First off, Congratulations to Jordon Lee. Nice Job. Congratulations to the City's of Conroe and Houston, the Lake, and The Houston Sports Authority. The Weigh-in's at the ball park and the Expo were outstanding. The fans on Conroe seemed very behaved. All in all, a giant success. I attended the weigh-in and expo Friday and yesterday, and today decided to go ride around the lake and go see some of the competitors.

That's when my opinion was changed about it being a complete success. Seems I forgot that Conroe enforces their 'no wake under the bridge' law. I was slow rolling up the lake - probably 35 MPH, and here comes the constable boat - lights and siren blazing. "Why did you run under the bridge on plane?'. Just forgot, and didn't see it marked - I said. 'YOU DIDN'T SEE THE BRIDGE?'. Well [censored] here we go. Going to be one of those. I tell him that we run under bridges on Rayburn, Fork, T-Bend, and Livingston all the time, and never think twice. It just slipped my mind. I watch boats run under the causeway in Galveston, Port A and Port Isabel constantly, but this law-boy has to tell me that there's a 'bridge law' EVERYWHERE. Maybe there is, but during the Classic is that really the time to come on with the lecture? Oh no, we've got to do the full on inspection. Throwable, fire extinguishers, run your bilge, and honk the horn. And... That dang thing doesn't honk. - I never check it. How many times do you hear boat horns honking on the lake? I tell him I can whistle louder than that horn anyway. Not an option. It's rolling pretty bad, and 'I get a stern warning to "Just keep your motor in neutral - I'll keep the boats off each other!". Really, then why have you beat into me twice already? He's in a 24' center console with 4' high gunnels. He was a string of bumpers that reach over his side down to about 3' - a foot above the highest part of my boat, so I keep pushing them apart. The guy is also mumbling so badly I can hardy understand him - that or he's got a 1/2 pound chaw in.

I finally get my license and registration back after 30 minutes while he played on his laptop, and he says ' idle speed within 100 feet of anything - especially me' - Whatever. My point is, with all the visitor that were on the lake, wouldn't a 'hey sir, we enforce a no-wake under all bridges on Conroe' please don't run under the bridge again. From what I understand, Randall Tharp went through something similar. There was no danger in what I did, and enforcing this law is just a stupid fundraiser for the constable. It really leaves a stink on the event, and reinforces why I can't drive by Conroe fast enough to go to any other lake.

Before the pot-bangers start, I'm completely pro law enforcement. I know I violated a law, and know he 'had a job to do'. But public opinion during an event like this is very important, and could enfuence if the lake ever gets a event like this again. The Louisiana Delta was almost black-balled for stupid stuff like this.

Again, Cograts to all.

If you run under bridges at fork you are breaking the law. You screwed up. Accept it.

So you're upset you got pulled over for breaking the law?

Fork is a no wake zone under the bridge too.

Personally I think it takes a real douche to be on pad going under a bridge. To many small crappie boats/kayaks fish and could pop behind a piling at any moment. Use your head and follow the law

Wow, just wow.

I see where you're coming from. Just something we do. Nothing like that swoosh of 75 under a bridge.

So I guess they don't enforce speed limits in Super Bowl cities????

So....the LEO should just let boaters do whatever for the sake of "a good time for all"?

I know who the troll under the bridge is.

That's actually a good way to cause a very bad accident since a lot of people run parallel to bridges but hey I guess he just felt like being jerk? By the way did you get any tickets?

You must be very important, I'd hate to think that Toyota, Bass or any of the dozens of other major sponsors would have reservations about holding any future events at Conroe because you got ticketed for illegally running a bridge .

Follow the laws and there won't be an issue. I check my horn every time I launch.

Lol, well I'm thinking this thread didn't go as expected.

Is there anything illegal about running parallel to the bridges?

He said he knew he broke the law, all he was complaining about was being hassled about it, and getting his boat bumped all up on. Sure, he broke the law, but again... he clearly stated he knew that, all he was asking for was a little better experience about it especially with all the visitors on the lake. I for one didn't know there was a no wake under all bridges rule. I'm sure he'll idle from here on out, won't make that mistake again. Neither will I.

BryanO, did you get any tickets?

