Horsepower Limits Small Lakes - Meetings

[MagikSmallie]

I seem to be the minority on this thread so I'll give my opinion. I definitely support the proposed idle only restriction and here's why:
I'm from the northern KY area and fish from a large bass boat. With the exception of Williamstown and the Ohio River, the only lakes that allow us to run our outboard are over an hour away. With gas being the price that it is and with work schedules getting busier and busier, the 1+ hour drives are taxing on the wallet and on the body. I understand that we can still fish the H.P. restricted lakes, and we do quite often, but on lakes like Elmer Davis and Boltz that we fish the most, we're practically restricted to the bottom half of the lake if we're only out for half a day.

To address the statements about kayaks, canoes, and other small crafts I want to point out an observation that I have made. I see more kayaks and canoes on lakes like Williamstown, Cedar Creek, Nolin, Rough, Barren, and even the Ohio than I have in Boltz and Elmer Davis. (I keep referring to these particular smaller lakes because those are the two that we usually fish). The big ski boats and bass boats don't seem to bother them on those large bodies of water so I do not think a few bass boats idling around at the same speed observed in "No Wake" Zones will effect them very much.

I am definitely not trying to start an argument on this thread by posting what I am. I just thought the other side of the coin should also be addressed.

I agree I think that the idle only speeds for motors over 10HP would be a great thing! and I own both a large bassboat and a kayak.

[jcclark]

Why is full open with a 9.9 ok but a big bass boat at
only idle isn't?
My 9.9 will wake you bad if I go by at full speed.
Why not idle speed for everyone?

[SLP]

Full open for smaller than 10 hp is not OK. They are allowed on the water but per KYF&W must "operate at slow speeds which cause no disturbance or interference with fishing".

[dabassking]

Full open for smaller than 10 hp is not OK. They are allowed on the water but per KYF&W must "operate at slow speeds which cause no disturbance or interference with fishing".

According to this statement from the KY Fishing and Boating Guide, 90% of the boats that I have seen run a 10 hp or smaller on these lakes are breaking the law. I can't tell you how many times I have been sloshed around by underpowered pontoons and 300lb Bubba's sitting in the back of a jon boat running a tiller 9.9 at WOT. Since you say that larger outboards shouldn't be allowed to run at idle speeds on these lakes because a minority will (yes, I agree that some will) break the rules, do you think that these lakes should restrict all gas powered engines because a lot of people break the current law that is in place?

[SLP]

. I can't tell you how many times I have been sloshed around by underpowered pontoons and 300lb Bubba's sitting in the back of a jon boat running a tiller 9.9 at WOT.

Ha, that is a funny picture

Since you say that larger outboards shouldn't be allowed to run at idle speeds on these lakes because a minority will (yes, I agree that some will) break the rules, do you think that these lakes should restrict all gas powered engines because a lot of people break the current law that is in place?

Personally I really don't care much either way, and as I said earlier I have a boat that I can put into a lake that would be closer to home if it passes so it would benefit me is it does. But to answer your question, what I wouldn't do it compound the problem and make it worse.

I just support the idea of these lakes being left to smaller boats and the people that would likely enjoy them more and be safer if it remained that way. There really aren't that many of them anyway and so many larger lakes available for everyone else. But that is just one mans opinion, nothing more.

[jcclark]

Wouldn't it be more fair if those lakes were
"idle speed only", then it wouldn't matter what size motor it was.
Isn't that really the goal? no big waves or blasting by?

[RngerMac]

There will always be individuals to push the limits of idling. Its up to KDWFR or water patrol to enforce the laws as written. Wilgreen is idle only regardless of horsepower, it seems to work fine. I am sure KDWFR has written a few tickets over there.

The people who live on small lakes like Beaver that have purchased boats with 10hp motors may feel that they are entitled to run theirs at WOT. That does not seem fair to others who choose to bring boats with larger HP motors and idle around giving them the freedom to fish more than 1/2 the lake using nothing more than a trolling motor.

