# Ohio division of watercraft



## rklagstad (May 13, 2009)

My 2 cousins and I went to Mosquito lake this morning for the first time.Had a great morning of Bass fishing.Then about noon i left to go get some food for the 3 of us.I get back and there's the Ohio division of watercraft there giving everyone a hard time by the boat ramp.I dont think much of it so i get back in the boat and eat lunch with my cousins.After we ate we decided to go back to our hot spot and catch some more monsters.Just as we get ready to head back the Division of watercraft guy stopped us.Complained about us having 3 guys in the boat.The boat says 2 men or 680 lbs.I tried to explain that i thought it could hold up to 680 lbs.and it would be ok with 3,and we wasn't near 680 lbs total.I was being very nice and polite and instead of giving me a warning he gave us a ticket,and that pretty much ruined our whole fishing trip cause we pulled the boat in and left,and we were tearing the bass up.


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## hole-in-da-water (Jan 22, 2007)

That sucks you got a ticket, but you were in the wrong, not much you can do about that except follow the Coast Guard sticker next time.


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## Juwayne22 (Jun 10, 2009)

I hear ya, most Fish Cops would have been cool and let you slide. Once in a while tho you run into a Barny Fife Fish Cop who thinks he is an FBI agent.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

rklagstad said:


> My 2 cousins and I went to Mosquito lake this morning for the first time.Had a great morning of Bass fishing.Then about noon i left to go get some food for the 3 of us.I get back and there's the Ohio division of watercraft there giving everyone a hard time by the boat ramp.I dont think much of it so i get back in the boat and eat lunch with my cousins.After we ate we decided to go back to our hot spot and catch some more monsters.Just as we get ready to head back the Division of watercraft guy stopped us.Complained about us having 3 guys in the boat.The boat says 2 men or 680 lbs.I tried to explain that i thought it could hold up to 680 lbs.and it would be ok with 3,and we wasn't near 680 lbs total.I was being very nice and polite and instead of giving me a warning he gave us a ticket,and that pretty much ruined our whole fishing trip cause we pulled the boat in and left,and we were tearing the bass up.


How big is your boat? Doesn't matter if you were right or wrong, the ticket still sucks.


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## Bobinstow90 (Apr 13, 2006)

If the plate on the rig says two people......then two people it is. That is the law. Three is a violation.

They will bend a little sometimes on safety equipment but an "overload" of bodies is a pure violation imo.

Sorry ya got stuck. The Watercraft people have a tough job this time of year.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

rklagstad said:


> My 2 cousins and I went to Mosquito lake this morning for the first time.Had a great morning of Bass fishing.Then about noon i left to go get some food for the 3 of us.I get back and there's the Ohio division of watercraft there giving everyone a hard time by the boat ramp.I dont think much of it so i get back in the boat and eat lunch with my cousins.After we ate we decided to go back to our hot spot and catch some more monsters.Just as we get ready to head back the Division of watercraft guy stopped us.Complained about us having 3 guys in the boat.The boat says 2 men or 680 lbs.I tried to explain that i thought it could hold up to 680 lbs.and it would be ok with 3,and we wasn't near 680 lbs total.I was being very nice and polite and instead of giving me a warning he gave us a ticket,and that pretty much ruined our whole fishing trip cause we pulled the boat in and left,and we were tearing the bass up.


Correct me if Im wrong but I think the 680 pounds takes into account people, motor and all gear. So maybe if you add all that up it was close or over the limit. Your story has me thinking about my plate and what it says. I can not remember but will be looking tomorrow for sure.


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

I think mine says gear and motor included for the total weight. Ticket definately sucks, but they DOW and ODNR are on a mission this year! I make sure to do an inventory about every third trip just to make sure all needed equipment is still in the boat... My last trip the lady actually noticed the sticker and let me go fishing right away for a change!!


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## sploosh56 (Dec 31, 2008)

I would have had a very hard time controlling myself in that situation, especially since you guys were just there to fish and not get belligerently drunk and do donuts on the water like jet skiers. 

