Horsepower Limits Small Lakes - Meetings

[fishincreek]

Thanks for the info Peter.

[dmase]

When I first read about this possibility my first reaction was "great I would be able to take my boat out at a small closer lake". However now that I have had time to think about it I am against it. In theory it is wonderful and makes sense. In reality it counts on people following the rules in small lakes where there likely won't be regular enforcement present. Sadly I don't have confidence in everyone follow the rules and really it would only take one person not doing so to be an issue in some of these lakes. Like many things the majority will follow the law but there will also be that percentage that never does and ignores laws and safety. There are plenty of large bodies of water available in the state that anyone with a boat can easily find a place to go. However there are limited small bodies where both canoeists, kayakers and people in small boats can go to and not have to worry about the intrusion from larger boats. Places where a parent might be comfortable allowing a teenager to go fishing in a small boat or kayak safely without fear of being swamped by someone. I believe the law even in large lakes is that a boat is not to create a wake if a boat is still and someone is fishing from it, or something to that effect. I can say for certain that many don't follow that law, as I assume similar results would occur in the small lakes if the larger boats were allowed on it.

Leave the few smaller lakes to the people that have bought small boat to enjoy them. And if someone really wants to save on gas and fish in small lakes closer to home then they should simply buy themselves a kayak or something similar to enjoy those as well as the larger ones.

Those same folks who you are talking about can still break the the rules and probably have been all along. Rules and laws are for the honest people. Large boats are allowed on these lakes they just can't run an engine over 10 hp.Idle speed is SLOW. As defined Idle speed is as low an rpm as to keep the engine running. a Canoe with 2 people will be faster than a idle speed bass boat.We can all enjoy the states waterways we just have to be respectful of each other.

[SLP]

Those same folks who you are talking about can still break the the rules and probably have been all along. Rules and laws are for the honest people. Large boats are allowed on these lakes they just can't run an engine over 10 hp.Idle speed is SLOW. As defined Idle speed is as low an rpm as to keep the engine running. a Canoe with 2 people will be faster than a idle speed bass boat.We can all enjoy the states waterways we just have to be respectful of each other.

That is my point, most of the larger fishing boats have larger than 10 hp motors on them, so the majority of people that own them don't now go to these lakes with their boats. This revision would change that. As far as idle speed I understand that and even said in my post that in theory it would be wonderful, my point however is with time I think some people would ignore it. Just my opinion but I think it is a bit naïve to think every boater running larger engines would follow the idle speed guidelines to the letter each time out.

Also I have a boat with a larger engine so I would benefit from this. I just think it will be abused and likely not the best way to go long term, but to each his own, no big deal.

[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".

[restornator]

Big boat owners don't get it. They never will. A 70mph boat can cover an entire 10,000 acre lake, whereas a 10hp rig is restricted to about 500 acres. Fishing on a big lake ***** in a small boat, no matter how busy it is.

[dabassking]

Big boat owners don't get it. They never will. A 70mph boat can cover an entire 10,000 acre lake, whereas a 10hp rig is restricted to about 500 acres. Fishing on a big lake ***** in a small boat, no matter how busy it is.

On the majority of the "big lakes" there are multiple boat ramps all around them that smaller boats could trailer to in order be very close to where ever they want to fish. I understand that it could be an inconvenience to trailer to different ramps depending on where you want to fish, but it is still an option. On the majority of the smaller lakes, there is only one or two ramps and the "70mph boats" are restricted to trolling at half the speed that smaller crafts with 9.9's are allowed.

[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.