This weekend I had an AIS inspector ask me if my boat was a fishing boat or a wake boat. Really, you can’t tell? It’s a 14′ boat with a 25hp outboard!! He asked to see my livewell when I went in, but never checked it on the way out. Why are they wasting money on the AIS program if the people they hire as inspectors are this incompetent?
Why are they wasting money on the AIS program if the people they hire as inspectors are this incompetent?
Because the people we voted for made the laws and the budget. The DNR is only following through.
They are coming from high school. Just a $8 buck a hour summer job. Just for kicks ask to see their certification certificate.
I had one guy insist I had to drain my minnow bucket. I told him I was fly fishing. He said he didn’t care, I still had to empty my minnow bucket. I suggested he learn something about what he was doing so he wouldn’t sound like such an idiot. He didn’t like that very much.
SR
As much as I think this is all pretty much BS, if they are going to put these people out front to take the flack they should at least give them 24 hours of classroom training. Training can teach them the regulations, identifying the AIS stuff, also teach them to properly answer the questions and concerns of the anglers. It does nobody any good to have a uninformed inspector working at a public access. Speaking of which, has anybody ran into one of these people at a private launch area?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Trouten wrote:</div>
Why are they wasting money on the AIS program if the people they hire as inspectors are this incompetent?Because the people we voted for made the laws and the budget. The DNR is only following through.
+1. Let’s cut some slack to the actual human beings doing this work. The DNR is following a mandate and they probably don’t have the budget to properly train professionals to do this work. Yes, they’re inconsistent and frustrating. But we should channel our outrage to our elected officials for enacting policies without giving the agency charged with enforcing the policies adequate resources to do so efficiently and effectively.
I had one guy insist I had to drain my minnow bucket. I told him I was fly fishing. He said he didn’t care, I still had to empty my minnow bucket. I suggested he learn something about what he was doing so he wouldn’t sound like such an idiot. He didn’t like that very much.
SR
Why didn’t you just say “I don’t have a minnow bucket” or “the bucket’s already empty” or something that didn’t require the guy to know something about fly fishing. Like it or not that’s not part of his job description.
Umm, me don’t think this is generated from the politicians. I think this is a DNR deal and they just lined up politicians to endorse it.
What I don’ get is heading into a lake that has every AIS already is to be asked what was the last body of water I fished. At that point why would that matter? Why would they even bother to survey such a body of water?
Some type of kudos should go to kids who would rather take a job working outdoors. Too bad the training isn’t there to make em look better.
What I don’ get is heading into a lake that has every AIS already is to be asked what was the last body of water I fished. At that point why would that matter? Why would they even bother to survey such a body of water?
They probably just teach the inspectors to ask the same questions every time, no matter which lake. They could be working different lakes from day to day, etc.
Umm, me don’t think this is generated from the politicians. I think this is a DNR deal and they just lined up politicians to endorse it.
Possible. I’m still taking the path of least resistance. I’ve been checked 3 times so far this year. I choose to be friendly, answer their questions, and get to fishing.
Oh I’m not saying to be combative. However there is nothing wrong with educating them either. We had a guy trying to tell us two lines were ok that the law had changed. He wasn’t being a smart a$$, he just didn’t know. He was going by what he had “heard.” This guy was selling fishing license!
We wouldn’t accept a cop that told us because we drank 2 beers on Saturday and 2 more on Sunday that our blood alcohol had to be over .08 so there is nothing wrong with respectfully filling the kids in on the laws they should have been taught.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Steve Root wrote:</div>
I had one guy insist I had to drain my minnow bucket. I told him I was fly fishing. He said he didn’t care, I still had to empty my minnow bucket. I suggested he learn something about what he was doing so he wouldn’t sound like such an idiot. He didn’t like that very much.SR
Why didn’t you just say “I don’t have a minnow bucket” or “the bucket’s already empty” or something that didn’t require the guy to know something about fly fishing. Like it or not that’s not part of his job description.
Oh I tried to be nice about it…..but this guy was all puffed up and important and I wasn’t going to tell HIM anything. He was being a jerk. Just because he’s a poorly trained minimum wage college kid doesn’t mean he can’t act reasonably.
They are coming from high school. Just a $8 buck a hour summer job. Just for kicks ask to see their certification certificate.
Funny you say that because most the inspectors (atleast in the aitkin county area) are retirement age men with nothing better to do.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
They are coming from high school. Just a $8 buck a hour summer job. Just for kicks ask to see their certification certificate.Funny you say that because most the inspectors (atleast in the aitkin county area) are retirement age men with nothing better to do.
The unfortunate things is the ones I know on a few lakes up in aitkin county get paid $15hr. They are paid by the lake association though.
Oh I’m not saying to be combative. However there is nothing wrong with educating them either. We had a guy trying to tell us two lines were ok that the law had changed. He wasn’t being a smart a$$, he just didn’t know. He was going by what he had “heard.” This guy was selling fishing license!
We wouldn’t accept a cop that told us because we drank 2 beers on Saturday and 2 more on Sunday that our blood alcohol had to be over .08 so there is nothing wrong with respectfully filling the kids in on the laws they should have been taught.
