Lake fees?

[Woody B]

How many of you pay fees to access certain lakes?   Are there free lakes, along with the "pay" lakes?   How much do you pay?

 

The reason I ask is the lake closest to my house (Moss Lake, Shelby NC) is going up on their boat fees.(dollar amounts later)   Moss Lake is a 1500 acre lake.  It's owned by the city of King Mountain, and used for their water supply.  It was built ~50 years ago using federal money.   They have always charged for boats.  They used to require a special extra fishing license also, but the State won't stock lakes if the public isn't allowed to fish for free. 

 

In the past(several decades ago)I've caught a bunch of nice Bass there including a couple 8 pounders.  I can still catch some Bass but they're mostly what I call "micro Bass" and nearly all of them have hook holes in their mouths from being previously caught.  

 

The fishing pressure and boat traffic in general is terrible during the Summer.  They have a Thursday night tournament every week with 30 to 50 boats.  The winning weights are as well guarded as Colonel Sanders KFC secret chicken recipe.   I stop by the landing occasionally on Saturday or Sunday afternoon just to see how crowded it is.  Most of the time there's no parking spaces, with trucks/trailers parking alongside the road coming into the landing.  

 

The fee increase makes me mad, but actually seems like a good move.  The current boat fee is $80 per year, or $16 per day.  I had already decided I wasn't going to renew mine at that price.  The new fees (that take effect July 1) are $200 per year, or $40 per day.  I'm not going to get a permit, but I'm going to see what effect the fees have on lake crowding.  I don't know if Bass fishing would ever get good again without a good stocking program.  The only thing that gets stocked is Wipers/ Striped Bass White Bass hybrids.   

 

The city manager gave a speech after the fee increase decision.  He said the lake was primarily a water supply lake and all the recreational boating was bad for that.   What I heard was "we don't want you on our lake, but if you give us $200 it will be OK".  

 

Thoughts?  The last fee increase was in 2018 when the boat fee increased from $60 to $80.

 

Unpowered boats don't require a permit.  

 

[Jar11591]

Is the stocking of largemouth bass popular down where you are? In NYS, the DEC stocks zero bass in any water. In fact I’ve never even heard of water being stocked with bass of any kind. They stock trout, because they often can’t reproduce, and also muskie and walleye whose populations can be a bit finicky. But bass up here are 100% self sustaining and apart from some minor regulations, the DEC is completely hands off of anything related to bass. 

[A-Jay]

There are no 'lake fees' here - at least on the northern MI lakes I frequent.

I am not familiar with Moss lake, had to look it up on the interwebs.

Interesting that a lake used for local water supply, that doesn't seem to want boaters on it,

sports an eight-lane, concrete boat launch ramp that features multiple docks and paved parking. 

Doesn't sound like my kind of place really. 

Either way, while I don't pay a lake fee,

the best places are a hike, so my 'fee' goes directly into the GMC gas tank.

Hope it works out for you.

A-Jay

https://news.yahoo.com/news/kings-mountain-official-defends-moss-022240590.html

 

 

[Functional]

Only one lake I go to charges a fee on the honor system and its $10 a visit IF you use the boat launch. Kayak fishing and row boat are free if you launch from the shore somewhere.

 

Unless the lake was nearly guaranteeing a 10# bass on that trip I dont care I'm not paying $40 for a DAY trip.

 

For reference I'm on the other side of the state as you. 

[casts_by_fly]

We have a range of things here in NJ, plus there are a few more where my dad is in Western PA.

 

We have water supply lakes here also.  Around 1900-ish the Newark water supply company (or whatever it was called at the time) bought 5 or 6 lakes and a bunch of property in the mountains about 75 miles north west of the city of Newark.  They recognized that their own water supply was bad and constrained.  So they bought the property and the lakes.  You have to buy an annual permit to fish them, you have to get the permit in person at the office, and there are restrictions.  Electric only, boats only.  No canoes or Kayaks.  No stand up paddleboards.  @A-Jay- no concrete here.  The ramps are largely unimproved gravel.  They don't really care about boats, but water is their priority.  I think the permit is $250 for the year.  They really don't want you there but recognize the uproar if they kept everyone out entirely.

 

We have a lot of 'private' lakes here.  NJ probably has more lakes per area that northern MI.  But they are under 100 acres and ususally privatized through a lake association.  Most are fully private, but a couple will let you fish for a ramp fee.

