The boat ramp at Sleepy Hollow State Park is opening and closing a lot right now still so call the state park office during week days before driving over there to check on schedules - 517-651-6217.
There is a new entrance too. I'm not sure if this is final yet, but the day I went there, the night entrance off Shepardsville Road was closed with a sign saying it would no longer be used.
The new boat ramp entrance was open off Price Road. It is just past Shepardsville Road before you get on the curve to go across the tube bridge. Very fast entrance right into the boat ramp drive.
I don't think you can get to the boat ramp anymore from the main entrance farther down Price Road.
That may change temporarily as they pave the new entrance and work on the ramp parking lot and drives. Durand Dan said the boat ramp was closed again today. They should be pretty close to finishing with paving though.
The new entrance to the boat launch is now open. It is located just east of Shepardsville Rd. The night entrance off of Shepardsville Rd. will no longer be open, and you can no longer get to the ramp from the main entrance. Daily lauch fees can be paid at the drop box at the ramp until the new Recreational Passport program starts.
The launch ramp, and parking lot have also been completed with new restrooms. There is lined parking for approximately 70 rigs.
The launch is now three lanes wide, with two docks. There is also a conoe/kayak gravel access to the side of the boat ramp.
They've done a really nice job. I love it when I can SEE where my launch fees are going.
Yes - thanks for the update on the fee payment for the rest of the year. I wasn't sure about that part yet.
Have they stocked it with Bass? ;D
Yes.
About 29 years ago...
Have they cut down any of the weeds there yet? It was bad the last time I was out there!
I don't think they do anything to the weeds anymore in general. They got rid of the harvester years ago. I wasn't aware that they bring it back or are doing any treatments.
The weeds have been naturally dying back earlier each year as far as I can tell unless someone knows a secret about treatments?? The curly cabbage disappeared a while ago and things have been changing since. There's still milfoil weevils in the lake by though there was a pretty good boosted density, probably still not enough to eat all that milfoil out there.
I think the thick milfoil might be what is causing all the change. It tops out and then kills everything below it by blocking out the sun. Its stems start to die and then it all collapses. Maybe I should check with the Park Manager and see if they are doing anything out there, but last time we talked it was only the weevils.
I will have to take a trip out there and see how the fishing is now. Hopefully some of the weeds have died off making it a little easier to fish! I was out there early in the year and they were cutting down weeds just by the docks, that was by a contractor that the park had hired.
Weeds are not a thick as I have seen them, some years. The fishing is starting to pick back up. Good weight class fish are being caught, solid 2.5 - 3 lb. average.
The frog bite is not as good as it has been the last couple of years. You have to work a little for them, from under the matted weeds. I've been getting some from the edges in 6 to 8 ft.
The contractor cost must be why the harvesting is so limited. I expect some of the weeds to be dying back pretty soon too if it is like the past two season.
Good to hear the bass are still there. I was a little worried the numbers were down again though I'd heard or seen nothing about a fish kill.
The frog bite has been slow for me too. I did find one little stretch that had some cooperating bass on it, but only landed 1 really nice bass. I had 1 miss 3 times. I had another 1 I missed twice though it swam away with the legs of my horny toad as a trophy. Wonder if it has a trophy case somewhere?
Most of the bass I caught that day besides that one stretch where from outside the weeds a little deeper in 8 to 11 feet. Of course, I also got nailed by a musky in 11 to 12 feet on a crankbait - didn't lose the crankbait - bonus! Also had a rip my horny toad next to the floating dock about 18 inches from the side of the boat!! My naturally-developed tooth avoidance reflex kept me from from hooking up?!?
Man I really must not know how to fish that lake, if anyone has an open seat sometime let me know I would like some pointers on what I'm doing wrong there. Thanks Mike
Keep reminding me. We can probably get out there sometime later this summer. I will go back. I just need a break. And maybe the fishing will get a little bit more like its old self out there by then too.
Though I'm not on top of the lake as well as some of the locals that fish there all the time. I get bored too easy to fish anywhere all the time!