Idle only areas @ Belle River/Lake Verret?

Anyone know where I can find a link showing the Idle only areas that are in effect for Belle River/Lake Verret because of the high water? I went to the WLF, Assumption, and St. Mary sheriffs websites and I don't see it listed. I would like to go there in the morning and don't want to get a ticket.

I talked with a lady at Cajunland Campground on Belle River yesterday and she knows where the idle zones are. Her name is Candy, 985-252-1278. Hope this helps. Good luck!

i fished there last weekend. the no wake zones are for the areas where there are camps... and there are alot of camps with water to there doors... exception is for the wave runners who zoomed by me while i was fishin last weekend and they never slowed down... but i bet if that were a bass boat we would be ticketed

FISHSINIT, I'm sorry you fell that way. But I live in Stephensville. If I would have seen the sea-doo doing that I would have called the local sheriffs office and told them about it. The water is very high down here and that is the law. Some people don't obey the law or they just don't care about anyone else, because they don't live down here. I had to catch a guy at the local boat launch because he was traveling fast and he was a local guy. I told him or anyone else that I catch going fast, next time I will call the sheriff. PLEASE everyone that fishes down here, respect our homes.

4 mile bayou between bell river and grassy lake is idle only and they will ticket you. Some of it is marked idle only and another part is not, be careful.

I was ticketed last weekend in Belle River. This was after asking the people at the launch (Pizanno's) where the no wake zones were extended to. They told me to just follow the posted signs. Guess what, the only posted signs are the normal ones by the launch. I really sympathize with the camp/home owners in the area and I would not want to do anything to cause them harm, but it is not right to have a change in the no-wake zone areas and not have them properly posted or have proper information given at the launches; especially for people not from the area. I explained all of this to the deputy who ticketed me who only said he would talk to the people at the landing which did me no good. My advice is to not go to this area until the water situation is over. Idling 3 or 4 miles is not worth it!!! I have researched the laws and they all seem to require posting. There has been absolutly no good information given on this. There are no laws that say idle by all camps. By the way, I was staying at a camp on Belle River and not 1 boat idled by the entire 3 days I was there.

I agree completely. Was there 2 weeks ago and it totally blew how far the no idle zone extended and it wasnt posted. I was idling by the little groacery stop on 4 mile bayou, but evidently it wasnt slow enough. He warned us but i was super suprised he even stop me. I was idling for crying out loud. Anyway, everyone should be careful around there. Its hard to tell how far the zone extends.

W/ the water as high as it is just look at it this way and you will be safe.
IF THERE ARE ANY CAMPS / HOMES ALONG THE WATER ,
YOU ARE IN A NO WAKE ZONE!!!

I have a real problem with police giving tickets and everything is in conjecture of the officer. These should be maps online at the police website so fisherman can know the area before they get there.

Why is it that a person can force a boat to slow down in front of his camp when they built it on a navagaitable waterway? I don't think this is right. Am I the only person on here that feels it is wrong to ask boaters to slow down to idle because someone decided to build on the bayou or river? For the record I do obey by legal idle only regulations I just don't agree with them.

alot of these places are not normally no wake zones . But w/ the high water they are .
Like i said , W/ the water high like it is . If there are camps or houses It Is going to be a no wake zone.
I know if it was my camp / house i would want everyone to slow down and not push wakes into my place.

Man, I can't believe some of the posts I am reading. Yes, these people chose to build on the river, but it was their property to do with as they please. I think they have a right to ask that you respect it. They have money invested and spend money on a regular basis for improvements and conservation along that waterway. What gives you yahoos the right to come out there and throw wakes through their camps. They are not asking you to slow down year round, just while this water is so high.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the water is high and that requires special precautions. There is debris moving through that water that you may or may not see. The high water has changed the landscape and you may be running over some underwater hazard. The wake zones are for your safety as well as the protection of property.

For the record, I think there should be signs posted, or there should be someone at each launch handing out maps of the idle zones. You may have a defense in court, but I wouldn't count on a local judge taking pity on you.

How about just being a sportsman and respect the rules? As for what other people do, to quote what your mama and daddy used to say - if those people go and jump off a bridge would you do it too?

I use to fish Golden meadows and use bayou blue. There were two guys that would stand on the bank every Sat. and screem at the boats. One even shot at a boater and his wife and the sheriff came out. Now my comment is this with a good N.W. his camp would bet pounded for 48 hours with waves much more than a bass boat going by. In fact a 10 to 15 mile wind would go the same as this bass boat. A bass boat on plane or a small boat does not make much wave. Now if you have a big boat I agree slow down but please sometime I think this is overdone. I remember a bar off the tickfaw where the water patrol would yell out get on a plane or dead slow. If you see what some idiots call slow speed you would want them to get on plane. Again I may be wrong but the weather will do more damage than any boat to your camp. If you built on the water you would be wise to check out the wind direction mostly the NW wind.

...there's 3 different wakes..."plane,idle and plow"...I'll go w/idle in flood circumstances...even if plane does give less wake !... but who wants to plane if 'ya have roll'n telephone poles right under the surface ???...ugh ???

