Boat ramp etiquette means doing all your prep away from the ramp, getting on and off it as fast as possible, and never holding up the people waiting behind you. For this How 2 Tuesday I walk through how to handle yourself at the ramp so you do not frustrate anyone or start a fight before you even hit the water. It begins at home with your rods, lines, and safety gear ready, then putting the plug in away from the ramp, practicing backing your trailer, and clearing the ramp the second the boat is off. I cover both launching and loading.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
Proper boat ramp etiquette is to do all your preparation away from the ramp and spend the absolute minimum time on it. Get your rods, lines, and safety gear ready at home, put the plug in and pull your straps in the parking lot, then back in, launch, tie up, and move your truck immediately. When loading, get the boat on the trailer, pull off the ramp, and only then put on the strap, pull the plug, and clean up. The whole idea is to keep the ramp clear for everyone.
Almost everything. Rig your rods at home, make sure you have enough lines to tie up and know where they are, and confirm your safety gear is set. In the parking lot, well away from the ramp, put the plug in, pull off all the straps, and get your bow and stern lines out and untangled. By the time you get in line for the ramp you should be able to back in, launch, and tie up without any fiddling around.
Because it is the single most important thing you do all day. I call the boat plug the most important piece of gear in all of fishing, because forgetting it or seating it wrong means your boat takes on water. Put the plug in while you are parked away from the ramp, make sure it is in right, and make sure it cannot fall out during the day. Do it every single time before you back down.
You practice, and there is no shame in needing to. Everyone who has ever backed a trailer was terrible the first time. You do not have to practice on the ramp either. Practice on your street, a back road, or an empty parking lot until you can confidently back a boat down a ramp. Learn to use your mirrors and never drop the tailgate to back up, or the winch will crease the top of it. Practice backing an empty trailer well, too.
Because boat ramps are slick and things go wrong. When I launch I keep the bow line in one hand and push the boat off with the other, with the stern lines already hooked to the back cleats. If you slip and fall, a boat with no line on it goes flying off the trailer into the marina or into someone else's boat. A bow line keeps you connected and in control no matter what happens.
Get off the ramp first, then do everything else. Hook up the boat, pull well away from where people are launching, and only there do you put on the strap, pull the plug, clean the gunk off the bottom, stow the rods, and talk about the day. Doing that work on the ramp holds everyone up and risks someone who cannot back a trailer running into your truck. Clear the ramp fast, every time.
The ramp is the first place you are, and it is full of excited people ready to go. Professional guides have their system dialed and move fast, and that is exactly how you want to operate whether you are a pro or a rank amateur. Starting your day with an altercation or a fender-bender is the worst way to begin. I explain how to set the right tone in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Almost everything that matters happens before you ever back down. Rods rigged, lines ready and untangled, safety gear set, straps off, and most of all the plug in and seated. I treat the boat plug as the most important piece of gear in all of fishing, and I do it parked well away from the ramp. I walk through the full pre-launch checklist in the episode, so press play in the player above.
There is no shame in not being good at backing a trailer, because everyone was bad at it once. The fix is to practice off the ramp, learn your mirrors, and never drop the tailgate or you will crease it. Get good at backing both a loaded and an empty trailer so you can put the boat exactly where you want it. I share the details in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Get on and off the ramp fast, do your fiddling in the parking lot, and you will avoid altercations, accidents, and a lot of stress. If you know someone who needs this, send them the link instead of saying it yourself.
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
boat ramp etiquette · trailer backing · boat plug · launching a boat · loading a boat · bow line · safety gear · Saltwater Experience · How 2 Tuesday
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
Subscribe to get the latest episodes, show notes, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.