she needs to learn to exercise caution in what she says... thats quite a bold statement to make and casn be interpreted in many ways!! My interpretation says she wants to make her own laws.... too much power put in one persons hands!

Is she hot?

Granted the noise from fellow campers needs to be addressed. The sheriff's dept, or park staff should patrol more often. When I camp I rarely see anyone get a boat and fish in the wee morning hours. (it may be due to the noise factor at night, who knows) This is why I choose to camp during the week as much as possible. You guys don't want to hear what I say, I am just offering a possible answer as to why they aren't accommodating you to the degree you would like. It isn't an "us against them" kind of thing, or it shouldn't be. Whether you like it or not there is a quiet time posted in all camp grounds I have ever been to. (not always adhered to...but it is at least posted) There is a safety factor involved. Thus the gate.... if there are only one or two boats who quietly launch from a boat ramp that would not bother me. But to act like everyone should be up and adam just cause you are, and you gun the engine like it is time for everyone to be up, that is just plain rude. You can go around camping spots, it wouldn't kill you. I do not think if you have a park pass you should have to ever pay a boat launch fee in a state park.
I camp at state parks for one, because I have a pass....it saves me money...number two...I prefer to camp where I can fish too. Just because it may be a state lake doesn't mean you can have access 24/7. The court house belongs to the citizens of that county, but it isn't opened 24/7. There are national parks now that do not allow 4 wheelers. Yes that is land paid for by citizens....does that give just anyone the right to do what they want to on that land? No. They outlawed 4 wheelers because of the noise factor, and the fact that the terrain was being ruined by 4 wheelers and off road vehicles. When you go back packing as I have in the past, the last thing you want to hear is a bunch of people whooping and hollering on several four wheelers passing you by.

Safety factor....that is the biggest concern of all. If you gave the numbers out to whoever wanted them, why even have a gate at all? I think they have the gate more to keep out people from coming in the mid of night...camping, partying, and leaving at daybreak. They miss revenue that way. (I have seen this happen as well) If you had a young adults that were your children, would you want them camping in an area that is porous with people popping in and out whenever they felt like it? If they were in a tent would you not worry about their safety, especially if you had a daughter there? Sure something could happen with a fellow camper...but they know who the campers are(with a closed gate at night), and those campers would be checked out thoroughly. If they allowed just anyone in, it would be harder to find the culprit who may of harmed your child. This is just a scenario of course. But maybe it is just one other reason why you are not allowed entry whenever you want into Tawakoni SP.

kelkay, we understand your quest for quietness, and we/I respect that.

Also this post is not about giving the numbers out to "whoever wants it", but to a guy that has paid for a pass just as you have. Why do you or anyone else deserve the right to use the ramp at 5 am if you choose but he doesn't?

I am not able to reserve a ramp. I was just trying to list possible reasons why they don't give the number out to people as a general rule. I do however think that it is unfair to give it out to some people, while excluding others. I camp about 3-4 times a year. I fish every week. I was trying to include possible scenarios for why they may not give out the code. Some of the reasons are from my experience as a camper/angler. Thank you for understanding about the need for some peace. I am not saying every boater out there is rude, or not respective of others on the lake. I believe this problem only occurs on state parks, and possibly national parks. Many lakes will allow you to launch at any time you feel like it. There are many free boat launch areas at most all the lakes I have ever encountered. I have no idea why that particular park will not allow all people with a pass to come in and launch early. You would have to ask them, and their bosses. I was just trying to come up with reasons why they may not. I can see that this is a touchy subject for many people here. I would say most people like to fish now and then. Many people also like camping. Not all are as adamant about fishing as we are on TFF. I love fishing myself. Like I said, I fish every week. Sometimes I fish a couple of times in a week, sometimes more. Maybe the thing to do is get a park pass with a barcode that will allow you to enter when you want. Maybe they are afraid if they do this, that people will come in the park only to party, and then leave. Maybe that is what the hold up is. I personally do not know. I am just trying to think of as many situations as I can. If it is as someone said, they change the code once a week...then having a barcode that park people use would be a problem. Maybe they are trying to work out a reasonable way to get around that. I do not work for the state parks, so I have no idea. It would be a good question for them to answer though.

As part of a response to FM, the only reason I was able to get the code over the phone is because she knew who I was already. Basically I had already done the "in-person" meeting. While preparing for our tournament there last year me and the TD (I was Assistant TD) had actually carried on a lengthy conversation with Donna and some of the volunteers about what was planned for the park and rules, etc..Sorry if I made you feel less special FM. LOL!

kelkay, I am sorry, but I paid good money for my 200HP HPDI Yamaha, and if I ain't in a no wake zone, it is going to be running wide open, whether it be 4 am or 4 pm. If my boat running across the water, regardless of where I launch disturbs someone who is camping, then like previously mentioned, don't camp at the lake. Or give me your address and I will send you a pair of earplugs that will solve that problem. (No offense, I am just a smart a@# by nature.) LOL!

non-catcher, I don't really know where to start....State Parks are a business you say, well I do not know of any business that can survive with CUSTOMERS. I buy a Parks Pass specifically because I like the ramps at most State Parks, I also camp on a regular basis which is additional revenue. From the number of posts on here it appears that the State Parks will be loosing THOUSANDS of dollars if we, as fishermen, are unable to use the ramps a little earlier than normal. Doesn't seem like a very sound business plan to me.

DISCLAIMER: Most of the things I say, I simply say because they crack me up. There is no malicious intent laden with these words. If any offense was taken, please take 10 deep breaths, lighten up and read again

Noncatcher, Everyone is entitled to their .02 worth, but maybe you need to go to the website for ACLU or animal rights group. I think you got confused as to what site you were getting on. Maybe that explains the alias.

For what it is worth, I went in to the park office after I fished on Saturday. I had a medical issue and they realized that but I also asked how to get on the list so I could call and get the code. Lisa quickly made a photcopy of my park pass and asked for my phone number and said she would put me on the list. I did not have to do anything else or fill anything out but I think that was because she realized I was in a hurry.

Lisa said they had a lenghty discussion about it on Friday. (Probably from my call to the Region office and other people forwarding this link).

Anyway, I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and see how it works. I plan to call midweek and see if they will give me the code over the phone. I believe there is a big sand bass tourney out of the park next Saturday so the gate will be open early anyway.

Was that following the wild from attack FM? LOL!

YES LOL that was following the attack by the other guy in my boat.

The way that the government works the people that are running Tawakoni into the ground will probably be promoted to get them out of the way so someone else can fix the park.

If the "new sherrif in town" is as big a dipstick as it sounds like she will probably be in charge of TPW one day.

Why is it that the government NEVER fires anyone?

For what it is worth, I called the park this morning to get the code for the weekend explaining that my name is now on the approved list. They checked then gave it to me with no problem. So... their system works but only if you are willing to go by the park first to get your name on the approved list.

I pulled out of Tawakoni as well and will not schedule any tournaments on that lake. I had an event scheduled at the State Park for over a year, and cannot set up or open registration until well after first light. That is why we will be fishing Lake Lewisville this Saturday June 7th!

No I don't think I need the ACLU THe rules are made for everyone & if you obey them then you shouldn't have the trouble you have trying to get in the parks the park has a sign posted that the gates open at a certain time & I don't think that you or anybody else should get upset cause you are TO DARN LASE TO GO TO A PUBLIC RAMP CAUSE YOU WANT TO BE ON THE WATER AT 5:30in the morning

WHATEVER!

I hate "LASE" people. There ought to be a bounty on them.

Now that is funny.....!

kelkay contributes a nice debate to this thread.
The only thing non catcher contributes is a stirring of the pot.
And no I have never been to the park but I hear it's very nice.

Why thank you Missing Ling. I said all I had to say though. That is very kind of you to compliment me. :-)

aw

Don't LASE me bro!

I am hoping to get "Lased" tonight!

Now you just aren't making sense, how does being "Lazy" have anything to do with it? It is a safety factor and preference. They have a better ramp than the public ramps, even though the public ramp is a closer drive, I would rather go to the State Park. Second, maybe you are promoting everyone to go to the public ramp because you are getting a cut of the money off of the stolen stereos, catalytic converters, and other items that hard working fishing men and women have lost at these ramps, maybe not. Either way, you shouldn't come to a battle of the brains unarmed.

Obeying the rules is exactly what we are doing. Each park director has the discretion to change their hours as they see fit for usage. I don't know what kind of business you are in, but when I have enough people knocking on my door wanting to give me money to get into my business, that it out weighs the cost to be open, I'm going to be open. If you have a tournament of say 30 boats at the State Park, that you know is coming, because they have a signed contract with you (new requirement at State Park), then that is $150 ($2 per person and $1 per boat tourny fee)of income. They already open the gate at 7am, an hour earlier than the posted time. Then say you open it at 4 am instead, a difference of 3 hours. Even if you have to have 2 employees working those 3 hours at lets say $10 per hour, you have still made a profit of $90. Then you factor in all of the other people that just show up during those earlier hours that aren't part of the tourny and that just goes to your bottom line.

This is where you should say touche' and lay down your sword.

The park is very nice,and has a very large parking area at tthe boat ramp.

I'm with "Steve_FBC"! When "Non-Catcher" replied that we are being "lase", anyone who has fished one of my tournaments know that is definately not the case. I do not operate tournaments out of the tailgate of my truck. It takes me several hours to put up the stage, sound system, and fish-care tanks. I normally begin the set-up around 2:00am. If I cannot access the ramp area because of locked gates or time frames, I simply hold tournaments at more accomodating lakes and parks. That is why I pulled our tournament this Saturday out of Tawakoni and moved it to Lewisville.