Williams Lake Boat Ramp located southwest of Salmon reopened September 6 for boaters, anglers and other recreationists.
Users will see a new boat ramp and dock, new fishing dock east of the ramp, and freshly chip-sealed access road and parking area.
Williams Lake is the largest lake accessible by boat within 60 miles of Salmon and shore access is limited by steep terrain and private land. The ramp, dock, and parking area provides the only public access to the lake to launch a boat or fish from the shore.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Salmon‐Challis National Forest, and Lemhi County teamed up to make these improvements. Funding came from a combination of Idaho Fish and Game fishing license fees, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Funds, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation Waterways Improvement Grant Funds, and other contributions from all partners involved.
The construction was completed by Down to Earth Excavation, owned by Paul and Amy Younger of Salmon.
Fish and Game provides boating access to meet the public demand for quality fishing experiences and to produce revenue for the local economies. In the most recent economic survey completed in 2011, spending by anglers on fishing trips to Lemhi County ranked 6th out of 44 counties. Anglers made 70,072 trips to Lemhi County spending an average of $386 per two day trip. Total estimated angler spending on fishing with destinations in Lemhi County was over $25 million in 2011.
