Wakesurfing article - Good to see some headway on this

[LuketheDog]

all motorized recreation on public land/waters negatively affects everyone else using the public land/waters

Nah, there are places where that's true and many areas where it isn't. When I had a dirt bike I went places in the desert where it didn't bother anybody and places where if it wasn't for the motorized recreation preventing target shooting, it would just be the target shooters leaving their refuse.

 

[R.K.]

Almost been capsized repeatedly by them in a 14’ fishing boat. They have no business on the lakes I was fishing, and believe they should be banned.

It’s essentially them seizing control of the public resource by intentionally making it unsafe for anyone that didn’t spend as much money as they did. Still boils my blood to think about it.

 

[Hem]

I'll never go to Seeley in the summer again. Hate those f-ing boats. Water quality was a turbulent mess. Far as I can gather most of the people who have those boats are d-bags.
There, I said it.

 

[Gellar]

Are “wakeboard Boats” all to blame? Boats in general are bigger than they were 5, 10, 15 years ago. Look at pontoons. They used to be barely afloat with a 35 hp and couldn’t get on step for nothing. Now, I could show you at least 5 that I know of with twin 300’s. Fishing boats aren’t an exception either. The average fishing boat has changed from a 14-17’ aluminum v-bottom with a 40 hp motor to now most boats are fiberglass and have a 200-400 hp motor on them.

 

[Gellar]

I'll never go to Seeley in the summer again. Hate those f-ing boats. Water quality was a turbulent mess. Far as I can gather most of the people who have those boats are d-bags.
There, I said it.

I tell people at least once a week, just because your banker says you can buy a boat, doesn’t mean you should.

 

[seeth07]

While I agree that boats are getting larger, a large boat on plane isn't destructive to the majority of the water habitat/shorelines and they don't create unsafe conditions for other users.

 

[Nicoli7153]

Yeah it's a PITA here! But the good thing is they (and the jet skiers) don't usually roll outta bed until noon! Gotta get up early for the morning bite.

 

[hank4elk]

Glad I retired from Lake Patrol.
Oceans are for surfing.

 

[Gellar]

While I agree that boats are getting larger, a large boat on plane isn't destructive to the majority of the water habitat/shorelines and they don't create unsafe conditions for other users.

have you ever been fishing a narrow slough on the Mississippi and another boat comes around the corner doing 50 mph?

Larger boats and wake boats are just another piece of the puzzle. Our lakes and rivers are seeing sedimentation, shoreline erosion, infestations from non native species, increased users from all user groups, over harvest of game fish, lack of/loss of quality habitat, and the list goes on and on.

Don’t even get me started on air boats and surface drive motors.

 

[Hem]

I tell people at least once a week, just because your banker says you can buy a boat, doesn’t mean you should.

It's hilarious in Montana....100k boat for a 2 month lake season.
Person I know has $600/month payments for his boat. Repo man calling his Ex for info.

 

[Hem]

Yeah it's a PITA here! But the good thing is they (and the jet skiers) don't usually roll outta bed until noon! Gotta get up early for the morning bite.

You got it^

 

[Dubz337]

Tune in next week for @seeth07 's next bout of Karenism and complaints!

Lol but seriously yeah there should be some regulations on that. Maybe establish an area on the water body they're restricted to, or hours they can do it, not banning them though. Its like guns, let one be banned and they don't stop there. Next thing you know they'll be saying the shadow from your fishing dinghy interferes with an endangered crayfishes mating ritual and they'll take it away too.

 

[seeth07]

have you ever been fishing a narrow slough on the Mississippi and another boat comes around the corner doing 50 mph?

Larger boats and wake boats are just another piece of the puzzle. Our lakes and rivers are seeing sedimentation, shoreline erosion, infestations from non native species, increased users from all user groups, over harvest of game fish, lack of/loss of quality habitat, and the list goes on and on.

Don’t even get me started on air boats and surface drive motors.

That would mean they are not driving their boat though legally so that is a different story. It is still "slow no wake" within 200' of shoreline so any river/slough that is less than 400' wide (133 yards) is slow no wake. That makes the Mississippi is so many areas completely slow no wake. Toss in a boat somewhere in there and its even more limited because then the 100' within another boat law kicks in too. By the way, 100' within another boat is a joke - 33 yards? That should be changed.

Air boats and mud motors...ugh. And I'm even a duck hunter.

 

[Nicoli7153]

We have laws in Michigan restricting operation within 100' (I think) but may be (200') of anchored fisherman except at slow no wake speed. But those big wakes travel far.

Also have a similar restriction for operating snowmobiles and ORVs in the vicinity of ice fisherman.

Tough to enforce unless LE is right there to witness it. Otherwise need to present evidence to prosecutor. Video is good but not always conclusive when trying to determine distances and identifying the operator.

 

[hank4elk]

We had closed areas, specific use areas, sailboarding areas, waterski areas, no jet ski areas...no use.
60mph bass boats on 35mph limit lakes.
Jet skis were the worst.
Wakeboarders in sailing coves.
Too many trauma calls to count.

My only Nam dream was after a bad week of jet skiers. I had the blue light on and chasing a jet ski group.
Suddenly I was back on the duece, mowing them down...

 

[Nicoli7153]

Scorched earth policy!

 

[rjthehunter]

Are “wakeboard Boats” all to blame? Boats in general are bigger than they were 5, 10, 15 years ago. Look at pontoons. They used to be barely afloat with a 35 hp and couldn’t get on step for nothing. Now, I could show you at least 5 that I know of with twin 300’s. Fishing boats aren’t an exception either. The average fishing boat has changed from a 14-17’ aluminum v-bottom with a 40 hp motor to now most boats are fiberglass and have a 200-400 hp motor on them.

20' glass boats aren't throwing big wakes unless they're just getting on plane or off plane. The wake thrown by them is minimal at best compared to a big boat that sucks water in to make it weigh as much as possible, then proceeds to drive around at 10mph making enormous waves.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Guys,

You are all over thinking this.

The answer is simple:

Limited Entry.

 

[hank4elk]

Send them home with a note and a ticket...does not play well with others.

 

[seeth07]

Guys,

You are all over thinking this.

The answer is simple:

Limited Entry.

So you have to draw a season pass to use the lake with said boat? Can we charge preference points and make it x20 the cost for NR and limit them to 90/10 of the split?

If so, HELL YEAH. TAKE THAT YOU FIBS