Illegal outboard motor use

[Wayne P.]

A while back there was a discussion about using larger motors on bodies of water that had HP limits and changing the motor stickers to indicate a legal motor, i.e.- 15- 9.9 and such. I stated that those who do that are poachers since they are attempting to take game fish illegally. Some said that was a harsh statement. I disagree. Here is a photo that I took last week of a boat being used on a lake with a max 10 HP limit. The picture is blurry because it is a frame of a video I took. Is this not the same as blatantly disregarding the law?

[fishfordollars]

Assuming that the HP restrictions are for safety and to keep lake shore from erosion due to large wakes I see no problem with the picture as long as they just idle with the large motor. What's the difference if they mount a 15 next to it and use it? Looks to me as if they are being careful and abiding by any speed limit. Several lakes in my area that do the same and no one says a word(including lawenforcement) as long as they act responsibly. JMO.

[Grey Wolf]

As soon as he turned that big boy on he was technically breaking the law , I don't care how slow he was going.

[fishfordollars]

Talk to law enforcement and get their take on it. They may not be aware of this and if it is a strict rule then they should be ticketed. Be aware though that they may allow it to an extent as long as everyone is safe and sane on the water. If it is strictly enforced then yes they are breaking the law.

That may be the Chief and one of his deputies in that boat. LOL.

[Pencil Pusher]

Yes, it is blatantly breaking the law, as far as operating the boat.

IMO, they are not "poaching" if they are using prescribed methods to take fish. They are, however, breaking a boating law, since the are violating the horsepower limit on that lake. In my area, there is a lake with a horsepower restriction but you can use the trolling motor to fish the lake. You do have to have the big motor tilted out of the water.

[Jig Man]

It has gotten to the point around here that if you are caught on the water with a motor larger than allowed even if it is trimmed all the way up, you get a ticket by a sherriff's deputy or a city policeman depending on the lake.

[Wayne P.]

fishfordollars, I am quite familiar with that lake and a couple others in the vacinity that have the same restrictions, I been fishing them for almost 20 years. Nothing has changed in that time to allow such behavior. I have a video file of similar violations I have witnessed for years. The Game Dept is aware of it and I have seen a few being ticketed for it. They are shorthanded like most areas of the country and can't patrol all of their territory all the time.

[moby bass]

A local lake near me had a 10 hp limit although it was just recently raised to 20hp.  I had boat dealers tell me they would just change the cover or the stickers to circumvent the law.  While I disagree with the practice, I can understand some of the reasons.  Originally when the lake was filled

trees were not removed and stumps were everywhere. Today that is not the case.  I think the other reason people violate that law may be due to safety.  I've been on that lake when the wind or storms come up and the waves build.  10hp is not enough to get you to shore quickly and safely.  A pontoon boat can barely move against the waves and wind.  You can have a bigger motor on your boat along with your 9.9 (or now 20) but the prop must be removed and left on shore.  

[OH-bass614]

idk if i agree with the huge motor 200+ on 10hp or less but if ur just using a 20 or so i dont see a problem as long as you dont make an a** of yourself...

[mayassa]

Where is that?  Maybe a speed limit would be better than a motor HP limit.

[Wayne P.]

For those that have a "justification" for it, the reason for the HP restriction has nothing to do with the imposing of the restriction. I don't know why, dont' care why, and have no need to know. A law is a law. It is a Department of Game and Inland Fisheries managed lake.

The lake is a flooded timber lake, but a lake about 10 miles from it is not-they both have the same HP restriction and both are less than 900 acres and are not recreational nor residential lakes. The pictured location is a trophy bass managed fishery in Va. with a known lake record of 16 pounds and 2 ounces. Its name is Briery Creek Lake.

[Hookemdown.]

I'm with Wane on this one.  

I fish a local ELECTRIC ONLY lake and see guys firing up all sizes of outboards all year long.  It's like nobody even cares around here.

