The disabled and bass fishing

[bigbill]

I'm disabled. A five year prostate cancer survivor,  spinal stenosis, three bulging lower discs in my back, a golfball sized kidney stone in my left kidney,  worn out knees, bad hip. I refuse to let this stop me from fishing. But there's no good handicap spots anywhere. I have a walker with a seat. 

 

My local hot spot was this swamp. It's private land on both sides but there's a road and a bridge to fish from. The law states we can fish and body of water if we can cast into it from a road. No one owns the water. I fished this spot for decades. The land was sold and I was told to leave, no fishing. I asked our local fish and game service and told him what I said here but he won't do anything. It's a tough call, like don't rock the canoe.

 

my thoughts are to get into the politics and push for places where the handicapped can fish. I'm not fighting just for me but for every disabled/handicapped person and for the future when someone becomes disabled. There has to be away to fight this.

anythoughts? I'm thinking about the ones who are worse off than I am.

 

im still getting around slow.

I have no clue where this pic of this fish came from

[Darren.]

Disabled certainly deserve places to fish, and if your laws

are as you say, then perhaps getting in to politics will be

a good route to go.

 

You could also go the route of having a petition signed by

locals, working with local news sources to bring attention

to issues, and so forth.

 

Good luck, Bill.

[WRB]

If the access road is private then the owner can put up a gate and post no trespassing sights. If the road is public, then you can or should be able to continue fishing using public easement laws. 

Sounds like several of your health issues are repairable by surgery, regardless you can get a Senoir Pass that allows you access to state, federal lands and national parks.

Tom 

PS, Bill not trying to reduce your disabilities, I have been through spinal fusion surgery and cancer operations, getting older isn't easy!

[david in va]

1 hour ago, bigbill said:

I'm disabled. A five year prostate cancer survivor,  spinal stenosis, three bulging lower discs in my back, a golfball sized kidney stone in my left kidney,  worn out knees, bad hip. I refuse to let this stop me from fishing. But there's no good handicap spots anywhere. I have a walker with a seat. 

 

My local hot spot was this swamp. It's private land on both sides but there's a road and a bridge to fish from. The law states we can fish and body of water if we can cast into it from a road. No one owns the water. I fished this spot for decades. The land was sold and I was told to leave, no fishing. I asked our local fish and game service and told him what I said here but he won't do anything. It's a tough call, like don't rock the canoe.

 

my thoughts are to get into the politics and push for places where the handicapped can fish. I'm not fighting just for me but for every disabled/handicapped person and for the future when someone becomes disabled. There has to be away to fight this.

anythoughts? I'm thinking about the ones who are worse off than I am.

 

im still getting around slow.

I have no clue where this pic of this fish came from

I see that pic in another post

[Oregon Native]

Good luck to ya.....interesting about the officer....maybe he's friends with the land owner....could you contact a different officer??

[OkobojiEagle]

18 hours ago, bigbill said:

There has to be away to fight this.

 

civil disobedience...

 

oe

[islandbass]

Is there any way you can make an appointment with the owner? Get to know him or her or them and let them know your situation?  If I were the land owner, I would consider allowing someone to fish with a case like yours. 

 

Even make some kind of formal arrangement with you even if just verbal like you'd keep the area clean and how many people can come with you and only when you are present, etc.

 

Hope you get that opportunity to have that conversation. Unless they've been burned badly in the past, I'd think you have a decent shot. 

[BuzzHudson19c]

51 minutes ago, islandbass said:

Is there any way you can make an appointment with the owner? Get to know him or her or them and let them know your situation?  If I were the land owner, I would consider allowing someone to fish with a case like yours.

This. Try to contact the owner and set something up where you can't talk it out. Be polite, explain how you would fish, and how you would not leave a mess etc. A disabled guy used to hunt my family's land when others weren't allowed. Most people want to help.

 

Don't get the government involved, it just makes things worse.

[fishwizzard]

Bill, 

 

Look around your area for a disability rights lawyer.  Most of them do a lot of pro bono work and it sounds like your problem could be solved by a polite letter informing the landowner of the law.  If you are truly have the right to fish there a letter might be all it takes.  

[david in va]

I bet if you asked the landowner in a nice way you could fish. I would not tell him or her that you have the right to fish on his or hers land. That would not set well with me.

Most landowners will let you fish if you are polite and don't leave a mess. I let anyone fish that ask. I run those off that do not ask.  

[BaitMonkey1984]

Bill send me a PM. I see your location as simply Northeast in your profile, so I am unsure as to the exact state where you reside. However, I am an attorney in MA and can potentially be of assistance or at the very least provide you with an unbiased referral to someone who can be of assistance.