February 14, 201412 yr They got so bad at Cave Run Lake, we quit going there. Once they boarded our boat because they saw beer. They had two Game Wardens and two Constables. The two Constables had their hands on their guns. We were not saying anything. I thought they were being over aggressive. When it was all said and done a couple of us got a ticket for open container. I know we were wrong but they I think they were overzealous.
February 14, 201412 yr I've never enjoyed activity while drinking. Can't be properly enjoyed that way. I've always been a fairly sedentary drinker. Ha, know what you mean. Hey, have you ever notice, and forgive me for thread jacking, you can sit on a bar stool all afternoon and drink but just get down off that stool one time to visit the latrine and you're ruined the rest of the night. I HATE that!
February 14, 201412 yr Ha, know what you mean. Hey, have you ever notice, and forgive me for thread jacking, you can sit on a bar stool all afternoon and drink but just get down off that stool one time to visit the latrine and you're ruined the rest of the night. I HATE that! Did that also happen when you were YoungDog75?
February 14, 201412 yr Did that also happen when you were YoungDog75? Yeah, I could sit and drink all day, but once I popped that cork, it was like after every 4 beers! But I kept drinking anyway. :lol2:
February 14, 201412 yr Author Last spring, we were out fishing one evening and we were up in a cove when it got dark enough that we needed to turn our navigation lights on. We heard a boat of party goers go up and down the main lake several times, obviously pulling tubes or skiers. They were loud and boisterous, sounded like a mix of men and women. Keep in mind, Dewey lake is a very small lake and not more than 200 yards wide at the widest point. Even though they were no more than 150 yards away from us, we couldn't see them because it was too dark and they didn't have a light on that boat. We didn't budge until we were sure they were well out of the area. I don't know how some people survive. I understand the rights/abuse issue and there needs to be some accountability for the enforcement of the laws. I just don't want to see any action that would make it easier for people to get away with being intoxicated on the water. Even though it may be an aggravation, I would gladly submit to a search of my boat every time I put it on the water if it keeps idiots like that from killing themselves or somebody else. I realize that may not be the best stance, legally, but it is my personal feeling. Imagine Law Enforcement in any town getting upset with a bar owner (happens a lot) and then the cops just sit outside the bar and stop everyone for no reason at all and take all kinds of enforcement action. Essentially this is what is happening with water enforcement. It has to stop 2C. Or worst, imagine if the cops could stop anyone for no reason at all. It would be a Police State. Your complaint is law enforcement is understaffed, lazy, and/or incompetent.
February 14, 201412 yr FWIW Lake Cumberland covers over 100 Square miles (or 64,000 acres), is over 100 miles long and has over 1100 miles of shoreline...rarely more than 1 or 2 water patrol guys on the lake on the weekend, Holidays being the exception. I'd think if anyone wanted to stay and not get hassled it wouldn't be too hard. Not that I'm OK with anyone getting hassled just for hassling sake.
February 16, 201412 yr FWIW Lake Cumberland covers over 100 Square miles (or 64,000 acres), is over 100 miles long and has over 1100 miles of shoreline...rarely more than 1 or 2 water patrol guys on the lake on the weekend, Holidays being the exception. I'd think if anyone wanted to stay and not get hassled it wouldn't be too hard. Not that I'm OK with anyone getting hassled just for hassling sake. Not sure about the 1 to 2 WP on the weekend seems more like 1 to 2 per Marina. I am all for cutting down on the drunken idiots but I witnessed searches on 3 different lakes last year of people who were just in a cove relaxing. None of which were what you would call party coves. Any erratic or crazy behavior out on the lake needs to be checked but these random searches can sometimes be ridiculous.
