The problem isnt necessarily the money for a permit .............it is access to the water if you dont have a boat ! Very few bodies of water are truly handicap accessible even though it is the law. They have these expensive launching facilities for boaters , marinas and boat docks all over the state but they say no fishing on them ! In fact they go out of they're way to give non boaters less access every time I turn around. Making bridges offlimits to the public at thomas hill after lake has been in existance for 25 years. Then when they do make a handicap accessible facility they surround it with ........get this snag free structure. (The poorest attept at building something snag free possible) obviously some money was exchanged under the table for this deal! This is the most half hearted attempt to treat people as people that i can imagine!
Its a hard job. If they leave structure for fish. A lot of people cry about hanging up all the time. Also here they have a spot that is for disabled fishermen. And it did not last long. People that did not need it. Were all over it. and then the sign was ripped down. I am to the point if I can't drive down to the water. I can't fish the banks. So Its the boat or no fishing. Look around theres someone that would like to have a buddy to fish with in his boat. I know as its hard for me to find someone at times to fish with. Pete PS I am 100% Disabled. And know where your coming from. Even at the Dam they put in a wheel chair ramp down to the water. But you had better be in great shape if you walk down it. And have a full charge on the batters in the wheelchair if you do go down it..
Mini pontoons designed for wheelchairs. There are plenty of ramps, problem solved.lol :crazy: Question, what does snag free have to do with being handicapped? We should all be equal in the opportunity of getting hung up.oooh: As far as boat docks and ramps they are not there to fish from. Complain about the situation to the local news papers and radio station. Get the media involved, they like causes , makes for good news and articles. Then maybe a service club will get involved and accept donations to get the project done. Thats how we do it around these parts. :big_smile:
I have a friend who is a quadruplegic (sp?). I and his brother have taken him out several times on a pontoon. He has some use of his hands. I have been out with them a couple of times with Steve Brown. (My hats off to Steve.) We have a disadled fishing day coming up 6/7/08 at Blue Springs Lake for carp fishing. Looks like we have about 60 disabled people signed up so far. My friend and a couple others I know will be fishing. With people like Steve and this event coming up it gives a lot of people an oppertunity to fish. Thanks for this post. Anybody in the KC area that wants info on this event PM me and I'll get the info to you.
I know where your coming from Rob. Athough I am not classified as handicapped by the doctors yet I probably could be if I went back to the doctors and complained about all the problems I have, but what's the use life still goes on and life is always a struggle these days no matter if your 100% healthy or not. I agree with you that what you described is just a sad attempt by politicians or rather just something that they spent some money on so they can add it to their resume'. What the politicians will do and how they spend the our money is diplorable to say the least. The handicapped community if nothing else still have feelings and great minds that they can use to contribute to others in many many ways if we all just find a common ground to help them be a full partner in this world. So many of us all wear blinders most of the time and do not see that there is plenty of opportunies to be shared with everyone whether imperfect or not. But, then again. Who is perfect. I feel that this type of opportunity would be a great project for the BOC as we have grown so vastly in numbers that surely our voices could be heard to help make a difference in this situation. I also think that it would be a good opportunity for us as members of the BOC to look at each of our individual states handicapped fishing areas and see just what is available and to make sure that it is kept up for those that are handicapped. As far as the snag free area is concerned I would have to say that we all know that fish love cover and where you have cover there will be some snagging. But, if they really want to do something right for those that are handicapped and have a virtually snag free area they need to clear an area for fishing and then put in some of those pvc fish cover things I've seen. They make good cover for fish and because of the hard pvc they are harder to get hung up on.
Let me explain the wonderful design of "snag free structure" in missouri. They take 5 pieces of approximately 3/8 inch thick cardboard treated with oil and held together with heavy electrical ties and mounted on an 10 guage metal plate. It would not be possible to think up something that would grab hooks worse or eco unfriendly then when put on three sides of where you would have to try and fish its nearly unsurmountable obstacle for someone to deal with besides there disability.
Sorry Jack but that is not problems solved. I know theres a lot of times that I don't go. Because of getting back up the ramp to get the truck to load the boat back up. Now if I have someone to go with me. Then its fine. But a boat is not always the answer. Because you still have to get up and down a ramp. That is why I try to put in on some of the gravel banks we have. That way theres no ramp to walk back up.:embarassed: But good post. Pete
LOL..:smile2: Pete you misunderstood me.:roll_eyes: The mini pontoons are to be attached to the sides of the wheel chair.:smile2::cool2::wink:
John - what happened to your body!? A head floating in the clouds - that's pretty freaky! :wink::smile2:
Today I drove around 2 lakes looking for places I could get to the water . These are not small lakes one is 18000arc the other 17000. I found three spots that i can get to on a peg leg.The spots that I have fished for years are to steep for me now.As yet i have not tried to put a boat in alone . Most of the places I can get to the water is not good water
Regulations for w/chair ramps are 1 inch of rise per foot. The new disables access on the west side of Binder Lake near Jefferson City is impossable to climb in a w/chair.The other problem is trying to carry anything when it takes both hands to move. Build me a place where I can drive to the water and a level place to sit on and I will be a happy camper
speakin of this,what I find so discouraging is the fact ,you get on MDC site and they tell you all the places that are available to fish.Then they describe several ponds that are very well stocked.I can't get to these areas due to having a bad knee.I wish they would make a drive to some of these ponds that are out in the back 40 and make it easier for folks to get there. It stands to reason if they're considerable walking distance,the fish might really be easier to catch cause folks don't want to be bothered by a really long walk to these places.JMHO:big_smile:
I have the same problem. Even though the state put in a handicapped jetty at my favorite lake with parking close by, evidently it was so popular that everyone else went there too. I would go out for a night of catfishing and find that some people had set up tents on it so that you couldn't even get to it to pass by! Needless to say, a good idea gone bad. I am lucky enough though to live in an area that has hundreds of miles of canal roads so if you drive around you can find places to access the water and fish. I also have a boat but do not go by myself as it's just too much for me alone. I do have fishin buddies though and we trade off taking each other's boat out. It makes it a change up for all of us. :cool2:
