forget to subscribe, comment, and come visit us at: Palmetto Fly N Fish
©All rights reserved (whatever they are)
These were discarded by someone, and make the perfect accompaniment to the rods I find.
I could probably fish the whole season through, with just the soft plastics and other lures I find....
So, that concludes our walkaround.
It was only about 45 minutes, but it was a nice day, and a nice diversion.
Thanks so much for coming along with me.
Tight Lines,
David
Don't forget to subscribe, comment, and come visit us at: Palmetto Fly N Fish
©All rights reserved (whatever they are)
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