[George Welcome]

For those that have a "justification" for it, the reason for the HP restriction has nothing to do with the imposing of the restriction. I don't know why, dont' care why, and have no need to know. A law is a law. It is a Department of Game and Inland Fisheries managed lake.

The lake is a flooded timber lake, but a lake about 10 miles from it is not-they both have the same HP restriction and both are less than 900 acres and are not recreational nor residential lakes. The pictured location is a trophy bass managed fishery in Va. with a known lake record of 16 pounds and 2 ounces. Its name is Briery Creek Lake.

And that's exactly where it is at! The person portrayed also believes that most other laws don't pertain to them. These are the people that you see not stopping at red lights, rolling through stop signs, and smoking in a no-smoking area. They behave this way because they feel that rules and laws were written for everyone else but them. They are also the loudest to complain if they feel that someone has wronged them. Sadly, this attitude is becoming a way of life for far too many people.

[flechero]

I don't think it's poaching until you catch them trolling with that outboard.

FWIW, I think a HP restriction is silly. An idle speed only or no wake restriction is fine but to not allow a bass boat on a trophy managed bass lake is, well silly. :-/

[thetr20one]

Some lake here are TM only but you can have an outboard as long as you don't start it. Most with 10hp restrictions will let you use you big motor to trailer your boat but, not run it on tyhe lakeng they are above the law, until they get busted. I have heard of many a sticker or carb change but, if the offficer knows anything and I am guessing they do hp is usually on the motor tag too. Not a whole lot of guys that would risk getting their boat seized for a fish around here though. At least that is the way it seems. I will look at the bright side and say at least this ********* is running an Optimax. What would have made it a cooler story would be to have the other ********* get tossed off the front deck when they hit a stump. I don't think it's poaching but it is breaking the law!

[fishfordollars]

If I am wrong, then so be it. I too think it is silly to keep someone off the water just because of the motor hanging on the rear. If they are operating within the speed limits or other restrictions they should have the same opportunity to fish as anyone else as long as they just idle along.

This sounds to me as if it is nitpicking and some just may be a little jealous of the higher HP boats. What other reason could it be? Heck, they may be breaking the letter of the law; however, if ideling, they are causing no one any problems and are certainly moving around the lake at a much lower speed than someone with a jon boat and a 10hp hung on the rear.

We all pay to enjoy the outdoors. Our money to purchase a fishing license goes into the Wallup-Breau fund to enhance our lakes and rivers( Or it is supposed to), so I cannot see the idea of penalizing anyone that wants to fish a body of water as long as they are safe and courteous.

Again, if you have problems with this activity, contact lawenforcement and have them start ticketing the guys with the larger motors. If enough of you raise cain they will began to moniter the water and ticket accordingly. I just think it is crying foul when it is not necessary. JMO!

[zellamander]

I'm with FFD on this one. I think it's silly to limit the people who can fish the water. I understand speed limits, and I understand no wake zones, but to not allow someone on the water because they have an outboard?.... Sounds ridiculous to me.

[thetr20one]

I have 225 H.P. and get passed on 10 H.P. lakes by just about everyone who has more than 71 lbs. of TM thrust.

[zellamander]

It just makes no sense to me I guess. I mean I follow the law and all, but what is the point of no outboard? Put a freaking speed limit on the lake and call it a day. How fast do you think a 101 lb thrust trolling motor will pull a boat?  : I don't get what the difference is with going full speed with a trolling motor doing like 5 mph, compaired to idling an outboard doing 5mph?  :-/

If somebody can answer that, it would be great.

[fishfordollars]

Zellamander, I totally agree with you. So many of our laws are so stupid. Probably goes back to some old suit sitting in an office with nothing better to do and realizes the old suit judge owes him a favor. I will never understand the reasoning to limit fishing on some of our waters. Silly, silly, silly...

[Wayne P.]

fishfordollars, Yes, you are wrong to even consider it appropiate to do so.

