Re: Ramp fees!
Only ramp I pay for is one that is in a park on Lake Minnetonka - Costs $30 a year for the hangtag or $5? a day. Otherwise the ramps on all the other lakes and river we use are free.
The ramps may be free, but our 10,000 public lakes are under threat because rich local lakeshore property owners are succeeding in turning our Minnesota lakes and rivers into their private property.
The biggest threat is from lakeshore owners cajoling local politicians into marking off vast No Parking zones for miles in any direction of the boat ramp. The obvious reason is that the rich lakeshore owners want to limit the numbers of the great unwashed lower classes that can use their lakes. They can't stop us from launching, but they have succeeded in stopping us from parking which has the same effect.
The shores of many lakes are cluttered with huge marina-style docks housing multiple watercraft and on popular lakes like Minnetonka the property owners are actually running illegal and unlicensed private marinas by renting out dock space. All of this dock space is built on public property (the bottom of the lake), but the DNR seems unwilling to stop them, again probably because these wealthy lakeshore owners buy the ability to do whatever they want through local politicians who are only too willing to keep the "outsiders" out.
Minnesota desperately needs a law the halts all state highway and road funds and grants to any county, township, or city that posts no parking signs on a public road near a public water access in order to deny the public the right to use state property. The only exception is if that local agency can prove through an extended and independent study (conducted at thier expense, but overseen by the DNR) that proves there is an overwhelming issue of public safety.
We have a ton of free public ramps. I kinda wish they would convert some of them to pay sites, it might keep away the idiots. I would pay a little bit to not have to deal with the crowds and have enough parking for all the tow rigs. As it is now on weekends most of the public ramps do not have enough parking and you end up parking out on the street, and have to huff it a mile back to your boat.
Be VERY careful what you ask for. You might well get it and you're 100% wrong. It won't concentrate the idiots, you'll just pay more to lauch with them.
Grouse
Hence my pm to you Sub.