large motors on Pymatuning

 I'd call the PAF&BC & have 'em send u a summary ov rules book that they should give out in the 1st place with EVERY LICE. SOLD PERIOD.
 
crappy

I have a 90 on my boat beside my 20 and leave it down quite often. It helps slow my drift down.

Guys are correct no longer need to remove props changed that years ago!!

Eman89so
I've seen guys run their big motors when the lake turns bad fast.. I'd probably do the same honestly.. Wonder what the pfc would say and how lenient they would be

In my experience, not lenient at all. Let me tell a story -
 
It was 1999, I just  bought my first boat....old used Lowe with outdated trolling motor and a 1997 Johnson 20 HP tiller. It was early April and an uncle of mine came up to do some spring crappie fishing. We launched out of Jamestown and ran about 1 mile into the wind up the lake....hoping to save power on the way back by letting the wind push us back to port. We fished for a while and it started to snow real bad, and the wind shifted....pushing us further from port.
 
Mind you, back them Pymy was 9.9, not 20hp. With that, I am above honest and would never have replaced my 20HP stickers to read 9.9HP.
 
We figured it was a good time to begin heading back using the trolling motor being snow was stacking up 6" on the deck, and the wind was getting brutal. Trying to head into the wind with the trolling motor was about impossible, and we were starting to take waves in the nose pretty hard.
 
Just what we needed, the trolling motor burned up and quit working.
 
 I made the decision to fire up the outboard and get to port before it went from bad to worse. We didn't put the hammer down by any means, but we swiftly made out way to the launch. Just as I pulled up and tied off, guess who was heading my way......Mr. Warden.
 
 I explained that the trolling motor burned up (even showed him to prove it), and explained that the weather was getting too dangerous to try and paddle. HE DID NOT CARE. Said "LAWS WERE LAWS". Gave me a $100ish fine and chewed my a** out for at least an hour. 
 
Decided **** on it, lets contest it in court. Went to court, explained my side. I brought pictures my uncle took of the storm over us, short video of the lake conditions that day, detailed report off the weather channel showing the wind speed, direction.....and two other witness statements stating the lake was ugly that day......
 
I will never forget what the judge said : "Mr.D****, did you, or did you not run a motor over 10HP on the lake that day" ? I stated he was correct and that I did indeed run a motor over 10HP that day. He said : "Then why are you here wasting the courts time when you did indeed violate the law" ? I stated I was concerned about the storm that day and the conditions/safety of myself and my uncle, being we were taking nose shots over the bow, extreme winds and bitter cold/snow. His last words : "Then you should have thought about safety before you even left the house".
 
 On the way out of court I shook the wardens hand and apologized for what happened. As he walked away I made my final comment "sir, you know I was right, and if it were your safety you would have done the same"......he stated "I know".
 
 

I'd take the fine all day not worth a life. But I have a 135 15 and my ipilot so I hope iit doesn't come down ro that. Guess I'll see tomorrow when i fish lol hoping to find walleye

Porktown
I am not a WCO, but I think there is a big difference between someone that has a legal motor on their boat with a larger motor, and someone with nothing but an illegal motor (and a trolling motor or paddles).  In all honesty, on Pymy and other larger lakes, if you are running a trolling motor only, you shouldn't be more than 400 yards from the launch, 200 yards in sketchy weather.  I would think a warden would be much more lenient to someone that has a 9.9hp at the time (20 now) with horrible conditions, and sees them getting back to shore with a larger motor.  It shows that they are likely usually playing by the rules with their legal motor and just happened to use something bigger to get out of trouble.  To show up to a 9.9hp lake with only a 20hp motor (and an old beat up trolling motor), that WCO has full reason to assume the boater is using that 20hp all of the time and he just happened to catch them.  Whether that was your case or not, many others at the time were running illegal motors all of the time, and still do.  So much, that it was one of the primary duties of the WCOs at the time.  The conditions mentioned, a 9.9hp would have gotten the boat to safety.  If I were a WCO that day, I would have probably given you a ticket as well.  Not to be a jerk.  On the same note, if I saw a boat clearly struggling with a 9.9hp and I hear their 50hp or 80hp (or 20hp) fire up and get them into shore safely, I'd probably talk to them, but give them a warning.  As they were clearly trying to play by the rules, but mother nature changed the rules.  Again, I'm not a WCO or advocating using a larger motor, but I personally see it as apples and oranges to this story.
 
As a side note, if the weather came out of nowhere, and it really was dangerous conditions.  $100ish fine to save you and your uncle is well worth it.  I personally, would have never ventured onto a lake like Pymy without a 9.9hp, especially in early April, when we all know conditions you mentioned are likely.  The judge was right to note that you should have thought about safety before leaving the house.  The Weather Channel and many other services were alive and well in 1999.  I very highly doubt that the weather forecast didn't at least include a possibility for a heavy snow storm, a few hours before it happened.  

Blah...Blah....Blah................blah. Thanks for your opinion. I can understand in all your perfection of life you have never did something stupid. I applaud you good sir, you truly give us all an example to live by. I wish we could all live in your candy-coated liberal world.Never once did I defend my actions, nor did I place blame on the judge or the officer.
 
Please preach more to me so I can learn all your ways and become a controlled zombie that follows every rule and collects my free stuff. Or, maybe realize why you were given 2 ears and only 1 mouth.
 
Anyways, we were out that day to grab some fish for dinner. We did decent that day. I lost my job in 1999 when the economy began tanking and catching fish to eat was a big part on my life back then. I didn't have Mommy, Daddy or the big brother Gov't to support me. Being self-employed back then......it wasn't like unemployment was much of an option. If I was hungry I went and got food. I even shot squirrels out of season to keep food in my families belly's. Not saying I am proud of violating the law back then, but I did what was necessary.

Porktown
How was the Trump rally?

 
REALLY...............?  You question the Trump rally in the Burgh; on this thread even after, Donald stepped away from the podium and gave you the floor?

anybody know if Trump fishes? i mean for fish. hahaha. wire

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