O.P.P.

[porkpie]

Sorry but I have to respectively disagree.

 

 

I'm not 25 my friend.

I never said you had to be happy with nanny state items. However there are a few people on here, as there are on every forum that hate law enforcement. It's one thing to be annoyed by over regulation. That's one thing everyone understands. My commentary was directed at the fact that this thread will eventually turn into another hate the cops thread becaus of a couple of individuals. On another note, I sure wish some of these kawartha tinners would hold up that cheap light from the safety kit while out jigging for pickerel in the main navigation channels without running lights. It sure would help with the pucker factor when I'm trying to navigate in the dark. I use a spotlight for their safety, you'd think they'd at least shine a pen light for mine. Hell even my duck boat has running lights!

[manitoubass2]

Pretty unfair IMO to assume people here "hate" cops.

 

Over regulation for sure, thats a given.

 

I dont like our government but I most certainly dont hate police.

[manitoubass2]

And that sticker idea, I never heard of that. I like that idea if it was practical.

[Gnote]

I got no problem with police ( ask me ten years ago I would have given you a different answer). I've had some bad run ins like the ticket in a canoe for no buoyant throw rope. We both had life jackets on at the time. But getting stopped every damn day on the snowmobile sometimes 3 times a day really pissed me off. I can only imagine while fishing on lake o and having to pull lines every time.

I have rarely ever seen the cops on lake o but when i do the experiance is pretty straight forward. One time they had mnr on the boat and they pulled beside while we trolled and she read our licenses with binoculars, the only other time they did the same thing and had us show them safety gear and boaters card as well.

Frankly i wish it was like tgat on simcoe as opposed to the gong show it usually turns into.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Gallie

[Mister G]

Pretty unfair IMO to assume people here "hate" cops.

 

Over regulation for sure, thats a given.

 

I dont like our government but I most certainly dont hate police.

DITTO ! ! !

[Beavertail]

I don't see the big deal...you buy a couple items, throw'em in the boat to keep the authorities happy, let them check. They've got a job to do, people gotta follow a couple simple rules, am I missing something? I can think of worse things to moan about.

[grimsbylander]

I've had no issues with the marine units. In fact, it's kind of funny...I've been on the Upper Niagara in more than one occasion when there has been a group of boats fishing in say a one kilometer area and watched the police zig-zag through the crowd checking ONLY pleasure craft style boats. Last time it happened I was with my son and I said they won't stop us...sure enough, we got the wave as they passed. There were 6 boats, three were bassboats and 3 got checked.

The couple times I have been stopped was on the US side of the river. They are very polite and the last time checked they offered up fishing spots.

[Headhunter]

Most of the time when I have met up with them, the exchange has been quick and courteous. What I do have an issue with, is the fines applied to slight indiscretions. Are they really out there to provide a service or are they out there generating revenue?

HH

[lew]

I've been stopped many times by the OPP and have never had a single unpleasant experience with them personally.

 

Last year though I witnessed what in my opinion was nothing but a power trip for an OPP officer and I even posted about it here.

 

We were in a cabin on Nippissing and a couple guys from the next cabin were out in a boat when they were stopped. They were each wearing life jackets and had 2 more laying on the seats beside them. The one being worn by the boat driver had a tear in the back and he was given a fine for that, even though the 2 spare jackets were in good shape. He told the cop he didn't even have to lawfully wear a jacket but preferred to be safe. Rather than just suggesting he put on a better jacket the cop pulled the power trip card and hit him heavy in his wallet.

 

Absolutely NO need for that kind of harrassment.

[Sinker]

I've never had a bad experience either, but that silly little orange piss bucket isn't going to help anyone in an emergency. If the law actually required you to have USEFUL equipment, I wouldn't have a problem. I have enough safety gear for 3 boats in mine, and enough lights to light up half an acre. The orange piss can is the last thing I would reach for in an emergency!

 

S.

[AKRISONER]

lmao this exact thing happened to me on sunday....Their faces lit up when they told me to turn the flashlight on...holy crap my heart stopped ahhaha

[G.mech]

I fish on the Detroit River fairly often and there are at least 8 different branches of Law Enforcement who like to stop and check you out from time to time. I kind of went out overboard (pardon the pun) but I made a checklist/chart thingy showing all the the 'Required' gear for my boat along with all the 'Optional' gear I have on board. It has the location where each device is stowed and the date it was last inspected. Rather than go through the whole routine every time I just hand them the list and they can find the stuff themselves if they feel so inclined. Not once has any of them ever gone beyond looking at the list.....