Why does anyone want to go in area that has flooding unless you have a camp in the area. Go where there is no problems and you will not cause any.

"How about just being a sportsman and respect the rules?"

I know this comment was probably not intended to imply that I am not a sportsman but it sounds that way. I do consider myself a sportsman and I do follow the rules. The problem here is there are no clear rules to follow. I was like "geaux1969" who asked a simple question and I got a bad answer. I fully expect to have to pay a fine when I go to court, but maybe some attention will be given to how this is handled in the future.

I was there yesterday and the lake is pretty much wide open. Anywhere there are camps you must idle. It is stricly enforced.

In flood times like it is now .
IF THERE ARE CAMPS IT IS A NO WAKE ZONE!!!
You will be ticketed if they THINK you are throwing a wake.

capt js.
The area that they are talking about are the bayous that connect the lakes . Palourde , grassy , verret.
You have to run these bayous to get from one lake to another . They are long runs and i understand why they are questioning the law . BUT i know that in high water times these camps will be right on the border of flooding. and the wake you throw may be the one that puts water in their camp.
Please if you see camps SLOW DOWN TO NO WAKE while the water is up.

I talked to the St. Mary sheriff this weekend and he said "the no wake zones are enforced in any area where there is a camp or a structure" (barges, oil rigs, etc.) "you are responsible for your wake and the damage that it causes" He told us to take pictures of anyone running above wake speed and any damage that is done to our property and that person will get a ticket of $500 mailed to them and be responsible for the damages. He inspected our property, gave us a certificate of inspection and went on his way.
Now I am not the kind of person that is going to take a picture of you speeding by. However, there are many people with little time on their hands that will not hesitate taking a picture and calling someone in. Just a heads up for people that think the law enforcement is not around!!!!

I think most of the high water areas around camps should be avoided until it falls. There are alot of other opportunities to catch fish in other ares that are not having this problem. It gives you a chance to explore a new fishing hole, avoid confrontation and possible damage to your boat and the camps in question. I think most reasonable people don't wish to cause damage to someone's camp.
I would like to say there are some people in some of these areas that have an issue with people near there camps even when the water is low. One example, on Bayou Tranquille there is an old coot that is either running and screaming at you or calling ole "Shorty" on you even though you are at dead slow. He does this even to people that live or have camps there that know and willingly obey the "no wake" zone. Respect is a two way street. It seems to me that it is very hard for someone to respect you and your property if all you have ever done is scream at someone.

I again repeat, I think most reasonable people do not wish to damage someone's camp.
Go explore somewhere else for a few trips and before you know it, the high water is gone and everybody is happy. Well, except maybe for the old coot on Bayou Tranquille.

Good fishing.

Country

My apologies to you Fishinguy and anyone else I may have offended with my comments. It was not my intent to offend or insult anyone's sportsmanship. As a law enforcement officer, I believe in equal and fair enforcement of all laws for all people. I also believe people should be given fair warning.

I was more addressing the people who posted the comments that implied the people who built on the water just accept responsibility for the wakes. That I adamantly disagree with.

Every weekend I fish Lake Verret and before they passed the new no wake zone law, I fished alot around 4mile,Grassy Lake,Cheramie, and Lake Polurde. But since they have passed the law ive been fishing the North end of the lake and have been catching more fish than ever.

REDNECKJUSTICE:

Apology accepted. I am hoping someone in the DA's office will understand what happened in my case. Again, maybe this situation can be handled better in the future by all concerned.

Enforced Idle/No-Wake Zones within the area covered by this map: A. Bayou Corne - on both sides of the bridge to the end of the camps. B. Pierre Part Bay - Within 500 ft. of the center of the Pierre Part Bay Bridge in either direction. No wake zone will be in effect beyond the 500 ft. when the water level reaches 3.5 ft. above mean sea level. In addition, no recreational towing allowed in the Bay at all times. C. Bayou Drive Elevation Bridge - No wake at all times from the bridge to the Bay. No wake within 500 ft. of the center of the bridge North East to the Bayou. D. Belle River - Within 1,000 ft. of the center of the Belle River (LA Hwy 70) Bridge in each direction at all times. E. Grand Bayou - 1,000 ft. from each side of the bridge. F. Bayou Gannevail - in vicinty of camps. G. Bayou Pierre Part along East Drive - the entire length of East Drive. H. Bayou Tranquille - the entire distance of the bayou from beginning to en

In Ascension, Livingston, and St. James parishes, the boat launches are closed and so are the waterways in the event of high water. The only people that are 'allowed' on them are residents and camp owners. If the Assumption and St. Mary authorities shut down all traffic on the water, then boaters would not get tickets. That in itself creates another gripe, people who complain that they can't enjoy the waterways. I've personally seen the amount of debris that makes it's way into the rivers during high water. I DO NOT consider risking my safety or destroying my boat something that I do for pleasure. We have seen more and more heavy rains and flooding recently, but looking at the 'big picture', does closing the waterways for a week cause that much inconvenience?

Why does there have to be a law? Where's the common sense and respect for people...Give em a break for a while. Water is on it's way down. Surely you have a plan B spot...