Kiss My Rump

Started the day off getting the boat ready for a day on the water. After getting the boat ready, I woke up my son so he could hold the boat by the dock while I parked the trailer. Because of how busy of a day it is at the ramps this would speed things up and nobody would be shouting naughty words at me. Since I only live a block away from landing my son could then walk home and join me later.
Upon pulling into the landing I was surprised to see not one but THREE game wardens sitting there, as soon as I parked my truck to lift motor up here comes John Wayne the GW. “Well I would guess you would know why I’m here ad i’m going to have to issue you a ticket for your plug being in. We were told not to issue any more warnings.” After 15 minutes of debating about this worthless law that some educated idiot dreamed up in the twin cities that doesnt even know where a drain plug is located, I walked away with a $50 ticket. “Kiss my RUMP” , by now I’m pretty hot but did remember that my son was along. To make matters worse, after backing the boat into the water, little to behold the batteries were stone cold dead. WOW $50 ticket and never unhooked my boat!!! I did make sure they new my plug was out before I left the parking lot.

So what I can figure is that you cannot put your plug in utill you are ready to back your boat in other wise what if I was staging my boat as soon as I turned into the boat landing to get everything ready and the game wardens never saw that i had done this.

Please somebody clarify this new law. If it says you can’t leave the landing with any water do you have to drain your motors also?
Sorry for venting!
Brent Rothgarn

Unbelievable. They are already taking this way to far. Hope your day gets better.

Well that is a terrible way to start out the season! A simple verbal warning with documentation of reg # would have been more than sufficient imo. Second offense should = a ticket, NOT the first.

It seems for every one reasonable GW there is 4 that are on a power trip! But it is their job.

i just went to a “No Plug Protocol” and that seems the simplest. We just put a BIG sign on the back of the burb: “IS THE PLUG IN???” and that’s worked well.

Now the popple cops can talk with me all they want…

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So what I can figure is that you cannot put your plug in utill you are ready to back your boat in other wise what if I was staging my boat as soon as I turned into the boat landing to get everything ready and the game wardens never saw that i had done this.

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I’ve been wondering the same thing. Guessing this was at Roschen? I have a feeling that ramp along with Hok Si La will be the scene of many angry boaters this weekend and all summer. Sorry to hear about the ambush and ticket but thanks for sharing as I’m sure you saved some guys from the same fate, including me!

Did you point to your house? You saying you live a block away from the landing is being generous, Id say its more like 50yds. Heck, ive seen you ride in the back of your boat to the landing, for the last 20 years.. Thats B.S. They might as well ticket a guy on his boat lift

Only in minnesota I know I always used to put my plug in before I left the house just so i wouldn’t forget in the big fuster cluck thats usually going on at the landing

Are you kidding me??? I haven’t taken the drain plug out of my boats for 30 years…

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Are you kidding me??? I haven’t taken the drain plug out of my boats for 30 years…

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What about a 12′ row boat that doesn’t have a plug?

Mistake #1….leaving your plug in. Your fault.

Mistake #2……..didn’t check your battery prior to launching. Your fault.

AIS………..who knows who’s fault these are. But, we all are going to pay the price if we can’t follow the rules set forth. We don’t need to agree with them, but we will need to follow them unless we are willing to be ticketed.

Sorry to hear about your day but I guess it can be summed up as “lesson learned.”

You have to carry it upside down Randy.

thanks yes BOY (I mean Dutch boy) you are a perfect example on why I hate to post anything on this site. As far as everything being my fault your probably correct but its hard to teach an old dog new tricks. I’m not use to having piece of crap equipment like yourself and pulling the plug and checking the batteries every trip. But the way you sound it wouldn’t have been your fault you would have blamed your kid!!!! Next time i’ll keep it to myself and let everybody find out the hard way.

Really dutch boy? like you know every law..

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Please somebody clarify this new law. If it says you can’t leave the landing with any water do you have to drain your motors also?
Sorry for venting!
Brent Rothgarn

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I guess I’m as confused as you. I get the part about how you’re supposed to drain the water at the landing when you leave the lake / river. But what does that have to do with you showing back up at the lake with the plug in? At what point is it OK to put the plug back in before launching? Is that point determined by time or distance? Or is it both? Is that covered in the regs?

I for one am glad you posted this because I guarantee I would put the plug back in once I verified all water, if any was present, had drained.

As I have said many times, the law (boat plug out) is unconstitutional. It assumes that you’re transporting ais whether you boat has them or not.

The plug in or out is not the problem it’s the transportation of ais. If I get a ticket because I have my plug in, they (should) need to prove that I’m transporting a form of ais.

I was surprised this was the only post today about these types of tickets. I’ll bet there will be more “I can’t believe it” tickets with the crack down the DNR has been talking about.

I’m afraid it’s going to take the right person to get a ticket and they’ll take it through the court system to get this “stuff” changed.

In fact, if a person starts thinking about it, we can’t be stopped for exercising our driving privileges without an officer witnessing some other violation. Just because we are driving, they can’t stop us.

How then, can a CO check us while we are fishing to see if we have our fishing license? If I’m fishing and not breaking any laws…why should he be able to interrupt my life just to see if I have a fishing license?

I believe the DNR is opening a can of ais that it’s going to regret and the ais will not be slowed.

But that’s just me.

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As I have said many times, the law (boat plug out) is unconstitutional. It assumes that you’re transporting ais whether you boat has them or not.

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Yep. I could go off on a bit of a rant… but I’ll spare everyone. As for the original poster… you up for a court appearance to fight the ticket? It would seem to me you have a very solid position for demanding the ticket be dismissed.

