County officials and Georgia Department of Natural Resources representatives recently celebrated the re-opening of the Ochise Landing Boat Ramp in Dodge County.
This ramp will give boaters, paddlers and anglers improved access to the Ocmulgee River and be an overall benefit to Dodge County.
This ramp originally was constructed by using concrete slabs taken from a nearby airport runway demolition project and for several decades has served as a County-operated public boat ramp. Since 2017, the facility has been under lease from Dodge County to Georgia Department of Natural Resources. There were challenges during the planning and construction phase, including flooding issues that delayed the renovation work. Once water levels returned to near normal, the ramp was able to be completed.
This facility includes a 16-foot-wide concrete boat ramp. The area has approximately eight parking spaces for trailered vehicles, plus five additional car spaces, with ADA parking also available. The area will be accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This reach of the lower Ocmulgee River is particularly popular with anglers as species of sunfish, black bass, black crappie and catfish are common.
The installation of boat ramps improves access to waterways, helping facilitate fishing participation in Georgia’s exceptional fishing resources. Additionally, the availability of ramps in a community brings visitors to those areas, as well as increased economic benefit.
The Ochise Landing boat ramp was constructed using federal Sport Fish Restoration funds and matching state funds.
Did you know your fishing license purchase brings federal money to Georgia to improve fishing and boating access? You pay taxes on items like fishing equipment and boat fuel and those tax dollars get returned to Georgia based, in part, on how many licenses we sell. So, buy a license (www.GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com) to make sure your dollars stay in Georgia!
The Ochise Landing Boat Ramp is accessed from SR 230 south of Hawkinsville (location coordinates 32.08335, -83.30028). To find a boat ramp near you, download the Outdoors GA app (http://georgiawildlife.com/outdoors-ga-app) or click on “Boat Ramps” at https://georgiawildlife.com/boating/boater-resources.
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