 

The two biggest lakes on that map- bottom left and very top (spanning the border) don't have an official free ramp.  Bottom left is Hopatcong.  There is a county marina that charges $25 a day to launch.  There is a state park ramp that charges state park access ($20 for residents I think) from memorial day to labor day (fees have been suspended since COVID) and the ramp is bad.  Otherwise it is private marinas for $30-$40 for a day.  Greenwood is at the top.  It no longer has a public ramp despite being a state lake and state stocked with various things.  Marinas are charging $35 during the week I believe and basically don't let anyone launch during the weekend.  Past these ones, there are a couple more state parks with the same rules as Hopatcong.  When they reinstate those entrance fees it will suck.

 

In Western PA, my dad has to deal with county parks permits for 2 places ($25 annual permit) and Corps of Engineers lake/launch permits.  I think that's $35 for the year.

 

For those of you in places blessed with lots of water, great ramps, and no fees, count your blessings.  

 

[gim]

I would never pay 40 bucks/day to use a lake.  That's absurd.

 

Most of the accesses here are maintained by the DNR, county, or a park system.  The majority of them are referred to as a public access and they are free.  They are usually well maintained too.  Some of the nicest public accesses to lakes and rivers are in this state, without any fee, and I am grateful for that.

 

There is a local park system called Three Rivers Park District that maintains a series of parks in the western Twin Cities and several of them are right on a lake, so they maintain and control the access to the lake.   You can buy an annual pass for 45 bucks or a daily for 7.  I usually buy an annual and go 7 or 8 times, which pays for itself.  There is often limited parking though, and when it fills up, they deny entry until someone leaves.  Its only required if you have a boat and trailer, otherwise you can use the park for free.

 

Limited parking on some of these lakes eliminates the chance for a tournament, which I am fine with.  Far less pressure.

[casts_by_fly]

12 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I would never pay 40 bucks/day to use a lake.  That's absurd.

 

Most of the accesses here are maintained by the DNR, county, or a park system.  The majority of them are referred to as a public access and they are free.  They are usually well maintained too.  Some of the nicest public accesses to lakes and rivers are in this state, without any fee, and I am grateful for that.

 

There is a local park system called Three Rivers Park District that maintains a series of parks in the western Twin Cities and several of them are right on a lake, so they maintain and control the access to the lake.   You can buy an annual pass for 45 bucks or a daily for 7.  I usually buy an annual and go 7 or 8 times, which pays for itself.  There is often limited parking though, and when it fills up, they deny entry until someone leaves.  Its only required if you have a boat and trailer, otherwise you can use the park for free.

 

If you want to run a bassboat with a big motor that's your option.  Both greenwood and hopatcong are unlimited horsepower.  There are two other lakes under 200 acres that are unlimited (both of which have prop killing boulders strewn through them and one's less than 6' deep the whole lake).  Everything else around is 9.9 hp or electric.  Also, hopatcong is the biggest lake in the state at 2700 acres.  There is another backup drinking supply reservoir at 2200 which is 9.9 only.  Then you're down to 1200 acres and on down.  We don't have big lakes, so if you want to run the big motor you pony up.

[gim]

17 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

We don't have big lakes, so if you want to run the big motor you pony up.

 

I understand. And that would be fine with me.

 

Its very likely I wouldn't even own a boat if that was the type of water/lake access around me.

[DaubsNU1]

I'm on the fence here. Metro area has several public lakes...and they get hit hard. My "home lake" is relatively new (2018), and just last year switched from catch and release only to a limited bag. Traffic has increased exponentially, and the fishing has declined.

 

I would probably pay $200 per year to fish a lake with large bass, if it meant less fishing pressure.

[FishTax]

My local lakes are water supply and charge a fee. Kayak used to be $5, just increased to $7, to load your own. $20 to rent one, or a Jon boat. Boat cost $10. 

It's well maintained and has big bass, so I'm ok paying it. Tons of pressure. I'm not happy that they just used my money to buy 300 grass carp. There goes what's left of the hydrilla 😔

[casts_by_fly]

26 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

I understand. And that would be fine with me.

 

Its very likely I wouldn't even own a boat if that was the type of water/lake access around me.

 

And now you see why I run a motorized kayak.  The ideal boat around here for bass would be a 16' decked aluminum boat with an electric 9.9 on the back.  If I were to build one, that's what it would be.

[Team9nine]

Have always paid ramp fees on many of the lakes/reservoirs I’ve fished both in IN and now SC. Closest IN reservoir was a city lake, but over 1,000 acres and hp restricted. Annual launch pass was ~$55 last year. 
 

Here in SC, the 4 closest reservoirs are all city owned water supply lakes. Believe all are hp restricted to some degree. I have to buy two different boating permits to fish all 4 which totaled around $100, plus pay a $5 fishing permit fee at 2 of those. Only thing stocked at these lakes is grass carp as best I can tell. 
 

