Castaic Lake Patrol

[Root]

Is it just me? Am I the only one that feels Bass fisherman are being singled out, pulled over and searched for no apparent reason. I have gone to Castaic Lake for many years but I have seen it get less and less friendly. In my opinion of all the skiers, jet skiers, cigar boats and floating boom boxes, Bass fisherman are least likely to cause trouble. I have seen many of my friends pulled over and harassed by the Lake Patrol, and it hit home last week. I "apparently" came within 20 feet of another boat when comming out of a cove (it was a Bass boat), when leaving and getting on plain I hit a top speed of 41 mph. therefore breaking the law. Ok, first of all I have the utmost respect for ALL of my fellow Bass fisherman and I would have NEVER come within 50 yards of another boat let alone 20 feet and no, I don't have a problem with depth perception. Secondly, I have a GPS system on my boat, my max speed for the DAY was 36 mph. So I ask you, is it just me?

[rmcollins3]

Nope, it ain't just you. My fishing partner and his dad got pulled over and harrassed because they said he was going too fast...in his Tracker 186.

That being said, we may just be the easiest targets, plus we probably provide the least amount of income for them in terms of fees paid, but that may be a stretch.

Hopefully they won't be out in full force on Saturday for the NBW tourney!

[propgun]

I think the point you are missing here is that you came with in 20 feet of another boat at a speed of what they are saying 41 mph. That to them is not a SAFE distantance and anything can happen in a split second. There for the lake patrol was doing thier job. Be sides if they let you do it then why not the next guy. Just like the guys who got themselves killed when thier boat fliped over the families went after the lake saying well they never stopped them before what were they doing wrong. It's the lakes fault for allowing it. Well know the lake won't allow it they play no favorites.

[Root]

Umm ok, Propgun please read above again. I was not within 20 feet of a Bass Boat going 41 mph. I was comming out of the cove where Trout point is. I WAS NO WHERE NEAR A BASS BOAT OR ANY BOAT !!!!! The guys that got themseves killed were going much faster than 5 mph (I believe it was 85) .........He pulled me over when I got on plain and was on plain for 2 or 3 minutes going a max speed of 36 mph (GPS SPEED) I'm sorry to say but I dont see how anything can happen in a "split second" at 5 mph when I "came to close to another boat" in the cove.

[Topwater Terry]

welcome to the board, haven't heard from you before. Now, were you 20 feet from a boat, 40 feet, or nowhere near another boat? If there was not another boat in the area, why couldn't you just point that out to the patrol boat? By the way, was this a lifeguard boat or a police boat? I've been out there hundreds of times since the big boating accident and have only been pulled over once, and we were going the wrong way to close to Sharon's Rest so we deserved it. And we did not get a ticket, just a warning. Pay attention to the lake rules and you won't have a problem. And you're welcome to come on this board anytime and talk about fishing as well.
Terry

[Root]

Terry,

I addressed that issue and invited him to ask the other boater if I was to close...he declined. He used this as a reason to pull me over. Upon asking him to ask the other boater and after declining he then mentioned I was going to fast. I told him that my GPS had me at ......at the time 35.2 (this is when I saw him comming at me because I looked at the readout.) You know ..... see cop, check speed.....35.2. By the way he didnt ticket me

[mark poulson]

Was it the black and white Police Boat, or the yellow and white Life Guard Boat?
I got pulled over three years ago by the Police for going the wrong way in front of Sharon's Rest, like Terry. I got a warning, too.
If it was the new Police Boat, maybe they are just trying to make their presence known so boaters will be more careful. Like when the CHP goes 65 in the fast lane on the freeway and everyone slow to the speed limit.
Am I the only one, or does that new Police Boat look like something from the Mekong Delta? I was checking it out for a deck battery. Man, talk about overkill for a 2500 acre lake! I guess it was in the budget, so the guys on it are stuck with what they get. But it is huge!

[MCSPIN]

Yea, the boat has twin 200.

[mark poulson]

It looks like it could haul a--. It also looks like it could throw a Tsunami-sized wake at full tilt. I just hope they never need to go all out on the water when I'm there. They'd probably swamp my Tracker 175.

[Ben M]

Root
The ticket fines don't go to the Lake. Sorry about your encounter. I do know personally, if you have a case you should fight the ticket. I did and won. I also know they won't ticket you unless your doing over 42mph, 7 miles over the speed limit. So I think there maybe other factors. If not, you should fight the ticket. The coves are a different story and on most tournament days I see guys always pushing the envelope, but most of the time, you'll just get a slow down no wake warning from them. So they will, at times give Anglers a break over other pleasure boaters.

