DEC Announces New Proposed Freshwater Sportfishing Regulations

[Reel_Force]

Regulations Schedule to be Effective April 2015

Proposed changes related to gear and use of gear include:

    Streamline what devices may be used for ice fishing by modifying the statewide regulation to allow for a total of seven ice fishing devices/lines; modify the language pertaining to devices for ice fishing to allow for a total of 15 ice fishing devices/lines for Lake Champlain;

for more:

http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/99147.html

[Zern]

Currently it's 3 hand lines and 5 tip-ups. How would they "modify" it to 7 devices/lines and why?

[rgfixit]

What's hard to understand about this? The past few years equipment has changed dramatically from when the last regs were written. The DEC is trying its best to update. 7 devices will give latitude to use tip ups, tip downs, hook setting gizmos and all the other crap the manufacturers are shoving out there to satisfy the insatiable appetites of the ice fishing consumer.

Rg

[hardwater diehard]

Would cut out a lot of the confusion if it is rewritten ..in good Kings English.

[rgfixit]

Lawyers don't speak English. Anyway, these days it would have to be multilingual.
Spanglish and texteese

Rg

[bigal409]

Currently it's 3 hand lines and 5 tip-ups. How would they "modify" it to 7 devices/lines and why?

I like the new idea . Even though we would lose one device with the current way it is now, at least we would be able to use up to 7 of our choosing. I rarely used the 3 hand lines. With the new regs, I could use one or two hand lines and use more tip downs to get to the 7. 

[meatman]

make it 7 lines. any combination. regardless of signaling device, tip up, tip down etc.

[masoneddie]

They made a change allowing 5 tip ups and 3 hand lines. Why didn't they just make the new change allowing 8 devices of your choice?  Very simple, no confusion. Why 7 now?

[Fish-N-Adventures]

Personally I LIKE the new proposed law for 7 total devices and 15 total for Lake Champlain.

That will let me put out my 6 tipups or even 7 tipups as a solo fisherman.   

[masoneddie]

I don't fish Champlain, but I believe you are/were allowed 15 tip ups and at least 2 hand lines for a long time now as a solo fisherman.

[Redneck Fishfinder]

That makes perfect sense, now with automatic jiggers, jawjacker, tip downs, and all these other new devices it really blurs the line between what's a tip up or a handline. Making it just 7 devices clears up a lot of ambiguity.

[mr.clean]

I agree with Redneck Fishfinder the current wording of what is or is not a tip up leaves a lot to interpretation . Saying you can have a total of 7 devices/lines is clearer. There have been many threads and stories posted over the years about what is a tip up and what is a hand line.
Steve

[IceBalls]

No matter how you say it, they are taking away one device (line)....what's up with that

[hardwater diehard]

The NYS DEC did not do such a great job on the roll out of the 3 hand line rule ...their website alone was inconsistent if memory serves me correctly...not sur if it even made it to a printed version ...it wouldn't surprise me that "they" aren't even aware of it concerning their current revisions process. I never did take advantage of the 3 rod rule that much ..but to have 7 devices total ..would really make it less confusing ..give some tip up and tip down anglers two more options ..not sure I would be jigging 7 rods ...but adding  some dead sticks would defiantly be an advantage at times . There is sure to be public comment ..so please comment.

[masoneddie]

I agree 100% on allowing any device. My only question concerning it was the reduction of one lines to 7.
I'm not certain how many States on our site have it, Wyoming does for sure, but perhaps we could approach DEC to join in our forums so questions like this, and many others, could get straight answers and clear up some of the confusion. Just a thought.

[hardwater diehard]

I agree 100% on allowing any device. My only question concerning it was the reduction of one lines to 7.
I'm not certain how many States on our site have it, Wyoming does for sure, but perhaps we could approach DEC to join in our forums so questions like this, and many others, could get straight answers and clear up some of the confusion. Just a thought.

On the hyper link to the DEC posted from OP ..the DEC has an Email link in the proposal to comment .

[h2oworld]

Discussed at length the 7 device rule with DEC fisheries. The 3 rod rule was intended for soft water fishing and became a perk with the  current ice fishing rules. Therefore the loss of the one rod in the new proposal is an unintended concequence of this new proposal,  but is in line with long term rules/goals DEC is proposing. I am just thankful they are creating the device rule which makes things easier for everyone. With my son and I fishing the 7 device rules gives us more latituted and honestly we still probably would not use 14 devices. This does not stop anyone from commenting or advocating for 8 during the comment period.

[hot tuna]

I'm in favor of the 7 device rule. I think we are actually getting something back (7 tip ups ).
I'm sure ole timers alike remember all waters were 15 tip ups ( maybe it was 10, i cant remember ) not just Champlain .
They took away . Honestly 15 is crazy anyway..
As for the 3 hand lines + 5 tip ups. What was it previous , 5 and 1 then 5 and 2 and finally 5 and 3 if I recall ?
Who can really work 3 hand lines at the same time ? That would be pretty neat to watch.
Mostly the extra hand lines were used as dead sticks anyway right ?

Again for me it allows me to set up 6 tip ups and then jig a rod or just a straight 7 tip ups so I feel it is a gain

[Fish-N-Adventures]

I'm in favor of the 7 device rule. I think we are actually getting something back (7 tip ups ).

Again for me it allows me to set up 6 tip ups and then jig a rod or just a straight 7 tip ups so I feel it is a gain

TOTALLY AGREE !!!
I can't wait till next ice season !!!
  will be no more guilty feeling with the extra tipup in the shanty...