Boat Newb

I don't know who wrote the article. It is well written, but doesn't make sense that the sheriffs dept did it. The law specifically states that it's a public waterway and that from high water mark to high water mark, there's nothing they can do to you. It's a navigable waterway.

You are correct. Here's what I copied off of topix.com: We just wanted to make everyone aware of a situation that is occurring on the Finley River at Linden in Christian County. Recently Christian County redid the bridge at Linden and temporarily blocked people from traveling from the upper section of the Finley River to the lower section on the other side of the bridge. This was not technically legal for them to do, but it's at least somewhat understandable considering the liabilities of people crossing a construction zone. However, the bridge is completed, and Christian County has now installed "No Trespassing" signs on the banks north of the bridge below the high water mark AND placed large boulders in the waterway itself and sprayed them with the purple spray paint mark that denotes "no trespassing" in Missouri. Both of these things are permanently impeding the navigability of the Finley River and both of these actions are in direct violation of federal law and rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court. Who owns the Finley River north of Linden Bridge? The Christian County Sheriff's Department appears to be under the mistaken impression that the property owners north of the bridge that are adjacent to the river OWN that stretch of the river and the dry banks around them. This is a common misconception and, unfortunately, because this information is not readily available, many property owners and small governments are not aware that this is incorrect. The Finley River is actualy owned, in its entirety, by the stae of Missouri. The U.S. Supreme Court and other high courts have established over the decades that ALL navigable rivers, including the banks under the river and the dry banks up to the high water mark, are owned by the state, to be held in trust permanently for use by the public. NO ONE can own the river itself or the dry banks below the high water mark, as long as the river is navigable, even if the legal description of their property extends across the river itself on a map. A river is considered navigable if it can be travelled by boat, kayak, or even a simple raft. The Finley River more than meets this simple criteria, and is therefore public property owned by the state of Missouri. Why does the law designate navigable rivers as state public property? It's simple, really. In the time before interstate highways and even railroads, rivers were the most efficient means of transporting goods and people and they had to be publicly accessible to make this possible. And the law remains that way to this day. So why did the Christian County Sheriff's department block access to the river north of the Linden bridge? Well, as anyone in the area knows, there is an extremely popular swimming hole north of the bridge, probably the busiest in the entire Springfield area in the summer. And like any swimming hole, rowdy people sometimes go there, creating a headache for the nearby property owners and local law enforcement. While we're not unsympathetic to all of this, the law is the law and the Christian County Sheriff's department cannot simply create laws out of thin air. Closing Linden is beyond the scope of their authority and is simply not legal. To make this long story short, you are NOT trespassing if you venture north of the Linden Bridge on the Finley River, as long as you stick to the waterway itself or the banks below the high water line. Does this guarantee that the Christian County Sheriff's office won't try to make you leave or even arrest you for trespassing? No, and that's a risk you'll have to weigh while we work to educate the Sheriff's department and local property owners. But you have the law on your side, and you are NOT breaking it by venturing north of the Linden bridge.

I didn't get to go fishing. I did notice this morning on my way to work that the big rocks to the east of the bridge towards the lake have purple painted on them now. I wonder how thats going to work.

Lol. Good call. I'm going to try to do some fishing tomorrow. I'm just not sure where yet. It'll be late afternoon though.

He may have been talking about around the equipment until they get done. I don't think they can legally close off the lake to the public.

Nice grouping!!!!! I've got probably 2,000 rounds through mine. Yes, I would trust my life with it. Yes, it goes bang every time. Yes, it's an old, but functional design. Yes, it's too bulky to conceal. No, I've never had an owner of an expensive handgun let me put theirs through the same durability tests as I have this highpoint. Yes, I have let those same people run my hi-point over with my 1999 F-250 and then shoot it. lol. They're great guns. They're not pretty and if you run out of ammo you can easily knock someone out with it, but mine is as reliable as my sks. I haven't been out shooting in a while. I need to try to go this week.

