Conference wahoo::fishing

    
    
    How about the great rule I found at Massabesic Lake (unsure on the
    spelling) outside Manchester N.H....
    
    NO SWIMMING AT ALL...
    
    NO WADING.....Even when your bringing your boat in....you caan't
    just kick off your shoes and get the boat in...
    they also have some nut around there to dish out $50.00 fines if
    you get caught.....
    
    just thought I'd let you know
    
    A.W.

    RE: Massabesic Lake (a resevoir)
    
    You can launch a high powered motor boat and spew oil and gas all
    over the place.  Conceivably, you could capsize and dump gallons
    of gas and oil and battery acid into the drinking water...but dare
    to wet your big toe and you're in deep trouble!  This makes sense??
    
    Are they afraid that if you put your feet in the water that everyone
    might get ATHLETE'S MOUTH??
    
    -Hj-  

    Our bass club looked into this and we were told that the Water
    Department has filters for non-organic stuff such as gas and oil 
    and didn't want any organic type stuff which could get pass them.
    
    I launch my boat up there and have no problem with putting a pair
    of hip boots on, sometimes you really need them because the water
    is so low. I feel that we're lucky to be able just use the lake
    because most resevoirs (especially in Mass.) are inaccessable.

                                                      
    			Just_happy_to_be_able_to_use_it!!!
    
    					Jim
    

    I have a question about Mass regulations. They were out of books
    when I bought my license so here goes.
    
    Most of the people I see fishing around lake Quinsigamond have
    there license displayed in a holder. Is this a requirement in Mass???
    I know it's not in NH and Vermont...Just wondering if I need to
    go buy a holder...
    
    Marty
    

<                 -< do you have to display licenses in Mass? >-

Marty,

   It is my understanding that your fishing license MUST BE VISIBLE while
you're fishing.  I do not believe there is any restriction on what if anything
the license is held in.  It used to be that you'd get the holder for free with
the license, but that stopped a few years ago (about the time Dutaxis was
re-elected) and they are now available for a nominal fee (ususally $.50).

Al
    

    Thanks Al. Guess I'll have to stop tonight and pick up a holder.
    
    Marty
    

     OK I need to know what the "LAW" is for anchoring in public waters!
    The last two times that I have been up to Lake Winnipesaukee fishing
    for small mouth I have encountered people who think they own the
    entire lake. This is what happen, I fish this cove thats probably
    1/4 mile wide and shallow on each end of the cove there are some
    cottages. Last week we anchored in about three feet of water and
    about 100 feet away from the shore. This guy comes out and starts
    telling me that this was private property and that I was too close
    to his place. Well I was claiming that I was in public waters plus
    I wasn't bothering anyone I was just there having lunch and taking
    a swim.
    
    Now I want to know what the law is because this has happen to me
    several times and I thought that as long as I was in the water
    I was all set. What gets me is people who are lucky enough to own
    waterfront think they own the water. Both times I was polite because
    I wasn't sure of the law and these guys had a real attitude problem.
    
    Can someone let me know because I still plan on fishing that cove
    and the next time I would love to tell these guys to take a hike
    and call the coast gaurd if they have a problem.
    
    Bass-O-Matic
    

I believe a landowner owns property only to the water's edge (or maybe a few 
feet beyond), but definitely NOT OUT 100"!!!

I'd tell the guy to go SUCK POND WATER!!  Let him try to make an issue out 
of it.  The police or Coast Guard would laugh in his face and tell him to do 
the same.

Could you imagine how many of our smaller lakes and ponds would become 
totally private if waterfront owners were allowed to claim that their 
property went out 100' into the lake???  HOGWASH!

     If the toad was correct, anybody with waterfront property could
    build extended decks, ugly docks, etc., but you don't see them,
    do you? Not because their neighbors would object (because if they
    owned the water, what difference would that make anyway?
     This same issue comes up in stream fishing, and the legal precedents
    are found under "riparian rights", and translate to you may own
    the banks of a stream, and hence control access, but you don't own
    the water. thus if someone wades into your stretch and doesn't set
    foot on it but stays in the stream - tough! Don't risk getting shot
    at, but I'll bet NH Fish $ Wildlife will bear this out...
    
    --The-Soon-To-Be-Monotonous-Skoal Bandit 

    We had a situation on Winni 2 weedends ago similar to this.  We were
    anchored in Blueberry Cove (A shallow sandy bottom area), off of an
    area of land that belongs to a defunct condo development.  All of a
    sudden this guy..(the owner of the condo) comes screaming out of the
    docks in his ski boat, making big wake, coming close to anchored boats,
    screaming and yelling about us tresspassing on private property,
    not being allowed to "park" etc.  This guy was a real obnoxious jerk.
    
    He called the Marine Patrol, they came, and what it boiled down to was 
    that boats could not anchor within 150 feet of docks or shoreline
    without owners permission.  If the owner complains you have to retreat
    to the 150' distance.
    
    The key word here is ANCHOR.  You can pass, observing the rules of safe
    passage, at closer distances with impunity.
    
    I heard this from the Marine patrol guy and did not double check it,
    but his words did seem like I've heard them before.
    
                                                  Tom Urban          

    re -.1
    
    Well, next time you're out there and the guy comes out screaming,
    remind him of the aforementioned rule - of course he will agree
    with you (with eyeballs bulging) - then you calmly pull up the
    anchor and continue fishing right where you are..! 
    
    Ed
    

    I think the key word here is 'anchor' - as stated a few back. In
    Winni I know they have areas were its OK to anchor a bunch of boats.
    (The one I saw was North of the broads in a cove. Had about 12 boats
    during the Derby.) I think people on Winni are sensitive to this
    anchor thing -- must have had boats, like droves anchored up all
    over the place before they created these 'areas'!!!
    If I owned property near the 'anchor area' I'd be upset too with all 
    the bozo's and noise that they were making. They even had one
    boat/barge cooking and selling food.  These areas are clearly marked
    on the Lake maps -- the nice ones for navigating -- you buy up at
    Winni.
    It dont excuse the guy for acting like a jerk. Can you imagine getting
    caught out if say a wind came up and you HAD to anchor in this guys
    100 foot space till it passed. 

    
    	You might be able to get a definite answer from the Fish
    and Game Law enforcement dept. at 603-271-3127 or 3128. If they
    don't know they should at least be able to tell you who to call.
    It may be worth while to get the name of the person you talk to
    as well. You could (if need be) refer this person that feels they
    own the lake to the Fish and Game person you talked to. I'd guess 
    that this person is just trying to get away with something if they
    can and most likely won't make that call. 
    
    	If you plan to fish that area alot and this is bothering you, 
    you may want to also call the local police and notify them of the 
    incident/harrassment. This at least documents the problem. If the 
    guy turns out to be a wacko (i.e. as in one that may shoot at you)
    it will make him think twice about doing something stupid if he knows 
    the police have the situation on record.

    	RAYJ