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Can anyone tell me why there are motor size restrictions (under 10 hp) on small lakes rather than to have a no wake lake or a speed limit. It would be nice to be able to use a larger motor at a slower speed, there are several lakes I would like to fish but don't want to add a kicker motor. Currently I use my trolling motor, but I am limited by my batteries as to my fishing time.
it's to keep fishing pressure down on those small lakes.
Just get you a nice little jon with a 9.9 and go with the flow. It's worth it. Besides...if you're other boat has a breakdown you have something to fish with until you get it fixed. I end up fishing just as much out of my jon's as my bassboat. I even take them to the bigger lakes sometimes when I could take the bass boat.
Washington county lake experimented with this. Not sure why it falied.
Would lakes like coffeen, Newton, Sangchris benefit from it?
Heard rumors that the state is looking into changing the admin rules on this topic. But you know how rumors are.
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It's been probably at least 8-10 years or sometime ago that the state put in effect a trial period of time, that a few lakes in Illinois would allow you to launch and drive at IDLE speed on the lake with your gasoline motor no matter the horsepower. Emphasis on IDLE SPEED. They was going to monitor the lakes to see if boaters could abide. Dawson lake aka Moraine View up north of Leroy was one of the lakes that took part in the program. Been there done that and it worked for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by mudman
IDNR controls lake access by the number of parking spots at the ramps.Quote:
Originally Posted by local16
I talked to our local Fish Biologist and they submitted some rule change requests.
One deals with hp restricted lakes and the other deals with size limits. Both must be passed by our legislators before taking affect. They had to submit the requests last year to get them on the docket for this year. If they pass they will be in effect starting next year.
i see big motors being run on newton all the time. 250 hp and not at idle either.Quote:
Originally Posted by skunked again
Well if you consider that more people would fish it if it was easier to use their boat, then I would say more people would benefit from a change in motor restrictions. I wondered if it doesn't cost more for insurance and additional safety cost concerns, if not I can't see why more lakes don't allow larger motors even if they can only motor at no wake speeds.
theres more to it than insurance and safety. theres water pollution created by outboards for one. i know a guy that worked for the IL DNR as a biologist. i asked him one time about a local lake and the 10hp restriction. he told me that raising it to like 20hp it would create unsafe water for the fish and human consumption would be lowered drastically. also went on to say that they tested the water for pollutants and the fish too. its all about checks and balances. i dont think he would BS a guy. so take it for what its worth.
Good infoQuote:
Originally Posted by Hanr3
I know the guy that makes the decisions on hp on lakes. When they changed it from 10 to 25 on sangchris he caught all kinds of grief from the local fishermen because it would bring in more boats to fish. Sangchris is kept at 25 to keep down the fishing pressure that is the main reason
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ditto for evergreen
With the crowds I have been seeing on the lakes lately, I'm all for motor restrictions. I'm about to sell my 21' boat and get a yak or something really small so I can go where the crowds aren't. Everybody and their mom thinks they're KVD nowadays.
Well I am all for clean, unpolluted water so that makes sense, however the only fish kills I have seen are due to farmer's chemical runoff and people or industries dumping sewage or other harmful substances in the water. I would think more damage is also done by people littering and throwing trash in the water. I am pretty sure the fisherman on this site are not responsible for polluting the water and I applaud the DNR for doing their best to keep our waters safe and legal. Thanks for educating me, I will be quite now knowing that there are some good reasons for motor restrictions. I hope our future provides a healthy environment for fisherman and fish.
I'm on the fence on this one. It appears that so many of the boats on Sanchcris are under-powered thus leaving 2-3' wakes running on 1/2 to 3/4 plane. I worry about bankline erosion. However, increasing the HP limit and allowing idle speeds for all size engines will increase boat traffic and increase fishing pressure. As it is, it is difficult to find a parking place on a weekend. I see pros and cons on both sides but I would like to see a trial period pushed through to see what happens. If it doesn't work, change it back. No harm in experimenting as long as it is managed appropriately.
