Northwest Fishing Reports

I was curious if the rule, "no motorized boats" included electric motors.

dea wrote:I was curious if the rule, "no motorized boats" included electric motors.

Depends, but most likely yes.

Most of the time, the State makes it clear that no internal combustion engine is allowed, but some counties have a NO MOTOR rule.

Can you be specific on the exact lake and perhaps people can help a little better?

As AA mentioned, you will want to make sure of the exact wording. A check of the definitions in the regulation pamphlet shows the following:

Motors Prohibited:
Fishing from a floating device equipped with a motor is not allowed.

Internal Combustion Motors Prohibited:
Means fishing from a floating device equipped with an internal combustion motor is not allowed.

This doesn't take into account any county or city imposed restrictions. For example, Beaver Lake in Issaquah has a no internal combustion motor restriction, which does not show up in the regs.

Here is a link to King County's site showing motor restrictions:

http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/w ... ating.aspx

If you plan to fish a lake, best to check the county web site for additional restrictions. Also, restrictions are typically posted at launch/access sites so be on the lookout for them.

Thanks G-Man. You cleared up what I was after.

In several instances, this is not clear because the state says one thing and the county says another.

Fish Lake by Cheney states in the WDFW regs that "no internal combustion motors allowed." However, Spokane County owns the property that Fish Lake sits on. In the park regulations, it clearly states "No motorized boats allowed".

Now the question rises, do they enforce the rule? For all the time that Spokane County has had control of Fish Lake, there has been no enforcement of the no motors rule. I have seen dozens of boats trolling with electric motors on the lake for the last 15-20 years.

It all boils down to who owns the body of water. In the case of Fish Lake, the game department will enforce the rules they have posted in their regulations. The county parks will enforce the rules they have for the park. Both are conflicting.

A couple of years ago, Medical Lake was listed in the WDFW regulations as "Electric motors only". The town of Medical Lake owns the lake and had a sign at the launch saying "No motors allowed". Someone finally convinced the WDFW to change their rules for Medical Lake to read "no motors allowed", therefore following the rules of the City Of Medical Lake.

It appears to me that the owner of the lake has the final word, not the WDFW.

Marc,

I see the WDFW motor rules as being applicable just to the time you are fishing and not meant to override local regulations. Hence the inclusion of the word "fishing" to the definitions provided in the pamphlet.

I have had the same question from time to time. I think answer above is right. No Motors, means no electric or gas. No "internal combustion" means elec. motor allowed. Best to look at regulations, though, before you go on the lake. There is a number you can call, too, at the State Dept. Fisheries. Fine has got to be big if you guess wrong.

I politely asked the Seattle Parks Dept about Seattle's Green Lake no motors allowed reg. I received a rude response: "We don't cater to those kinds of activities any more." Never mind their crew support boat running around leaving an oil sheen where ever it goes, gas engine. "No Motors" is poorly posted around the lake. It is enforced.

Blackmans, Snohomish, has "No Motors" posted at the launch but nearly everyone seemed to have an electric motor. Maybe it's a diferent definition in Snohomish????

No Electric Motors is just assinyne! I get the no gas engines in certain circumstances, really small lakes, but no electric, damn blue bloods or democrats whose stool doesn't stink.

Most times no motor allowed means combustion motors. Electrics dont put out any polution.

8Fish_box wrote: Most times no motor allowed means combustion motors. Electrics dont put out any polution.

In all the lakes that I have been to, NO MOTORS means NO MOTORS. It has nothing to do with pollution. It has more to do with safety. Medical Lake has a lot of long distance swimmers using the lake. Fan Lake has a lot of children swimming in the lake. Both have a "no motors" rule.

Marc Martyn wrote:In several instances, this is not clear because the state says one thing and the county says another.

Fish Lake by Cheney states in the WDFW regs that "no internal combustion motors allowed." However, Spokane County owns the property that Fish Lake sits on. In the park regulations, it clearly states "No motorized boats allowed".

Now the question rises, do they enforce the rule? For all the time that Spokane County has had control of Fish Lake, there has been no enforcement of the no motors rule. I have seen dozens of boats trolling with electric motors on the lake for the last 15-20 years.

