# stonelick creek?



## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

anyone ever fish the creek right before the covered bridge.... my son and i were looking at it yesterday and it looks really deep? saw some monster carp swim by...... just curios, seems like you can catch a numerous different kinds of fish there?


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## BassAddict83 (Sep 21, 2010)

That creek is loaded with fish. Only problem with that area around the bridge is it's all private property. Some of the landowners are polite when they ask you to leave. Others aren't so nice... Either way if you're seen fishing around there you're getting booted. And with "private property" signs about every 50 ft. or so you can't really play dumb and pretend like you didn't know.


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## IGbullshark (Aug 10, 2012)

BassAddict83 said:


> That creek is loaded with fish. Only problem with that area around the bridge is it's all private property. Some of the landowners are polite when they ask you to leave. Others aren't so nice... Either way if you're seen fishing around there you're getting booted. And with "private property" signs about every 50 ft. or so you can't really play dumb and pretend like you didn't know.


what if you're wading the creek? last i checked, rivers and creeks were public waterways...


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

IGbullshark said:


> what if you're wading the creek? last i checked, rivers and creeks were public waterways...


Better check again not in this state. If you are floating you are fine but if you are touching the bottom you are tresspassing. You can search and find a million threads on that topic on here.


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## BassAddict83 (Sep 21, 2010)

IGbullshark said:


> what if you're wading the creek? last i checked, rivers and creeks were public waterways...


The actual water itself is public. The creek bed on the other hand is privately owned. Technically if you're floating on the water you're fine but as soon as your feet hit the ground (in the water or not) you are trespassing. And that creek is not deep enough to take a yak or canoe all the way up to the bridge. Your best shot at fishing that creek is knocking on doors and asking permission.


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## BassAddict83 (Sep 21, 2010)

imalt said:


> Better check again not in this state. If you are floating you are fine but if you are touching the bottom you are tresspassing. You can search and find a million threads on that topic on here.


Jinx! You owe me a coke!


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## IGbullshark (Aug 10, 2012)

imalt said:


> Better check again not in this state. If you are floating you are fine but if you are touching the bottom you are tresspassing. You can search and find a million threads on that topic on here.


in that case i would suggest you wear a life jacket and float down the river casting as you go.


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

i saw the no tresspassing signs...... but they are posted on the other side of the street...... figured they were posted to stay out of the farm crops...... why are people so anal.... we are just wanting to fish! i would understand them if we were partying and throwing our beer cans down but whats the harm of standing there fishing.....wow!!!!!


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

cali2ohio said:


> i saw the no tresspassing signs...... but they are posted on the other side of the street...... figured they were posted to stay out of the farm crops...... why are people so anal.... we are just wanting to fish! i would understand them if we were partying and throwing our beer cans down but whats the harm of standing there fishing.....wow!!!!!


You said it yourself. You may be there to fish but too many people leave their trash behind. If that was your property would you want someone leaving trash on it. It sucks that there are tresspass signs anywhere but you can't blame land owners for that. People now have no respect for others and will trash a place. Go to any pond and you will find bait containers, beer bottles, and whatever else. Plus if I was lucky enough to own property with a creek with a honey hole on it I wouldn't want anyone fishing it either.


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

cali2ohio said:


> i saw the no tresspassing signs...... but they are posted on the other side of the street...... figured they were posted to stay out of the farm crops...... why are people so anal.... we are just wanting to fish! i would understand them if we were partying and throwing our beer cans down but whats the harm of standing there fishing.....wow!!!!!


Nothing personal, but, as a landowner, I can tell ya why "people are so anal"...
It's always "the other guy, *I* would never trash the place"...
Well, after a while, a person can't tell "the other guy" from anybody else. So nobody gets permission. I can't see it changing any time soon...


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Chadwimc...+1, you are exactly right, plus remember that those anal landowners are paying taxes on that ground you want to stand on...
I dont own a lot of land ( 12 acres) but I worked long and hard to obtain it and maintain it and its not the "asking people" that are the problem usually, its the ones who feel they have a "right" to be there only to please themselves.. Knock on some doors and if your well presented, you may get in and have some great fishing, otherwise move on and ask somewhere else. I know Ive asked dozens of places over the years for fishing priveledges and have gotten into some of the best spots Ive ever fished from the 2-3 that allowed me to fish, once in, do not ever break any of their rules or youll be part of the problem of why folks dont allow you to fish. 

