Rockefeller Refuge Update
 

According to LDWF website:

Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge Temporarily Closing Joseph Harbor Boat Launch and East End Locks Road


Release Date: 04/13/2012

April 13, 2012– The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced today a $2.6 million project at Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge that will replace the boat launch and bulkheads at Joseph Harbor and provide for improvements to East End Locks Road.
The work on East End Locks Road in Cameron Parish is currently underway and the road is now closed. Both the East End Locks boat launch and road will remain closed until the contractor completes construction activities along the road. The closed areas are three miles east of the refuge headquarters along Hwy. 82.
The Joseph Harbor boat launch will close on Wednesday, April 18 and remain closed until the construction project is completed in August 2012.
Price Lake Road, located along the refuge’s western boundary in Grand Chenier, La., will remain open to public recreation access until the normal December 1, 2012 closure. Additionally, a private boat ramp with launch fee, along the refuge’s eastern boundary near Pecan Island in Vermilion Parish, is open. All public access at the refuge is open from official sunrise to sunset.
Access to Rockefeller Refuge will be limited due to the Joseph Harbor and East End boat launch closures, but the entire Refuge will remain open during construction. The public can enter the refuge from the Gulf of Mexico to pursue recreational activities. Visitors are advised that only large seaworthy boats should be used to access the refuge from the Gulf.
For more information on Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge, visit the LDWF website at www.wlf.la.gov or call 337-491-2593

Should be real good after it opens back up being closed that long.

Finally!!!! This is time up for replacing a new bulkhead/dock on a Joesph Harbor Boat Launch.. The launch has been EXTREMELY bad for long time... Looking forward to seeing a new look launch at Joesph Harbor in August.

Yeap same here, it needs it bad.

Sounds good, but why do it at the best time of year. Do it in the winter. Big dummies!!

yes, sorely needed, but why close both launches at the same time? Now, unless we put in at Rollover, go all the way to the gulf and come back into the West side, there is no way to hit the weirs from either the East side or the West side. Doesn't make sense to me, but perhaps I'm missing something.

I'm with you, that's the best time shrimping and crabing is good.

look at it on the bright side should be better fishing when it opens back up and maybe even bigger fish

When does shrimp open?

Sometime in may usually....rollover is going to be stupid packed. Can always hit marsh island or redfish point for shrimp and crabs.

Ill drive around. Nobody will be on that side

It's rather absurd that they are going to shut down all the launches at one time at the rock. Why not leave the west side launch open until the east side launch is complete. Once east is complete then west launch can be worked on. Prime time of the year to be doing this, why not do this during the winter?? Wonder if they'll temporarily let us use their launch at refuge headquarters--I'm not holding my breath for that one.

That aint gonna happen lol. Screw it let em close it all summer i fish it durin winter anyways.

I'm sure the game wardens going to be watching.

Your tax dollars at work.

LWDF will announce to set the opening dates for the 2012 Spring Inshore Shrimp Season at the meeting to be held on May 3rd.

Gentlemen: I suggest we start bombarding our state reps with complaints. (No use in calling your congressman, they'll just refer you to your state rep) I just did so and I mentioned the possibility of the public usage of the launch at the refuge HQ temporarily. Numbers count so if this is important to you, we'd better jump on the horn, email, etc. to get something going.

The refuge is still OPEN, just got to get to it from other areas. I don't see this as a bad thing, going to improve things there.

Rockefeller is NOT funded thru public money, there is an endowment from the Rockefeller family and royalties on oil/gas leases which is why Rockefeller has great equipment to work with:)

Yes, you will still be able to access Price Lake Rd overland, but it is effectively closed to boat traffic. Rollover landing is not an alternative because there is almost no parking and besides that, you will have to go out to the gulf, a very unsafe place for small boats which is the main type of boats used at this refuge. Yes, it does need the improvements, but there is a better way to do this (see other suggestions above).

I think most people are happy with the updates just not happy with the time of year they chose to do it. Im fine with it, its not like it will be closed forever, theres always next year.

Asphalt does not cure properly when the ambient temperature gets below 65°. That is why it is normally laid in the summer months.

Can you imagine how the parking situation at Rollover will be once it closes!!!!!? WOW, I will be running out of Dularge all summer for sure!

Please don't bring facts into this I want my crabs and skrimps:rotfl:

I didn't know that cajun, makes more sense now, but I still think there are some options available to keep the refuge accessible by small boats.

Duck Butter-is your sarcasm really necessary? Doesn't add to what I assumed was an intelligent exchange of information. In your case, I was obviously wrong.

I agree, since the boat ride from the rollover landing includes 14 miles in the gulf. It seems that arrangements could be made to launch into the superior canal (private launch). At least you would have access to the east side. Or, the project could be split into two phases allowing access to one of the landings near headquarters at all times. Just my thoughts.

I know some spots that are going to be absolute dynamite due to the closure. Can't wait to go. Prolly give them about a month to stack up with fish and then go bushwackem.

Definitely not necessary, that was not directed at you:)

But its also not necessary to call every senator and congressman to complain that a boat ramp is getting fixed, when they probably heard 100s of complaints that the boat ramp NEEDED fixing

update
 

just got off the phone with a rep from my my representative's office. Here's da poop: her office talked to the LDWF who stated that while they started this work in November, they are having problems with the contractor which has delayed the project. (I think she was talking about the "inside"/eastside started in November). Said that the contractor has increased the number of employees and they are working 12 hours/day/7 days/week and expect to finish the eastside by June 1st. The westside is scheduled to complete by July 23rd. LDWF said that they considered opening the warden launch to the public, but couldn't because it would cause "security issues". LDWF agreed that the parking was limited at Rollover, but nothing they could do about it. That's all I can remember other than she said that if the contractor doesn't finish by those dates, he will be penalized and that if we had any other questions, we could call the LDWF at 491-2593 (Lake Charles number I believe)

Not all bad news and maybe we could get them to open the gates to allow access to the westside/outside once the eastside opens.

That's all folks.

Just want to make sure I go this right. So the only way to get to the weirs at Rockefeller is to launch at rollover, get into the gulf, then came back into rockefeller from the gulf?

yezzur

Or you can put in at the mermentau and do the same but someone told me its 20 miles from the mouth of the mermentau to the mouth of rockefeller. Thats a long run for some shrimp.

Thanks for the update!

Inland shrimp season open 0600 hours May 21, 2012 for Rockefeller Area
 

Inland shrimp season open 0600 hours May 21, 2012 for Rockefeller Area

Does a permit for the Miami Corpo. give access to the boat launch at Superior Canal?
 

Does a permit for the Miami Corpo. give access to the boat launch at Superior Canal? Is that launch part of the Miami Corporation? Or is it a different entity?

Very good question.

NO. You cannot access Rockefeller from Superior Canal with a Miami permit. It states it on the permit when you purchase it.

Gentlemen!!! Price lake road is closed I think.

Billy Broussard, from Pecan Island who is on the WLF Commission indicated to me that there is no way Rock management will let those east lock gates open. Unless we'd get a storm with a ton of fresh water.

To much saltwater would flow into the canals that farmers are pumping from.

Also, Rockerfeller management indicated that they don't have the personnel to open and close the lock on an as needed basis.

If you fishing snapper. Looks like you'll have to go to the mermentau, or freshwater city. Or Rollover!!!

Thanks

Biggun

Price lake road is open...few buddies went crabbing recently.

yea its open, i was out there for mothers day and so was a lot of other people.