I grew up on fishing Beaver and Wilgreen and other smaller lakes fishing from johnboats with 10hp or less. I still fish those lake but only using my trolling motor. I cannot wait for the opportunity to have the freedom to idle around and fish the areas of the lake that I cannot reach before my batteries run out.

[kyriverblues]

I fish Lake Jericho in Henry Co. and it is an idle speed only and I have not seen any problems there. I fished Elmer Davis lake once and it sucked having to use the trolling motor to get from place to place, I have not been back. the boats with the 9.9 motors I saw there put off quite a big wake! I think idle speed for everyone is the way to go.

[MrSplitshot]

Very simple...remove all horsepower restrictions and make these lakes "Idle Speed Only" for any size motor. Whether it's a 250HP Merc or a 5HP Johnson is irrelevant. My 90HP Yamaha 4-stroke is dead quiet, clean, and causes virtually no wake at idle, yet it's okay for an old 9.9HP to run wide open and throw a big wake? That makes no sense. As for speed, the speed limit on I-64 is 70MPH, whether I'm driving a Prius or a Peterbuilt. The key is enforcement. The reality is that there is no way KDFWR can be everywhere all the time, just like KSP can't be sitting on every overpass on I-64. I think most boaters would obey the law, but there are surely some that will break it too. KDFWR will have to at least be present enough at times to enforce randomly. As anglers, we should also police each other; Go remind a guy that you see running above idle that it's against the law on that lake, then call him in to KDFWR if he continues to ignore it. It's not that hard to help out like that if you are a true steward of your fishery. The "protect my fishery from extra pressure" argument is weak, in my opinion, on any public lakes. That's just life. Bigger boats with bigger motors have no business trying to run on these smaller lakes, but there is no harm in idle speed only to get around the lake. To have to fight the wind with trolling motor only in a bigger boat while a 14' jon with a 9.9 goes barreling by throwing a wake makes no logical sense to me.

[DJD]

Very simple...remove all horsepower restrictions and make these lakes "Idle Speed Only" for any size motor. Whether it's a 250HP Merc or a 5HP Johnson is irrelevant. My 90HP Yamaha 4-stroke is dead quiet, clean, and causes virtually no wake at idle, yet it's okay for an old 9.9HP to run wide open and throw a big wake? That makes no sense. As for speed, the speed limit on I-64 is 70MPH, whether I'm driving a Prius or a Peterbuilt. The key is enforcement. The reality is that there is no way KDFWR can be everywhere all the time, just like KSP can't be sitting on every overpass on I-64. I think most boaters would obey the law, but there are surely some that will break it too. KDFWR will have to at least be present enough at times to enforce randomly. As anglers, we should also police each other; Go remind a guy that you see running above idle that it's against the law on that lake, then call him in to KDFWR if he continues to ignore it. It's not that hard to help out like that if you are a true steward of your fishery. The "protect my fishery from extra pressure" argument is weak, in my opinion, on any public lakes. That's just life. Bigger boats with bigger motors have no business trying to run on these smaller lakes, but there is no harm in idle speed only to get around the lake. To have to fight the wind with trolling motor only in a bigger boat while a 14' jon with a 9.9 goes barreling by throwing a wake makes no logical sense to me.

Excellent points....I would add that instead of signs for idle speed only it should read idle speed/no wake.....it still comes down to obeying the law or pay the fine if you get caught.
i have fished with people whose idea of idle speed was not being on plane.....some folks just don't follow laws and rules.

[RngerMac]

Excellent points....I would add that instead of signs for idle speed only it should read idle speed/no wake.....it still comes down to obeying the law or pay the fine if you get caught.
i have fished with people whose idea of idle speed was not being on plane.....some folks just don't follow laws and rules.

Place bouys down the middle of the lake reminding boaters idle speed/no wake.

[Gus]

Place bouys down the middle of the lake reminding boaters idle speed/no wake.

Lifting the restictions will greatly increase the fishing pressure on these lakes. Leave them alone!