I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

[Icyharp]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

Is it really hard to pick up after yourself, clean your boat and pull a plug to protect what we have?

Nope, and the sad thing is there will be no stopping it cause of how easy it is to move from lake to lake. In MN Lake Mille Lacs now has Zebra Muscles in it, one of the hot spots for a lot of fisherman. The Mississippi as well as the St Croix rivers have them too as most already know, along with some smaller lakes.
Now since I play on the Mississippi river a lot when I come out of the water it is plug out weeds off, then when I get home I wash the hull and do go as far as running the drive in my tank I made a half hour with a little bleach in the water, and drying my anchor lines. Am I a little over doing it? Nope, I got to see the water jackets and a few other engine parts that sat with water in them from the river, clogged with Zebra muscles. As for the weeds, ever seen what Eurasian Water Milfoil does to our lakes?.......trust me I am no tree hugger, but really GA_Boater is right, we have to have another approach at looking why something has come into effect.

Ya sucks tossing your bait, sucks that you have to remove a plug - not even 2 min of your time -draining the onboard coolers of their water and live wells, giving your trailer and boat a once over for weeds, all a pain for our precious time because we are so important. But you know, bet ya 5 years ago the DNR was passing out flyers trying to educate people in MN and it was up to us, will that didn't work, that flyer made a better fire starter than any sense. So now laws get passed, abide or pay. BTW the flyer, I have one someplace from a MN statepark some 5 years ago, if I find it I will scan and post.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

Hopefully not in your area, jigngrub, but I've traveled down the Tenn and TennTom Rivers to Mobile many times and came across acres of hydrilla floating and zebra mussels in my seastrainer.

You guys do your best to combat those invasive species as well as you can. Our enviroment is important to me and education is a must. Here in Florida we have Lionfish damaging our reefs. Folks let them out of their aquarium because they were eating the other fish. At this point we are spearing them, but some of us are pushing the state to reward something ($, t-shirt) for each Lionfish killed.

Good Luck......and be vigilant

You're right Sasto, I forgot about the Tenn Tom. That is due to the interstate shipping and barge traffic.

I've read about the Lionfish problem down there and it sounds pretty bad. They don't look much different than the Scorpionfish I've caught off the drift boats around the Miami area.

If they'd bring back the bounty system on the invasive pests in the U.S more people would be inclined to target them. Heck! If they'd just give me a penny for every Fire Ant I killed I'd be a very rich man!... I might even be able to buy one of your boats!

... btw, I wish you Floridians would keep your Armadillos on a leash, they're all over the place up here now! 25 yrs. ago there weren't any.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

I clean my boat after every outing. I am surprised the 4 county sherriff's didn't mention this law to me last year in July when they were checking my trailer for weeds PRIOR to launching. I'm glad I know about the law now. I will follow it but it's a pain in the arse that adds time to me getting the boat in and out and also potential for loss of property. I'm not stupid enough to know this is about money just as much as it is about invasive species.

 

[poor boater]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

Wll in CA there is an "Invassive species of muscles" so to go to the lake you have to start your bout 2-3 days in advance and if you want to wash your boat same thing the inspection is ridiculous they open motor compartment and have you drop out drive any water comes out you dont go in and get quarintined for seven days. Be happy a plug is only required.

 

[sasto]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

As users of this nations natural resources, each of us has do what we can to protect them.

You summed it up, GA_Boater....we need more like you!

Nope, and the sad thing is there will be no stopping it cause of how easy it is to move from lake to lake. In MN Lake Mille Lacs now has Zebra Muscles in it, one of the hot spots for a lot of fisherman. The Mississippi as well as the St Croix rivers have them too as most already know, along with some smaller lakes.
Now since I play on the Mississippi river a lot when I come out of the water it is plug out weeds off, then when I get home I wash the hull and do go as far as running the drive in my tank I made a half hour with a little bleach in the water, and drying my anchor lines. Am I a little over doing it? Nope, I got to see the water jackets and a few other engine parts that sat with water in them from the river, clogged with Zebra muscles. As for the weeds, ever seen what Eurasian Water Milfoil does to our lakes?.......trust me I am no tree hugger, but really GA_Boater is right, we have to have another approach at looking why something has come into effect.

Ya sucks tossing your bait, sucks that you have to remove a plug - not even 2 min of your time -draining the onboard coolers of their water and live wells, giving your trailer and boat a once over for weeds, all a pain for our precious time because we are so important. But you know, bet ya 5 years ago the DNR was passing out flyers trying to educate people in MN and it was up to us, will that didn't work, that flyer made a better fire starter than any sense. So now laws get passed, abide or pay. BTW the flyer, I have one someplace from a MN statepark some 5 years ago, if I find it I will scan and post.

