6 Wheeled ATV For Fishing.

[CreatureBaitz]

The Hopkins/Caldwell Counties area has virtually all access points to the smaller local creeks and rivers cut off/posted or gated/locked. If you park on the side of the road and carry a john boat down the bank you can come back several hours later and all your tires are deflated. Next time you will find steel fence posts driven into the ground spaced at one foot intervals. If you take a tape and measure the distance of the posts from the center of the highway you will find the posts are setting within limits of the public right of way...the fence posts shouldnt be there. Its impossible to carry a john boat down some of these banks and lift it over the fence posts. Also some of these places you cant even park on the side of the road...period. Duck hunters and judges have cut crooked deals to have "No Parking" signs placed along the sides of the road.

What i am wondering about is how well suited one of the six wheeled atv's would be for fishing. I wouldnt have to worry about getting hurt man handling a john boat down a steep rip rap bank. I could park my truck up the road and drive the six wheeler down to the launching spot and drive it right off into the water. No problem with someone flattening my truck tires. As long as no one saw me coming to and going from the water no one would be bothering or harassing me.
Ill imagine any decent trolling motor would push one of the six wheelers pretty good. Also looks like there would be plenty of room for a cooler/livewell and also a decent set of rod racks. Might even be stable enough to stand up and fish.

[DJD]

I would think the cost of one of those with a trolling motor (plus registration since you will have a motor on it) would be too much. I would ask for permission from a land owner first. Have you tried that? Might even volunteer to do something for them to help them along to saying yes. Just a thought....

[mattplapp]

We were a dealer for the Max 6-Wheel ATV. These are AWESOME machines that will go anywhere. I have had them in the water many times and they do a great job. You can mount a trolling motor on the back which gives you better movement in the water. I'm not sure how great they would fish though, you would probably enjoy a jon boat better with the space to move around when you land a fish.

Matt Plapp

[CreatureBaitz]

Asking permision from the landowner is irrelevant in these particular places. When the water is up it is either overlaying or touching the public right of way as being measured in a straight line from the center line of the highway. When the water is down there is maybe only two or three feet of dry ground between the outer edge of the public right of way and the edge of the water. In the middle of these creeks there have been "no trespassing" signs posted. These signs are written in a manner to give the impression that if one is on the creek they are trespassing. But yet these are fully navigable waterways. Unfortunately in Kentucky it is not against the law to post these kinds of signs even when the person who is reading them wouldnt really be in the act of trespassing.
I dont want to argue or fight with anyone. I dont want to have to carry air tanks to fill my tires. All i want is the right to go fishing without being harassed and aggravated.

Ill be checking into both the six wheel and eight wheel models. Im thinking the six wheel model will be the least expensive of the two and it might sit up higher than the eight wheel model. Also two less tires to wear out and fewer bearings and seals to replace as it gets older.

[DJD]

Yeah that's a sticky situation you have there. I thought that a landowner could own the land that the creek is on but not the water so you can float the creek just can't wade or get out. Is that how it is?

[RoadToad]

Found some interesting info on the subject at http://www.adventuresports.com/river/nors/us-law-who-owns.htm

If the physical characteristics of the river are such that it meets the federal test of title navigability, it is public land up to the ordinary high water line.

1. The waterway must be capable of or susceptible to use as a highway for the transportation of people or goods;
2. The waterway must be usable for transportation conducted in customary modes of trade and travel on water;
3. Waters must be navigable in their natural and ordinary condition; and
4. Navigability is determined as of the date of statehood.


I know nothing about the area in question, but if that stream was navigable as of June 1, 1792, then those signs are on public land. Another good point that web site makes though (and I'm sure you already know this) is that even though the law is on your side, ya gotta pick your battles. Good Luck!

[artcarney_agr]

I think I would just pay a buddy to drop me off and pick me up........

[CreatureBaitz]

What ive been told is if im wading my feet are touching the bottom and im trespassing. If i drop anchor from a boat or canoe once the anchor touches the bottom im trespassing. If i drop decoys and the lead touches the bottom im trespassing.

But still i dont know if this info is true or not.

Theres lots of behind the scenes politics that come into play here.
A couple years ago my buddy called the highway department and asked about a gate that had been put up on what he thought was public right of way. I was listening to the conversation on the other phone. The department of highways person said "Yes sir its all legal because i personally went out and met the land owner and i measured the distances myself and im positive that those distances are exactly x number of feet to x number of feet from the exact spot of such and such". We wrote the distances down and then went out to measure them and they were no where near what we had been told. We did some checking and found out the individual who is head of the department that determines public right of ways is a duckhunter and he owns a slough up stream from this place.

We have one spot where no parking signs are posted up and down the side of the road so now no one can launch a boat there or park on the side of the road and fish. No one knows if the state put the signs up or if the landowners put the signs up. Maybe it could be the landowners purchased the signs and then the state workers were sent out to make it all look legitimate.
About three years ago someone i know was bringing their boat back in and was met by some of the landowners. One of them told him he was going to whip him. He warned them to back off but the landowners kept coming towards him. They didnt stop coming until he pointed a shotgun at them. So thats part of what is going on down here in Hopkins County.