I can understand if it was lake erie, but seriously come on. Isn't that lake an inland lake anyway? I'm sure the water never gets very rough out there,


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## fffffish (Apr 6, 2004)

If they let you go and something happens to one of you they would lose their jobs and be liable for the law suits that would follow. Its not our fault he let us go out.

It&#8217;s no different then a cop letting a drunk driver drive home


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

sploosh56 said:


> I would have had a very hard time controlling myself in that situation, especially since you guys were just there to fish and not get belligerently drunk and do donuts on the water like jet skiers.
> 
> I can understand if it was lake erie, but seriously come on. Isn't that lake an inland lake anyway? I'm sure the water never gets very rough out there,


I've seen it get pretty rough for a 12 foot boat with 3 people in it...


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## mpd5094 (Jun 20, 2005)

fffffish said:


> If they let you go and something happens to one of you they would lose their jobs and be liable for the law suits that would follow. Its not our fault he let us go out.
> 
> Its no different then a cop letting a drunk driver drive home


I agree with you completely, but that same cop also has the option of giving someone a ride home instead of making the arrest. This Watercraft Officer could have just told them to get off the water for the day instead of writing the ticket. It sucks either way!


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## Buick Riviera (Jul 15, 2007)

BigDaddy300 said:


> Correct me if Im wrong but I think the 680 pounds takes into account people, motor and all gear. So maybe if you add all that up it was close or over the limit. Your story has me thinking about my plate and what it says. I can not remember but will be looking tomorrow for sure.


Let's say the plate says 2 people or 680 lbs. And let's assume you have 3 people but only 650 lbs, gear included. That's a violation.

Let's say you have only 2 people but 700 lbs. That's a violation.

If either standard is exceeded they can write you up.

Buick


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## Bobinstow90 (Apr 13, 2006)

Gentlemen......... does it say 

"two people and/or 680 lbs."?????????

I hate bein a prick......but three people in a two person vessel......warrants a ticket imo.

Gentlemen: Please feel free to flame away....ON THIS SUBJECT.


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

I don't understand, you were in the wrong and your mad at the Div. of Watercraft for writing you a ticket  That is what they get paid to do. Chalk it up as experience and press on!

I can guarantee if any of you guys that are talking derogatory about the watercraft guys had their boat capsized due to being overloaded and the watercraft guys had to pull you out, you wouldn't be talking the same way about them? You would be kissing the a$$es for saving your life. 

Sploosh56, take a look at the statistics for Mosquito, a lot of people have drowned there. I would say that's a good reason to enforce the rules.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

sploosh56 said:


> I would have had a very hard time controlling myself in that situation, especially since you guys were just there to fish and not get belligerently drunk and do donuts on the water like jet skiers.
> 
> I can understand if it was lake erie, but seriously come on. Isn't that lake an inland lake anyway? I'm sure the water never gets very rough out there,


I have been in 4 footers on that lake before. It was not fun!


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

i ve also seen 4 ft s, been on that lake at the time hurrying for shore . man, if i had 1 person with me they would give me a ticket too!!! at one time...454 lbs and i guy...oh my!!!!


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

sploosh56 said:


> I can understand if it was lake erie, but seriously come on. Isn't that lake an inland lake anyway? I'm sure the water never gets very rough out there,


wrong, wrong, wrong


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## mpd5094 (Jun 20, 2005)

Let's not be angry at the officer. How 'bout the legislatures who create these laws. Although, if I were an officer on the water, I wouldn't have wrote this guy a ticket. I've run into a few of these guys on the water. I've never gotten a ticket, but they are not the friendliest. A little courtesy goes a long way in any type of law enforcement.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

*sploosh56*
"I can understand if it was lake erie, but seriously come on. Isn't that lake an inland lake anyway? I'm sure the water never gets very rough out there, "

It is obvious you have never been on Mosquito when a strong North wind hits.
Three men in a boat certified for two indicates tthat it is small in size and possibly a flat Jon any of which could cost lives on Mosquito or any other lake. An overloaded boat is a recipe for trouble. An honest mistake in interpreting the information could have been made but somewhere along the way common sense should be used. The DNR Officer was doing his job and may have saved someone from having a worse experience than the ticket.


