Game Warden gave us two warnings today...

[redearhoosier]

Wow did we get lucky, the game warden approached our boat today while fishing at Hardy Lake. He pulls along side the boat and was very cordial and nice, asking for our fishing license, drivers license, two wearable life jackets and one seat cushion.

We passed muster on the drivers license, fishing license, and seat cushion, but my 80 year old uncle forgot the two life jackets and his registration. I'm sure the ticket could've been a whopper considering we had two violations, but he was super nice about it and gave us a written warning. Of course we had all of the gear in the back of the truck and forgot to put it in the boat. We immediately sped across the lake and fetched it out of the truck bed.

Here's the kicker though, he asked us what we were fishing for and I told him bluegill and redear. He then proceeds to show me a two plus pound cracker that a gentleman in the next cove above us had just caught. The warden had taken a cell phone picture of the brute so the quality wasn't the greatest, but this fish was over thirteen inches long and as tall as a dinner plate.

[Fisherjoe]

Did you catch any fish or did you use up all your luck with the CO?!?!?!

[redearhoosier]

LOL, I'm sorry, I totally forgot to say that yes we did catch 21 fish. 18 or so were good size redear, most of which were between 9-10.5 inches. Real nice girth to these fish too, I'm getting ready to clean them and I think they're full of eggs. We had a couple of smallish bluegills we threw in there to make a mess. We missed a lot of fish though, we should've easily had 30 in the livewell.

[kas172483]

hey ur lucky when i was at atterbury a co called me an my brother over to the shoreline and asked us for all that stuf also. but then he asked if the truck that was parked on the ramp was ours an we said yes. then he proceeded to right a citation to my brother for the truck being parked on the ramp. they dont put a amount on those citations so they make u call about the price. when we called the citation was $139.50. i think thats a bunch of crap that they charge that much for a citation.

[bmck25]

You were parked on the ramp?

[fishola]

accidents happen and that is why he let you off like he did, probably a stand up guy that actually cares about his job. as far as the guy that parked on the ramp and got a ticket "DUH don't break the rules and you won't be fined ANYTHING"

[raporter]

accidents happen and that is why he let you off like he did, probably a stand up guy that actually cares about his job. as far as the guy that parked on the ramp and got a ticket "DUH don't break the rules and you won't be fined ANYTHING"

+1, I wish the COs would spend more time at the ramps. The things we have all seen on them is rediculous. As far as I am concerned you should have to take a test to see if you are qualified to even launch a boat.

[lov2fish]

Parked on the ramp deserves a ticket.


Ray Rigby

[SkeeterSX180]

I think many of us at some point in time have forgotten a life jacket or something in the truck in the excitement of going fishing and the CO took that into consideration. An honest mistake.

Having said that, I suppose you could launch your boat and pick your buddy up off the ramp and forget your truck and trailer on the boat ramp. No big deal. I am sure no one else wanted to launch their boat on a public boat ramp that day. Especially, if you are the same person who backs down the ramp and then proceeds to get your boat ready prior to launching rather than getting ready prior to backing down the ramp. Meanwhile, everyone else cheerfully waits for you to get off the ramp so they can launch their boat that they prepared prior to backing down the ramp out of courtesy for other boaters.

I am sure it was all an honest mistake and the CO was out to make an example of you because he had nothing else going on that day. Otherwise, he would called you over and told you "Good job" for parking on the ramp so no one else could launch.

Next time, maybe the ticket will remind you that you are on a public lake and not the only one using the ramp. You might also figure out what the parking lot is for.

[psprowler]

$139.50 seems a little stiff just for leaving a vehicle on the ramp. It deserves a citation but my last speeding ticket was $116 and most of the offenses listed on the ticket were less than $139.50. A lot more dangerous offenses I might add.

[hardestyeric]

Most of the ramps at Atterbury are only one lane (at best) so if there is a vehicle parked there it pretty much closes the lake down. I can see the fee. If I had driven to get to the lake and then couldn't fish because someone "forgot" to move their truck I would be less than pleased. The CO's at Atterbury don't mess around. They don't write warnings and seem to be more than willing to write tickets. But with all of the other shenanigans that go on down there they should have a very firm stance.
Just my .02 cents.
Eric H.