WARNINNG.......Will Robinson!!!!!

[Frank Walsh]

The fine for forgetting to pull your drain plug at a boat landing, allowing a zebra mussel into your boat or leaving weeds hanging on your trailer will double starting Sunday across Minnesota to as much as $500.

The move was set by the Minnesota Legislature last year and Department of Natural Resources officials said Friday they are ready to enforce the change and slap violators with hefty fines.

The fine for transporting aquatic plants will go from $50 to $100; same for forgetting to pull that bilge plug. And the fine for possessing, or transporting a prohibited invasive species in your boat or on your trailer -- such as zebra mussels, ruffe or goby -- will jump to $500.

[dpear]

Jeff,
To clarify,'pulling the plug' at the landing is just when you are leaving.

[lambeau]

for some strange reason the local Park Rapids weed inspector is never at the landing when i launch my boat at 4:30am.
but, she insists on checking my boat each time i leave the lake - which has no invasives in it. i keep waiting for her to accuse some innocent mayfly larvae of being velligers. and then, every time, in all seriousness, she asks me: "what was the last lake you were on?" after first turning and looking at the water trail going from the lake to my boat, i then reply with whatever infected body of water comes to my mind just to watch her go into convulsions. so far she has me written down for visiting Green Bay, Mille Lacs, and Pelican between visits to "her" lake. i'm feeling very Lake of the Woods this week, spiny water flea and rusty crayfish ought to add nicely to the mix...

[Frank Walsh]

Thank god we don't get all the government we pay for.

[sorenson]

for some strange reason the local Park Rapids weed inspector is never at the landing when i launch my boat at 4:30am.
but, she insists on checking my boat each time i leave the lake - which has no invasives in it. i keep waiting for her to accuse some innocent mayfly larvae of being velligers. and then, every time, in all seriousness, she asks me: "what was the last lake you were on?" after first turning and looking at the water trail going from the lake to my boat, i then reply with whatever infected body of water comes to my mind just to watch her go into convulsions. so far she has me written down for visiting Green Bay, Mille Lacs, and Pelican between visits to "her" lake. i'm feeling very Lake of the Woods this week, spiny water flea and rusty crayfish ought to add nicely to the mix...

Pick any of the Great Lakes, there's enough nasites in that soup to make her go apoplectic. Or you could tell her that you just had the boat shipped in from Europe!
s.