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

sploosh56 said:


> I would have had a very hard time controlling myself in that situation, especially since you guys were just there to fish and not get belligerently drunk and do donuts on the water like jet skiers.
> 
> I can understand if it was lake erie, but seriously come on. Isn't that lake an inland lake anyway? I'm sure the water never gets very rough out there,


my first trip to skeeter i was in 3-5's north of the causeway in a 16' glass boat...it wasnt pretty!!! second trip was in solid 2-4's south of causeway in a 19' glass boat...better but almost unfishable! i cant even imagine taking my 12' aluminum with 3 guys out there!!! i think they call skeeter "little erie" or something like that for a reason!


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## schuster84 (Apr 29, 2009)

I actually ran into the Water Police at milton on Friday... They checked are boat my boat for life jackets and said have a great day. 

Actually they were very professional and friendly. 

You must of gotten a guy that didnt have his coffee


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## rklagstad (May 13, 2009)

the guy was just a prick...as he was writing the ticket he seen the food in the boat and told us to go ahead and finish our lunch he already had his and kinda snickered a little bit.we was fishing near shore in about 4 feet of water and yes there was alot of people going fast causing some waves but no where near enough to tip the boat just rocked it a little.He could have just explained that only 2 people could go out I would have no problem fishing from the shore,all that im saying is he could have gave a warning or something and have been a little nicer.


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2009)

It is obvious you have never been on Mosquito when a strong North wind hits.
Three men in a boat certified for two indicates tthat it is small in size and possibly a flat Jon any of which could cost lives on Mosquito or any other lake. An overloaded boat is a recipe for trouble. An honest mistake in interpreting the information could have been made but somewhere along the way common sense should be used. The DNR Officer was doing his job and may have saved someone from having a worse experience than the ticket. 


could not agree more. have seen the dragging boats at pymy numerous times, and the victims were always in a boat too small for that water. one of my fishing buddies was a ranger there and told me countless stories.

take your ticket and be glad a lesson was there. i think maybe the odnr officer was happy he was handing you a ticket instead of fishing your body in. it is not the end of the world.


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## Tatonka (Aug 23, 2007)

How much was the ticket?


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

rklagstad said:


> the guy was just a prick...as he was writing the ticket he seen the food in the boat and told us to go ahead and finish our lunch he already had his and kinda snickered a little bit.we was fishing near shore in about 4 feet of water and yes there was alot of people going fast causing some waves but no where near enough to tip the boat just rocked it a little.He could have just explained that only 2 people could go out I would have no problem fishing from the shore,all that im saying is he could have gave a warning or something and have been a little nicer.


Since you still dont seem to get everyones point, don't pay the ticket. Fight it. Get a high profile lawyer and see if you can get out of paying the fine.  Of course if you win, you'll definately have to pay the lawyer 5 times as much as the ticket is. It's your ballgame. You make the call.:T


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## uaz1 (Sep 1, 2008)

I'll tell you what you should do...never, ever, ever go back to Mosquito, that will teach that ODW a lesson!


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## sploosh56 (Dec 31, 2008)

Shortdrift said:


> *sploosh56*
> "I can understand if it was lake erie, but seriously come on. Isn't that lake an inland lake anyway? I'm sure the water never gets very rough out there, "
> 
> It is obvious you have never been on Mosquito when a strong North wind hits.
> Three men in a boat certified for two indicates tthat it is small in size and possibly a flat Jon any of which could cost lives on Mosquito or any other lake. An overloaded boat is a recipe for trouble. An honest mistake in interpreting the information could have been made but somewhere along the way common sense should be used. The DNR Officer was doing his job and may have saved someone from having a worse experience than the ticket.