Salmonid


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

i know why the land owners are like that.... i understand completely! one person standing there fishing is obviously not a problem... someone kicking them off their land is anal..... now if there were 5 people causing problems and making a mess.....yes ask them to leave, but a man fishing with his son....come on now!!!! if i saw someone fishing on my land ....... go get it bud!!!! even if there is a honey hole on it.... hope you get a record fish!!! thats the problem with this country........ SELFISHNESS AND GREED!!!!!!! noone wants to share anything..... ok i vented.......... im not mad at the land owners...... i know its the stupid drunk trashy pieces of S^%^ that have ruined it for us that appreciate and respect what others have worked for. i clean up after my self and many others and make sure that my son knows to do the same!!!


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

thats the problem with this country........ SELFISHNESS AND GREED!!!!!!! 

the problem with this country is all the people that think they are entitled. Someone that has worked hard and able to afford some nice property should not have to share it with you or anyone else. They don't owe you or your son anything. I will never understand the way of thinking in this country now that just because someone has more than you they should have to share it. The wealthy and the smart people are what made this country. What is sinking this country are the ones that believe that instead of getting off their ass and earning something they should be given it. I think you better look long and hard at what the real problem in the country is. There are plenty of places to fish without doing it in someones elses backyard. And like salmonoid said if you ask they might even say yes.


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## IGbullshark (Aug 10, 2012)

this thread is starting to deliver.....can't we all just get along?!


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## jbmynes (Aug 6, 2012)

imalt said:


> thats the problem with this country........ SELFISHNESS AND GREED!!!!!!!
> 
> the problem with this country is all the people that think they are entitled. Someone that has worked hard and able to afford some nice property should not have to share it with you or anyone else. They don't owe you or your son anything. I will never understand the way of thinking in this country now that just because someone has more than you they should have to share it. The wealthy and the smart people are what made this country. What is sinking this country are the ones that believe that instead of getting off their ass and earning something they should be given it. I think you better look long and hard at what the real problem in the country is. There are plenty of places to fish without doing it in someones elses backyard. And like salmonoid said if you ask they might even say yes.


I have to agree 100%, I am only 30 and in the last few years I have figured out that a lot if people in this country believe they are entitled to anything they want and if they don't have something someone should give it to them. Not so much. I work and bust my a$$ for everything I have and everything I want. If you want to fish someones land ask them, it never hurts. And if you get told no, you have no right to get your panties in a bundle because its not yours and you didn't pay for it. I don't think it will get any better either kids now get to grow up getting trophies for showing up, 15 years ago we had to work hard to get anything. I'm done with my rant... 

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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

I learned how to fish below that dam some 55 years ago. Haven't been there recently but my dad pulled many a LMB out of there by throwing a orange abu reflex lure up on the dam and letting is wash down. The fish would hit almost immediately. This was usually in the spring when the dam would have some overflow. I remember one monster in particular that was huge. There were also a lot of crappie, bluegills and an occasional catfish. We never went further down the creek. Didn't need to. We did pretty well right below the dam.


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

I said i understand!!!!!!! im not fishing there!! i would ask before i did.... i respect people and what they worked for...... or got it handed down from their grandparents that worked hard for it..... all im saying is if someone was fishing and not hurting a thing it would be being an ass asking them to leave...... you guys are making it sound like its fenced off and i am planning to crawl under the fence and fish.... its along side the road.... but everyone seems to think its ok to float through someones property just dont touch the ground!!!!!!! thats funny!! being on someones property is being on someone property.......


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

and let me guess.......... if you were floating through the property and the owner said your were tresspassing....... everyone would be sure to tell him the regulations and continue floating down stream........lol... but thats ok?


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

i appologize if i ruffled any feathers....... im truely not one of these people that sneak on the property...... just enjoy the outdoors and feel that eventually there will be no more waterways to fish because someone....somewhere will own every piece of land there is....then what?....


