Alabama River Fishing

Seminole Steve · Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 10:47 pm Post subject: A win for all river anglers

something sorely needed in this state as well...maybe now there is hope:

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/7587063/article-Perdue-signs-bill-to-outlaw-riding-off-road-vehicles-in-stream-beds-?instance=home_news_lead_story

RedHeron · Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 11:56 pm Post subject:

That's good, but it won't mean anything unless it's enforced thoroughly. MS has that law, but people ride up and down the creeks anyway. There's just not enough game wardens to enforce it. So many people have dumped thousands of dollars into an ATV specifically to "ride the creek", they're gonna do it whether this law exists or not.
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If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is.

AU Tiger 94 · Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 9:57 am Post subject:

I can verify first hand folks in Mississippi ignore that law. A group and I were almost run over on the Escatawpa River several years ago by a group of trucks and ATV's in the river.

HiCountry · Time For An Intervention Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 1467

I will go along with making that illegal. Sending my state senator a request!!!

RedHeron · Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 6:28 pm Post subject:

Stuff like this is kinda like what racism/civil rights was back in the 60's/70's. A whole bunch of otherwise good, caring people were racists simply because that's all they knew. All of my childhood friends where I grew up ride the creek. I used to when I lived there. Most of them are sportsmen and actually care to some extent about the environment. They just don't know any better. There's also some animosity b/c when the local law enforcment patrols the creek, guess what they're riding...an ATV. But the patrols tell the locals they're not after them anyway...just the out-of-towners (yes, it's that popular). On any given summer holiday weekend, the creek would look like I-459 at rush hour (probably still does...what's one game warden gonna do to a couple hundred people?). And alot of those are good people...they just don't see the harm they're contributing to...especially when there are cattle farms and agriculture fields that run their pastures and plots right up to the bank with no buffer...and the gravel mines actually IN the creek bed itself. The headcutting and siltation is horendous. In actuality, when stuff like that is going on, ATV's in the creek bed are the least of your worries IMHO. But I digress...the point I was trying to get at is that this will take equal parts enforcement AND education over a relatively long period of time for it to be remotely effective.
_________________
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is.