Well Bingsbaits ......well said, covers everything that needs to be covered. Hell I'm running around with a little 9.9 hp on a 16'  enough for me might break down for a 20 hp someday ...lol ... As far as the tourny go, I try to stay away, also had a amish crew ( 2 boats ) dift right down through the middle of 4  boats last May at Pymy after they knew we had found some crappies...thought it was rather rude myself... yes they keep almost everything they catch.

I have been fishing Wilhelm since it opened in 1971 or 1972. We did enjoy many great fishing outings there. Crappy trips always yielded a boat load and some years saw 12 to 14 inchers as normal. I too am saddened by how it has turned out but it is, like all state park lakes, a fishing lake. Having high speed craft churning it up doesn't make any sense to me. To fix the lake it has to be redone. IE drain it and move as many game fish as possible to other lakes and then poison what is left and start all over again. I'll probably never see it come back to what it was but I wish my grandkids could. In the meantime try other areas for fish and take the wave runners and high speed craft to the areas that can comfortably accommodate them. Hope all have a great spring and summer.

I think every has forgotten my earlier post... no wake for engines larger than 20. let us bigger boats on there, just don't let us or jet ski's fly around. Bingbaits? A h.p. higher than his IQ? So only dumb people have large engines? I'm confused why you would even include that. As I see it, pro fisherman get paid to fish.... soundz liek dey R smarder dan uss.

To the big motor, boat owners, that feel left out because of HP restrictions. Do as some of us dedicated fishers did and buy a removable kicker motor for those lakes and stop complaining and go fishing. You dont need speed to fish these lakes as there's ramps on every area. Find something you can afford and use it when you want/ need too, then take it off til you need it again. I missed fishing Pymy for 2 seasons until i got my 20hp and put it next to my 90.

Shenango Lake is totally out of control with High Horsepower boats. I've seen that lake actually mud up brown from all the wakes crashing the shores. Even Shenango is a joke as far as size running wide open. It only takes minutes to run East and West before you hit a no wake zone at one of the R.R bridges. Most have no respect for fishing boats especially if your drifting or anchored. I personally watched a skier tangle in fishing lines from a boat trolling! Believe me their fishing lines were not way back either.

well said chauncy. capt, that is exactly my experience on ALL unlimited water. to believe wilhelm would end  differently is ludicris ( pun intended).

I do like boro's theory of a speed limit. But I feel enforcement would be non existent. Especially with my experience on other unlimited lakes, with skiers and jet skis, and yes, bass boats, regularly ignoring posted no wake zones and rules for distance to boats not under way.

Can we all agree though that the argument of "you would ruin your prop" is the most pointless of all arguments in this convo.  If I were to run aground, hit a stump, or go too shallow... it is my* fault. not the lake's fault, not my boat's fault, not the fish commissioner's fault.  Take responsibility to your own actions and don't try to blame someone or something else.  If it's too shallow, slow down... if you don't know how deep the lake is, find a map.

BoroMusky
Can we all agree though that the argument of "you would ruin your prop" is the most pointless of all arguments in this convo.  If I were to run aground, hit a stump, or go too shallow... it is my* fault. not the lake's fault, not my boat's fault, not the fish commissioner's fault.  Take responsibility to your own actions and don't try to blame someone or something else.  If it's too shallow, slow down... if you don't know how deep the lake is, find a map.

First off, that wasn't even a main argument, more rather a concern of adding UHP to a smaller lake. Jet Skiers and Pleasure boaters are often inconsiderate to the environment around them which would be a safety issue on a shallow lake.  But if you want to bring it up again sure it is personal responsibility regardless of what size motor you have on your boat. The issue with Wilhelm is it is very narrow and shallow in parts, most are marked areas and some areas are not. IMO there is just simply not enough room to have UHP. UHP allowance with a speed limit in effect would never be enforced, I probably seen a commission officer on that lake once in the past 7-8 years.

 Most likely there will be a massive die off ov shad staring now which might help it out. Maybe another next yr. could knock the population back in check for a while.
 
crappy