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Then what???......Welcome to Europe where everywhere is private and cost money to fish even carp ponds.... Most Europeans really think were snobs becuase we have the most "public" water of any country and we still complain.....But thats the American way, sounds like the Gasoline issues, were some of the cheapest in the world and yet we still complain.

Cali, you didnt offend me, I wouldnt sweat it....

Salmonid


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

Floating is ok because that is how the law works. I personally believe that you or anyone else should be able to fish wherever in the river or creek they want. But the LAW says you can't and the river or creek bed belongs to the landowner. And I don't think if someone kicks you off their private property that makes them an ass. You have no idea of what they experienced before. If I was floating and some landowner had a problem with it it really isn't worth the arguement. It is easier to just float to a new spot eventhough I would be within my right to be there. There are just too many places to fish to sweat it. By the way I will be over your house this weekend to watch the game, drink your beer and eat your food. If you kick me out that makes you an ass.


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## jbmynes (Aug 6, 2012)

I personally think you should be able to fish any body of water anywhere you want and it shouldn't be an issue. I think the way the law is for river fishing is completely ridiculous you can float it but can't wade it's just dumb. But it's the law. And we have countless stupid laws. 


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Technically, if you want to get down to details.. You can float the streams because the state owns the water because its transient ( flows from one property to another) and because from back in the early days of lawhood, the streams were considered a "Highway" so what that means is that if you are using the waterway as a "highway" you can float it, "and" you can walk through touching the bottom as long as you are using it to get from one place or another, 

With that said, using the water as a highway is different then "Fishing" ( ie. Hunting game) now the state owns the water and the transient wildlife that move between properties ( fish in rivers and deer for example) so technically, if you are floating though, you are fine, but once you "cast" you are now "hunting without permission" because the state defines that just like deer hunting in which the state owns the animalls/fish/game but allows each landowner to dictate who may "hunt game" on their properties......

Heres an similar example, State owns the air above your property but someone may use the airspace above it to fly through, but if they want to hunt deer on your property from a helicopter, they would be "hunting without permission" even though they were not touching the ground...

Again, this is getting technical as to the way Ohio's laws are written so dont blame the messanger, what it means is, if your floating and fishing and someone asks you to move on, you should, if you fight it till the end, youll get a citation that the game warden really doesnt want to write but if you stick to your guns, he will ask you to move on, if you refuse, youll get the ticket. 

Now we all know that the bottom line is, "out of sight, out of mind" and the benefit to floating through and fishing is most folks would not ever know you are there and I suggest we continue to use that to our (sportsman) advantage. 

Nuff said....

Salmonid


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## BassAddict83 (Sep 21, 2010)

Salmonid said:


> Technically, if you want to get down to details.. You can float the streams because the state owns the water because its transient ( flows from one property to another) and because from back in the early days of lawhood, the streams were considered a "Highway" so what that means is that if you are using the waterway as a "highway" you can float it, "and" you can walk through touching the bottom as long as you are using it to get from one place or another,
> 
> With that said, using the water as a highway is different then "Fishing" ( ie. Hunting game) now the state owns the water and the transient wildlife that move between properties ( fish in rivers and deer for example) so technically, if you are floating though, you are fine, but once you "cast" you are now "hunting without permission" because the state defines that just like deer hunting in which the state owns the animalls/fish/game but allows each landowner to dictate who may "hunt game" on their properties......
> 
> ...


Very well put! 

And Cali, there are a TON more fishing spots along the LMR and the EFLMR that are public, hold more fish, hold a lot bigger fish, and have a wider variety of species to catch. Yes it's a bummer to not be able to freely fish the creek but it's really not the gold mine of the area either. I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to fish it and yes it is home to a number of smallies in the 6-12 inch range but there are better opportunities elsewhere. Dont forget you can always knock on doors and ask permission if you really want to fish it. You'll have better luck if your boy is with you when you do (people seem to have a hard time denying kids of stuff like that). But if you at least ask, the worse that'll happen is they'll say no.


