Conference wahoo::fishing

    At first glance I thought they had over complicated it, big time.
    
    But, you quickly understand the new format.  I think the advantage is
    that there is an individual entry for most bodies of water (except for 
    the real small ponds).  It may take a couple of minutes to look it up,
    but it takes the guess work out of knowing the exact rules and
    regulations for a particular body of water.
    
    donmac  

Not really associated with the F&G rules book, but of similar interest.

I just got my NH boat registration form last week.  Guess what!

New Hampshire will now be reciprocal and recognize out-of-state boat 
registrations.  It's about time!

Joe

    	I just noticed something as a result of trying to do a reply to
    note #7. Unless I missed it in the new rule book, the fee information for 
    resident and non-resident hunting and fishing licenses has been left out. 

    	Maybe it was removed to make room for all of the advertisements they've
    added to the new rule book :-(

    	I'm all for using local business ads to help defray the cost of
    fish and game expenses, but I wonder where you draw the line. It's hard
    enough to keep current on the new laws without having to wade through ads 
    to find the info you need.

    	I was considering calling the F+G and giving them my opinion, but
    based on the response here it would appear that I'm in the minority.

    	Some things I considered suggesting was adding a "What's new and
    different" section to highlight any new/changed laws (right at the
    front of the rule book). Another thing would be to place all the ads in 
    one section at the back of the book so that they don't clutter up the 
    more important rules/laws info.

    	Anyone else feel this would be worth while input to give the F+G 
    dept. ???

    	RAYJ

    Rayj, I hadn't noticed that they dropped the fees section, that was 
    not a good idea if you ask me.
    
    I also agree that the ads should appear in the back and I like the 
    idea of what's new and different as well?  
    
    -donmac

	Maybe they're giving us a subtle hint...

    Ray, I agree with your note totally.  I was checking out some rules
    and was wondering (If your fishing for smelt in the shack and you want
    to bring a friend along just to watch and get some fresh air, do they
    need a fishing license ??? Does anyone know ?) I didn't see any rules
    around this or I missed them.
    
    MIke_who_is_going_smelting_tonite_with_a_full_moon...
    

    	I wound up calling F+G Public Relations and asked if it was OK to
    give some constructive criticism. I talked to a Pat Locke and she was
    very helpful. She took my comments and said that it was input like this
    that they like to hear about. She also said that she thought I had some
    very good ideas/points and that she would pass them along to the director.
    
    	The things I mentioned were:
    
    		I'd like to to a "What's new and different about this years
     		rules" section right at the front of the book.
    
    		I'd like to see the license fee info added back in.
    
    		I'd like to see the advertisments confined to the back of
    		the book so as not to clutter up the rules with ads.
    
    		I prefer the pocket sized book. Even though you can fold
    		this one in half, once you do it becomes a pain to flip through.
    
    	RAYJ

If you were paying for advertising, would you want your add stuffed in the back
with a bunch of others?  Ever notice how the newspaper doesn't have all their
adds in one section?  Think about it.

Tim

    Yeah, but "you can't always get what you want..." Taxpayers, federal
    and state funds and license fees pay for these programs in the main. I
    would think that advertisers wouldn't treat this like ad space in "In
    Fisherman" and use it as a primary vehicle to sell their stuff. Sure,
    they want to make their bucks count, but - get real ! Maybe the state
    should say "separate ad section,take it or leave it." They might lose
    some revenue, but the serious guys would still be there.
    
    --The Skoal Bandit

    I agree with skoal, this isn't the sunday globe.  I think the
    advertisements could be kept out of the way.  After all, national
    geograohic gets away with it !8^)  donmac

 I'd prefer that we have no advertising, but if we have to have some, put it
in the place least likely to interfere with the raison d'�tre of the rule
book.

 The Doctah

    re: .2
    
    Yes, but the MA registration lasts for only 30 days. Best not be
    caught in the water with a Mass license in August if you were stopped
    and checked in June. NH law folk DO keep track of these things.
    
    Check your props & trailers! Don't bring aquatic foliage from MA into
    NH!
    
    John H-C
    

    re.12 - 30 days
    
    That would mean that if you were seen on the water June 1st as of July 
    you could not go to NH - I don't think that would be the case.
    
    I haven't read the actual new law - although a year or so ago when I was 
    lobbying heavily for this, I read the existing law and the some of
    the proposed legislation - but I'm pretty sure NH now enjoys full 
    reciprocity.  The idea of the day limit is that you are supposed to 
    regsiter your boat in the state of primary use.  
    
    They might give you a problem if it was obvious that you were spending
    the summer up at Winni and had a MA registration - but then they would
    have the right to.
    
    donmac

 I finally got a NH Rule book. It stinks. I hate it. 

 I agree that the new form factor is lousy! Bring back the pocket sized books.

 The lookup table works, but is a pain in the butt. There's a much easier
way to solve the problem- SIMPLIFY THE RULES. There's no reason why we need
a new set of rules for each lake. KISS! I sometimes wonder if they don't
needlessly complicate the rules to ensure that a certain percentage of
fishermen will always be in violation of one rule or another, as a way to ensure
a certain level of revenue.

 Bring back the license fee table!

 Highlight rule changes.

 The Doctah (eagerly awaiting the first fish of the year...)

    	I'd like to encourage anyone with complaints about this to call the
    F+G and tell them about it. There are numbers in the rule book to call.
    I called/complained and the woman I talked to was very nice about it. I 
    think I put this in a previous note ?
    
    	I can't say how much good it will do to call them but I can tell you 
    how much good it will do to just put a note in here about it ;-)
    
    	RAYJ

    I just got off the phone with N.H. Fish & Game. The reason I
    called was to find out why there are codes associated with 
    Big Island Pond in Derry pertaining to Landlock Salmon rules.
    
    It turns out that this is a mis-print. F&G will not stock this
    lake with Salmon. 
    
    All of the noters agree that there are just too many different
    rules and too much confusion created. My question now is: How 
    many other mis-prints are there? It's a scary thought! 
    
    Does anyone else know of any more, or did I find the only one...
    Yea, right!
    
    
                 Jeff (Captain) 
                 Team Starcraft
    
    
    P.S. Will this file be available during the day, soon?