Boat on Springfield lake

[J.M.]

There is no reason they could not open the ramp by the boat house again, just take the chains down and pull a couple of post.

[gurzik]

This has me pretty bummed out. I only get to come home for short periods of time, and when I do I like to fish Lake Springfield about 3 times a week. Like JRay I bought a boat with a 5hp motor just for this lake.

[JRay]

The South side of the old ramp by the boathouse worked perfectly fine back in the day, and I'm sure it would work perfectly fine today if they would move the cable. Parking was 100X better at that ramp too! I'm really glad we have a $2 million boat house for events and weddings but can't build a $15 ramp.

[J.M.]

We need to get together and go to a CC meeting or PB meeting and see why it can't be opened.

[Sam]

The current lack of a trailer ramp puts an idea of mine on hold, but eventually I'm going to find out whether that ordinance limiting outboard motors to 6 h.p. on Lake Springfield outlaws OPERATING or POSSESSING a larger motor on the lake.  If the ordinance was written with the intention of not having wakes, motor noise, and speeding boats on that lake (which I certainly agree with), then any violation should be in OPERATING a big motor there, not just having one - and certainly not in having a motor that can't be run.

Yes, I understand that some people would cheat and if they're allowed to float a boat with a bigger motor in operating condition there they'd run the motor.  There are always some jerks who'd do something like that, and those are the jerks who'd deserve a ticket.  Fine with me - I'd disable my motor to show I'm not running it.

My boat (pictured) would work real well on Lake Springfield once we have a trailer ramp again.  I could fish all day using only the electric trolling motor and still enjoy having all my fishing gear in compartments and a rod locker, swivel seats, live well, icebox, depth finder, and safety lights.  My batteries can run all day, easy, without charging - and my top speed would be a silent 5 mph, not bothering anybody.

So when there's a ramp again, I'm thinking about leaving my 50 h.p. motor kicked up out of the water, removing the prop and leaving the prop and keys at home, and covering both the top and bottom ends of the big motor with black trash bags secured with duct tape.  In that condition, surely a cop with any sense at all would agree that I couldn't use that motor even if I wanted to, and not write me a ticket for a violation.  If I'm wrong about that, then surely a judge would see it my way - a motor that can't be run isn't a problem.  What do you think?

[JRay]

The sign states no boat with motor over 6 hp allowed on lake.  It seems pretty clear to me so I always kept a boat with a 6hp or less motor and never had an issue.  Without a ramp, neither one of us will have any issues!

[Sam]

About those ramps - as you can see from the picture, my boat is an aluminum 17' Tracker and it doesn't weigh much.  With my 4WD pickup, I sometimes launch it on other lakes without a ramp - all I need is a gently-sloping bank or beach that lets me back into the water.  The City of Springfield is all about regulation and control though, and they'd never stand for someone just putting their boat in the dang water in a non-designated spot without benefit of a government ramp, parking lot, rest room, etc.

As a teenager I used to fish the James / upper Lake Springfield from the bank - there was so little traffic we'd just park on the shoulder of eastbound Hwy. 60 by the bridge and walk down to the river.  As well as fishing I'd always have a pistol on my hip for bullfrogs and snakes - bullfrogs for eating and snakes just to get rid of.  Boy, wouldn't they have a fit about that today?

Things change, and there are more people, more rules, and less freedom and common sense now.  I probably better not launch my boat on Lake Springfield after all, even after putting the motor in a non-operating condition.  If I did, some knucklehead would probably write me a ticket anyway.  

[Flysmallie]

We used to put bass boats on it all the time. This was early 90's. We would just remove the prop and leave it in the truck and nobody ever said a thing. But that was then and this was now. They could open the ramp over by the boat house, but they won't. It's going to be 3 or 4 years before they reopen the one under 65 if they ever do. This city isn't very fond of fishing. There are some good places to fish in some of the parks but they closed all those to fishing years ago. I don't think they are against fishing, I just think they are too ignorant to understand it.

Back when they were just starting to consider an urban archery deer hunting program one of the ladies on City Council opposed it because she didn't understand how archery worked and there would need to be studies done on it to determine it's safety in an urban environment. Funny thing is that the Park Board owns a very nice archery range and employs several archery coaches. If the city council had questions about archery then why didn't they just ask the people that they have on payroll? Or go to the range and shoot some bows? Intelligence is lacking in this city's government.

[BATCAB27]

Put your boat in there Sam!  What's the worst that can happen? Get a ticket....big deal.  There will be people on here that will people on here that will throw a fit about it.  They will say they bought a boat just to use on this lake so why shouldn't everyone else have to as well. They just didn't have the huevos to "break the rules"!  For you to get caught someone would have to call you in to the authorities.   Then the authorities (sherriffs dept?) would have to come and sit at the ramp and wait for you to return.  Surely they have better things to do.    

[Flysmallie]

They do have security that patrols the parks at the lake that can write you a citation. I'd rather deal with a Sheriffs Deputy or City cop then one of the security guys. Some of them aren't real bright.