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

Salmonid said:


> Technically, if you want to get down to details.. You can float the streams because the state owns the water because its transient ( flows from one property to another) and because from back in the early days of lawhood, the streams were considered a "Highway" so what that means is that if you are using the waterway as a "highway" you can float it, "and" you can walk through touching the bottom as long as you are using it to get from one place or another,
> 
> With that said, using the water as a highway is different then "Fishing" ( ie. Hunting game) now the state owns the water and the transient wildlife that move between properties ( fish in rivers and deer for example) so technically, if you are floating though, you are fine, but once you "cast" you are now "hunting without permission" because the state defines that just like deer hunting in which the state owns the animalls/fish/game but allows each landowner to dictate who may "hunt game" on their properties......
> 
> ...


I have never heard it explained with the no hunting part. Makes alot of sense though. 

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## Britam05 (Jun 16, 2012)

It does not have to be fenced off in order to know what Private Property means. 
In today's society people are afraid of being nice to a father and son fishing, If the son falls in the water and gets hurt or drowned the land owner could be sued for liability. It's just not worth it anymore,


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

Britam05 said:


> It does not have to be fenced off in order to know what Private Property means.
> In today's society people are afraid of being nice to a father and son fishing, If the son falls in the water and gets hurt or drowned the land owner could be sued for liability. It's just not worth it anymore,


Very good point. That is why alot of gravel pits are no fishing. Too much liability

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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

cali2ohio said:


> i appologize if i ruffled any feathers
> 
> feel that eventually there will be no more waterways to fish because someone....somewhere will own every piece of land there is....then what?....


Someone already *OWNS* the land. That seems to be your problem...
I don't know what I could do or say to change a mind set like yours...


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## nitsud (May 22, 2010)

I like how the Scandinavians do it. You can hike/pass through and even camp on other peoples land, with the expectation that you stay away from their house and out of the way, and treat the land with respect. Nature is understood to be something that should be enjoyed by all, and the right to enjoy it is fundamental, as is the responsibility to care for it. It's not even law in Sweden or Finland, it's just the way things are done.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Right_to_access

They must have fewer dickholes with worm containers and empty beer cans over there, and fewer rich assholes who feel it necessary to wall themselves off from the world. Don't think it would work here, unfortunately.


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## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

nitsud said:


> ... worm containers and empty beer cans...


I think that is the main issue. If I owned land with a water way, I could care less who fished as long as they respected the land and left the land in the same way as they found it; I would still require people to ask so I know who is on my property. Just common courtesy. We all know that is not possible. The amount of trash, plastic containers, and other rubish that I have seen in public fishing sites is solid evidence that certain members of the fishing community can not even follow basic public rules of cleaning up their trash. How do you expect them to handle the higher responsibility of fishing private lands. It is a no brainer.

Here is another perspective. What if you came home one day and you found people rooting around your yard "fishing" for some earthworms. They didn't really mess up your yard but you would still wonder what the heck they are doing and why they are in your backyard. They could be planting marijuana for all you know. Which has been known to happen in certain rural areas... Guess who gets the blame...


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## nitsud (May 22, 2010)

I'm not naive enough to think it could work here. For better or worse, I'd assume that someone who was trespassing in my backyard was up to no good, but I live on a relatively small lot. If I had 50 acres and someone was trespassing, that assumption is less likely to be valid.

Generally, I shoot anyone who steps foot on my driveway, so don't send your Cub Scout to sell me any popcorn. I let one get by my defenses, and once he made it to my door, I couldn't help but buy some. That stuff is way overpriced.


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

nitsud said:


> I'm not naive enough to think it could work here. For better or worse, I'd assume that someone who was trespassing in my backyard was up to no good, but I live on a relatively small lot. If I had 50 acres and someone was trespassing, that assumption is less likely to be valid.
> 
> Generally, I shoot anyone who steps foot on my driveway, so don't send your Cub Scout to sell me any popcorn. I let one get by my defenses, and once he made it to my door, I couldn't help but buy some. That stuff is way overpriced.


I am all for shooting boy scouts, girl scouts, the high school band, and whoever else is knocking on my door trying to sell me some overpriced crap. I have an idea if I want to pay 25.00 for popcorn or some nasty cookies I will come find you. It drives me insane everytime I walk out of the grocery or bass pro there is some fat kid trying to sell me something. I don't let my little girl sell anything for school. She is there to go to school not become a salesperson. This is all said in joking by the way. Well sort of.