Using that craft is not illegal, they could have just used their electric trolling motor just like numerous others with that type of equipment do. They chose to use their illegal motor instead.

I have owned fiberglass bassboats since 1988, jon boats since 1972, and bank fished starting in the late 1940's. I never felt the need to put a gas motor on a jon boat until that lake was built. I did so just after it opened for fishing in 1989. I chose to do it right and legal as many dozens have, they didn't. Certainly the boat owner can afford a little ole jon boat if he can afford the Triton.

Owning a fiberglass bass boat with a large engine does not put anyone if a special catagory to ignore laws. Purchasing a fishing license or fishing equipment doesn't put anyone in a special catagory to igore laws either.

What they were doing wasn't causing any "problem". They were breaking the law, that is a problem.

Yes, I do report fish and game law violations and so should everyone else. That is why I took the time to do the video. I was on a school of 2#-4# bass, catching one about every 3 casts and felt it was my duty to pause and document such behavior-it eliminates the heresay when doing so. They saw me catch one about 30 seconds after I put the camera away when they were perpendicular to me about 40 years away. and I heard them commenting about it-they had to talk loudy because of the outboard running-those Optimax motors have a special sound.

Oh, by the way, I can run around 25 mph GPS with my 12' jon boat and 9.9 2 stroke Mercury raised 1" off the transom with a 9 1/2" prop,  3 gals of gasoline, two size 27 batteries and a bow mount 24V trolling motor beside two sonar units.

[fishfordollars]

Wayne P I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

[zellamander]

Ok Wayne, i just have some questions for you that i don't understand.

"I never felt the need to put a gas motor on a jon boat until that lake was built."

You said that, so does that mean you have an outboard on your boat on the lake? Also;

"Oh, by the way, I can run around 25 mph GPS with my 12' jon boat and 9.9 2 stroke Mercury raised 1" off the transom with a 9 1/2" prop,  3 gals of gasoline, two size 27 batteries and a bow mount 24V trolling motor beside two sonar units."

So are you running 25 mph with outboard or are you using a trolling motor?

Also;

"Certainly the boat owner can afford a little ole jon boat if he can afford the Triton."

I think that is a very unfair statement. For example: You want to go hunting on a private hunting ranch, and you own a .270 deer rifle, well somebody cried a litle and now the ranch only allows 7mm rifles, how motivated are you to go spend more money on something else that you DONT NEED, especially since you already own something that will work just as good?

Do you have to have a lake permit on your boat for that lake, or a truck sticker? Because if so, that costs money, and if you run all the people off that you say do this, then the lake is going to lose money.

[wagn]

i understand it's against the law, and i know that breaking the law is wrong. I also know that when i drive 5 over the speed limit i'm breaking the law.

I'm not condoning breaking the law. I just want to know why there even is an hp law. No one has ever explained that to me.

I understand things like electric only lakes. It will keep oil and gas from getting into the lake.

I understand speed limits on certian lakes for safety. I just don't understand the point of hp limits on lakes. Just like i don't understand the point of a speed limit on the road if everyone drive 5-10 over.

Why not just raise the limit by 10 and then ticket anyone that is over at all instead of this unspoken rule about driving over.

If someone could explain the reasoning behind the hp limit i'd really appreciate it.

[J_Zink]

Most smaller conservation lakes in Missouri were 10hp limited a number of years ago.  They didn't mind if bigger motors were fired up to reload the boat on the trailer or if bad weather threatened.  Eventually though they dropped it to a 10hp with a no wake.  Anything under 10hp could run wide open, everyone else was at no wake.  It primarily was to prevent erosion not too mention that everyone was cheating with 9.9 hp stickers on larger OB's.

A few Illinois lakes have a strict 9.9hp limit.  They moved it to a no wake deal for a few years but some people abused it.  Bank erosion was the reason but frankly, a johnboat getting pushed by a 9.9 throws much more wake than I do idling with my 150.