Lake Minnetonka launch fees

Did anyone else this in the paper this morning. Lake Minnetonka launch fee This could really affect a lot anglers & pleasure boaters.

Yes it can and it will. As a former resident of the Peoples Republic of MN it sounds like a good idea but the devil is in the details. I grew up on Tonka, my father grew up on Tonka, my grandfather grew up on Tonka and my Great grandfather homesteaded the shores. The lake has changed by over use and mismanagement some for the better and some for the worse. A launch fee that goes back to the management of the lake and not to the grubby little pockets of the politicians can only be a good thing.

I read the comments after the article. WOW There seems to be a lot of hostility there! I am an oursider on this one but for lack of moeny here in WI. we would have the same problem. Here on the Miss. we have all the invasive spieces we have no control over. Good luck on that project.

I understand the need to do something, but personally would have prefered to see them require “use” permits for any and all watercraft on the lake. That might deter some of the over use and brought some sort of “use” guidelines into play for those who dock their boats on the lake and only use accesses at the start and end of the season.

As bad as over crowding has gotten over the last 20+ years, I will only go on that lake before Memorial weekend, and in the late fall when most boats and docks have been pulled.

I was there last summer filming a musky shoot for one of my buddies who is going to be guiding out there next year. I thought that there were tons of boats out there as a boy from Northwest Wisconsin I dont see lakes fill up like that on only few occasions such as Memorial day and the 4th of July. I think it is a good idea and the thing is, many lakes and or counties and states are going to go to this in the future. Might as well get used to it

Quote:

---

Did anyone else this in the paper this morning. Lake Minnetonka launch fee This could really affect a lot anglers & pleasure boaters.

---

That’s the biggest bunch of B.S. I have ever read!

That story angers me!

That is the wealthy/influential/greedy trying to control what they believe they own. Guys, they have already limited the access at the ramp in Mound. Took a boat ramp with trailer parking and made it off limits to boat trailer parking and make us park up the street now, which is not ideal when an empty parking lot is there.

They are not trying to eradicate exotic species, the lake owners are trying to eradicate sportsmen, families and the general public of THEIR lake.

Unfortunatly I agree with lots. There have been many steps taken but the same group to limit or eliminate the use of the lake by others. If you are not living on it, they don’t want you on it. Sad thing is that it is only a small portion of the lake home owners.

Your right, they are trying to control it, and they are trying to get everyone else to pay for it instead of them. They don’t use the accesses very often, if at all, so they will not be footing the bill, but enjoying the rewards if it goes thru.

Make it a use permit for any and all watercraft using the lake, and the idea will quickly go away.

Ok full disclosure I live on the lake. And I sent a check to help pay for the milfoil experiment last year. In the future I’ll probably have no choice but to pay for further milfoil treatment. I’m OK with it. The issue here isn’t about controlling access but trying to keep any further invasive species being introduced – they even listed the species in question. The fee will pay for people to inspect boats at the ramps. Point to make here is if you never take your boat out of Minnetonka you can’t introduce anything new into the lake. Most people using the ramps don’t bother to empty their bilge, clean off the weeds etc. Hence the concern.
I doubt the fee will get passed. Most likely my property tax assessment will go up yet again to pay for it and I am fine with it – I use the lake more and should bear more of the burden. Would be nice if others who use the resource would also share in some of burden too.
Read the last lake survey by the DNR on Lakefinder. Milfoil appears to be hurting the panfish fishery big time. Minntonka doesn’t need rusty crawfish, or hydrilla or anymore carp.

Mark, I was hoping you would reply to this thread. You seem like a man of reason and are a class act when it comes to internet forums and sharing information. I was hoping to hear from a lake property owner also.

If this is implemented on Minnetonka, then we should do this on every lake with invasive aquatic species, why not every lake that this threatened, which is all lakes. Not practical.

Imagine a Gray’s Bay ramp on a Saturday, inspecting every inbound and outbound vessel? Holy Nightmare!!!

Better yet, let’s impose rules on shoreline restoration, including the restoration of shorelines, impose the use of filtration strips/buffers, restrictions on the removal of aquatic plant species at docks and beaches and impose dock sizes. These are known issues that effect lake and water quality. Think they might back down? You can only be so “lawyered up”, which we know they are.

Mark, best part, I don’t think these effect your lot or dock, thanks for being a responsible lake shore owner.

Jason Roberts

I agree with a fee like this, implemented in other states as well. I’m not sure how much it should be, but i would pay $3-5 depending on the fishery.

It all boils down to peoples ignorance of an important issue. Not everyone that uses our lakes and rivers is as conscious of our waters as the great people on IDO!

I gotta agree with lots of luck.

Seems to me they are trying to push more people off the lake.

I frequent Waconia and it is frightening how many people pull their boats out, strap them down and just hit the road without even a glance to see if they have weeds on the trailer.

Here is a question….who has the responsibility for enforcing illegal transportation of aquatic vegetation?? Is it just the DNR or can a sheriff, local or state patrol hand out the same citiation??

Start handing those tickets out and most people will take the time to at least make an attempt to clean off the trailer.
Unfortunately there are those that don’t care and there isn’t anything you can do about that other than hope they get busted repeatedly.