He also said he runs the bridges at Fork and every bridge there has a clearly marked no wake zone.

This was probably the statement that caused his problem with the game warden. Running bridges kills people, and to openly admit to doing it frequently to the authorities is not going to set well with them.

Serves you right. Should have thrown the book at you on everything he could find. People have been killed because of your kind of stupidity.
Please stay off the water with that kind of attitude.

I can't find where it is written, but there is technically a distance rule. So yes, depending on how close you are to the bridge, we could get ticketed for that as well.

Okay, I will be the idiot. I have never heard of this up here at texoma. Is it illegal to run under 377 or the rail road bridge and such on the okie side on plane? I only look at texoma and gulf law as that is all that applies typically.

Snowflake is entitled. He was hoping for a participation trophy.

With all the rhetoric on here about common sense, courtesy and lights on at the boat ramps on the forum, there seems to be a huge lack of it when it comes to bridges. A lot of people seem to think it doesn't apply around them. All the more reason to be very careful around bridges.

WOW but I'm would imagine that constable has been doing that all day and was just fed up with everyone and had a bad attitude, pizzed. But you learned your lesson, don't run under the bridges, people are fishing there. Called common sense..

No law covering all bridges. Case by case. If they are marked "no wake" they are "no wake" if not you can run on plane under them....cautiously!

You guys act like it's illegal to run under any bridge in the state. I can think of at least 5 lakes from as far west as Amistad to Toledo where running under a bridge is legal. The problem is two fold. One the bridge isn't marked by buoys. It's marked by one small sign on the far west side of the bridge. The second is the attitude in which a few of the LEO's on the water this weekend operated.

I was watching KVD first thing yesterday morning. He was fishing the west side of the dam, with around 30 boats following. All the boats were backed off at least 50 yards from the dam, and sitting just outside of the no wake zone. Some deputy dog rolls up and proceeds to get an attitude with another spectator boat for sitting in a Law Enforcement lane. I guess they forgot to reprint the stripes on the water. The 50 yard wide path wasn't wide enough for him.

Everyone's experienced the "bad cops" that proceed to be a jerk just because they have a badge. I think that's probably what Brian O encountered. You rarely see LEO's post up on bridges that are clearly marked. I saw them set up like they were running a speed trap on the bridge all weekend.

I was fishing Lake Grapevine a few years ago, Flower Mound police on a jet ski came up on me and asked me for my fishing licenses.

I was thinking don't you have better things to do than to bother me while I was cranking the rocks. Leave the license checking to the Game Wardens.

More deaths on Conroe than any other lake in Texas. That's why you always see a heavy LE presence on the lake. I for one am glad they're out there educating knuckleheads for stupid stuff like running bridges.

If it was really about public safety, there would be buoys on the bridge. This is about revenue in the name of public safety.

I got asked on Friday by the popo to observe the no wake zone better. I wasn't making a wake but I wasn't at total idle either. I thought about debating with him but just said "yessir" and idled on out of there.

Legal or not running on plane under those bridges is very dangerous.

As a kayak fisherman I want to give a big middle finger to anyone who does that... legal or not. There are always little crappie boats and jon boats, bass busters and yaks tied off on or near those pilings. And they could be on the backend of one where you cant see them and they cant see you.

Very dangerous situation to have a glitter boat shoot through there with any speed at all.

Common sense guys. Too many fisherman lost their lives bcs people dont practice common sense or show courtesy to their fellow man.

Sorry for your trouble with the law... my buddy got stopped on Caddo one time fishing by himself and the GW checked all his stuff too. He had everything and in working order then he asked to see his float cushion and he didn't have one. Out comes the ticket book. My buddy said , really? If I fall out who is going to throw it to me??? GW said it didn't matter have to have it..

This exactly. If they were concerned about public safety, no wake would be painted on the bridge every 100' like it is on Fork. How are visitors to the lake supposed to realize it is no wake when it isn't marked? True, there is a sign at the river channel, that says no wake, but you can't see it until you are at the bridge (if you are crossing the bridge at that place).