It all boils down to who owns the body of water. In the case of Fish Lake, the game department will enforce the rules they have posted in their regulations. The county parks will enforce the rules they have for the park. Both are conflicting.

A couple of years ago, Medical Lake was listed in the WDFW regulations as "Electric motors only". The town of Medical Lake owns the lake and had a sign at the launch saying "No motors allowed". Someone finally convinced the WDFW to change their rules for Medical Lake to read "no motors allowed", therefore following the rules of the City Of Medical Lake.

It appears to me that the owner of the lake has the final word, not the WDFW.

I spoke to the park ranger yesterday about this and he said that electric trolling motors were allowed. They didn't want boats with gas (internal combustion) motors.

geljockey wrote:

Marc Martyn wrote:In several instances, this is not clear because the state says one thing and the county says another.

Fish Lake by Cheney states in the WDFW regs that "no internal combustion motors allowed." However, Spokane County owns the property that Fish Lake sits on. In the park regulations, it clearly states "No motorized boats allowed".

Now the question rises, do they enforce the rule? For all the time that Spokane County has had control of Fish Lake, there has been no enforcement of the no motors rule. I have seen dozens of boats trolling with electric motors on the lake for the last 15-20 years.

It all boils down to who owns the body of water. In the case of Fish Lake, the game department will enforce the rules they have posted in their regulations. The county parks will enforce the rules they have for the park. Both are conflicting.

A couple of years ago, Medical Lake was listed in the WDFW regulations as "Electric motors only". The town of Medical Lake owns the lake and had a sign at the launch saying "No motors allowed". Someone finally convinced the WDFW to change their rules for Medical Lake to read "no motors allowed", therefore following the rules of the City Of Medical Lake.

It appears to me that the owner of the lake has the final word, not the WDFW.

I spoke to the park ranger yesterday about this and he said that electric trolling motors were allowed. They didn't want boats with gas (internal combustion) motors.

On what lake and which park?

Marc Martyn wrote:

geljockey wrote:

Marc Martyn wrote:In several instances, this is not clear because the state says one thing and the county says another.

Fish Lake by Cheney states in the WDFW regs that "no internal combustion motors allowed." However, Spokane County owns the property that Fish Lake sits on. In the park regulations, it clearly states "No motorized boats allowed".

Now the question rises, do they enforce the rule? For all the time that Spokane County has had control of Fish Lake, there has been no enforcement of the no motors rule. I have seen dozens of boats trolling with electric motors on the lake for the last 15-20 years.

It all boils down to who owns the body of water. In the case of Fish Lake, the game department will enforce the rules they have posted in their regulations. The county parks will enforce the rules they have for the park. Both are conflicting.

A couple of years ago, Medical Lake was listed in the WDFW regulations as "Electric motors only". The town of Medical Lake owns the lake and had a sign at the launch saying "No motors allowed". Someone finally convinced the WDFW to change their rules for Medical Lake to read "no motors allowed", therefore following the rules of the City Of Medical Lake.

It appears to me that the owner of the lake has the final word, not the WDFW.

I spoke to the park ranger yesterday about this and he said that electric trolling motors were allowed. They didn't want boats with gas (internal combustion) motors.

On what lake and which park?

Bear Lake (Bear Lake Regional Park) and Fish Lake (Fish Lake Regional Park) in Spokane Co.

Finally the WDFW and the Spokane County Parks are saying the same thing. This spring the park department changed their wording for motors on both Fish Lake and Bear Lake.

http://www.washingtonlakes.com/forum/ya ... -Lake.aspx

http://www.spokanecounty.org/parks/content.aspx?c=1911

http://www.spokanecounty.org/parks/content.aspx?c=1849

G-Man wrote:Marc,

I see the WDFW motor rules as being applicable just to the time you are fishing and not meant to override local regulations. Hence the inclusion of the word "fishing" to the definitions provided in the pamphlet.

Ditto... I to have spoken to the WDFW about this. It comes up everything Spring for as long as the website has been here. Their point was made to me clearly..." What the regs say about motor allowances... has only to do with fishing" What you read in the WDFW regs. on motors does not necessarily apply to pleasure boating in a given lake. Go to the county for that.

"Motors prohibited" means no motors, including electric.