Anger Management

fishthumper wrote:

When ever I get asked what lake did I fish last – The answer is always this one. When ask what lake I plan to fish next – Its always the same – This one. Most of the time they are done with me in the time it takes for me to remove the real tiedowns, put the plug in, and remove the motor support.

Whenever they ask me these questions I’ve almost always answered with a body of water well known for invasives. Lake Superior, Minnetonka, St. Croix River, etc… I often answer where I go next with “I have no clue”.

So far they haven broken down my door to arrest me. So far…

I’ve only been checked when launching once and it has to be close to 10yrs ago. Nice college kid who pointed out the area we’d be camping in was loaded with thimble berries. He was right.

As far as who was the bigger jerk in the OP story, I think we can all agree it’s the one that drives in the passing lane.

picklerick wrote:

I’ve only been checked when launching once and it has to be close to 10yrs ago. Nice college kid who pointed out the area we’d be camping in was loaded with thimble berries. He was right.

As far as who was the bigger jerk in the OP story, I think we can all agree it’s the one that drives in the passing lane.

i’d expect nuttin less then a guy that picks mayo over miracle whip!!!!!

Stock answers for me from anybody not a DNR employee. My boat has been the garage for 3 years. I’m boating, not fishing. The 20 rods and tackle bags are along for the ride. You can sleep in my livewell if you like, you just aren’t getting in the boat without probable cause or at least a badge. My next lake will be in another 3 years.

Good on the college kids for getting a outdoor job for the summer. Just don’t think you have any power. They can speed dial a CO any time they like, I’d be happy to talk to them. I’ve absolutely nothing to hide nor to voluntarily offer unless required by the law.

I am always courteous – I get what they are trying to do – why be an ass?
Look all you want. If you want to get up in the boat I’ll give instructions as to how and where. THey NEVER want that – only to see that it’s weed free – 2 seconds of watching me get it out, inspecting it on my own and cleaning it usually before they get to me answers most of their questions.
I am considerate of the lakes I visit and how I treat them.
Rather they were there than not.

We had inspectors a couple years ago on the 2 lakes I fish almost exclusively in the summer. The inspecters I ran into were either Gung Ho or just sitting around collecting a check.

MX1825 wrote:

The inspecters I ran into were either Gung Ho or just sitting around collecting a check

Bingo. There seems to be no in between. The last one I had on a popular north metro lake looked everything over and told me I had permission to leave now. I laughed and said thanks. Sometimes when we leave the lake if we had luck and there are some fish in the livewell, I just leave them in there until we get back and split them up, only if its a short ride, then drain the well and move on, never going from one lake to the next unless we didn’t catch anything. I am aware its against the rules, but not hurting anything so whatever. Also like Dutch said nobody is getting in my boat without cause or badge.

I hate hate the gung ho, bitching and complain how you have weeds “Yeah no poop, sherlock” Sometimes the old guys are annoying if you need go somewhere afterwards and they want to sit and talk for an 1 hour lol, whatever I don’t mind shooting the poop with you.

Talked to a guy twice in a day with two separate water craft at the cabin last weekend, he was a DNR employee but not a CO, was wearing the green uniform and just asking some simple questions – IE does this boat ever get put in any other body of water other than that particular lake and ensuring plugs were out and trailers an boats were clean when we pulled in. Guy could not have been nicer. I thought it was funny because the old cabin fishing boat was full of tree seeds as it had been parked on the trailer up there with the cover off for a few days. He wouldn’t have been able to tell if there were dry weeds mixed in with it anyway. Just glanced inside, took him all of 5 seconds but it’s a pretty basic boat anyway – IE no live well, etc. No complaints from me!

People should be used to this process by now. I get feeling frustrated back when it was new and it felt invasive (no pun intended). But come on. It’s just part of the deal now and nothing to worry about. I enjoy just talking with most of these people about the fishing, the lake, the weather. Just another person to talk to after talking to the bait shop guy.

queenswake wrote:

People should be used to this process by now. I get feeling frustrated back when it was new and it felt invasive (no pun intended). But come on. It’s just part of the deal now and nothing to worry about. I enjoy just talking with most of these people about the fishing, the lake, the weather. Just another person to talk to after talking to the bait shop guy.

Probably my issue. I don’t like small talk.