Powerful words, Icyharp......Deserves repeating.

. I might even be able to buy one of your boats!

... btw, I wish you Floridians would keep your Armadillos on a leash, they're all over the place up here now! 25 yrs. ago there weren't any.

Shucks, jigngrub.....I really don't own a boat, I just act like it......and am an advocate for our waterways and my right to use 'em. Keep 'em clean and nobody will be bothered by the likes of me!

Happy Boating....as you say.

Armadillos? They migrate to Alabama the same reason the St Johns River runs north to GA :facepalm:.....Hold on, that's just a joke............We are the true LA.....Lower Alabama!

 

[Icyharp]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

Ironic I am watching the news tonight and in MN a story on Lake Minnetonka, well guess what it is full of Zebra Muscles, and the people at the boat ramp were more than happy to do their part to try and help. So I don't understand why you hate this law, it is simple abide do your part and no one makes any money with fines.

Well I don't know how much more this can be beat up on, it is in a sense a no brainer, just seems like sometimes when laws come into play people take such personal attacks to them. Usually means they are guilty of doing what the law says you can't.

Anyway off to read some other topics................later, Icy

 

[RZR2007]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

btw, I wish you Floridians would keep your Armadillos on a leash, they're all over the place up here now! 25 yrs. ago there weren't any.

We'll take all the Armadillos if you'll take these d@#n lovebugs!

 

[bouttime007]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

No "plug law" up here in Maine that Ive heard of.

We have fancy triangle stickers!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

We'll take all the Armadillos if you'll take these d@#n lovebugs!

We've got those nasty things too, just not up this far north, but they'll probably adapt and make their way up here in the future like the Armadillos did.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

Ironic I am watching the news tonight and in MN a story on Lake Minnetonka, well guess what it is full of Zebra Muscles, and the people at the boat ramp were more than happy to do their part to try and help. So I don't understand why you hate this law, it is simple abide do your part and no one makes any money with fines.

Well I don't know how much more this can be beat up on, it is in a sense a no brainer, just seems like sometimes when laws come into play people take such personal attacks to them. Usually means they are guilty of doing what the law says you can't.

Anyway off to read some other topics................later, Icy

Ya know I understand your point... But the thing with me is, i am just out pleasure boatn, i am not in anyway putting water in my boat, Not fishn, not skiing , no bait. no live wells, I do my part to make sure there is not a single weed hanging of fthe trailer or boat when I leave the lake. Im sorry if I sound coincided by feeling that law shouldn't apply to me. I personally feel that I have more of a chance have a negative ecological impact by having my boat go down full of gas, oil etc..Along with the expensive damage that may develop with an 25 yr old I/o when I flood the engine compartment with water. I wanna be able to put my plug in a my at home pretrip. Thats all... Its the blanket laws that a small percentage of boaters, with carelessness, bring on that cause hassle and expense to people that needlessly suffer because of them, that bugs me.
Maybe I could have worded my post better then to say I hate the law, cuz I do wanna protect our nat resources. Its just the way its layed ouy, all inclusive...oh well, I guess thats the only way to inforce it.
But i will follow the rule, even tho its senseless in my specific situation. and I guess I will just needlessly suffer the consequences and expense if and when I neglect to put the plug in...:facepalm:

 

[Icyharp]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

Paul I understand what you are saying, I have no live well, my boat for the most part boat stays dry. That is until I have a swim, or someone wants to ski or tube. I get a little water in th boat but not enough to have come out the plug when I pull it. The fact is we know and especialy in MN you dont' seggregate one group from another, unless you own a Harley....(pipes) Anyway I know how much I have on board, the 5.7 is full of water the lower unit has water in it and I know that the larvae of the zebra muscle is not visual to the naked eye. So I don't know where they are I assume they are all over my boat when I come out.

You ought to see my father-n-laws 52 foot house boat in La Crosse, it is so bad he does not even take it out late summer cause of the muscles. the best time to get them off the hull is in the spring when they are dead. We are talking about a foot thick in areas. So sad cause just a few years ago that section of the river is was pretty nice, spent many great weekends there. Now the shores of the marina you better have shoes on cause of the dead shells. Maybe since I have seen the damage I am a little more sensative to the whole thing.

My thinking is so what you have to pull the plug, saves ya a ticket. You really think I want to sink my chevy motor in the drink? I have just made it a habit that when I get to the launch I load the coolers, pull the transom straps off, put plug in turn batteries on and wait my turn to back in. I am still in the water in less than 5 min......