There are other similar lakes within half an hour or so of me, but those would require another permit or two, $100 each or $175 for both. They are further away, so I wouldn’t fish there enough to get my monies worth - so no go there.

[GaryH]

Here in north central Pa. We have 2 Army corp of engineer and 1 state park lake they have no H.P. Restrictions and no fees.  Then there’s quit a few PGC lakes that are electric only with no fees. Our 2 biggest lakes within the state Raystown lake and lake Wallenpaupack no fees at the public ramps. So far we’re lucky.

 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

I find it strange that there are lakes that charge a 'launch fee' anytime you want to use it. Like @gimruis said - our public lakes are maintained by the state and the launch ramps are free to use on a first-come/first served basis.

 

Only possible fee is a yearly trailer pass that's $50 for Three Rivers Park District, but allows you to launch at any Three Rivers Park if parking space for the vehicle/trailer is available...first come/first served again. Of course that's only if you use a Ramp at one of the parks...as Lake Minnetonka has over half-a-dozen non-park ramps, it's hardly an issue.

[Catt]

The only fees we encounter are for boat launch at private launches. 

[Bolar]

 

The only place I pay is to launch in Lake Michigan.  The city of Portage owns the marina and ramp, $15 a day.  It's a nice ramp, so no complaints.  Better than a gravel incline into the water. 

 

I've never seen them checking for tickets when launching.  If you didn't have to park, and did a launch and go, you might not have to really pay.  Not sure. 

 

 

[rboat]

We have one park that charges $5 per day. I would not mind paying that if they actually staffed the area for security. There is no one around and the money goes into a machine. When you load and unload you have to leave your boat at the ramp, hope nobody steals anything, and walk about 2  blocks to the parking area. I hate that feeling of no control, so I don't go there very often.

 

Another park charges $3 per person per day. Honor system, again no one around, just leave money in a big steel box.

[Smirak]

We have 5 public fishing lakes in Alabama managed by DWFP for Alabama. They stock trout in Nov, the lake is closed in Jan and they stock again in January. That’s at my lake here in N Alabama. Its fee is $5. If I’m specifically targeting trout, or I want to take them home, it’s an extra $5. I don’t mind paying that as it goes back to the lake management directly. I’m pretty much a fish and release guy anyway. 
 

That said, I live about 10 mins from the TN River and all its tributaries. It’s as free as free can get!

[MIbassyaker]

Most places I fish are small, with a public DNR-maintained launch and no fee. Some are on state park land and require a recreation pass for my car, but that's only $14 for a season, and good anywhere the pass is required.  A few township and county parks around the area with heavily-used launches charge a minor fee of a few dollars, or you can buy an annual pass for $20-$30-ish.  This is most common for larger rivers with access to lake Michigan.

 

 

[gim]

48 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

our public lakes are maintained by the state

 

I know a lot of people love to complain about the DNR and regs, etc, but there's one thing they definitely do well and its maintain public accesses.  When there is a need for repairs or upgrades, it gets done.  Docks are almost always there in the early spring and removed in the fall.

 

I fish about 6-8 lakes on a regular basis here every season and I can say with 100% positivity that they are all in at least "good" shape.  Several are what I would call phenomenal.

[TnRiver46]

Well I’m glad we sent our loved ones and relatives across the Appalachians (the overmountain men) to fight and die at kings mountain just for them to charge $40/day to launch a boat……

 

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/overmountain-men

 

My guess is they ain’t worried about the drinking water, they are worried about cash money. 

[Susky River Rat]

@casts_by_fly that incline to get in and out of the boat ramp at hopatacong is nuts. When I first pulled into that parking lot I was so confused where the ramp was. I figured that was a maintenance road. At least the ramp I used. I know I fished another lake in NJ that was $5 or something put your boat registration on a the envelope and dropped it in. 
 

I have never paid to use a ramp other wise expect that $5 one a few times. I went to the cong out of season. There is a couple private launches on the river you can get a permit for the year or pay as you go. I do not use them. 
 

Normally, I frequent some pretty sketchy ramps. 

[12poundbass]

Michigan sports or 11,000 lakes and thousands of miles of rivers I’m not shelling out a dime except for the park pass which @MIbassyaker already mentioned was $14/year.

[airshot]

Here in Ohio the DNR does a great job in maintaining public access points.  Having the big lake helps alot.  Many private ramps that charge fees but they are closer to the hot spots.  There was a time many years back that a governor we had raised fees thru the roof and the money was spent elsewhere.  News papers along with citizens made a really big issue of out this and after that, the governor was voted out, things really changed for the better !  Voters need to see their money used wisely !!

[Texas Flood]

Iowa should be paying me to fish their crappy lakes.