I've never been there. I've had my little boat over loaded in some rough water. They were in the wrong, but I judge people more on what they're doing in the situation. If it was a bunch of kids smokin' doobies and just going for a booze cruise then hell yea write them up. Officer should have jsut wrote a warning and told them next time either have a bigger boat or one less man. But they were in the wrong so a ticket is a ticket it happens


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2009)

priceless.....he is alive.


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## jkp836 (Apr 28, 2009)

chaunc said:


> Since you still dont seem to get everyones point, don't pay the ticket. Fight it. Get a high profile lawyer and see if you can get out of paying the fine.  Of course if you win, you'll definately have to pay the lawyer 5 times as much as the ticket is. It's your ballgame. You make the call.:T


Of course if you had prepaid legal, fighting the ticket would be easy.....


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

Maybe if you were getting ready to launch or just put the boat in you may have received a warning and been told not to put the 3 in the boat, but since you had already been in the water that's probably why you got the ticket. The boat obviously looked over loaded to him. How big was the boat?


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## rklagstad (May 13, 2009)

chaunc said:


> Since you still dont seem to get everyones point, don't pay the ticket. Fight it. Get a high profile lawyer and see if you can get out of paying the fine.  Of course if you win, you'll definately have to pay the lawyer 5 times as much as the ticket is. It's your ballgame. You make the call.:T



i get everyone's point about it we made a mistake and got a ticket big deal.actually my cousin got the ticket not me but i was just trying to tell you guys about this guy's attitude we were very nice to him he could have returned the favor and been a little nicer to us.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

This is from the boating rules/laws. Just a reminder

Capacity Plates
It is required for all mono-hull boats under 20 feet built on or after November 1, 1972 to have
a capacity plate approved by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). In addition some manufacturers
voluntarily install capacity plates on boats larger than 20 feet. This plate must be visible from
the operators station. The capacity plate lists a safe motor size, the maximum number of
persons to be carried onboard and the total weight the boat can carry including persons,
motor and gear. When operating your boat be sure to adhere to the restrictions listed on the
capacity plate. Not only is it dangerous to overpower or overload a small boat since they can
swamp or capsize more easily but also illegal. In many states, there are fines and penalties
for exceeding capacity recommendations, including carrying more than the maximum number
of people.


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## Tatonka (Aug 23, 2007)

rklagstad said:


> i get everyone's point about it we made a mistake and got a ticket big deal.actually my cousin got the ticket not me but i was just trying to tell you guys about this guy's attitude we were very nice to him he could have returned the favor and been a little nicer to us.



How much did this "lesson" cost your Cousin?


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## turkeymikey (Jul 3, 2008)

He probably was treating them better than he was being treated in return. If you would take a boating course you would learn why there are weight limits on smaller boats. 

There have been 72 or 73 that have drown in Mosquito. He just didn't want you to be the next!


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## rod bender bob (May 19, 2004)

Are you sure the plate said 2 people OR 680 lbs.? Does that mean you can have 2 people OR a total weight of 680 #s or does it mean you can ONLY have 2 people AND your total weight cannot be over 680# ? I think it should say 2 people MAXIMUM AND TOTAL WEIGHT of 680#. If it says what you claim it is confusing. But it probably isn't to people who have the answers LOL


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

> Officer should have just wrote a warning and told them next time either have a bigger boat or one less man.


I believe that the Capacity Plate served as their warning. And that is probably the way the Officer saw it as well.


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## Time4Fishing (Mar 3, 2007)

well i hate to see someone have to put out money for a ticket maybe all 3 should go in on it as we should make sure the boat we are getting in is safe to the best we can tell. 