Sounds to me like you’re part of the problem, …

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Are you kidding me??? I haven’t taken the drain plug out of my boats for 30 years…

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What puzzles me is when are you supposed to legally put the drain plug in if it has to be out when you enter the ramp parking lot just incase a DNR officer walks over and looks in the boat. Sounds to me that the DNR officer would have to be at the very entrance of the ramp lot to look into any boat and at that point to legally give a ticket, because anywhere inbetween, especially when the lots full, is a stageing area. The DNR officer can’t legally just walk around and give tickets if your waiting to put the boat in the water, especially if your backed up where it looks like your headed twards the ramp. And if its already out, at what distance from the entrance, when can I legally put it back in. Which now brings up the question on how far from the water do I put it back in. In the parking lot 3rd inline?, at the top of the ramp on the crest?, at anytime as your backing it down the ramp?, stop and put it in right when the trailer wheels hit the water?, All I would like to know is when am I supposed to have the plug out and then be able to put it back in legally. I mean I can manage the job but when is it legal to do so when the plugs supposed to be in anyway.
Aren’t guys supposed to help speed things up when theres alot of guys waiting to put thier boats in. Stopping at anytime to do this slows the ramp down doesn’t it. Sounds like to me the dnr officer would have to be at the very entrance of the ramp lot too look into any boat to legally give a ticket because anyplace inbetween the entrance and the water is a stageing area and would slow down the backing of the trailers down the ramp. I’m not running the officer down but was the ticket givin right at the entrance of the ramp lot?,,,,from an outsiders point of view only.

I,m with James on this,I always pull my plug when I leave a lake but most times I put my plug in when I unplug my charger,before I leave the garage for the next fishing trip!
Stan

Well it looks like the DNR is going with the no tolerance policy this year. They said that the time for education was over.

DNR says expect to be checked, cited for aquatic invasive species violations
(Released May 10, 2012)
Anglers and boaters can expect stepped-up patrols and citations for violating the state’s aquatic invasive species (AIS) laws, according to Lt. Col. Rodmen Smith, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Enforcement Division assistant director.
“We are setting the expectation of the angling and boating public that they will follow the laws to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, that they will be checked for AIS violations, and that they will cited if a violation is found,” Smith said.
The increased patrols will begin with the walleye opener on Saturday, May 12, and continue through the Memorial Day weekend and into the summer.
Minnesota law prohibits the possession or transport of any AIS in Minnesota. Conservation officers and peace officers may stop and inspect motorists pulling boats or other marine equipment upon a “reasonable belief” that AIS are present. AIS include zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil and spiny waterfleas.
To help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, anglers and boaters are required by law to:
Drain bait buckets, bilges and live wells before leaving any water access.
Remove aquatic plants from boats and trailers to prevent the spread of invasive species.
Pull the plug on their boat, and drain all water when leaving all waters of the state; drain plugs must remain out while transporting water-related equipment on roadways.
Smith said check stations will also be conducted this summer near public waters, public water accesses, resorts and private water access landings where the transpiration/trailering of watercraft or water-related equipment occur.
“To be compliant with the law, a boater must simply pull the plug, drain the water, and remove any weeds from the boat and trailer,” said Smith.
Smith said that stopping the spread of AIS is a DNR priority. “Anglers and boaters can expect to be checked and cited by a conservation officer if found in violation of AIS laws.”
Citations range from $50 to $1,000.
More information on aquatic invasive species and how to prevent their spread is available online.

Look at the bright side, the MN DNR is doing what they said they would.

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Sounds to me like you’re part of the problem, …

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Are you kidding me??? I haven’t taken the drain plug out of my boats for 30 years…

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Wow. Everyone’s assumed guilty… even by other anglers.

From the way I read the law you are suppose to have the plug out when you are on a public roadway.
I would fight this though, as this may be considered an illegal search.
Remember that the DNR was able to just walk into your ice shack until someone took it to court.
Don

Did you drive to the landing with your plug in your boat? If so, why is there any question as to why you get a ticket?

Do I have to legaly wear my seatbelt to drive a block? Yes.

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I would fight this though, as this may be considered an illegal search.

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Not sure how you could consider this a “SEARCH”? Two words come to mind….PLAIN VIEW. There is no way you could compare this to an entry into a fish house.

DT

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I would fight this though, as this may be considered an illegal search.

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Not sure how you could consider this a “SEARCH”? Two words come to mind….PLAIN VIEW. There is no way you could compare this to an entry into a fish house.

DT

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As you can see I said MAY be considered an illegal search, did the dnr look at the back of the boat or did they open the back hatch up,would it not also be illegal search if they check your bait well without your permission, since you would have to open a cover to do so.

If this was written all as one law then any part considered a violation of the bill of rights would make the entire law void.

The OP never said they opened a hatch. He said they walked up on him and informed him of the violation. If they opened a bait well it may or may not be an illegal search. Was there “bait paraphernalia” in plain view which would show a violation? If there was, no permission is needed and a search would be legal. I’m not argueing the law and whether it is good or bad, just giving you another perspective.

DT

Later.

DT

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Did you drive to the landing with your plug in your boat? If so, why is there any question as to why you get a ticket?

Do I have to legaly wear my seatbelt to drive a block? Yes.

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The seat belt law is intended to save lives, and statistics show accidents close to home..
The plug law is intended to stop the spreading of exotics…
When a guy drives across the street to go fishing, putting his plug in before he crosses the street should be forgiven. At least a warning was in order.

I’m sure the 15 minutes of debating the law didn’t help. If you have a beef with a law, go to the people who write them.
DT

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If you have a beef with a law, go to the people who write them.

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This, and only this, will get the law tossed.
In the meantime….why aren’t those badge toters out ON the water checking for violations and let the social twinkiess who they hired to stand guard over the landings handle what they’re hired to do.