I'll just hold off til Monday and ask the Water Patrol. It's an awful good deal, but the guy hasn't replied back to me about selling it anyways.

How hard is it to get a title if the boat you buy doesn't have one? Will a bill of sale help?

This morning, eh? I had frost on the roof of the car.

I know this thread is a few weeks old, but there's nothing wrong with a Hi-Point. Thats all I will say about that.

Yep. Drove across it last night and this morning. I haven't been under the bridge yet. I hope it goes well. Keep me posted on the fishing. I bought my license yesterday and I'm gonna try to finish out the year with some fishing.

The bridge is open and everything is back to normal now.

Sorry if this has already been posted, but get a look at this!!!!! http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/30401/monster+blue+marlin+caught+after+28-hour+battle+off+cabo+san+lucas/

I think I'm going to go a different route with seats. My wife nor I like the lounge seats like that so I was thinking about building a little box frame similar to whats already there and then getting a pair of these in white/navy: http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=81239&pdesc=Deluxe_High_Back_Fishing_Seat&aID=601C5A&merchID=4006 on a a locking swivel such as this: http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=37134&pdesc=Locking_Swivel&aID=601C7&merchID=4006 and then putting a forward facing bench in the same colors a few inches in front of the motor cover, eventually re-doing the whole interior in a white/navy color scheme.

It's a 1975 Glassmaster 600XE. 3.0 4cyl Mercruiser I/O. Runs like a champ. Needs seats though. I traded about $400 worth of Mustang and parts for it. Does anyone know where to get covers and tops for these??? I can't seem to find any info on it online. It looks to be a Glassmaster Playmate 600xesd.

Be careful on the southside of the bridge. I wanna say county was out there busting people for parking over there. I can probably tell you a for sure answer by this evening. MoDOT came in the fire station (Sparta) the other day and said they were expecting it to be open the first week of October. I hope they open it soon. Any odds of getting a few guys together and going up there maybe this coming week to do some fishing?

Guys, thanks for the replies. The guy that was supposed to buy my Mustang Tuesday couldn't make it until Wednesday, then never called or showed and I haven't heard from him today either. Just so happens today, A guy I somewhat know texted me wanting to know if I would trade my rolling chassis and parts for his boat so I went to look at it. He said it was a 1975 Glastron, but it's a Glassmaster. The drivetrain is in pretty good shape. It's a I/O Mercruiser 120hp. I think it's a 3.0. It's a 4 cylinder. He says it'll run close to 50 and pulls a tube just fine. He did start it and it fired right up and sounded good. We're supposed to trade Saturday. The wife wasn't happy until she saw it and we talked and she has given me permission to trade as long as I wait until spring to get it out on the water. The interior is a little rough as far as the seats go. He said his dad put a new floor in it 3 years ago and it was solid with my 260 pound butt in it. I forgot to get the model number off of it, but it seems like it's going to be a good little starter for us and I won't have any money in it with the exception of taxes and tags. Anyone ever owned an old Glastron/Glassmaster/whoever else made this style? Here's a pic:

Me either in Sparta. When I was watching the cam yesterday, it was a bunch of reddish maroon leaves.

Dad and I would troll out in the middle at a slow speed using spoons or other shiny lures. I was never successful, but he would catch quite a few. Thats the only way we ever caught any or tried to.

How'd you catch it and which lake? I've never tried to fish for Musky. Looks like a fun fish. I've caught a few walleye on accident before, but no Musky.

That makes sense.

DUDE!!! Thats some serious business right there!!! Nice fish!!!!

It's official. I just had a guy agree to buy my Mustang tonight, so I now have $600ish to put towards a boat as far as play money. I may start looking more towards an aluminum v bottom or flat bottom. Craigslist seems to have a decent selection of smaller, but bigger than a canoe, boats for under $600.

I'd love to know why, when they decide these laws, that they don't start with the year the law is passed instead of randomly picking a year from the past? Do they all pick a year and then play paper, rock, scissors to see which year wins???