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

Are you kidding? Girlscout cookies are awesome.


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

nitsud said:


> I'm not naive enough to think it could work here. For better or worse, I'd assume that someone who was trespassing in my backyard was up to no good, but I live on a relatively small lot. If I had 50 acres and someone was trespassing, that assumption is less likely to be valid.
> 
> Generally, I shoot anyone who steps foot on my driveway, so don't send your Cub Scout to sell me any popcorn. I let one get by my defenses, and once he made it to my door, I couldn't help but buy some. That stuff is way overpriced.





montagc said:


> So she gets the benefits of the other kids hard work, without doing any of it herself? That is part of the sales drives, helping kids learn that they are rewarded for work. Selling cookies and popcorn might be easy work from an adult perspective, but the kids still aren't getting something for free. If you don't want the popcorn or cookies, the Boy Scouts will happily take a donation, as will most schools, churches, and other organizations.
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


I don't believe in donations. I pay school taxes and income tax that is enough for me. I don't work hard so I can give my money to others. And most of the kids selling aren't doing door to door it is their parents trying to hit up everyone they work with.


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

montagc said:


> Are your kids in public or private school? In either case, someone else is probably picking up your slack. Do you pay an exact share of the cost of education for your daughter? Do you know what it costs for her education? You most likely accept someone else's hard earned money, just not directly. If you had to pay the exact cost of your daughters education, you would pay a lot more than you do now, unless you are _very_ well off.
> 
> Back to the fishing thing, you can fish from a canoe as long as you don't anchor or beach for the purpose of fishing. You can even portage around obstacles. You trespass when you touch the land for purposes other than navigation of the stream.


According to salmonid post fishing is a no no. Navigation only. By the way my kids go to public school. And don't worry I told the kid next store to sell an extra 10 candy bars to cover her slack. I don't believe my seven year old should be going door to door. Call me crazy.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

the difference is weather a stream is indeed labeled as "Navigable" by law, if it is, then it is also recreationable to include fishing. that is ONLY for the handful of streams that Ohio lists as "Navigable" the real problem is Ohio has an old definition of the word "Navigable" but chooses to not use it when it comes to landowner laws.... Several groups have pushed the DNR and Dof Watercraft, to define a list of "Navigable" waterways in Ohio but so far, no luck...

Salmonid

PS Indiana just 3 years ago listed a handful of there streams as Navigable and now many landowners are or have threatened lawsuits regarding that.
Sort of like you buying a 1 acre house lot and after the fact, they tell you there is a easement and there gonna put a bikeway through your back yard.


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## jbmynes (Aug 6, 2012)

Here is another good read on basically the same topic.

http://www.orvisnews.com/Conservation/Update-II-Virginia-Access-Battle.aspx

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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

Here's my 10 cents worth (2 cents plus tax)

I built my own pond and had my house built by 23. No one gave me the money. I've worked full time+ since 16 years old, while going to school too. I didn't know someone to get my jobs, I started low and worked my way up. I wasn't even given an allowance as a child my parents could not afford to do so but they gave me something much more important. I was taught self reliance, how to manage money (had a checkbook at 14) goal setting and how to acheive those goals. Somehow they managed to do this while living in a mobile home on a meager income raising 5 young children without the help of welfare. If I wanted something besides discount store/2nd hand clothes or meals, I worked doing chores for neighbors for ridiculously small amounts of money to get it, after my chores at home were done of course. Eventually my parents built a house from the money they earned/saved.

Selling overpriced candles from a catalog doesn't teach kids anything. I'm all for kids selling something they make though. Why not have school kids make their own candles...they'd be learning teamwork, basic business understanding of material costs and setting selling prices, experience the accomplishment of creating something useful and the actual revenue generated would be much, much higher as the fund raising companies take a pretty good cut for themselves...removing money from the communities they are supposedly helping. Door knocking & checking off boxes in a catalog haven't been desired skills listed in any recent employment ads I've noticed lately. 