The Gung-ho guy ticks people off with his/her power trip. I have a badge and a uniform. I can boss you around and you have to listen to my orders.
The person just hanging out to collect a check p1sses ME off! Government/my money being wasted! No accountability again!

MX1825 wrote:

The Gung-ho guy ticks people off with his/her power trip. I have a badge and a uniform. I can boss you around and you have to listen to my orders.
The person just hanging out to collect a check p1sses ME off! Government/my money being wasted! No accountability again!

They don’t have a badge ?

They have always been nice to me and do not slow me down. On city lakes I have them watch my rig while I park, I also have the watch out for bikers, runners, etc when I back in (God knows they don’t pay attention!) As far as my rights go I feel if I choose to go into a public space a visual inspection and a few polite questions are reasonable.

Bearcat89, you say you don’t like small talk, but you join in on a lot of small talk on this site. What’s the difference?

Have no problem answering the standard questions and dealing with them on the whole. I barely know where I’m at let alone where I’m going next, so they get a lotta vague answers.

What’s the honest end game to ais inspections and is it worth the cost and time when the ais process is nothing more than a feel good type of deal?

No inspector has every had a legit answer other than a deer in the headlights look when I ask if they want to check the carpet between the bunks and boat, the trailer tubing or the internal livewell plumbing. Most look so confused it’s worth the price of admission. Try not to be to much of an A hat, but seriously come on, what are the inspections really achieving? Education? Good. I think most are edumcated enough already. And the ones who aren’t never will be. Keep boat clean, check. At some point there might be more restrictions and regulations because of ais issues. Which lake home owners associations will be backing, pushing and twisting data to limit, restrict or close off “their” lakes to public access.

Am polite and courteous to inspectors. Would say 80% don’t give 2 ch!ts about ais issues, like has already been mentioned, it’s a paycheck, nothing else. Not fond of ais but they are here to stay and not going anywhere. If a body of water is connected to drainage or flowage that leads to main watersheds most will have what that main artery has eventually. It’s just a matter of time. Inspecting watercraft will not stop that, even if it was an actual full 100% decontamination proccess of the trailer, boat and interior plumbing. That’s not the case and a quick walk around a boat does absolutely zero to help stop or even remotely curb ais spread. With that said, most people deserve respect for doing their job. Other than over zealous lake associations overstepping their power to disrupt the general public to access public water. This just seems like a stepping stone to something else.

basseyes wrote:

What’s the honest end game to ais inspections and is it worth the cost and time when the ais process is nothing more than a feel good type of deal?

Honestly, I think its nothing more than a feel-good gesture. Is it helping? No. The “no” is based on the number of new waters that are declared infested each year. Like so many instances of invasive species being dumped on our soil/waters, the stop was to not allow then to enter in the first place, but money trumps regulations so here we are. The state may as well save money by NOT wasting it on something that has close to zero effect. There’s a lot of nepotism involved in staffing these stations with college/highschool kids of staffers in the DNR just putting in the time to collect a check. Why not hire someone who’s really interested in seeing change?

I’ve never seen a landing, public or private, that couldn’t use some sprucing up. Why not include in their job descriptions that they pick up garbage and do some basic cleaning along the shorelines while they wait for a boat to happen along…. and have someone drive out to make sure these peripheral duties are being met?

These AIS dingbats are a waste of money. And the question that kills me is “where are you going to next?’ How the he// do I know where I might fish next. That’s another day.

tim hurley wrote:

They have always been nice to me and do not slow me down. On city lakes I have them watch my rig while I park, I also have the watch out for bikers, runners, etc when I back in (God knows they don’t pay attention!) As far as my rights go I feel if I choose to go into a public space a visual inspection and a few polite questions are reasonable.

I’ve never ran into a jerk either. I see one about every other time on the lakes I fish in the summer time at the access. It’s the same questions every time, takes a few minutes while I’m loading up, easy peasy. The Gung Ho guys that people speak of on here must be a regional thing. I’ve never had one touch my boat, trailer, or gear either.

Do I think they are completely necessary anymore? No. We’ve all gotten into the routine of draining the lake water, removing weeds, etc before we leave the access. Initially I do think they helped years ago though because the plug rule had just gone into effect and people were adjusting to that. Honestly I think the wake boats that suck in water for their ballasts are a bigger concern at this point. Let’s make sure those are drained properly.

