Trailering law

[MarkB]

I help out the local Sportsmen's Club each spring with their invasive species boat check. I have just received my schedule, instructions, etc. and thought I would post a portion of the e-mail that I received here:

"Also note on the form whether the boat arrived with the drain plug in or out. It's illegal to trailer the boat on the road with the drain plug in. If they have to "pull the plug" to let the water out of the bilge and live well, make sure they are away from the lake. Since this is the "opener" most boats will be dry and actual inspections minimal I'm guessing. We will be mostly talking to people about AIS prevention and passing out our literature. This usually is a busy day."

If any of you were unaware of this trailering law, I am sure this will help.

Good Fishing,

MarkB

[Jim Almquist]

Mark that law was already in effect last year.

Thank for the reminder just in case anyone forgot!

[guideman]

It may have been in effect last year, but I doubt that complience was very high.

Just wanted to thank you guys that do this every year at the boat ramps on Lake Vermilion. Handing out the information is a very important part of educating boaters about the problem. We get a lot of boats from all over the country coming here to fish and the risk of transporting all kinds of undesirable plants and animals is very real.

Thanks Mark!

"Ace"

[Eyewitness]

Ok, here is a tough delema that some of us face and not sure how to handle this. My proV has a drain plug that is attached inside the hull via a braided wire cable. This is so there is no way to lose it while on the water. I can't leave the plug in while trailering, yet I am not about to leave it dangling off the wire in back so that at some point I show up to the lake and it is gone. A victom of wire fatigue..

Most other set ups for transom plugs all have screw in types from the outside or else they are inserted from the inside. Neither of which is an option for me. So what's a guy to do???

[NAGORSKI]

Get an extra plug. It's a good idea to have one anyway.

[SkunkedAgain]

I pull mine out and toss it in the splashwell after each time on the lake. It bounces around for 500 miles round trip before hitting Vermilion again and never gets lost. I keep two spares in my boat box but have never needed one.

[thatoneguy]

Ok, here is a tough delema that some of us face and not sure how to handle this. My proV has a drain plug that is attached inside the hull via a braided wire cable. This is so there is no way to lose it while on the water. I can't leave the plug in while trailering, yet I am not about to leave it dangling off the wire in back so that at some point I show up to the lake and it is gone. A victom of wire fatigue..

Most other set ups for transom plugs all have screw in types from the outside or else they are inserted from the inside. Neither of which is an option for me. So what's a guy to do???

duct tape.

[guideman]

I run a ProV and I use a plug from the outside. I have never had a problem with losing a plug in the water and they do sell replacement plugs for a couple of bucks. Not a very good excuse when your talking about zebra musels or spiny water flees. Pull that inside plug and use an outside plug, simple as that.

"Ace"

[Eyewitness]

Ok, not to detract from the importance of this subject, as it is very important, however after further review of the laws, both under boating and fishing regs, there is no law stating that you can't trailer your boat with the plug in. The law states implicitly that upon removing your boat from the lake you must drain your livewell and bilge by removing the plugs. Nowhere does it say it is against the law to trailer with the plug in. Again, not trying to get folks riled up, however if posts about the laws and regs are to be made on an open forum, they may as well be accurate. Is it recommended to leave your plug out? Yes. Is it the law? No it isn't. Believe me that I am just as passionate about protecting my livelyhood as the DNR is about making laws...Anyway, nuff said. Hope everybody has a great next few weeks on the water. If everyone does their part and educates those that aren't in the know, we can keep the lakes in check.....

[DaveSorensen]

You might want to take a look at this web page on the DNR's website. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/preventspread.html

The law saws it is unlawful to transport watercraft without removing the drain plug and opening water-draining devices

Just repeating what the rules say, I'm sure it is open to interpretation that if you removed the drain plug at some point in time does that count.

[Eyewitness]

Dave, if you scroll down a couple paragraphs under "required Actions" it says "Drain water from boat, livewell, bilge, and impellor before leaving any water access. Also, drain bait containers at infested waters. If you want to keep your live bait when leaving infested waters, you must replace water in bait containers with tap or spring water."

The way I read it, the intent in the first paragraph is put into context with the follow up paragraph. otherwise why even state that? All that would need to be said is that all plugs on all livewells and baitwells must be removed during transport of any watercraft and that would about cover it......Not trying to start a debate, but if they want clarity with the law then they need to write the regs that way.

[DTro]

MINNESOTA LAWS

It is unlawful to:

transport watercraft without removing the drain plug and opening water-draining devices

Seems pretty clear, but the question remains I guess, can you put it back in after you drained it?

After thinking about it for quite a while, I think yes and I would like to see a judge find you guily of trailering a bone dry boat with the plug still in, having been randomly pulled over without seeing you attempt to drain (or not drain) it at the launch.

I think you are asking to be pulled over if you have it in though.

[Finlander]

Drain the water and put your fish on ice!

[SkunkedAgain]

I love how some people will debate this like it's a first amendment right to trailer with your plug in. Who cares what the language says. The point is to make sure that your boat is absolutely dry when it touches the next body of water.

[Tominator692]

I love how some people will debate this like it's a first amendment right to trailer with your plug in. Who cares what the language says. The point is to make sure that your boat is absolutely dry when it touches the next body of water.

Well put Skunked Again, well put.