The problem the way I see it is that with the exception of a few, is that we are not making or producing anything of value nor are we learning to do so. In my opinion too many people have an overdeveloped sense of self worth and dueness for simply existing. I feel no obligation to allow anyone else to use what my hard work and commitment has earned me including a polite father and son that might randomly appear on my property just as I would ask nothing of them. There's free public water everywhere as well as pay lakes. But maybe I'm an ass.

I do not like having my hard earned tax dollars spent on interests that I neither care about, need, will ever need or believe are for the greater good yet I pay far more than my share of property/income taxes. 

And yes, my daughter is in private school. I would be entitled to busing or travel reimbursement for my child to her school by my local public school but it is about 5 miles further than the law allows for reimbusement so I am entitled to nothing.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

easy Ryan.....LOL wouldnt want you to blow a gasket or anything before the picnic tomorrow. Ha ha

Salmonid


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## Britam05 (Jun 16, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> Here's my 10 cents worth (2 cents plus tax)
> 
> I built my own pond and had my house built by 23. No one gave me the money. I've worked full time+ since 16 years old, while going to school too. I didn't know someone to get my jobs, I started low and worked my way up. I wasn't even given an allowance as a child my parents could not afford to do so but they gave me something much more important. I was taught self reliance, how to manage money (had a checkbook at 14) goal setting and how to acheive those goals. Somehow they managed to do this while living in a mobile home on a meager income raising 5 young children without the help of welfare. If I wanted something besides discount store/2nd hand clothes or meals, I worked doing chores for neighbors for ridiculously small amounts of money to get it, after my chores at home were done of course. Eventually my parents built a house from the money they earned/saved.
> 
> ...


Very well put. I agree with your thoughts. But for me I already know I'm an Ass. lol


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

bottom line is...........IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!! and i completely understand.... im just going to have to win the lottery 500 different times and buy all the land along any waterway here in ohio.....lol...problem solved and everyone will be allowed to fish on my land!!!!!! except my mother-in-law


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

cali2ohio said:


> bottom line is...........IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!! and i completely understand.... im just going to have to win the lottery 500 different times and buy all the land along any waterway here in ohio.....lol...problem solved and everyone will be allowed to fish on my land!!!!!! except my mother-in-law


I'm gonna hold you to that when you are a wealthy land owner and change your mind about trespassers lol


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

montagc said:


> I knew the navigable issue would come up, as it always does. Since there's no list, how can you be told the stream you are on is not navigable and you are trespassing? Seems each case would be closed by the fact that you were navigating at the time of the trespass charge, ergot, the stream is navigable according to the definition commonly used.
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine



According to the supreme court , all waterways that "are" navigable , or "have ever been" navigable in the past , are fair game not only to float down but also for wading , since the adjacent landowner does not own the riverbed. I guess because of something called states rights , Ohio and many others disregard this definition and trump it with State recognized law. To make a long story short , if officials agree its trespassing then it is trespassing. I dont think a trespassing charge would stick though unless you got out of the canoe , tied off at the bank , or used an anchor.....and it seems really stupid , but apparently thats just how it works.


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

I'll tell you what will stop you from even considering floating down a small stream fishing. Me and a buddy bought an inflatible canoe and we had a great time sneaking into gravel pits at night gigging frogs and fishing. One day after a day of rain and the steams were full we decided to float down a small stream in Ohio and were having a good time up until we started hearing rapid gun fire coming from down stream. We rounded a bend and came upon 3 guys with an table full of fully automatic M14's, M16's, Brownings, 45's, Glocks, shotgun, etc. (I haven't seen that much artillery outside of an fort Knox) targeting floating debris coming down the stream. Here we are in an inflatible canoe, unarmed, floating past 3 highly armed individuals feeling like just another target floating by. The hair on my neck was standing up and I got a sick feelin in my stomach and it wasn't hunger. So I said, "Hey, guys how you doing?". To which one of them replied, "You're Trespassing!". I said we had not touched the bottom so technically we were'nt trespassing. That's when he blew a half gallon milk jug to smithereens about 20 ft behind the canoe. We damn near tore our shoulders out of socket paddling so fast getting out of there. They didn't target us and weren't doing anything illegal (except maybe some of those guns that were fully automatic). Anyway, we decided to not make an issue out of it and decided we didn't ever want to be in that position again. Never used that canoe on a stream after that!