I always heard this lake can get bad got this from a websight 

The first tragedy that occurred on Mosquito Lake was the drowning of three young teenagers on May 4, 1944. The boat that the teens were fishing from was capsized when the water was released from the dam for the first time. There bodies were discovered one week later four miles from the dam. Unfortunately, since the first drownings in Mosquito Lake in 1944, about 72 more have occurred due to the rough conditions during threatening weather.


the DOW Officer my have not been as nice as you would have liked him to be but they do save life's and for what they have to put up with all day from some boaters I can see them getting off on the wrong foot from time to time. 

this reminds me my red flares go out of date this Sept.


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## ssv1761982 (Jun 2, 2004)

I had my 14' Mirrocraft with just me (200#) & my wife (125#) and a souped up 9.9 Johnson out one Saturday a few years ago. At 1st we barely drifted, we were fishing near the island North of the main marina. I got a couple small eyes on a little break, went back and did it again but we drifted a lot faster. The next move was really bumpy and the wind was blowing but it "didn't seem that bad". I couldn't make a 4th drift, I couldn't go North. I though we could troll back to the ramp. That didn't work, waves splashed over the transom. We pulled the lines in and took off only to find by now I couldn't get over the swells, the boat would go up and slide back down. Luckily the swells were going the right way, we surfed back to the ramp.

That was a light load in a relatively deep boat that usually would go close to 20mph.

We were on the lake less than 1 hour! Take it for what it is worth.


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## starcraft67 (Jul 4, 2004)

Well I'm glad my tax dollars and license fees haven't gone to waste,LOL. Seriously, tickets and fines are a necessary evil, I'd rather find out I was in violation on a nice day,rather than a windy day,and be stuck out in 4 footers in a undersized boat.


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## guppygill (May 8, 2004)

I just don't understand the "having a hard time to control myself" comment. These guys are doing there jobs. And right off the bat the thread started with "the ODNR was giving a hard time at the boat ramp"? I wish they could be on all the lakes and boat ramps. They are keeping everyone safe out there, and yes, many boats have overturned in inland lakes for over the load or person limit, some have died.


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## hole-in-da-water (Jan 22, 2007)

I wonder how many times that watercraft officer has heard someone try to claim ignorance to the law. I can ALMOST guarantee you weren't the first, and probably not the last one that day. Not saying it was cool that he was rude or anything, but I could understand why he wasn't necessarily bright and cheery.


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## dmills4124 (Apr 9, 2008)

OK here's my 2cw. Have any of you taken the time to attend a Coast Guard Auxillary boater safety course? Were any of you wearing your life jackets (pfd's). Did you know that the state is giving away (loaning forever) the inflatable PFD's? Sign a form that you will wear it whenever you are on the water and $150.00 auto or manual inflation PFD is yours. Free! Did your boat pass the inspection? And, Did you recieve the sticker to put on your boat? We have our boat inspected first thing each season before ever going out on the water. Those stickers really limit the time you spend talking with these fine officers. We never step onto our bass boat without wearing our fanny pack PFD's or in colder weather the SOSPENDERS PFD's. Do you have a checklist you follow to make sure you have what you need before you go out in your (your cousins) boat? Don't leave your safety to somone else! Had you been thru a saftey course you would have known before you ever left the house that the boat was too small for what you were about to ask it to do. We have been on Nimisilla trying to get back to the south main st. ramp fighing 2 to 3ft waves for more than an hour. Water breaking over the bow (front of the boat) all the way. We have a 55lb thruster with 4 batteries. Lots of power. Too much wind. Nimmi is 811 acres not 7,850 acres like mosquito. It does not take much to blow up a bad day on the water. I am very happy to read your thread. The officer did a good thing keeping you alive. I must say that you could have been swamped by an idiot in a much bigger boat, no act of God (wind or weather) or mistake on your part. Hunter saftey courses are there for a reason. They save lives. So do boater saftey courses. It sounds like you all really enjoy the fishing sport and will be enjoying it with or without this fine officer in your life. Take the time to be safe. Just be as safe as you can and you'll be enjoying this sport for a lot of years.
That really was more like my $20 worth than my 2cw. Take it for what it's worth. 
Enjoy and good luck out there.
later
donm


