Galena Boat Ramp?

[Terry Dodge]

Can anyone tell me if there is a boat ramp in Galena and can a bass boat navigate this section of the Apple?

Never been to this area, so please excuse me if this question sounds dumb.

 

 

[Paul Trybul]

I'm pretty sure the Galena river runs through Galena not the Apple river. I would say no to a bass boat on either river. There are large sections of both rivers that are barely or not navigable by canoe or kayak during low summer flows. There is a Lake Galena that would accomodate a bass boat but it is private so you would have to know someone. Pretty much the same deal with 90% of the Apple or Galena rivers too.

[Jonn Graham]

The Galena River runs through Galena, not the apple. don't think a bass boat will cut it.

[Terry Dodge]

Okay, thanks. I guess I'll be searching for smallies in the Savanna area then.

My Dad wants me to hit the Mississippi with him a few times this year and neither one of us have really spent much time in the area.

I'm hoping to run into some nice Mississippi smallmouth. We've done well with the largemouth the couple times we've been but

have never hit any smallmouth. Personally I like small rivers, so the Mississippi is going to be a challenge for me.

Don't much care for boats either but I guess I'll have to learn.

Thanks again.

[John Loebach]

I've canoed it years ago & its about as wide as the Kish with some depth but where it meanders into the Mississippi it enters on a shallow mud flat above the dam at Bellevue IA or near Blandings landing on the Il. side. Locals john boat that water but if your boat is large you can get hung up. If you want access to that pool of the Miss there is a ramp in the park at Blandings just above the dam. Camping there as well.Next pool down there is state park at the old Savanna Army Depot - great water in that area but I don't know how the access is. Its only been in public hands a few years & I doubt they have done much because of lack of funds.

[Paul Trybul]

We a drew a duck hunting blind out of Blandings landing one year. We went up during late summer to work on the blind and did some fishing afterwords. That area was mostly backwaters with largemouth bass, panfish and the ever present drum. Its been years but what I remember most about the Mississippi in northern IL is the IL side is mostly backwater largemouth/panfish fishing. Most of the good current, riprap, wingdam, smallmouth type habitat was on the Iowa side of the river. Tons of water with a lot of potential but other species seemed to be more prevalent than smallmouth bass. I hear the upper Mississippi is outstanding smallmouth water but I've never fished it up in Minnesota.

[Paul F]

I floated the galena river a few years back... Its muddy and shallow, Didn't catch a single fish either.

 

You'd be better off fishing the mississippi if you are looking to fish from a bass boat.

 

I personally want to float the apple from the dam in hanover out to the mississippi, But the locals in hanover tell me it is too much for one day. I have relatives that live in eagle ridge so all I would need to do is call for a ride and there would be someone there to pick me up in 20-30 minutes, But I would have to paddle like a madman to get it done in a day... If it were even possible.