Silver lake launch-spokane

[crappie007]

Looks really nice everyone. We used it last week, really sweet. Its not a 100%
finished yet.
Ofcourse there were the kids swimminig there and other fisherman crowding
the bank making it difficult to come in. I've seen people get cut by a prop and
soon followed by a flight for life helicopter. I hope we get a law passed soon
restricting how close someone can swim or fish next to a launch. Safety first is the smart thing to practice.

[Lotech Joe]

I've actually fished Medical Lake and had a family completely oblivious to launch courtesy picnicking there. They had kids that were absolutely uncontrolled and an unleashed dog.
Before I could land at the launch, I had a black lab inside my float tube with me. The sad thing was that just 200 yards away there is a free park that they could have been using. I think your idea of a "Launch Law" is an excellent idea.

[hewesfisher]

I agree with both of you, there should be no "recreating" at the boat launch. I've run into the same problems you both described at Silver Lake numerous times, but nothing has been done about it. It was so bad 2 years ago, I even reported it to the Sookane County Marine Patrol and they supposedly visited Silver and said they didn't see any of that activity.

The problem at Silver Lake is that so many people have been abusing the launch for so long they believe it's what the launch is there for. Unless WDFW steps up and starts enforcing launch facility rules, it won't ever get better, well, maybe when they complete phase 2 and get the fishing/observation docks built it might get better.

Much as I hate to admit it, when I'm launching or recovering at Silver, I've gotten to the point where I just take the right of way, the launch is for boaters not swimmers or fishermen.