I’m starting to think I’m doing something wrong here. I’ve been to 100’s of different ramps all over the state and I’ve never had a negative run in with any of these folks.

Mostly have positive encounters with them. Today I launched on Carlos in Alex. They stayed in their vehicle in the AC and never even attempted to ask where my next launch was. Respect stickin it to the man.

It is such a waste of our tax payer money. They are trying to stop the inevitable and are failing. Pizzing away millions of dollars every year.

I am polite and usually chit chat with the inspectors. They are just doing their job. I’ve had a couple get on a power trip and I told em where to shove it.

This drain your bait water thing really isn’t that bad if you remember to bring fresh airated water to replace the perfectly good water from your Engal bait cooler.
Unfortunately when you forget,as I did, to bring water they tell you to pour your bait out.
$20 dollars down the drain.
“Have a nice day”.

The young kid that inspected my boat last week agreed the inspection program to keep invasives out of the lakes is a complete joke when the state and county pour truckloads of salt on the road 10feet from the boat launch.Zeebs no good for lakes- spend billions fighting them to no avail,excessive amounts of salt-no problem keep the trucks full and going around the clock all winter long….

I’m with Bearcat. I don’t like small talk I’m busy need to get to the next lake or home or work. No not telling you what was caught so you can blab to everyone else, catching fish is hard earned not a give away. 2 weeks ago inspector informed me needed to power wash and flush motor with there portable cleaning station or could not go to another body of water because the lake had invasive species or dry it it for 48 hours WRONG! not a law was courteous to the inspector left called the AIS head in DNR and the CO. Going fishing wherever I want. No law against it only IF invasives are on your boat is it illegal to go into another body of water. Happens every year to me they educated the inspectors which is good. But if your inspecting shouldn’t you know the law!

Another favorite you get into a routine. Lower motor so there is no drip of water put plugs in they tell you to lower the motor again and they see your plugs are in drives me nuts. Can’t tell you how many times they want to yak and then forget to put the plug in drives me nut’s

Average 6 lakes in a weekend inspectors at all of them learning if I don’t talk they don’t talk either win win for me.

As for driving over the chair unacceptable.

The whole AIS inspecting is for “feel good” purpose only. Inspecting .001% of the boats for 4-8 hours a day, is stopping the spread of nothing, except tax dollars. If they were serious, they would be at EVERY lake that is contaminated already, checking 100%.

The only inspector person I ever was annoyed with was up north one year fishing a small lake with a really shallow landing. I was loading the boat on the trailer and could barely get it onto to the bunks cause it was so shallow, so I got it started on there there and gave it just a little juice to get it to ‘set’ on there, talking like 1/2 a second. Got out and winched it like the remaining 6+ feet or so and pulled out. I’ve never had to winch my boat so far in my life.

He came out and then lectured me about powerloading the boat and how I’m the reason landings get all messed up. I was like, “yeah I don’t think I like really powerloaded it, I gave it one little burst of gas to get it onto the bunks and literally had to winch it super far.” I could totally be in the wrong there though, I don’t know, I always thought powerloading was when you like laid on the gas all the way up to the winch post.

Then he asked if I had any water stored in the livewell and I said no. Then he asked ‘what about the ballast?’ I was like, “Uhhh I don’t think I have one of those?” And then he like kept pressing me on it. “Are you sure?”

I have a Ranger Reata, so I’m not sure if he just meant like…was I transporting water in other storage compartments of my boat? In the bilge? I was really confused and he just kept pressing me on it. All the while just was just getting ravaged my mosquitoes.

Was just a really strange experience lol, all the other folks have been very friendly.

My buddy guides Tarpon fishing in Marco Islands, then last year came back up to MN to guide for walleye in the summer. You should’ve seen the inspectors face when he told them the last body of water he was on was the Gulf Of Mexico.

Went kayak fishing this weekend. Didn’t get inspected so I drove around from boat launch to boat launch until I found an inspector. I drop kicked their ass while screaming AMERICA!! in honor of all the people on this thread that have been deeply offended by little kids and old people just trying to prevent something bad from happening. After that I went to a humane society and kicked a bunch of puppies, because you know rabies is already out there so might as well since it can’t be prevented.

LMAO good one riverrat.

Did you run over the mommy mallard and all babies trying to cross the road to stop the spread of bird flu?