Read this if you fish Lake George and take it seriously. This is a real threat to fishing as we know it on Lake George.

http://www.fishingtheweb.com/forum/default.asp and under Regional Fishing Chat>New York (Lake George Region)>Sportsman Must Speak Up For Lake Access. Many of our Lake Champlain Fishermen may not be aware of the possible pending regulations for boat launching on Lake George. There is a group of people known as the Park Commission's Committee on Invasive Species Spread Prevention that are trying to get regulations against launching your boat anywhere into Lake George without a mandated inspection first. They also want boat washing stations in different loactions around the lake to wash your boat. They have now proposed the first boat washing station to be put at a central location of the lake at Norwal Marina in Bolton Landing. They have already stated a cost of $25 to $35 to wash your boat. Along with this boat washing station, they want gates to be installed at all public launches (not that there are many) on Lake George to prevent us from launching our boat except when an Inspector is on duty to inspect your boat. They want this first baot washing station to open this spring! Now if you think they will have any inspector on duty 24/7 then you live in fantasy world. Just imagine wanting to go fishing at 4:00 am or on a weekeday in October. Yes you already know the answer unless you live in that fantasy world. By the way NY DEC knew nothing of these plans untill one of our members mentioned it at a DEC meeting a couple weeks ago. There are many people including fishermen that say this is crazy and will never happen. Well they could be right, but some of these same people did get a law enacted in Warren County this past fall for transporting Invasive Species and that allows any law enforcement officer to stop you while you trailer your boat on any highway in Warren County, NY and give you a ticket for transporting an invasive. Yes if the sheriff hapens to notice some aquatic weed hanging from your boat or trailer, he can pull you over and give you an expensive ticket. They passed that law in less than 30 days from first talking about it and the public had no input. Now I know many of you may only fish on Lake George one week per year or not at all. Even if you don't fish Lake George, just think if they make this law for Lake George, where will they make it law next. I am a sportsman and avid fisherman and I do care about our fisheries! I don't want invasive species to be spread from one body of water to another. If any of you have watched me load my boat at any boat ramp, you have observed me wiping down my entire hull prior to strapping down my boat and driving away. Yes I have been called anal by fellow fishermen and my friends. It is true I am anal about my boat to keep it clean and I don't transport invasives down the road as I am proactive in prevention. Please visit the fish 307 forum. Also watch some of the local Newspapers such as the Post Star or the Chronicle for articles about this subject. There was a great article in the Feb 16-22 issue of the Chronicle weekly newspaper written bt Dan Ladd on page 30 about the Invasive Prenetion program and he quoted me in that article. I am planning more and I can use the support of all fishermen, hunters and sportsman associations to prevent the gating of public boat launches on Lake George or anywhere. Thank You... Walt Kendall, President of Lake George Fishing Alliance