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## nforcer1973 (May 9, 2006)

it's funny, people are out on the lake taking more than 6 walleye, and the jet ski's are out of control on mosquito. why aren't the odnr officers writting them tickets? i'm sure they do, but you'd think if they were writting tickets that jet skiers wouldn't be going crazy when people are trying to fish, and people wouldn't be so obivious taking more than the state limit. why is it that when someone is just doing a lazy drift a jet skier has to come so close to someone trying to fish? they got the whole lake to go back and fourth. maybe odnr should read the post that fishermen are writting and they will start writting the tickets that matter. this is coming from a retired police officer, so i know......


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## rklagstad (May 13, 2009)

at least one person didnt rip on me for getting the ticket i appreciate it nforcer1973 and there was alot of jet skiers that day and alot of fisherman taking off real fast as soon as they past the no wake zone they just gunned it.


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## rklagstad (May 13, 2009)

by the way the ticket was $109 its funny they must hand alot of these out cause when my cousin called the lady told him the cost right off the top of her head


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## Tatonka (Aug 23, 2007)

rklagstad said:


> by the way the ticket was $109 its funny they must hand alot of these out cause when my cousin called the lady told him the cost right off the top of her head


Wasn't there 3 of you guys fishing? that would come to $36.33 each so it wouldn't be that bad if you split it 3 ways.
Of course you guys can flip a coin to see which one of you pays the extra penny.


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## DonVittorio (Apr 1, 2008)

Everyone who has taken an issue with you has been nice, well....., I wish I could be the same but it ain't gonna happen today. This is exactly what is wrong with society today. "I got caught and I want to whine about it and talk about al the others who are doing wrong". It is easy to anonomously come on here and rip the officers for doing their job. Telling us your version of the story. I wonder what they would say happened, your attitude, your demeanor. They have laws to enforce, it's their job. Now man up , quit griping and pay the fine or fight it, your choice.
No I haven't had my coffee yet, but that has no effect on my opinion.


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

nforcer1973 said:


> it's funny, people are out on the lake taking more than 6 walleye, and the jet ski's are out of control on mosquito. why aren't the odnr officers writting them tickets? i'm sure they do, but you'd think if they were writting tickets that jet skiers wouldn't be going crazy when people are trying to fish, and people wouldn't be so obivious taking more than the state limit. why is it that when someone is just doing a lazy drift a jet skier has to come so close to someone trying to fish? they got the whole lake to go back and fourth. maybe odnr should read the post that fishermen are writting and they will start writting the tickets that matter. this is coming from a retired police officer, so i know......


It a circle jerk. Let's say ODNR writes a jet skier up. That jet skier post on their forum stating that the fisherman needs to be ticketed. People need to stop breaking laws and we wouldn't need Law Enforcement. As you know they can't be everywhere all the time. Some one is going to get a ticket. And it always some one else's fault. And they never did anything wrong. If you wrote a lot of traffic tickets in you career, you know the drill. It's just like DonVittorio said, "man up and take the blame". This is coming from someone with 25yrs in the business. By the way, thanks for serving the community.


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2009)

It a circle jerk. Let's ODNR writes a jet skier up. That jet skier post on their forum stating that the fisherman needs to be ticketed. People need to stop breaking laws and we wouldn't need Law Enforcement. As you know they can't be everywhere all the time. Some one is going to get a ticket. And it always some one else's fault. And they never did anything wrong. If you wrote a lot of traffic tickets in you career, you know the drill. It's just like DonVittorio said, "man up and take the blame". This is coming from someone with 25yrs in the business. By the way, thanks for serving the community. 


excellent, tox...downright excellent. thank you.