Edited May 26, 2015 by G.mech

[manitoubass2]

Thats a good idea g mech!

[KLINKER]

Join your local power squadron, you have to take a real boaters coarse but when you fly the squadron flag the cops usually leave you alone.

 

When your floating around the lake in the middle of the night clutching a million candle power light that's good for like 5 minutes, when do you use it? It would be like holding on to the last flare. Those lights are great for getting me where I'm going but I always come back in the dark. You can get a small light that you can tie on a life jacket along with a whistle .

[grimsbylander]

If only we could get the police and CO's to check where we want, when we want, and only check the bad guys and leave us alone. Silly police...Don't they know any minute we could catch the next world record??

[Mister G]

Join your local power squadron, you have to take a real boaters coarse but when you fly the squadron flag the cops usually leave you alone.

 

When your floating around the lake in the middle of the night clutching a million candle power light that's good for like 5 minutes, when do you use it? It would be like holding on to the last flare. Those lights are great for getting me where I'm going but I always come back in the dark. You can get a small light that you can tie on a life jacket along with a whistle .

Mine plugs into my 12v axuilary plug on my dash so it never runs out of power............

[Sinker]

Mine plugs into my 12v axuilary plug on my dash so it never runs out of power............

Ditto. I also have a head lamp, a flashlight, and the silly little light in the orange can....on top of running lights.

 

S.

[fishnsled]

no...i asked three years ago for a sticker....apparently that was a voluntary thing that is no longer being done.

 

I have no idea (other than cost) why this sticker idea has never been implemented. Nothing worst than the same boat stopping you 2 or 3 times in the same day. :wallbash:

 

I've got a couple of flash lights, a floating one and replaced the crappy one that came with the kit with a waterproof one. Another idea that was shared with me a while back was to have some glow sticks on board. No batteries required and last for hours as an auxiliary light source. If you're floating in the water at night, it would certainly provide some light for signaling. The other thing I have on my life jackets, are automatic strobe lights. Water hits them and they start to flash. Also have flares, have more stuff than you need to have and that can't be a bad thing.

[DRIFTER_016]

The last time the CO's rolled up on me up here I was in the middle of fighting a 20#+ pike.

They told me to take my time and backed off and watched the fight.

Then they came over and checked my license and made sure my hooks were de-barbed and went on their way.

We don't have to have a boaters card and it seems boat registration is optional too as most boats have no numbers on them.

[KLINKER]

Your local power squadron can do a check on your boat and give you a sticker for it but its up to the cop to pass you over or not. Nice thing is if your not compliant on a squadron check it doesn't cost anything.

 

If your light plugs into the boat make sure the cord can reach the bottom. LOL

 

Don't carry any damaged safety equipment like a torn jacket as a spare or cushion they can fine you for it. On our next meeting I want to ask the guys if I can be fined for out of date flares on board, I think I can, even with the good ones.

 

If you use the old javax jug for a baler glue the lid on, some cops will take the lid off and fine you.

[Mister G]

Too damn bad we can't inspect their vessel to see if it completely complies with all the rules and regulations. Cops are notorious for feeling they are above such laws we must all comply with.

[manitoubass2]

Too damn bad we can't inspect their vessel to see if it completely complies with all the rules and regulations. Cops are notorious for feeling they are above such laws we must all comply with.

Why cant you?

 

Lol you go first

[Big Cliff]

It always bothers me when I see posts turn negitive, I'm not a huge fan of all this government control and it's always in the name of "safety" or what's good for us! At 69, I think I have a pretty good idea of what is good for me and what isn't.

 

We do have laws and we do have the police who's job it is to enforce those laws. They didn't make them, it isn't their job to interprate them, they just have to enforce them. I know there are some bad apples out there just as there is in any profession but 99% of them are good honest people just trying to do their job. They look at you or I and we don't come with a big sign that reads "good guys" or "bad guys", the only way they have of determining that is if they talk to us.

 

So, cut our cops some slack, be polite and respectful to them and you will almost always find that you will get treated the same in return, at least that has been my experience.

[fish_fishburn]

They don't give a rats azz about you. There out there to generate revenue. It is what it is.

[Tom McCutcheon]

That is just about the most asinine comment I have seen on this post.