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

Ol'Bassman said:


> I'll tell you what will stop you from even considering floating down a small stream fishing. Me and a buddy bought an inflatible canoe and we had a great time sneaking into gravel pits at night gigging frogs and fishing. One day after a day of rain and the steams were full we decided to float down a small stream in Ohio and were having a good time up until we started hearing rapid gun fire coming from down stream. We rounded a bend and came upon 3 guys with an table full of fully automatic M14's, M16's, Brownings, 45's, Glocks, shotgun, etc. (I haven't seen that much artillery outside of an fort Knox) targeting floating debris coming down the stream. Here we are in an inflatible canoe, unarmed, floating past 3 highly armed individuals feeling like just another target floating by. The hair on my neck was standing up and I got a sick feelin in my stomach and it wasn't hunger. So I said, "Hey, guys how you doing?". To which one of them replied, "You're Trespassing!". I said we had not touched the bottom so technically we were'nt trespassing. That's when he blew a half gallon milk jug to smithereens about 20 ft behind the canoe. We damn near tore our shoulders out of socket paddling so fast getting out of there. They didn't target us and weren't doing anything illegal (except maybe some of those guns that were fully automatic). Anyway, we decided to not make an issue out of it and decided we didn't ever want to be in that position again. Never used that canoe on a stream after that!


And go to bed early or the monster under the bed will eat you! 


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

yonderfishin said:


> According to the supreme court , all waterways that "are" navigable , or "have ever been" navigable in the past , are fair game not only to float down but also for wading , since the adjacent landowner does not own the riverbed. I guess because of something called states rights , Ohio and many others disregard this definition and trump it with State recognized law. To make a long story short , if officials agree its trespassing then it is trespassing. I dont think a trespassing charge would stick though unless you got out of the canoe , tied off at the bank , or used an anchor.....and it seems really stupid , but apparently thats just how it works.


the land owner does on the riverbed on his property, ive been kicked out for "trespassing" while wading plenty of times, as long as your floating, its legal, i even got accused of trespassing once while anchored in the river on someones property... and yes... its a stupid rule/law


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

what if two different people owned the land on either side of the water.... and one let you fish and the other did not....... if you stood on the bank of the allowed side and threw your bait to the other side and caught a fish....... would that be tresspassing?????


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Lol.. This is getting complicated!


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Cali, the answer is, you "could" in a perfect world, get charged with "Hunting Game" without pemission but not trespassing.. it does get complicated....
Salmonid


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## GarrettMyers (May 16, 2011)

What if I were to fashion a flying machine and hover above stonelick creek while drinking a budweiser and of course using the other hand to hold my pole while I trolled down the creek? Is that legal? What would be the official charge if the game warden stumbled upon that? I'm sure there's some info out there about that exact situation.


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

im sure it happened somewhere and they had to make a law about it......... probably in alaska somewhere......lol:Banane44:


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

cali2ohio said:


> what if two different people owned the land on either side of the water.... and one let you fish and the other did not....... if you stood on the bank of the allowed side and threw your bait to the other side and caught a fish....... would that be tresspassing?????



If you look at a map with clear property lines drawn on it , you can see that at times the riverbed is split down the middle , other times the landowner on one side owns a significant part of the riverbed or even all of it , just depends on how its drawn up and where you are standing at the time.


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

I think Utah had similar common law until enough fishermen/outdoorsmen got together and fought it through the courts and had it changed. I read about it but cant remember all the details.


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## pisces (Apr 30, 2004)

There is plenty of public bank space on this creek. Towards the lake itself, it's all public.I've fished this creek since around 1962 ,and it has big carp and plenty of yellow bullheads . It has change over the years for sure.. DA KING !!! "10.25" and "1" OH YEA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## pisces (Apr 30, 2004)

Sorry about the blunder,as I see you all are talking about below the dam and the creek that flows to the little miami. I was talking about above the lake.


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