I just got off the phone with Captain Bobby Newman who is in charge of the Northern Kentucky area (I believe he said it's the fifth district). He informed me that all of the game wardens are being instructed to NOT cite boaters for having a boat longer than 18"6" on the water. He told me that all the hoopla was simply a product of the rumor mill and that there is a meeting scheduled for next month in Frankfort at which it is expected that the existing length limit will be stricken from the books specifically to accommodate the extra length of today's bass boats. He was very pleasant to talk to and took the time to answer all of my questions.

It sounds like we may still have a bit of an issue, however. It sounds like they still plan on enforcing the horsepower limit. I understand their reasoning as it was explained to me, but the problem still exists. Apparently they have been getting complaints about big motors washing out the lake bed at the ends of some ramps, which has led to some trailers being damaged. It's not hard to see how this could happen and I sympathize with anyone who has sustained damage to their boat or trailer.

It seems to me that there is a better solution to the problem than ticketing boaters for using their big motors. If they are going to increase the length limit to accommodate all bass boats, they understand that we have as much right to use the water as anyone else. Having said that, I believe that it is the responsibility of the state to maintain the ramps in such a way as to allow us to exercise our rights to use the water of any lake we want to fish. I don't know what that would entail - maybe extending all of the ramps long enough to prevent washout at the ends of them, but increasing the legal boat length without allowing for the use of big motors to load them onto their trailers doesn't really change things much. Let the discussion begin.

Oh yeah, one more thing - please don't get indignant with the guys in the field who are just doing their jobs by upholding and enforcing the laws. If the laws need to be changed we have to go through Frankfort.