[DaveSorensen]

It is amazing that when they write the laws they can't be clear about what they want. I guess the big thing is if you got a ticket and you weren't a lawyer you would wind up finding out it is cheaper to pay the ticket rather than hiring a lawyer to have some judge clarify what the intent of the law is or was. I guess if it's my boat I'll leave the plug out since I don't have my law degree.

[Eyewitness]

My point exactly Skunked.....just make sure you do your part in draining your boat EVERY time you leave a body of water. That's the most important point that should be taken from these new laws. Somehow these conversations always end up with a "judgement" put on someone for a simple interpretation of the laws, right, wrong, or grey. IMO when people post things as fact based on their interpretation of the laws, and the laws are not clear, all it does it confuse the general public. I'm sure glad we aren't talking religion or politics or else it could get really ugly...Oh, by the way, did anyone mention that the world is ending tomorrow? Read it on the internet. Supposedly came straight from the bible... Must be the facts...lol

I guess I'll go back to lurking again instead of engaging in any kind of discussion here. It's a lot easier...

[DaveSorensen]

I actually think that the discussions are enlightening, however when I ran my calculations on when the bible says the world is ending tomorrow I had to use the Guttenberg bible rather than the king James version and I come up with an entirely different date again just my interpretation of the date, but if I'm wrong and today is my last posting it has been fun!!!!!!

[MarkB]

My point exactly Skunked.....just make sure you do your part in draining your boat EVERY time you leave a body of water. That's the most important point that should be taken from these new laws. Somehow these conversations always end up with a "judgement" put on someone for a simple interpretation of the laws, right, wrong, or grey. IMO when people post things as fact based on their interpretation of the laws, and the laws are not clear, all it does it confuse the general public. I'm sure glad we aren't talking religion or politics or else it could get really ugly...Oh, by the way, did anyone mention that the world is ending tomorrow? Read it on the internet. Supposedly came straight from the bible... Must be the facts...lol

I guess I'll go back to lurking again instead of engaging in any kind of discussion here. It's a lot easier...

Let's get this straight: my original post was a part of an e-mail I got from an officer of The Sportsman's Club outlining some of the duties of the volunteers at the Lake Vermilion boat ramps regarding boat inspections prior to the start of the season.

With that said you can debate till your blue in the face and interpret the meaning of the law beyond that, the point remains that the "form" that the volunteers fill in for EACH boat that they inspect contains a part that states: Was the plug in or out?

The form is furnished by the DNR and turned into the DNR after the inspections.

My guess is that if they are interested in whether boats have plugs in or out, they are interested in compliance with the law.

If you don't think the law requires that the plug be OUT while trailering, then leave it in.

MarkB

[muskie18]

Can anyone tell me why you want to keepthe plug in?

[ANYFISH2]

Because some people think it to hard to remember to put it back in at the lake.

[ANYFISH2]

This is link DNR release that I think will help clear up some questions we have had on FM about trailering and bait containers.

I case this link doesn't work or pass the powers that be, the just of it is plug must be out while trailering.

Bait buckets while fishing in infested water must be drain whether they have been placed in the body of water or not, and replaced with tap or spring water if wanting to keep the bait.

http://tulabylakeassociation.org/resources/resources_pdfs/Q&A%20Drain%20Plug%20Law%208-25-10.pdf

[ANYFISH2]

Alright, link is broken I guess. If it is an ok link for here could Cliff or Steve fix it, so it works. It does answer these questions pretty well.

[Steve Foss]

Link fixed.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Thanks Anyfish2!

That makes it pretty clear that the drain plug MUST be out anytime the watercraft is on any Minnesota roadway!

I also think that any remaining bait that has had infested water in the container should be destroyed at the landing in a way prescribed by law!

I do not think that just replacing the water with tap water or bottled water will remove all of the exotics from the bait and container!

Cliff

[ANYFISH2]

Thanks for fixing it for me Steve. I hope it helps clear things up for people, no need for tickets or spreading this junk around.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Anyfish2!

I also think that any remaining bait that has had infested water in the container should be destroyed at the landing in a way prescribed by law!

I do not think that just replacing the water with tap water or bottled water will remove all of the exotics from the bait and container!

Cliff

I couldn't agree more. What's another $3-5 to me if it keeps my conscience clear that I wasn't the one moving an invasive species to another lake. I'll support the bait industry a little more.

[Grum]

If you are worried about the plug hanging by the cable and it possibly breaking off and or dinging up your boat. Get yourself a roll of "The handy-mans secret weapon" and duct tape it to the boat. Also agree a spare plug is worth its weight in gold when you or some other boater is in desperate need of one.

[Sorgy]

I have pulled my plug for years and it goes right in the splash well. I put it back in when geting ready to launch - most times . The worst is when you drive across the lake and tie up to the dock and then remember that you did not put the plug in. Luckily I can reach down to the elbow and install the plug while tied to the dock. That is a problem when you lauch off your own property and are in a hurry

I keep a spare in the splash well to.

Good luck this comming weekend

Steve

[Walleye Guy]

The DNR is monitoring this too on Lake Vermilion. Our crew was greeted by a DNR person (not a CO) at the landing in Everett Bay yesterday as we pulled our boats out of the lake. They inpect, discuss and educate you on all the potential exotics effecting MN lakes. Nice fellow. He showed us vials that contained spiny water fleas and zebra mussels.