Even after amending, Ohio's three-rod proposal is still seriously flawed

Once again, the Ohio Division of Wildlife does not get it.

While the agency (correctly) is proposing is to allow anglers to use up to three fishing lines per person on Lake Erie the measure also would permit such use on the Ohio River, since those states permit angers to employ a trio of lines.

This amendment to include the Ohio River and its tributaries to the first dam was made August 8^th and presented to the eight-member Ohio Wildlife Council. It is this body that will have the final say on October 9th, though I am not holding my breath the eight individuals will do the right thing and retain the two-rod rule for shore fishing only.

So far so good, but now comes to bad.

The Wildlife Division continues to have an uncanny inability to look at the problems that almost certainly will arise with allowing shore anglers to use up to three poles per person. As has been noted here previously, such an allowance very possibly – no probably – will grant one, two or three individuals the ability to dominate public piers, docks, breakwaters riverfront access sites and other choice locations where good fishing and high pressure angling areas all ready currently exist.

Such dominance is common in places like Florida. Here, an angler or two can – and actually, do – control favored angling outposts.

For the Wildlife Division to ignore such examples and proceed with an idea that will shut-out shore-restricted fishers clearly is an insult to common sense and the agency’s stated desire to provide fishing access for people of all economic and social status.

=- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net