[Paul S]

I read on a website today from a bunch of Wisconsin tournament fishermen that:

1) " it seems that the DNR is giving out tickets for not having your throwable life jackey out and visable.

They are interpreting the law that says it must be accessable to mean that it has to be visable. So even if you know where it is.....if you can not see it......it doesn't count." and

2) "The DNR addressed our tournament meeting last week and informed us that if you were using an inflatable life jacket and took it off that it no longer counted as a life jacket.

SO........You must always wear the inflatable or you must have a second, non-inflatable life jacket in the boat.

The logic is that you have to have the life jacket in the boat but do not have to be wearing it......but if you are not wearing an inflatable it will not float because there is no weigth to trigger it."

Interesting. You know that they like giving tickets to IL guys.

 

[Culprit]

I thought u only needed it on when the gas motor is running :?

 

[jaypee the hhf]

i have heard all of this also.

better safe than pay bunch of tickets :shock:

 

[Paul S]

I thought u only needed it on when the gas motor is running :?

This is a common rule for bass tournaments but it is not law. You don't have to be wearing the life jacket.

 

[WrenchingnFishing]

Thanks for the update Paul. I remember going to court for a speeding ticket while I was living up in WI. Half of the court room in the towns court-house in Oconomowoc was for people operating boats and wave-runners. That might be a reason they are cracking down as well, They may be sick of the BS from pleasure boaters and such. Plus where I was staying in WI was right by Fowler, Lac-Labelle, Okauchee, Pewaukee, Golden and Silver lake. All within a 10 min drive from each other "if even that". They were cracking down on all sorts of boating laws. WI DNR does do a hell of a good job. I got to give them that at least. :wink:

 

[FishinMatt]

I never knew the law about having a throwable until Officer Reed hopped on my boat at Delavan one day 2 years ago. Yes, he actually pulled up to my boat, tied up and hopped on to check EVERYTHING. Luckily he only gave me a warning because I was fishing by myself and what good would a throwable do me if I fell out. The only jag I have ever met on the water was a Delavan police boat who pulled me over and tried to tell me my registration was expired. He must of needed an eye exam because they were current. I think he was just looking to get me on something else. Anyways, thanks the info Paul. It always better to be prepared and give them nothing to pull you over for. The big thing I have noticed is the number of DUI's on the water is increasing. They have even cracked down with the open container laws. I have been told by locals to pour our drinks in plastic cups to avoid that. I very rarely drink when I fish, but I do like the occassional evening beer in the boat when we are up on vacation.

 

[twoglasseyes]

Thanks for the update Paul. I dont have any inflatables now so I guess Im ok as far as that gos. I did not however know having a throwable was a rule. I assumed they were considered obsolete. Both rules totaly make sense. I have tried throwing a lifejacket to someone and its hard, an actual throwable is easy. Thankfuly I have tons of those old square ones that make great seat cushions. :wink:

 

[FishinMatt]

Thanks for the update Paul. I dont have any inflatables now so I guess Im ok as far as that gos. I did not however know having a throwable was a rule. I assumed they were considered obsolete. Both rules totaly make sense. I have tried throwing a lifejacket to someone and its hard, an actual throwable is easy. Thankfuly I have tons of those old square ones that make great seat cushions. :wink:

Yep, thats the way to go. I keep an old seat cushion under the console with a rope coiled on top of it.

 

[Paul S]

Matt,
That's the way to go. Think I'll do the throwable under the console too. There was some discussion that the throwable needed to have a rope tied to it but it seemed like it was just one DNR officer being difficult. That's also interesting to hear about your experiences at Delavan. I saw the police often the half dozen or so times I was there last year and I was surprised I was never checked for anything.

Twoglasseyes,
Make sure you have a throwable. I was checked for that, among other things, on Deep last year. Also, I was at the Kank a couple weeks back and the DNR officer checked some canoers. They had two cushions (throwables) but no wearables. I think the classification for throwables are type IV and the wearables are type I but I might be wrong.