Open Letter to Red Wing Water Patrol/DNR

Quote:

---

fade away till all forgotten about..sneak by in among the boats and nail more.

---

Dear folks hired to “protect and serve”, we have all witness the people fishing in the extended “no fishing zone” near the Red Wing Dam. Any one fishing that area should get a ticket.

However why does this have to be a “gotcha moment”?

Is this just a form of revenue for your depts? Seems like it.

Wouldn’t it be friendlier and the water patrols would receive more respect if they were to park/anchor at the beginning of this zone to remind people this area is closed off this time of year?

If someone goes past the patrol boat and the signs, well it’s not like they didn’t have a warning.

I believe that most people are law abiding. Changing the rules for a couple months and people do need to be reminded. Drifting back until the next batch slides up to this area and then writing more tickets make for more negative public relations in my opinion.

PS Anglers, Check Your Boat Registration to Ensure It’s Current!

While we are at it let’s put a cop right next to each stop sign as reminders. Cmom BK really? Everybodys big boys fishing out there. Kudos to the COs.

Let’s look at your suggestion a bit closer Nick.

If a stop sign was put in place for two months of the year, the street dept would put flashing lights or an orange flag on it to help remind folks.

Putting up a stop sign, then having a squad park in the trees is wrong.

To be clear, if they are going to hang in the dam area to just ticket violators of the restricted zone…it’s wrong.

Stop sign is a stop sign no matter if its 2 days old, or 20 years.. If a person isn’t observant enough or did any research on the trip to know makes me wonder what else they didn’t research(regs) or look into(fishing scour hole kills fish). Pretty common thought that any dam might have restrictions this time of year.

Is the scour hole within that protected area?

So perhaps they could put the flashing signs up using solar power using fine money to pay for them.

I think a lot of the problems come from the law-enforcement end because the assumption is made that people operating boats KNOW the rules before the boat hits the water. At this time of year its as much about safety as it is about a fish sanctuary. When the river starts to rise and gates get adjusted almost daily, eddies and back-flows can pop up out of no-where. Some of this current reversal is strong enough to haul even big boats back towards the dam with astonishing speed. Un-skilled boaters could be in serious do-do if they get caught in one. Maybe look at this mythical line in the same light as you do pvd’s, eh? PFD’s are required in all boats, how many wear them all the time? People supposedly know they should wear them but not all do.

If law-enforcement is up there writing tickets, its because people won’t police themselves. Reminding people would be a full time job. I’d rather see the law-enforcement up there doing something rather than to allow the masses to rule themselves, that just doesn’t work.

Hard to get a ticket if not caught in the act…I dont feel nothing wrong is done here by the dnr

Exactly Tom, people need to stay current on regs for areas they r fishing, its those gray areas in the regs that need support.

I think brians point is it’s more a pr snafu then anything. It’s a protected area for a short time, it’s also open water. I would guess you have people that only fish there a couple of times a spring. If it’s a open area the first time and not the second i can understand confusion. I think he is asking for more understanding by the dnr instead of writting all the tickets they can.

Quote:

---

Is the scour hole within that protected area?

---

Not all of it.

So let’s say someone new to that section of river in the spring. Where do you find the fine print that says no fishing in the area you are talking about??? If it is such a protected area for spawn don’t you think putting up a BUOY marker or a BUOY line should be placed in the area? That might make to much sense?

Quote:

---

I think brians point is it’s more a pr snafu then anything. It’s a protected area for a short time, it’s also open water. I would guess you have people that only fish there a couple of times a spring. If it’s a open area the first time and not the second i can understand confusion. I think he is asking for more understanding by the dnr instead of writting all the tickets they can.

---

Then make the line permanent.

If its a seasonal law especially during high water or the spawn then put anchored bouys to mark the area, then when things are back to normal take them out, I stand with Brian and if there’s not enough markers or signs then put up enough so people don’t have to look to far to understand this means them, maybe every 100 yrds. To me its like a speed trap where the speed goes from 45 to 30 in one block with a cop right behind the bushes just for revenue. People shouldn’t have to cruise a 1/4 miles looking for signs just to make sure their not breaking any laws. If its the immediate area then put enough signs in the immediate area if its so important. My nickels worth.

Post deleted by hunter1723

No insult hunter but is there enough signs that guys like me from Iowa can readily see them, I mean are they right there so I can’t miss them. Id hate to try to follow the laws and not have them readily visable and then get a ticket. I stay away from tail races anyway if theres any flow, drug a few anchors fishing them in the past so I stay away from them or am I missing something here.

Wow. Now the COs are supposed to selectively enforce laws. Geezers…what a request.

That would be nice Brian but on the other hand people will just take advantage of it. Maybe some better signs up there would be nice to. The ones up look old as the hills and I could easily see how someone not familiar with the area not looking for them or after seeing many other boats past the line think they are none current.

Quote:

---

Its your job as a user and patron of whatever recreational sport you are doing to educate yourself

---

Some of you guys made my point!

No need for “extra cops”.

I did not mention “CO’s”, I said the “Water Patrol”. That’s the Sheriff.

Please educate yourself before responding.

Am I missing something here, seems like I am, spawning ground signs??? or the dam discharge?

Quote:

---

I did not mention “CO’s”, I said the “Water Patrol”. That’s the Sheriff.

---

Please excuse those of us who lumped all those “bad law enforcing guys” together. Your complaint is still without merit. Period.

There is a sign on each side. If I have to obey those rules, I’m all for violators being ticketed. We complain because we dont see officers enough. I don’t break that rule, because I see the signs, therefore don’t worry about them giving tickets to those that do.

Dam discharge Mossy.

It’s been in the regulations for years, however some of the new anglers haven’t been around for years.

No ones is asking to “selectively enforce laws”. I just think it’s a cheap pinch to wait for people to go up there “with good intentions” and then to write a ticket.

They should be ruthless with the tickets for a few years, and it will be common knowledge to not even go near the “line”. No more boaters sucked in, lil more scour hole protected, less complaints of people getting tickets BC they would have set that precedent.

Maybe you should anchor up there Brian and let people know.

Or maybe fellow anglers should be watching out for each other. If they ignore that warning, screw them.

Ignorance of the law is no defense.

Thought I read a post a couple weeks ago from anglers calling for more enforcement of the rule?

I don’t have a problem with the water patrol enforcing the rule. Are the tickets boating in a closed area? Or fishing in a closed area? Or both? Im guessing the boating fine is lower??

Better to get that ticket in person. Most years they sit on shore, take down your boat numbers and mail you the ticket. I suspect that happens in years where the water is up in the trees. Boating in that area is just plain dangerous. Motor stalls and you can get sucked into the dam in a hurry. Water patrol won’t even get in there and I don’t blame them!

Anyone run the rollers yet?

-J.

Quote:

---

Maybe you should anchor up there Brian and let people know.

---

Well I do try to remind people about

1) Current boat registration-
2) Current MN fishing license expired Feb 28th this year.
3) Put your plug in before launching
and now…
4) Stay out of the “no fish zone”.

I’m not up there waiting to ticket someone.

Quote:

---

Thought I read a post a couple weeks ago from anglers calling for more enforcement of the rule?

I don’t have a problem with the water patrol enforcing the rule. Are the tickets boating in a closed area? Or fishing in a closed area? Or both? Im guessing the boating fine is lower??

Better to get that ticket in person. Most years they sit on shore, take down your boat numbers and mail you the ticket. I suspect that happens in years where the water is up in the trees. Boating in that area is just plain dangerous. Motor stalls and you can get sucked into the dam in a hurry. Water patrol won’t even get in there and I don’t blame them!

Anyone run the rollers yet?

-J.

---

Rollers aren’t open yet Jon.

We’re/I’m talking about the NO FISHING zone that’s 150 yards before the 150 yard no boat zone.

Again, I’m not asking for more or less enforcement. But having the patrol boat in that area helps remind folks that it’s closed off this time of year.

As opposed to drifting back down stream and waiting for the next group to move up and write more tickets. No more/no less.

Off to the show!

Ya the new guys or first timers that fish an area like that have to see signs readily visible. It wouldn’t hurt to put up a sign on the center support and above the high water line in red so people can see it. I agree that some people should open their eyes and look around but for the ones who aren’t river savy yet, its a hard way to learn by getting a ticket. I’m one that leans twards a little more information if its that important is the best for everybody to keep them from getting a ticket or not knowing what back washes do, get unlucky and drag an anchor right into the gates.

Quote:

---

I just think it’s a cheap pinch to wait for people to go up there “with good intentions”

---

What the heck is this statement supposed to mean? Sorry officer, really did plan to slow down from 50 to 30 eventually…

Fellow anglers could also send a “friendly” shout out. Sometimes overeagerness gets in the way of patience.