 

[roscoe]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

No problem with the law, but they sure can make a killing ticketing all the Wisconsin boats being trailered through MN on the way to Canada.


I have witnessed 2 teen punk kids walk up to a boat at a gas station, and remove the plug while the owner was paying for his gas.

I decided right then, that I would not trailer with the plug in.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

Paul I understand what you are saying, I have no live well, my boat for the most part boat stays dry. That is until I have a swim, or someone wants to ski or tube. I get a little water in th boat but not enough to have come out the plug when I pull it. The fact is we know and especialy in MN you dont' seggregate one group from another, unless you own a Harley....(pipes) Anyway I know how much I have on board, the 5.7 is full of water the lower unit has water in it and I know that the larvae of the zebra muscle is not visual to the naked eye. So I don't know where they are I assume they are all over my boat when I come out.

You ought to see my father-n-laws 52 foot house boat in La Crosse, it is so bad he does not even take it out late summer cause of the muscles. the best time to get them off the hull is in the spring when they are dead. We are talking about a foot thick in areas. So sad cause just a few years ago that section of the river is was pretty nice, spent many great weekends there. Now the shores of the marina you better have shoes on cause of the dead shells. Maybe since I have seen the damage I am a little more sensative to the whole thing.

My thinking is so what you have to pull the plug, saves ya a ticket. You really think I want to sink my chevy motor in the drink? I have just made it a habit that when I get to the launch I load the coolers, pull the transom straps off, put plug in turn batteries on and wait my turn to back in. I am still in the water in less than 5 min......

Ya know Skipper , You have very valid points. And I will do my part, and hope everybody else does as well. If the DNR thinks its gonna help, frik it, lets do it ! Minds greater then mine came up with the plan. So be it ! I guess there is really no other way to inforce it, then to put it out as they did. Im done btchn about this. [ Dang, now I gotta find something else to bch about! ] Thanks all for listening to my rant. And sharing your comments Happy boatn !

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

Im done btchn about this. [ Dang, now I gotta find something else to bch about! ] Thanks all for listening to my rant. And sharing your comments Happy boatn !

There's always the weather!

 

[DaveM]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

My impression about Minnesota is they are very progressive (aggressive?) when it comes to invasive species. I wish there was more attention to that here in Washington instead of the water patrol checking for the mandatory CO stickers in boats. It is really sad to see lakes like Lake Washington become overrun with milfoil.

 

[joeaasved]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

We have it in CA. I grew up with pulling the plug unless it?s in the water. Put a clip on your boat keys and clip on your plug. Unless you?re a jack*** you will always know where your plug is.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

There's always the weather!

Howdy WM ... FRKN weather! To hot yest, today too cloudy, bch bch bch ! Just kiddn. Have awesome boatn weather lately ! Damn river level is to high though ! blah blah blah. Alls good..................

 

[jt57]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

The state of Wyoming started their AIS program last June. Every watercraft on Wyoming waters must have a AIS sticker. Ten dollars for resident ,thirty dollars for out of staters. At some of the most popular boat ramps thru out the state,there is a Wyo G&F biologist doing inspections of all watercraft. Personally I have no problem with the program. It is self substanting ,and brings awareness to the boating public,that invasive species are a real threat to Wyoming waters. As of right now all of Wyoming waters are mussel free,but with three surrounding states( Utah, Colo,and Neb) having infected waters. How long will they remain that way? Two of the main requirement for passing a inspection,is to have all live well and bilges completely dry, and the hull as well as the trailer must be free of any debris I always trailer with my plug out.

 

[jkust]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

I'm a little ashamed to say I didn't know this law existed here in MN. I have been checked a couple dozen times by the dnr at the ramp since it apparently went into effect and never once was it mentioned that I arrived with the plug in my boat. I was checked twice this week already again with no mention. Good to know but I dislike it because, it opens up another opportunity to forget the plug regardless of your mitigation practices. I have never even once viewed anybody installing their plug at the prep area either. I frequent some high end lakes where you get double teamed by some really zelous dnr and so I am scratching my head on this.

 

[stinger377th]

Re: I hate this new Minnesota law, Do other states have it ?

i am 50 years old have had a boat at least 30 of them and i never leave my plug in cuz my boat was always out side till my later years when i builted a shed for them and i still pull the plug to this day
im from ar. and as far as i know there is no such law but as i said i always pulled my plug for last 30 years and yes a time or two i have had to run wide open to get rid of water then put plug in while running up or down the river and now the new boat i just bought has a auto bilge pump so i guess it would fill up if you left it out long enough but at least it gives you time to plug up