I agree, suggested to the guy I know just go from January thru March any motor and idle speed for that period for anything over 25 hp.Quote:
Originally Posted by robsisk
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The "managed appropriately" part will be the problem. Our state is already short on CPO's.
I'll pick on highland silver lake - their reason for not allowing anyone over the hp limit to idle (or a kicker engine) is the possibility of opening up that bigger engine.
With that said, robsisk - I agree with you. A boat on plane, is typically less disruptive than being ½-¾ on plane.
Fishing pressure on a lake is controlled by the number of parking spaces at the ramp. If the ramp only allows 30 boats, the most that will be on the water is 30 boats regardless of hp restriction or not.
As for me, I have a 40hp. however that doesn't stop me from fishing hp restricted lakes like, Banner, Evergreen, Sangchris, etc. My batteries will last all day, however it takes forever to get anywhere. With the 40, I can also fish bigger bodies of water, like Clinton, Shelbyville, Canadian shield lakes, etc. I won't fish Clinton or Shelbyville in the summer months due to pleasure boaters, they don't care about fishing and chew the crap out of the water. With "no wake" at the smaller lakes, I can fish in peace, even with a 40hp traveling 5mph. Sure it's only 1.5mph faster than my TM, but it won't take all day to get anywhere. Plus running the big motor recharges my sonar, live-well, cranking battery so I can get off the water at the end of the day. I'm good with the change.
If you are a person who wishes to have some bodies of water left where you can go and have a trip with a little solitude I think you will want to leave some restricted lakes. These lakes are quite a different experience then the lakes without restrictions. Even when the parking lot is completely full ...once you get on the lake it's ten times more tranquil.
I mean it's so bad at some of the lakes you have to really consider whether you really want to fight the traffic on a weekend or holiday. With the restricted lakes once again you might have trouble parking but once on the water it's still a pleasant experience.
It's been my experience at least twenty percent of boaters will not adhere to the idle or no wake rule. Probably fifty percent of boaters do not adhere to it on unrestricted lakes when in idle areas.
I was trying to fish a main lake spot on Kinkaid about a month ago. On Thursday...when the weather was not very nice...and the fish were not even biting that well. And still yet I gave it up after about an hour. A boat was passing by me while anchored about every three to five minutes. Even though there was a lot of water to give me a wide berth most passed way too close.And not one even seem to even acknowledge any type of courtesy. I was just something in their way....and then of course a few had to show me how fast their boats could go. I moved to the no wake area and at least two boaters who I suppose missed the signs passed by at 15 to 20 miles an hour. One so close I could have just about stepped in his boat. I suppose he did not know the lake because the side he passed me on the water was only about two feet deep maybe less and weed choked. I never said a word....I'm use to it.
I'm not sure you understand. You as a general term, not you specifically. I used your post because I have seen something similar numerous times.Quote:
Originally Posted by doggone
The lakes will still be restricted, just the restriction will change to allow fishing boats with larger motors to idle only. Nothing else has changed, there still won't be pleasure boaters allowed to water ski, or jet skis, or anything of the ilk. Those restrictions won't change. It will still be designated as a fishing lake. It won't be changed to a pleasure boater lake. Those restrictions are still in place.
We obviously fish different lakes. I haven't had any problems with fisherman ignoring the rules on hp restricted lakes, or idle only lakes. If your seeing it, report it. Only way it gets enforced is if you make it known to the rangers. They don't mess around with it. Once one gets away with it, others think they can too and then all rules are out the window and it becomes a nightmare for everybody.
There are a few lakes up in Wisconsin that I fish frequently which are electric only, or no motor period. I like the quiet when I'm out on my kayak by myself, but generally speaking I have never noticed that they are any better for fishing than the lakes without motor restrictions. I definitely like the option of fishing on my kayak without getting swamped by pleasure boaters or people pushing wake because of a 10mph speed limit. Other lakes like Devils Kitchen more than likely have the 10hp limit because of all the trees and stumps. No idea why using a big motor at idle isn't allowed. It works fine that way at the Mazonia lakes.