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Beginning March 1st, 2018 City of Carrabelle Boat Ramps (Marine Street and 4th Street) will have a boat launch fee of $10.00 per launch. Envelopes will be provided and a payment box is on site.

If you are a resident of Franklin County you may get an annual pass for a $3.00 processing fee per individual with proof of residency. Non-residents can also get an annual pass for $120.00 plus 3.00 processing fee per vehicle. Annual passes for residents and non-residents can be obtained from City Hall.

Boat launch fees will be enforced by the City of Carrabelle Police Department. Boat launch facilities will be overseen by the Carrabelle Dock Master.

Another reason for out of towners, tourist, fisherman, etc. not to be spending money in Florida. If Flordia does not use a little bait to get more people into their towns then the taxpayers will take on the deficit to make up the taxes that are missed when these out of towners come in to spend their money.

I guess that leaves Timber Island Road as the only out of town friendly ramp in Carrabelle. I don't mind paying $10 to use the Marine St. ramp. Someone spent a lot of money building that one.. but it needs more parking spaces.

Boat ramps cost money to build and maintain. I don’t have a problem paying $10 to use one. It’s pretty standard. The only free ramps I can think of are shallow sand ramps.

As my economics professor used to say: TANSTFL, meaning There Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Lunch.

Boat ramp fees are part of the game and it's the same or similar all along the Gulf Coast. It pays to buy annual passes if you launch more than the minimum number of times, in this case 12. The host facilities do have an obligation for maintenance, however. For example, the Lanark Village Boat Club just raised fees and are now requiring membership to use the ramp next to the Lanark Market. They need to have a work day to re-fasten dock boards and replace broken dock cleats though.

BTW, they tore down that old building in the triangle at the Carrabelle main ramp and converted the space to more trailer parking.

Y'all need to head down south to see some boat ramp fees. I was launching one day and had to ask the guy if I was buying the ramp or paying to launch!

I love user fees over taxes. Why should Johnny Lunchbucket making minimum wage be taxed so instate big dogs and out of state people can launch their boats in comfort?

I know y'all in Georgia see it different, but you have a state income tax. We don't. Drivers pay with gas taxes and boaters pay with launch fees and we get Homestead Exemption! No complaints with our system.

Its standard now to get what you pay for. I'm for good ramps even if they cost us more. I haven't heard anything down around Apalach about fees. Has anyone else? Whatever it takes to keep the crowds away, I'm for. I wonder if this will be treated like a fishing license. I pay homeowner taxes in Florida but can't get an in state license. Wonder if the ramps will be the same?

If the state of FL charged GA residents for a fishing license what it cost out of staters to deer hunt in GA, nobody would ever have to pay a launch fee in FL and every ramp would have plenty of parking

savvy, Do you own a home in Ga and pay homeowners taxes?

It's the price you pay to hunt something besides key deer.

As a Georgia boy, I don’t mind paying reasonable fees for bait ramps, clearly it cost money to maintain them. I have been paying a boat ramp fee at Lanark and Keaton, and it’s fine with me.

Agreed, the free ones usually have issues. I know even a tropical storm really damages one of the ones I use on a regular basis. I also buy a annual state park pass just to use a couple of different state park ramps. Fun cost I guess.

The launch fee is about the same cost as your breakfast at Denny's. Have a granola bar instead and you will still be able to afford to go fishing.

Pirate wrote:savvy, Do you own a home in Ga and pay homeowners taxes?

No but I own 3 in Florida, so do I get free ramp fees?

My brother is in the same situation as savvy. I have some info that may help him get an in state license, but he never responded.