Bryan O' said he realizes he broke the law, it sounds like he is just frustrated with the way the LEO handled himself in the situation. I watched it all go down, Bryan O' was cruising up the lake, in a very safe manner considering the conditions, (boat traffic, rough conditions, large crowds) while wearing his PFD. He didn't fly under the bridge doing 70, throwing a 3' roostertail, no PFD, chugging Bud Lights, endangering everyone's lives.

Would be cooler if he had.

If that law is for every bridge, everyone that has fished a tournament on cedar creek has broke the law. You blast off at log cabin and haul [censored] under the bridge to main lake. I'm guilty of that.

I wish they were out there patrolling more on the weekends when there is nothing special going on

Our GW says that it is not illegal to run under a bridge Unless it is posted at the ramps and/or there are buoys mark g the bridge.

The bridge at cedar creek is no wake. Every tournament i have fishef there. Everyone idles under.

I have ran it many times, never seen a no wake buoy. When did they make it a no wake zone?

Every tournament I have been in on cedar creek no one ever has idled that I have seen. And I live on that lake for over 20 years

I think it has been ever since they built the new bridge.

Yes, Cedar Creek is the only one I can think of that everyone runs under.

Bass Champs requires you to idle under bridge, but all other tournaments it's a race under the bridge.

Sandlin I run

Ray Hubbard going to the river I use to run the bridge, It's been a while

It's my understanding all bridges in Oklahoma are "no wake". So, I called the Oklahoma Parks and Wildlife to see if the law applied to the northern end of Texoma. No one there could give me an answer and told me to call the OK Dept of Public Safety. They said that wan't their deal and to call the Parks and Wildlife. You will see me blowing under the Roosevelt.

I run under the RR bridge on Bob Sandlin. You have to be careful because crappie fisherman throw lines up over the support beams and then leave them there. Some are long enough they will hit a boater if you are not careful. I don't run under the 21 bridge though I believe it is market as no wake.

Well I tend to have a heavy foot and I get speeding tickets for it. I know when I speed their is a chance of a ticket, but I do get tired of Mr. I got a gun and a badge having a attitude and there are plenty. I usually fine the locals with a bad attitude so I am on my best behavior when stopped by locals. The State Troopers are usually the most professional. The Sheriffs are usually right behind the State Troopers.

I believe it is not illegally to run along side bridges. I believe Fork was not a no wake zone in the beginning until a high water situation got a boater killed then they put it in. The no wake is for your safety. I don't think its a state law it can be put on any lake when the water level and bridge level can create a problem and get some one hurt.

I do think your post would have been better received if it had been about a local who was been rude then you companioning you got a ticket for breaking the law. LOL Non of us like the tickets but we know when we where breaking the law and just except it. I have found over the years the first few words out of my mouth determine the attitude of everyone involved. just my .02

I'll play your game. If it's legal, then I'm gonna do it. You guys in your kayaks, jon boats and Trackers need to realize it's legal to run on plane therefore you should stay away. Go fish a lake with idle only bridges. That's simple.

I've told my 16 year old son that when a LEO comes up to you whether it be in the car or a boat, YOU set the tone for how that meeting will go with the FIRST words out of your mouth. All boats throw off a much larger wake "slow rolling up the lake" than they do when at WOT or idle so I suspect you were not as innocent as you first thought.

THIS ^^^^

I would hate to lose steering running 70 mph under a bridge with pilings 30' apart and hit a floater.

Boats don't have brakes!...Signs or no signs, it's a lawyers dream!

Amen to that, Conroe has more than it's share I've noticed.

The law that could get people running bridges, if I read this right, on any lake in Texas is this.

� 31.095. Excessive Speed
(a) No person may operate any boat at a rate of speed greater than is
reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the conditions and hazards, actual
and potential, then existing, including weather and density of traffic, or greater
than will permit him, in the exercise of reasonable care, to bring the boat to a
stop within the assured clear distance ahead.

On plane under a bridge, especially close to the ends, you do not have enough time to see and make adjustments for someone coming from your right. Imagine running 50-60 mph under a bridge, 2 pilings over from the rip rap, and here comes someone running parallel to the rip rap and you don't see them until you and them are about to hit. If that crash were to happen, the guy running the bridge will be at fault because he couldn't give right of way to the guy coming from the right.