Totally agree and didn’t mean to infer that you were being unreasonable.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>pool2fool wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Steve Root wrote:</div>
I had one guy insist I had to drain my minnow bucket. I told him I was fly fishing. He said he didn’t care, I still had to empty my minnow bucket. I suggested he learn something about what he was doing so he wouldn’t sound like such an idiot. He didn’t like that very much.SR
Why didn’t you just say “I don’t have a minnow bucket” or “the bucket’s already empty” or something that didn’t require the guy to know something about fly fishing. Like it or not that’s not part of his job description.
Oh I tried to be nice about it…..but this guy was all puffed up and important and I wasn’t going to tell HIM anything. He was being a jerk. Just because he’s a poorly trained minimum wage college kid doesn’t mean he can’t act reasonably.
I get it, I do. Nothing more frustrating than a fool who also believes and acts like he knows all.
Fwiw, 2 of my checks last week were by women age 40-50 or so. They were polite and friendly. But I’m sure there’s a good helping of young & stupid in the pool as well.
IF they are getting paid well I want to become one. This weekend When I arrived at the ramp, I saw one actually sleeping under a blanket in the lawn median next to a landing on a metro lake. She had her lawn chair and Bright yellow vest next to her. Not wearing it mind you, the glare may have kept her awake!
I couple hours later I stopped back to grab a jacket out of my truck. She was still there, still laying curled up under a blanket, this time reading a book.
Last time I arrived back to load the boat. She laid there, never moved or asked me a question. She continued to read while laying under her blanket……
I am not even close to exaggerating this story, she never once made eye contact with me or any of the other boats I watched load.
IF they are getting paid well I want to become one. This weekend When I arrived at the ramp, I saw one actually sleeping under a blanket in the lawn median next to a landing on a metro lake. She had her lawn chair and Bright yellow vest to her. Not wearing it mind you, the glare may have kept her awake!
I couple hours later I stopped back to grab a jacket out of my truck. She was still there, still laying curled up under a blanket, this time reading a book.
Last time are back to load the boat. She laid there, never moved or asked me a question. She continued to read while laying under her blanket……
I am not even close to exaggerating this story, she never once made eye contact with me or any of the other boats I watched load.
Perfect!
For kicks, here’s their operations manual via the DNR: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/invasives/mndnr_ais_watercraft_inspection_handbook.pdf
@trouten — your inspector apparently
didn’t make it past page 4.
An interesting tidbit: “Watercraft users are required to submit to an inspection, but are not required to answer any questions. All questions asked by inspectors are optional.”
From the link pool2fool posted. Watch out for tipping watercraft 
Screenshot_20170529-190151.png
Thought I would chime in with some info from someone that was there once. I was one of these inspectors the very first year the decontamination units came out (2012). I was a recent natural resources college graduate (28yrs old) looking to get in with the dnr and thought this would be a good way since 90% of their positions are for internal hire. We had 2 days of training at the headquarters in St. Paul, went thru a booklet of things to look for in and on boats and questions to ask people and then the 2nd day was mainly learning how to drive with the decon trailer. It was amazing how many people could not back up the trailer while having to zig zag between cones!! I was stationed out of the Rochester office and covered the river, which did not make sense. I covered baypoint, colvill and hok-si-la. While the crew from Frontenac had the rueshen landing on the south end of lake city and lake zumbro…
I did not understand myself what lake it mattered that someone fished last if they were putting in on the river which has just about every invasive in it, so I mainly just watched as people came by to see if they had shown up with their boat plug in and advised them if they did that it was illegal. I was more concerned with where they thought they would go next, if it was somewhere that did not have an invasive in it. We probably used the decon unit probably a dozen times throughout the summer. As far as changing the water on bait, this one still bothers me, A person is automatically assumed guilty of having changed water on their minnows or leeches. If I could obviously see that they did not have their bait in river water I let them keep it, (pretty easy to tell).
We quickly realized that most of the people we encountered mainly fished or boated on the river, so that made our job easier. We got to know people and most were friendly, even helped a repeat guy at the hok-si-la landing change out his blown out trailer tire for him, (he had just recently had knee surgery). Also had to call the water patrol for a guy who had tip over his inflatable sail catamaran out in the middle of the river and could not get the sail back up. I did the job the way I thought was right and made sense versus some of the non sense they have set in place, That was the only year I did it and gave up on trying to get in with the dnr and am currently working on taking my state electrical journeyman wireman test this fall.
An interesting tidbit: “Watercraft users are required to submit to an inspection, but are not required to answer any questions. All questions asked by inspectors are optional.”
what if I answer with wrong answers? Where was the last place you had your 16′ lund at? GULF OF MEXICO yesterday…. how many miles did you drive? ALL OF THEM….
last summer I was concerned when they kept recording my plate number. when I asked who was collecting the info i was told it was the city. what point is there in keeping track of plate numbers in a city park/ free boat launch
There are two different AIS inspectors. One is the DNR, the other local county “inspectors”. In my experience the DNR folks are knowledgeable, insightful, and actually care. Many of the county people are far less knowledgeable and don’t seem to care nearly as much, walk around a little and ask the common questions with little to no other interaction. So far this year I’ve been “inspected” by 5 county people and no DNR people. While the county people have no power whatsoever (as far as I know), I do wish they were a little more personable and show some sort of enthusiasm and provide some reason for their job. Perhaps they don’t get much training. I did appreciate the one guy who helped hold my boat at the dock while I went to get my truck, and he’s always been friendly.
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