This is part of the privatizing scheme the enviro's have in mind coupled with the MLPA situation. I promise you, someone stands to make some coin from these actions they are implementing on the fishermen. My take is, fishermen make too much money to not give it to the state. We want more of your spending money so you can't go so much.
This extra charge
has to be about paying the employees overtime to stay and tag all the boats at the end of the day. MWD could care less, this is the operators of the lake, [private firm, not MWD], trying to cover costs, which go up every year. If this is the case, I would just rather pay at the Kiosk in the morning. It is expensive to run a business in California with workers comp, insurance, employee taxes ect..... Here is the really crummy part about this fee is that its still not going to get us into the lake at a normal early entry time. Went to Skinner last week, lake open at 6, [pretty dark still]. I would pay an extra $5.00 if they had Lake Perris hours. Has too be plenty of unemployed or retired folks in that area to have a couple of work shifts a day where they can have normal operating hours. Rick G.
They should just make an honor system-type deal, get three inspections to prove you're responsible, then you get a sticker to put on your boat to show them you've had a good history of keeping your vessel hitchhiker-free.
I understand that it costs money to maintain a lake, but why not just make a donation box, instead? I'm sure pleased anglers wouldn't mind pitching in here and there... Sure it's not a sure-fire money making idea, but it's honest!
Just charging someone for an easy "get out of inspection" card is irresponsible, and will cause many boaters to become negligent, and import more invasive species, IMO.
Somebody had a meeting and said "How much do you think we can get away with charging for these tags?", probably 5 bucks came up, too much, 1 buck came up, too little, 3 bucks they'll complain but pay it, just right!
Covering overtime costs? I'm not as regular of a visitor to DVL as a lot of you guys but I'm assuming that maybe 10 daily at the low end with more like 30 tags per day on the weekends (somebody correct me if I'm way off on numbers) with those numbers it is a money making proposition, if it's just to cover costs then a token dollar would suffice.
Pandora’s box
If a fee for re-entry tags is a fact, we have to put some blame on ourselves. When we demonstrated the willingness to pay more when the Ramp Issue was approved, we fought with our wallets when we should have been fighting for injustice. Who didn’t see something like this coming then? They raised the launch fee along with the season pass fee’s and by my wallet count a whopping (100%) and do you think the fees will ever be reduced as once mentioned during the ramp discussions. So how is the new ramp working out for us now? Did someone wake up one morning and say “Today I’ll turn the water back on” or are things like a major reservoir capacity planned years in advance. Yes, I’m still venting!
Now there is blood in the water boys and the sharks are out in a feeding frenzy. They know we’ll scream all the way to the inspection booth, but in the end they know we’ll pay. I’m hearing people justify or accept the additional cost in this blog. We reached for our wallets before, why would it be any difference now. Squeeze a little bit at a time and slowly they’ll milk us for more profits. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO, BM&C and ante up, right!
I didn’t know that a private company controls our fees, if that is the case that explains a lot. That also explains about a lot of high priced events at DVL. Then who’s in charge, the Oil Companies? If the cost of overtime for tagging a boat is the case, I don’t get the big picture. Do all the employees leave prior to the lake closure? Are hours staggered to avoid paying OT? Is this their sole responsibility during their watch? I am not venting at the staff, Stan and staff are standup people, and I would rather tip them rather than paying into this BS excuse of an additional fee. Here is a common sense question. Doesn’t it take more resources to hold an inspection? Wouldn’t common sense prevail to put the additional fee pointed on this problem? If their excuse is paying rising op costs they could have been more discrete than to charge those who are trying to prevent the spread of these mussels. They knew it would be complaints, but the Cuban cigar smoke covered their smirks.
If lakes in San Diego County are charging $10 for a wash, imagine how much we’ll pay when the mussels finally make their way into DVL. What’s next, pay meters on the toilets, season passes or launch fees based on your engines HP or boat length.
For a lake who charges $450 for a season pass, maintains a shoebox as a main restroom, and lack a simple convenience such as a cleaning station (I C&R LMB, don’t want to go down that road). I cry BS, and we need to stop this madness in its tracks now! OR THE SHARKS WILL CONTINUE TO CIRCLE THE BOAT.
I fish for fun after a long week at work, now I get to sleep in, miss the morning rush and not have to worry about paying into this blatant injustice.
Last edited by ShellBack USNRET; 09-24-2011 at 07:50 PM.
Just a point of clarification. The wash fee for the two lakes that I know of in San Diego County that charge it is pre-launch. Those lakes do not have the mussels yet are using the mandatory wash of all private boats as a tool for keeping them out. But you are right in your thinking that a mandatory wash after being in an infested lake would certainly not be out of the realm of possibility.
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Old fishermen never die. They just smell that way.
The Best of Fishbreath
I agree 100%. I think the $3 for overtime is BS! learn how to manage a business and schedule hours accordingly. The fees are out of control.Originally Posted by ShellBack USNRET
Has anybody confirmed that they are serious about this?
I will not pay the 3 dollars.... not because I can't afford it, because these SOB's are trying to stick it to us. My boat is always clean and dry when I go to DVL so they can inspect all they want, I'll wait patiently.
If california would get off their ***, and install CF checklist on their computers, this would all be moot. they have it for camping, for our driver licenses, boats, trailers, seems to me they probably could implement a "where did he fish last" CF button on the main frame. But that would be using your brain, something seriously lacking in beaucracy here. Still say privatization is gonna find a way to stick it to us
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