I have no opinion on the conversation except to quote from the Texas Water Safety Act, SubChapter D 31.106 Personal Watercraft.
"(a) No person shall operate a personal watercraft in the following manner or under the following circumstances: (4) within 50 feet of any other vessel, person, stationary platform or other object, or shore, except at headway speed;"

From 55.302 Definitions:
"(3) Headway speed�Slow, idle speed, or speed only fast enough to maintain steerage on course."

Horns never work for long so we keep an air horn in the boat.

Cigarettes are legal does not mean they are safe.

Use common sense bud. How would you feel if you take out a kid in yak or jon boat? Would you say, "well I was legal, too bad for him".

But hey, I guess your 50k boat trumps a guy in $500 Kayak. #MakeAmericaGreatAgain

Running on plane under a bridge isn't unsafe (the case here). Running under a bridge wide open is unsafe for the boat. A boat doing 30 (a reasonably safe speed) is throwing a smaller wake than the same boat barging along doing 8-10 mph to "idle" under a bridge. In a yak, would you rather deal with a boat wake or 3' boat rollers?

This is dumb to me. I am NOT going to stick my hand in a hole if I know their is a rattlesnake in their. You know the law if you take your kids out and put them in a bad situation and get them hurt, its not the other guys fault you made a decision that has consequences. I think people like you just want to blame everyone else for your decisions. You can take your kayak and kids to a place where you will not be putting your own kids in danger. The laws are suppose to be for the majority not the one or two kayakers. You should take your own advice and use comment sense and just not go to a lake with your kayak with your kids that you know has a bridge that boats of all kinds can run through or next to. so BUD take your own advice

The other thing you can do is get the law changed but you are going to have a lot of boaters against you, good luck with that.

This is why the TFF is great, changing attack modes in mid thread.......

Can we go back to meme's of the op?

#AlternativeFacts

One of the things we do in our Club tournaments is that sign or no sign, ALL bridges MUST be treated as no wake zones. It's just a safety thing. I don't want any of our guys to get hurt because someone was in a hurry.

I don't hang out in those places. I don't fish under bridges, legal or not because most of yall break the law even if they are marked. Not me pal. Others do hang out in those places.

I use my "comment" sense as you put it.

So stay on plane, operate in an unsafe manner as long as its legal.

I believe this should settle it. Most bridge pilings would fit this interpretation.

Whether you're in a no-wake zone or not, you are responsible for any injury or damage caused by your wake.

Hey, sorry all, but the interweb is down here at my office. Been dealing with it this morning. I will respond later, I promise. Just don't want to have to do it via my phone. Good stuff though.

Can we tell this to the wake surfing boats across the state and nation?

Do you even have a fishing jersey, Brah?!?!?!

You are misapplying the rule.

(14) "Personal watercraft" means a type of motorboat that is specifically designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel

Or the yachts on EM or Texoma?

I would never run by anyone on plane within 50' anyway. That's close! You can practically flip 50'.

There seems to be an attitude here of-if its legal I'm going to do it even if its unsafe. How much time does it take to slow down-one minute, two? I just don't see why you wouldn't err on the side of caution and take a minute away from your fishing time to avoid a possible problem.

It's simply a matter of geography. When you are on a relatively small lake closest to the third largest city in the country, the "superbowl" of bass fishing is going on, and the temps are in the 80's, you simply cant do the things you can do at a lake like Rayburn, Texoma or Amistad. You either adapt or you pay the price with either your life or a hit to the pocketbook. Rest assured you are NEVER to far from a game warden, Sheriff, or Constable when you are on that lake. They are there because the citizens of Lake Conroe and Montgomery County demand their presence, just like they do on I-45 between Spring and Conroe (One of the highest death rates in the country on this stretch of road). Like Fouz said earlier, there is rarely a spring or summer weekend that goes by on that lake without some "incident" or death occurring. Most of us "locals" know this and have changed our driving habits.

I like to to run wide open as much as anyone, but that just does not happen on Conroe unless its early morning or late afternoon and especially not around that bridge. First of all, the darned thing is LOW!!! I have come within inches of having my butt seat ripped off my boat at idle speeds in a very bad chop and have heard of them being ripped off from other anglers. That's the first reason I am gonna slow down at that bridge!! Second, there are always tons of folks tied up and fishing on the bridge, so I am gonna respect them as well. Third, there are boats that run parallel to the bridge at high speeds, you coming under at anything more than an idle speed only increases the chances of a collision with one of them.

