Last year I fished Patoka a few times. Each time I launched out of the North Newton Stewart Ramp I had to pay to enter the Park and then pay a launch fee also. I stopped launching from Newton Stewart even though it's close to where I want to fish. I also had to pay for registering my boat. Not to mention the trailer licence and the truck license plate and the insurance. Then I renewed my Driver License this Jan for another 25 bucks. Add up the gas to get the truck and boat to the lake and all my fishing equipment and you see that it's not cheap to go fishing these days.

I am all for helping the DNR if they can improve the hunting and fishing oportunities in IN. I just wish that the Politicians would listen to the trained professional wildlife biology guys and not squander the money received on other state project.

I do think that I read that all one needs now to launch at Patoka is the Lake Permit on the Boat. I believe that is what I saw on the web site explaining how this new permit works. I hope I read that right. I do remember it saying that it will take less State employees to enforce and run this new system and it should speed up the entry and launching at Patoka an other lakes that require this new Lake Permit.

If you have not read the information I would recommend that you copy the link above by highlighting it and coping it to the clipboard in windows. Then just paste it into your browser address text box and go to the web site. That is where you will find most of the answer to how this new permit will work.

You don't need one to fish the Ohio River and I think that sites like the F&W areas may not need this permit. I have been fishing Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area and I don't think I need the permit to launch there. But Monroe and Patoka definitely will require that you have this new permit. And the Conservation Officers will be enforcing this new permit requirement on the affected lakes and reserviors.

Regards,

Moose1am