What's the law regarding placing man made structure?

JamesH · Post by **JamesH** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:47 pm

Do you have to get a permit to add structure, be it christmas trees or man made, to public lakes?

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:15 am

James,

I don't believe there are any state laws prohibiting this. Yet I might think it could be handled differently from one lake to the next, and it might be best to contact each individual lake management agency to assure what you might want to do is okay by them.

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:44 am

If the lake is part of a drinking water system, there are very strict laws about adding cover like trees, or anything else.
It is really important to contact the lake management agency first, like Cooch said.

Charles · Post by **Charles** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:33 pm

The catch all law that would get you in trouble is littering. Although some lakes need a little more structure, I wouldn't recommend it.

basshunter4u · Post by **basshunter4u** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:18 pm

Jon Walton and I started the latest program up in the bay area. It helped to have the higherups of the parks dept by the balls so to speak. We had to go to the board meeting and make the appropriate proposals as to our plans to get their basic permission to even think about getting it started. Then we had to work with the parks employees to get the ball rolling. Once it was rolling it was up to us to get the recources. This was just for one lake controled by ebmud. The San Francisco watershead was another task in itself. This we had to deal with another bureaucracy that had different officials to get the permission. All in all we have dumped approx 6000 trees in the areas lakes over the last 4 years and the project is starting to show signs of working. I am all for restructuring all the lakes even if we have to cut a half dead tree down on the shore. Ohh did I say that I didnt meen that. we get the parks employees to help up with the tree

Lugnut · Post by **Lugnut** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:24 pm

Here's a question for you folks. Since were talking about adding man made structure to a body of water. Is it legal for me to fish the structure I planted in a tournament even though some other folks don't know about it? I know it sounds like a stupid question, but I would like some other opionions.

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 7:08 pm

Guys do this all the time. There are no tournament rules that I have ever seen against it as long as the fish are willfully using that cover on their own free will. You catch em on that cover, more power to ya!

Nico · Post by **Nico** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:28 pm

I know on all the local (santa clara county) lakes, cover planting is not allowed. I'm not sure on the specifics, but I heard it is considered similar to introducing foreign fish species. Knocking down trees is also definitely out (there was a funny story there about a bass fisherman with a chainsaw and boat full of sawdust at Anderson). Definitely ask the local authorities before you try anything.

Then again, I admit I've taken the liberty to drag a dead tree down the shoreline from a boring looking bank to a super looking point. I have no idea if this counts, too.

Chato · Post by **Chato** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:33 pm

What about these Bil Dance fish attractors? What if you throse those things down instead of trees.

http://porcupinefishattractor.com/

troutnut · Post by **troutnut** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:48 pm

You should talk to Fairfield Bass Reapers

http://www.geocities.com/bassreapers/

They plant Christmas trees in Lake Berryessa.

The Home Depot in Fairfield had 50-75 unsold X-Mas trees in a pile on New Years Day, I bet a club could haul them away for free and plant them in a local body of water.