I am sorry the "troll" left a bad taste in your mouth when it comes to Conroe. Could he have handled it a little better? Probably so. But ultimately, it was you who brought about the meeting, not him!! You are free to make choices, you are not free to choose the consequences of those choices nor the type of person you will be dealing with if you make a poor choice. Learn from it and move on. Best of luck to you.

I think this video may end this argument as to the legality of running those bridges on Conroe. Would you run this bridge in these conditions? Wind and waves like this are not the exception on Conroe. They're the rule.

https://www.bassmaster.com/video/greg-hackney-battles-big-wind-conroe-classic

You're correct. My mistake.

(IMHO, seems like this should apply to all motor operated vessels.)

Did you and Reid have any tickle fights while on the water this weekend?

The video Fouz posted says it all about butt seats being ripped off.

Regardless of whether it is legal or not it is illegal to cause damage to someone elses property with your boat wake.

2 bee'z be careful on the bridges. I didn't realize this until a few years back, but the pilings that have a cross bar up top also have a cross bar under water. The ones I am talking about are the ones that run N-S. I think that all of them have the cross bar E-W



The only areas that I run on plane are where it says MAIN SPAN. I have seen people run the areas that have the cross member and I tighten up a little each time that I see it (even at idle).

Bottom line is if law enforcement deems that you were operating a boat in an unsafe manner or creating an unsafe situation that may endanger someone in any way, shape, or form, whatever you were doing then becomes illegal. This is regardless of whether or not there is a sign or law on the books about running at speed under or along a bridge. Reckless endangerment is very much against the law and boaters all too often seem to misunderstand this.

And someone is trying to run on pad through that? Makes you pucker at just faster than idle!

This is exactly my thought when reading this post.

Yes sir and no sir goes a long way with police, game wardens and all law enforcement. They deal with a lot of attitude from scumbags. When decent people treat them with respect, they usually appreciate it. If you break a very minor law and they decide to pull you over, just cooperate and keep your opinions to yourself. Do these few things and I can guarantee that most of your interactions with the law will be painless.

Word up.

But some people feel if its legal its their right... safety of others be dammed. They should not be out there. My boat is bigger and faster and I am fishing for money so I own the lake.

Perfectly stated. Even if you get a ticket this time I would bet a majority of time if infraction isn't bad or someone just didn't know you get a warning when doing this. Not 100% of the time will you get away with it but I'm betting a large percent.

Yep, If you show respect they will too. Coping an attitude will get you nowhere

WOW, I never expected this to go this far! Sorry to be so late getting back in. Work got in the way of a good fishin' story. First off my point is that during a big event like the Classic, just like you do with your children, maybe someone should have told their staff, don't be an a$$, we've got company coming over. To spend that day running back and forth filling tickets was the type of thing that the folks who review 'how did it go' consider. Me getting a ticket is irrelevant - but they may consider the fact that XXX were written those 3 days to visitors, and think - they really didn't want us down here. Just food for thought. I promise that the 'be on your best behavior' speech was was given to several staffs. The Classic dropped a ton of money in that town and community. That was my sole point. I want them to come back. That doesn't mean drop all speeding laws, or let everybody do whatever they want. By the way 361V and 9094, it looks like y'all are correct - it appears to be 'local ordinance' not state law. Similar to traffic light cameras and no jake brakes.

