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Moose....
Very nice post... and good points.
As for the folks fishing off their boats parked at the docks... well those folks are usually just float fishing, or maybe tightlining, but we bassers, well we are casting and retrieving, and generally using heavier lures, with many more points and barbs, when you consider crankbaits.
I also agree whole heartedly with you about access slowly being eliminated for us regular guys. We live in Muhlenberg County. My father-in-law owns about 250 acres that has been surrounded by a Peabody Wildlife refuge, not the WMAs, but a refuge. We also had a lot of the WMAs around us. We have a lot of trouble with trespassers cutting our fences, and trashing our land, as we have a few very nice fishing lakes. Here's the thing, 6,000 acres that surround us, the WMAs and Refuge has been, or is being sold. Word has it that it will be turned into one of those pay to hunt ranches. Now our land is south of the highway 62 through way. Now apparently, someone is wanting to, or trying to buy up all the land north of 62 as well. This will just about eliminate any of the puplic fishing areas out here, as it will all be private property. Over in Ohio county, just down the road from my wife's uncle, was a huge Peabody WMA... kenlake and others. Now all that has been purchased, or most of it, and there are now gates up that prevent us from getting to the lakes we used to fish.
Soon, there won't be anywhere for us regular guys to fish. Also, don't know if you remember, but at one time the KY government was discussing either leasing or selling KY and Barkley lakes to a private investor for management. how much would that end up costing us?
Our courts have allowed the Corps to "lease" the area to marina owners, and allowed them to uphold the 150 foot buffer zone.
My question goes beyond that though. Take the ramps that charge, whether they are corps ramps or marinas that charge, like Katawa marina. They now charge a launch fee, as allowed. If a marina opperator charges a launch fee, then they have to be responsible for the maintanance and upkeep of the ramp. So what if I get hurt on that ramp? I know as a home owner, if someone slips on an ice covered side walk, they can sue me, the home owner, so can I hold the marina opperator responsible for any damage to me or my equipment due to their ramp? What about holding them responsible of damage to my trailer by someone else? What about theft? They've been give regulatory privledges over the area, then why not hold them responsible as well?
We are on the same side I believe, but I just feel we end up saying the same things over and over, and none of us do anything. So, I generally try to not post complaining posts, because I doubt I'm running for any public office.... way too many skeletons... LMAO
Danny
