When is our money and concerns gonna be taken seriously??

[ruby slipper]

your wrong, this rule says they are

http://nrb.state.vt.us/wrp/publications/upw2012.pdf

first, it's ''you're'' not ''your''. Second, I was joking about berlin pond and salem ice conditions per the pasts week of forum activity but I'm curious where is this 85 page document it says power augers are allowed on Berlin Pond? Please advise.

[dave bartlett]

        fishinmachine,
   I do believe pollution does play a part but when your taking thousands of walleyes out of the lake of all sizes and for years on end it is devastating.I also remember in my early teen years the water used to be 25+ feet at the Ticondaroga Paper Mill.Now it is 15 or 16 ft.If you remember 25 years ago they were dumping into the lake and were fine a measly 10,000 dollars.That pocket change with no effect to a company of that size.
   Over the last 25 years when ever we caught white perch we caught walleyes.No i never seen a white perch in my younger years.Like i said it takes allot of years for a walleye to get 8 lbs.If you do the math the last 15 years they are coming back.So take into consideration the thousands that were caught back in the late sixty's and how long it takes them to grow,brings to about 15 years ago.
    Also that kill off you said.I don't remember that at all but i spoke with a land owner at Singin Cedars and he told me 10 years ago he had several hundreds of walleyes dead on shore by Stevens Orchard.I just believe in the southern half of the lake from the paper mill down was almost wiped out.
    What they are doing to Chittenden Dam with the walleyes is great.There not producing but the stocked ones are growing like hell. 

[fishnmachine]

Well then, Dave, it's obvious from those results that our money and concerns are being taken seriously, so this thread is moot. 

[ruby slipper]

OK. I'm going to type this into Microsoft Word very carefully, then run spell check, and then cut and paste it here, so I don't offend you with my punctuation and spelling.  I may not be able to spell perfectly, and I'm probably not the sharpest axe in the toolshed, but even I can read and follow the logic here.  So, here's how the 85 page document says that power augers are LEGAL on Berlin Pond.

Go to Berlin Pond, Page A-6 (the 19th page of the 85-page document), part (d).  It reads "Use of internal combustion motors is prohibited (VUPW rule 3.5)"

OK, sounds like a power auger with a gas motor (not a battery operated one) might be prohibited, right?  Well, let's look up this VUPW Rule 3.5 it references.

So, go backwards in the document to the numbered Page 7 (the 8th page of the 85 page document).  Rule 3.5, labelled Use of Internal Combustion Motors.  This reads "Use of internal combustion motors to power vessels on lakes, ponds and reservoirs is prohibited where the use of such motors was not a normal use prior to January 1, 1993".

Hmmm.  So the terms "internal combustion motor" in this rule seems only to refer to those motors used to power a vessel.  Last I checked, not a normal use of a gas auger, though it would be handy if I went through the ice.   

OK.  One last final triple-check.  What is a vessel, you might ask yourself?  Let's look up the definition of "vessel" as defined in this rule on numbered Page 12 (the 13th page of the 85 page document).

Part 5.13 on Page 12 defines "Vessel" as "Every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water".

So, the way I read it, the prohibition on "internal combustion motors" on Berlin Pond ONLY applies to those attached to and capable of powering a vessel on the water.  A power auger does not fit.

Now, snowmachines or 4-wheelers are another can of worms, since you have to figure out whether a sled or quad on the ice, is the same as "a means of transportation on water" as described in 5.13.

And since it took me a friggin' hour to type and proofread this bloody thing so I don't risk offending anyone with my awesome spelling, I'm not going to figure that one out for you.

now THAT was a good humored reply! very nicely done - I myself ain't the coldest beer in the fridge so I wasn't meaning to call the kettle black!

I understand that the whole internal combustion/vessel thing does not apply to the application of a power auger...like i said before my initial post was a joke but in that document and/or anywhere (online/regs book) for that matter it doesn't say that power augers are or aren't prohibited on a specific body of water. I feel like they are in fact prohibited some places but it's not very clear, ya know? The closet thing to this topic is what you pointed out above referencing the internal combustion motor and use of it to propel a vessel. 

with that, IS there any body of water that prohibits the use of a power auger??

[iceman55]

If you ask me they ought to fine the poachers they catch triple then what they do now, that would help keep the licence fees down.

[vtpike]

If you ask me they ought to fine the poachers they catch triple then what they do now, that would help keep the licence fees down.

Nope $1,000 fine or more..or no more hunting or fishing ever again in VT...laws are just that!

[pokholes]

Nope $1,000 fine or more..or no more hunting or fishing ever again in VT...laws are just that!

Agree X 2

[troutslayer 23]

all im saying is that some of these wardens"""" are some hypocritical officers .... and i kno plenty of them .....

[mempfree]

I've been to some of the Vermont Fish and Game Dept Meetings on Fishing and Hunting in Vermont.  So far in my opinion, we don't have enough Wardens, who are willing to work with the local Public, to investigate, Fish and Game Violations.  We don't have enough, Vermont Fish and Game Wardens, for the area's, that have to be covered.  I also find, that they have all these laws, on Fish and Game Violations, but hardly see anyone prosecuted, for them?  That being said, the State should make it a law, that anyone violating, Vermont Fish and Game Laws, should have there Name, placed in the Vermont Newspapers and the Court News, just like all the other individuals, who are in the News, on a daily basis .  Just my opinion.

[vtbuckrulrss]

Nope $1,000 fine or more..or no more hunting or fishing ever again in VT...laws are just that!

What good would that do?  If they lose those, they don't have anything else to lose.  They will still hunt and fish, trust me, I used to work with guys like that allllllllll that time.  Never with me.  I was the youngest and smallest guy there, didn't dare to report anyone.

[vtpike]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I think for some fish and wildlife crimes, repeat offenders and the such...while not very common jail time is a possibility as well as loosing not only their guns and fishing equipment...but also boats, trailers, sleds, atvs, even their cars and trucks could be confiscated....

Spend a week in the clink and loose your truck and I'm guessing jacking a doe won't be as much fun as it used to be...

[Little Brown Dog]

So, just to get back on the original topic, seems like Vermont Fish & Wildlife is leading the COUNTRY in it's walleye efforts.

http://www.wptz.com/Champlain-Connection-Stocking-Walleye-Part-1/-/8870596/15260922/-/9w9wegz/-/index.html

http://www.wptz.com/news/vermont-new-york/burlington/Champlain-Connection-Raising-Walleye-is-a-delicate-task/-/8869880/15386302/-/4df3tv/-/index.html

And, how many of you are LCWA members?  I am.  I'll also be buying some raffle tickets for a new auger and portable shanty at the sportsman's show this weekend.

[Vtgooseman]

I'am