I'll respond to a few of the thoughts:
- I stand corrected, I do not run under the bridges at Fork, but they are marked with big letters on the bridge and a line of buoys - if I remember correctly. Actually, I haven't been to Fork in probably 12 years. However, Conroe is marked with a little ~ 2' x 2' sign on the column. By the time you can read it, you're too close to abide the law. Again, the law is the law, and I'm not protesting the ticket, just the attitude of the officer.
- The regulations that are being quoted don't align with the explanation I got either. It reads 50' - he said !00' (including him! haha - it was funny).
- Evidently reading comprehension was running a little low today. As I said, I was running ~ 35, not 70 as some seem to think. I was completely in control and there was not a boat within a quarter mile any direction. No one was tied under the bridge - it would have beat you senseless from the rollers. As a matter of fact - for all the 'it's dangerous, I fish under the bridge folks', on Rayburn, where I fish most often, I always look for a big open area without crappie boats, and go through there. And I have always checked-up and trimmed down to have better control when I go under a bridge. A couple of folks here have drawn me in tournaments, and will confirm. Loosing it at high speed and hitting a bridge would be bad. Oh, and IF there are crappie boats everywhere, I DO idle under the bridge. The 190 Bridge on Livingston, especially the east end always scares me, because too many people run through the first few openings, and they are blind to the other side. My COMMON sense makes me go out a little further and use another opening.
- Which begs the point, if there are indeed more deaths and incidents on Conroe, yet a bigger LEO presence (y'alls words - not mine) seems like maybe they are doing something wrong. Should be the safest place on earth. Do y'all remember the Triton that hit the pontoon with the family of 9 and killed them all as well as 2 poodles going under the bridge on T- Bend, or the Cat that hit the wake board boat killing 5 wakies and a Hawaiian Tropic model going under the bridge on Livingston? No? Because it never happened. Maybe it's not the hazard y'all have been regulated to believe?
- And 'check your horn before every trip'! Really? I had to look for 20 seconds before I found the button! I've seriously never heard a boat honk it's horn! I call BS on that one. By the way, I found a loose wire and fixed mine. None the less - it didn't work, I'll take my ticket - I looked, and I actually got a warning for that one.
- The Duck (should replace the U with I), Snowflake! Really! I'd hoped we wouldn't get to name calling, but here we go - Hillary Voter, Prius Driver!

Sorry if I upset you all. Hope to see y'all on the lake some day. You'd be lucky to have me as a friend, as I you.

I'm down with a good wake and bake

You didn't respond to whether you and Reid had tickle fights or not. I'll take the silence as a yes.

So by your theory, if I'm driving 55mph in a 55mph zone and I run over you because I didn't see you playing in the highway, I'm at fault. This makes ZERO sense. YOU have to be responsible for your actions. YOU have to realize there's vehicles driving 55mph out there so don't play in the highway. Same goes for bridges. You must realize there will be boats running on plane under bridges where it's legal. Why would you be out expecting anything less?

Owning a $50k bass boat doesn't make anyone greater than anyone else. What does make someone greater than others is that person having common sense and putting it to use.

If you knew on that 55mph freeway there would be people playing would you still drive 55mph?

Yes or No.

I would say no. Sounds like you're leaning toward yes because they should know better.

Face it. Some people are morons.

Lol

I learned that a few years back when we got really low that last time too Thankfully it did not cost me any money and someone told me as that could really ruin your day hitting a damn cross bar.

Good thing the game wardens don't setup shop at the 155 bridge on the pines. If it's not occupied by crappie fisherman, I've never seen anyone check up.

Highway 43 bridge on caddo too.

Common sense answer is yes, of course. But why should I have to worry about a moron playing in the highway? The idiot should have enough sense to not be there.

That is one of the biggest fantasy I have ever seen. Looks good on paper good luck getting that one enforced.

Well put Jack , the huge boats on texoma would be in trouble


My take is the OP more so was disheartened by an A hole LEO talking to him like he was a sub human


I can't stand that and usually speak up to any tax payed official that treats me that way , if they are decent and kind I am the same but if they are not I return the attitude to them and explain why. Haven't been dragged to jail yet

Really happy for you that the infraction has had such a profound effect on you.

I have lived on Conroe waterfront since the first year the lake was built in 1973. I have had great, next door neighbor friends get killed from someone riding on plane under that bridge breaking the law just like you admitted to. Many others, both lake residents and visitors have been killed on this lake under the same bridge for the same infraction you committed. If you were to check records on how many people have killed or maimed while on this water, it would shock anyone. Unfortunately, certain officals will not cooperate in you try to find out as I have done a couple times. I do know that before 1988, that 22 people (including my three neighbors)were killed here in just that 15 years.

Safety IS everyone's responsibility. Think about others as better than you.