what ever happened to common courtesy

[BadBass]

Well I guess I have to give my two cents here. I have seen the lack of courtesey on all fronts, nonfishermen, tournament fishermen, anti-tournament fishermen, ski-doos and them all.
Nonfishermen generally show a lack of respect due to ignorance (not stupidity). They just don't take the time to learn rules of the water, and generally somebody that can afford a yacht has stepped on a few people in the pastemoBigsmile. Tournament fishermen sometime lose focus of the sport by getting in a hurry and cutting somebody off. I also think that the HORSEPOWER of a bass boat should not exceed the IQ. Anti-tournament fishermen usually have been in contact with a bad apple and tries to take it out on the rest of them by doing things for spite. Ski-doos, can't explain those peopleemoScratch

Here's is one thing that I truly beleive in though and should be brought in front of the proper officials. I never realized how much damage that the large yachts cause to the shorelines until i have begun to notice severe erosion on the shoreline after a new marina was constructed.
I feel that the large boats should have to pay additional taxes. Some of these yachts have no business being within inland waterways. The additional funds generated should go toward revegetation of the shorelines and stabilization.

 

[The Fluke]

Carl Guffey - 5/3/2007 11:57 AM

Two points, one, with all of the water ways in the state of Tennessee, there just aren't enough patrol officers to go around. Two, numbers of pleasure boaters are increasing expodentially.

There are over 900,000 fishing license holders in the state. A very large lobby group: if we could get all fishing license holders to agree to support a boat license at the current automotive rate, more officers could be hired with multiple license centers opened across the state. Would you be willing to pass a test to drive a boat, with size or boat lenght being the determining factor to type of license. All boats on state waters would have to be licensed.

Great point....Where do I sign up ....I also feel there needs to be something done...all the jet ski's on the water and kids driving crazy...not to mention the pleasure boaters..Just my opinion