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## sploosh56 (Dec 31, 2008)

nforcer1973 said:


> it's funny, people are out on the lake taking more than 6 walleye, and the jet ski's are out of control on mosquito. why aren't the odnr officers writting them tickets? i'm sure they do, but you'd think if they were writting tickets that jet skiers wouldn't be going crazy when people are trying to fish, and people wouldn't be so obivious taking more than the state limit. why is it that when someone is just doing a lazy drift a jet skier has to come so close to someone trying to fish? they got the whole lake to go back and fourth. maybe odnr should read the post that fishermen are writting and they will start writting the tickets that matter. this is coming from a retired police officer, so i know......



The jet skiers do that same thing on the river that I fish on. They have a large water way towards the mouth that is much safer than upriver, but they always love to buzz upriver and the skinny stretches. I swear they do it just to piss off fisherman. 

Earlier this summer there were some ying yangs buzzing around up there in the smaller, much shallower stretch of the river and I watched as on of them stuck a sharp rock shelf and more than likely totaled his jet ski. Prolly one of the funniest things I had seen all year until he asked for a tow. Then it was hilarious. 

And no I did not tow him back. I just left.


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## Trautman (Aug 7, 2007)

They checked me out at Berlin on Friday. They were very nice to me and the boy. As it turns out you need your original registration and not a copy on the boat. Seems a bit much but that was my only issue. Meant i did not get my sticker but I did not get a ticket either, they told me good luck, and we went fishing. I think you can effectively get you point across to someone without costing them money in that situation. If they were blatantly causing someone else harm or the potential to cause someone else harm then the ticket might be in order but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Having them pull out and giving them a warning would have covered it I believe. Some of you folks walk an awful perfect line...LOL.


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## wargoth (Sep 11, 2007)

sploosh56 said:


> The jet skiers do that same thing on the river that I fish on. They have a large water way towards the mouth that is much safer than upriver, but they always love to buzz upriver and the skinny stretches. I swear they do it just to piss off fisherman.
> 
> Earlier this summer there were some ying yangs buzzing around up there in the smaller, much shallower stretch of the river and I watched as on of them stuck a sharp rock shelf and more than likely totaled his jet ski. Prolly one of the funniest things I had seen all year until he asked for a tow. Then it was hilarious.
> 
> And no I did not tow him back. I just left.


Jetskiers do this for the same reason skateboarders, BMXers, rollerbladers, etc don't just roll around in flat parking lots. Jetskiing is an "extreme sport" so these guys are gonna be looking for a thrill. The problem isn't them doing it as so many of you seem to feel, the problem is them not paying attention to the fishermen. 

And as far as leaving someone stranded out on the water... I don't care if they are a sailboater, leaving someone stranded is a reprehensible act. 

And, no, I am not a jetskiier.


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## wargoth (Sep 11, 2007)

dmills4124 said:


> . Did you know that the state is giving away (loaning forever) the inflatable PFD's? Sign a form that you will wear it whenever you are on the water and $150.00 auto or manual inflation PFD is yours. Free!


Got any info on this program. If I had something less bulky to wear, I'd definately do so, but the PFD's I was able to afford just suck to wear. Can't cast, can't unhook, can't do anything wearing the damn things.


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## hole-in-da-water (Jan 22, 2007)

Here ya go wargoth...

http://ohiodnr.com/watercraft/WearItOhio/tabid/2482/default.aspx


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## wargoth (Sep 11, 2007)

Hmmm.... looks like something you have to be lucky enough to stumble onto them in person for. At least they have no info at that link at all about how to get one...


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## nixmkt (Mar 4, 2008)

wargoth said:


> Hmmm.... looks like something you have to be lucky enough to stumble onto them in person for. At least they have no info at that link at all about how to get one...


Don't know for sure but I would assume the program is over for this year. They had several dates at various parks this year. You did have to go to the park on the day they were there to get one. Again I don't know for sure but I assume they will post the schedule for next year by the start of the season. I do know a list for this year was available at the at the Watercraft office in Akron earlier this summer. Give them a call to find out for sure. Here's the number from their site: Toll-free from within Ohio only: 1-877-4BOATER


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## hole-in-da-water (Jan 22, 2007)

Read the site. It says the program is done for the year, but will resume in 2010.


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