I hate the fact that the Patrol boat is even there. The Lifeguards are the real pro's on the water and consider the lake conditions a little better and their performance is rated on a different scale. On most other LA county lakes, you never even see the police patrol. Guess it's just the sign of the times at Castaic. There just seems to be less tolerance at Castaic, guess may be because of the accident that happen, where people or there loved ones didn't take responisbility for their actions and big Law suite go to the stupid and reckless. Guess you might act the same way, if you got hit with a 3.0 mil law suite. And the patrol is thinking, "not on my watch". The danger on the lake is real. People drown every year at the lake. Sadly it's mostly kids.

Anyways, if your in the right, fight it. It's your right and your duty. And if it just a hassel or warning. Re-think, and re-adjust your actions on the lake. Maybe something about what your doing is concerning.

[E man]

I was stopped one time for going too fast in a 5mph area. My boat at the time had a speedometer that bottomed out at 10mph so I couldn't tell if I was going 5mph or 9mph. Anyhow, I explained to him and apoligized if I was going over the speed limit and he proceeded to say "that you fishermen are worse than the skiers are". I was taken aback by his comment but didn't bother to respond to him because I've seen some pretty bad stuff done by bass boaters. For instance, one time in dry creek I was motoring in towards the back where it curves right, I guess this a-hole didn't see anyone and decided to go WOT! He was about to go on plane and backed off last minute when he saw me pulling up. Needless to say he churned up the water pretty bad in that small area so I didn't bother to fish it until later in the day. That's just one of things i've seen done by fisherman.

[Root]

E man,

Yes I have seen Fisherman do some stupid things to.....BUT You don't see Bass Boats for the most part blasting crappy music for all the world to hear, you don't see Bass Boats pulling a skier in and out of coves off the main lake, or drinking lots of beer on the lake, or doing dounuts in the middle of the lake, or possessing a motor so loud you can hear it from across the lake...blah blah blah. I cant tell you how many times I've had a boat pulling a skier go around me, within casting distance while I was sitting on a point, I know all of you have had that happen. The one that pulled me over was the police, the boat with the twin 200's but he didn't give me a ticket. It seems like its just one of the cops that really enjoys someone crawling on his hands and knees to kiss his feet, its an ego thing I guess. Maybe he's just trying to justify his job.

[mark poulson]

I agree, we've all seen rude boaters. But I have never seen rude lifeguards, DFG agents, or police on the water. They do maintain a professional demeanor, but that's because it's their job.
How many remember when the "budget crisis" meant no lifeguard boats a few years back? I don't care how long you've been boating, it was not a good feeling to be out there without the added insurance of a lifeguard boat.
Root, it sounds like it was not a pleasent experience for you. Maybe the police had an attitude, but maybe you did, too. I haven' met a policeman or woman who didn't respond to respect with respect.

[Root]

Mark,

I'm assuming the reason I didn't get a ticket was because I was respectful when he knew that I knew he was full of poo. I was more upset based on principal. This incident doesn't fall under proper police conduct, because the act of making up something to pull someone over was not under the "good police conduct" category.

[mark poulson]

Root,
You're right. You must have handled it well, or you would have gotten a ticket. Maybe it was just someone's bad hair day.

[millsryno]

Do these guys have radar guns to see how fast you are going?

What is with the speedlimits on these lakes, anyways? Pardon me for being naive, but I'm from AZ and we didn't have lifeguard or speed limits or have to get off the lake at a certain time or any of these other rules. Maybe it's because the lakes are small?

The fishing is great, but man, the rules really seem to suck (from an AZ perspective).

Don't take that the wrong way, I'm seriously curious. Thanks.

[Root]

Millsryno,

I have to admit, all of these rules and laws seems weird from someone from Arizona. But in the traditional California fashion we lead the rest of the states when it comes to stupid people. The 35 mph law was enforced when someone decided to go way beyond the speed that these lakes will allow, 85 mph is what it took to kill 4 people. It should be said that we have always had a low speed limit but it only takes one corn hole to blow it for many. See in California we tend to pass laws that punish the majority when the stupid minority screws something up, but that's a whole different issue.

But Millsryno, I do want to say that I'm not and angry person, or have a split personality or play loud gangster rap music. I am a happy go lucky person but happy people can get frusterated every once in a while.