February 19, 201412 yr Imagine Law Enforcement in any town getting upset with a bar owner (happens a lot) and then the cops just sit outside the bar and stop everyone for no reason at all and take all kinds of enforcement action. Essentially this is what is happening with water enforcement. It has to stop 2C. Or worst, imagine if the cops could stop anyone for no reason at all. It would be a Police State. Maybe I need to clarify. As I said, for me personally, I would submit to a search every time if it curbed the problem. That would be an acceptable trade off for me because I know I will be in compliance and I don't mind giving up a little privacy in the interest of a safer day on the water. BUT I understand that is not the best stance legally and the law shouldn't be written that way because it opens the door to all kinds of abuse. I get it. Your complaint is law enforcement is understaffed, lazy, and/or incompetent. I don't have a complaint about law enforcement, I'm not sure how you got that from my post. I have a complaint about idiots being drunk or just careless on the water and not taking their responsibility as a boat operator seriously. It enfuriates me because it is completely avoidable.
February 19, 201412 yr I don't know about elsewhere in the state but I know at Lake Cumberland law enforcement has abused this stop and search bull for at least the last 20 years. It is about time they are reigned in. Anyone have any experiences to share? Pro? Con? ME!!!! Nothing worse than a Ky Game & Wildlife or an Ohio Water Patrol Officer boarding a family Cruiser and going underneath the cabin only to find my 6 year old watching Sponge Bob. Its hard enough to get our kids out on the water much less having them worry about the "Police" coming on the boat and basically scaring the crap out of them. I mean seriously guys, use some better judgement. There are plenty of other crazy High Dollar boat parties that are organized and publicized throughout the Social Network on the Ohio River that you could be chasing. When we are anchored out of the channel and minding our own business and just having a peaceful afternoon, please don't even bother. Like it was said above, you are teetering with Civil Rights Law.....Leave us little guys alone! For the record, the 2 times we were boarded since we have owned our boat, there was no Alcohol present. Edited February 19, 201412 yr by THUNDERBIRDS
February 19, 201412 yr Imagine Law Enforcement in any town getting upset with a bar owner (happens a lot) and then the cops just sit outside the bar and stop everyone for no reason at all and take all kinds of enforcement action. Essentially this is what is happening with water enforcement. It has to stop 2C. Or worst, imagine if the cops could stop anyone for no reason at all. It would be a Police State. Your complaint is law enforcement is understaffed, lazy, and/or incompetent. This has been a problem for a bar that just sits on the boarder of FT Thomas/Highland Heights. I have heard that possible owners/buyers won't touch the place because of this Assumption. Very bad for business!!! It's been through several ownerships the past decade alone.....I think the current establishment is called Bambooz!! or something like that.
February 19, 201412 yr With this new law can I now go back fishing to my favorite spot without the wardens pulling up with a huge wake and almost capsizing me and emptying all of my compartments, live well and cooler and ruining my day? I once had the same Water Patrol do the same search two days in a row.
February 19, 201412 yr If it is as bad as some of you guys are describing, that would get old pretty quickly. Seems like they would need some suspicion, or evidence of reckless behavior, before they boarded your boat and made a search like that.
February 19, 201412 yr I guess I'm just lucky. Never been stopped, searched, harassed. So, I'm sure I just jinxed myself. And for someone who doesn't reside next to the lake, I'd argue that I'm there as much or more than anyone who doesn't reside there.
February 19, 201412 yr Not sure about the 1 to 2 WP on the weekend seems more like 1 to 2 per Marina. I am all for cutting down on the drunken idiots but I witnessed searches on 3 different lakes last year of people who were just in a cove relaxing. None of which were what you would call party coves. Any erratic or crazy behavior out on the lake needs to be checked but these random searches can sometimes be ridiculous. :lol2: it may seem that way! There are only 2 or 3 that serve the counties around the east of the lake. That said they could bring in guys from other parts of the lake for enhanced enforcement weekends but for the most part I'd say from one end to the other on a normal day there's no more than 3 or 4 on the entire lake. I do know on holidays there are extra officers on the lake. I may be too low but even if there were 10 on the lake at a time that's still 6400 acres a piece to patrol, so it's wouldn't be like they were on top of everyone out there. I've been stopped one time on the water and it was over 30 years ago.
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