Private Lakes

Maybe I'd feel different if I lived on one, BUT I don't so I'm gonna vent!! Less than ten minutes from my house I've google earthed nine private lakes no less than 1/2 mile wide/long (some 1 mile wide/long). I'm talking about some serious water...100's of acres and NO public access. I know they hold some trophy size fish and I think it's a shame they are private. I would think they would be public land... it's not on any home owner's deed etc...... so why not any easement to gain access to them? Just go on google earth and look around where you live and I think you'll find the same thing. In my area (Eustis) alone you'll see Lake Saunders, East Crooked Lake, Lake Joana, Lake Gertrude, Lake Nettie, Lake Swatara, Lake Seneca, and Lake Ola. These are the bigger ones!! If I win the "BIG ONE" I'm going to buy every house on one of these lakes and bull doze them down. Then I'm going build a giant fish camp with all the imentities, camping, cabins, deluxe ramps, slabfest areas, oh! and a Bass Pro Shop just for us crappie people and it's all going be free!!
I feel better now:biggrin

I was doing the same search. Here in the Oviedo area and got the same results!

Mike we have the same problems down here, but most of the strip pit lakes are
owened by Mosaic Phosphate Co, they used to allow people to fish them, under the
name of Fin & Feather Club which is part of Mosaic... however, like everything else,
one thing leads to another, a member lets a buddy in or relative and they get hurt or
drown - that ruins it for all..........the liability issue plays very heavy, seems everyone is "sue happy" regardless of who is at fault or what was done....

Things have changed over the years to worse i believe in respect to what can and
can't be done regarding fishing...Once private land that you could fish with permission of owner now can't be touched because of liability issue...........
We found a lake in Polk county that was in the 1,500 plus size that we thought m
might be tournament lake as we would only fish once a year with no prefishing
involved. Almost ended up in jail and lawsuit trying to talk owners in letting us try
a tournament........The amount of liability insurance they required and rules they
wanted us to use would have been impossible to sell the entriants on.
Sad, sad.

I'm talking about natural lakes that were here before the Indians and such. I can understand the pits being private and having liability issues because they were dug by the land owner etc. It just seems that these natural resources should be open to the public.

i agree on natural lakes especially if they are fed by a stream / creek or river,
that can handle a boat of some kind on it. I believe in than it becomes public waters.
Land locked with houses around and/or private ownership for farm purposes - could
be completely different story in state of Florida.

Developers get a premium for Lakefront property and there is no return $$'s on a boat ramp. My mom lives on a lake in Deltona and it is not private per say but no launch or parking. I have seen people launch and drive a good piece down the road and walk back to the boat. But these were small boats or canoes that a person can manhandle. But I agree there is a ton of nice water with no access all over the place.

The public versus private ownership of both natural and artificial waters varies a lot between states, with the added complication thrown in of federal rules in corp of engineers waters and so called "navigable" waters and waterways. In some place people even own the ground under public waters. There is a further complication regarding state by state varying definition of easement access, which is sometimes present but camouflaged by lake front owners to look like it isn't there. That does not guarantee either a launch site or parking.

Access to fishing waters is a huge question everywhere, one too often overlooked especially in these days of shrinking state budgets that are cutting funds necessary to open access and keep it open. Some of the regulations are too complex for a lawyer to untangle, although in some cases that definitely isn't saying much.

Thanks for your post no1son....good to hear folks in Minnesota are reading us.

Hoping you're reading us, too.

We also have access problems up here in some places. That can be a real pain for those of us who don't fish from boats.

Cant really take the chance of knocking on a door or two................. for fear of being shot. I guess if I was lucky enough to find myself living on a lake..... I would be slightly protective of it myself. Your all a scary bunch of fish slayers............... I would'nt let you in either :)

I have knocked on doors in past and seemed to work out quite well. Most of time
you meet some pretty nice people and they are receptive to your wants, and if they
let you on lake to fish, usually give a pretty easy set of rules to follow.

Have met and made some really good friends in past by doing this.

I used to be annoyed by this, too. I just moved to a neighborhood where I get access to the Lack Pickett boat ramp, so private lakes don't seem so bad now ;-). Haven't tried fishing it yet, but everyone tells me it's a good spot.

I also have a jon boat with a trolling motor than I can just carry to the bank. It allows me to get into a lot of private lakes quite easily.

i started with gheenoe that could handle by myself off trlr into various waters, but as time passed and
i added things, trolling mtr, 3.2 merc. outboard, depth finders, live well, batteries, tackle, poles - i now
almost have to use a derick to move if from trlr to water, and heavy duty winch to pull back onto trlr.

Duh, back to drawing board...