water patrol harassing fisherman

[tracy]

I was fishing at Taylorsville with a buddy yesterday and about 2pm we fishing up in the dam area. I look up and here comes the water patrol. He comes and ask to see our fishing license, 2 life jackets, a throw-able device and a fire extinguisher. And also asked if we had any fish on board. NO big deal I had everything.

But the problem I have is there were 6 or 7 pleasure boats around and he just went right by them never asked them to see anything. I'd be willing to bet that half of them had beer on board. But I guess they don't care about that kind of stuff.

[Tim_T]

How is that harrasment, because he checked your license?

[geobass]

How is that harrasment, because he checked your license?

His doesn't sound like harrasment, but mine was. 6 years ago while I was fishing a tournament on Green River I was stopped 3 times by the same officer. The first stop was to check my license. I showed it and told him I was fishing in a tournament. Which is no big deal, but just conversation. Second time he stopped me he checked my fire extinguser, I asked why he didn't check it the first time, I received no answer. Several hours latter he stopped by for a third time and asked too see by throwable flotation device, I was so pissed off I said "Who the hell is going to throw it to me"? You see I was fishing alone. Without seeing it or saying a word he left and I did not see him the rest of the day.

To me this was harrasment!

[Embrey]

His doesn't sound like harrasment, but mine was. 6 years ago while I was fishing a tournament on Green River I was stopped 3 times by the same officer. The first stop was to check my license. I showed it and told him I was fishing in a tournament. Which is no big deal, but just conversation. Second time he stopped me he checked my fire extinguser, I asked why he didn't check it the first time, I received no answer. Several hours latter he stopped by for a third time and asked too see by throwable flotation device, I was so pissed off I said "Who the hell is going to throw it to me"? You see I was fishing alone. Without seeing it or saying a word he left and I did not see him the rest of the day.

To me this was harrasment!

ya know...i never get mine out when by myself,since its just retarded for that exact reason...lol

[Hershey102]

I was checked for the first time ever a couple of weeks ago on the Dix. It took all of about 60 seconds and I passed with flying colors. I appreciate that law enforcement is out there on the water keeping me safe and ensuring that I had a license. They were professional, friendly, and I took the opportunity to talk fishing.

[Fishin is life]

It's not harassment but I've had the same thing done.....I don't get why they would drive right by all the bank washers to get to a fisherman.....I don't care a bit to be checked because i know I'll pass but all these guys out here drinking and driving a boat are the ones who need to be popped....Kinda irks me a little to, to see them drive by the pleasure boats just to see if i have any illegal fish

[walkeraviator]

Remember... these guys are not Coast Guard... they are KDFW... so they are more concerned with the fishing aspect than the boating aspect... at least that is my guess...

is a throwable device equired in a boat if there is a flotation device for each passenger???

[kygorski]

In answer to your question, yes! i was stopped on the hollow a couple of yrs ago, license? OK two them, wearing my Pfd, throw device? Looked around and remembered my wife was using it for a kneeler while she was weeding the flower bed, asked if a spare PFD would do? No!fire extinguisher good, fish legal, whistle? no air horn, not good they said OK I'll get one. Paddle? HuhI said, this is a deep vee almost 18ft long what good would a paddle do me. then his parther pointed out the fact that besiodes a main engine, I had a manual 5 HP kicker, a bow mount electric, and a tiller electric,I also said I had a drift sock, and 100 ft of anchor rope, plus anchor.And then we talked fishing, and they said they were checking fishermen, have a nice day, and away they went. This was by the Tn DNR, Soyou need a throw device. If a ski dooer needs it, I'll throw him the anchor! This spring was stopped again, this time almost got a citation, why? no bailing device, my boat didn't have a bilge pump yet, My 20 ounce coffee mug wasn't enough.But again they let me slide, now I'm even legal there.Guess water skiers and house boats dont need anything, except a cooler full of suds, and an out of state registration.

[floatman]

In answer to your question, yes! i was stopped on the hollow a couple of yrs ago, license? OK two them, wearing my Pfd, throw device? Looked around and remembered my wife was using it for a kneeler while she was weeding the flower bed, asked if a spare PFD would do? No!fire extinguisher good, fish legal, whistle? no air horn, not good they said OK I'll get one. Paddle? HuhI said, this is a deep vee almost 18ft long what good would a paddle do me. then his parther pointed out the fact that besiodes a main engine, I had a manual 5 HP kicker, a bow mount electric, and a tiller electric,I also said I had a drift sock, and 100 ft of anchor rope, plus anchor.And then we talked fishing, and they said they were checking fishermen, have a nice day, and away they went. This was by the Tn DNR, Soyou need a throw device. If a ski dooer needs it, I'll throw him the anchor! This spring was stopped again, this time almost got a citation, why? no bailing device, my boat didn't have a bilge pump yet, My 20 ounce coffee mug wasn't enough.But again they let me slide, now I'm even legal there.Guess water skiers and house boats dont need anything, except a cooler full of suds, and an out of state registration.

kygorski, was the whistle ok are not??

[Bass man]

I've been checked about 3 times on Nolin since the early Spring, and I guess they recognize my boat now. Honestly, I don't mind it since there's been countless times when I've seen boats flying down the lake at night time with no lights on, drunks swimming around the docks, and people unloading livewells with 3 limits of Crappie and I always think, "Where's the Game Warden when you need him?" I've never been to Taylorsville and I don't know how big the lake is there, but I'm sure we've all seen a situation on the lake when you wished some idiot would get busted by Fish and Wildlife and they were no where around.

[kygorski]

yeah the whistle worked, but I know the air horn was louder. I was in my 12 ft boat many years ago, had a 7.5 motor. the Ill. game warden stopped me this was a very small lake, asked me about a fire extinguisher. I had a dry chemical thing that was cheap, and handy, showed it to him. Thats not coast guard he told me. So I asked him this. What would you do in a 12 ftboatif the engine or gas line caught fire? I'd jump out he said, so would I and I wouldn't bwe carrying a fire extinguisher either.

[Grumpy]

I am not sure why the airhorn was no good. I have a small handheld airhorn that I keep on a lanyard on my dash. I have been checked in KY, TN, IN and MI and that has been satisfactory everytime. The KY Boating Regulation says "Kentucky law states that all boats 16 feet in length or longer must have a hand-, mouth- or power-operated signaling device capable of producing a blast for two seconds or more and audible for one-half mile for class 1 vessels, one mile for class two vessels . . .."

I have always thought the HANDheld airhorn was fine.

Grumpy