# Since When DId They Charge...?



## SLICK75 (Sep 4, 2010)

Took an opportunity during the break in the rain yesterday to take the boys out to Karrick Lake. Turned out to be ok, might have gotten better had the thunder not started but I landed one bass just under the limit and my oldest boy had a decent size bass on the hook right up to the boat when he threw the hook.

Once the thunder started around noon we headed for the truck. That's when things went downhill. 
Since when did they charge a per person day use fee? I drove by the two signs on the way in- one at the entrance that I missed due to dodging the Chevy pulling out and the other right next to the Ranger's camper which I missed because I was looking at the lake. 
When I got into the truck to load the boat I found a little slip of paper explaining the fee stuck on the windshield (he had to work to get it there, hope he had a ladder). As it turns out, there is a $2.00 PER PERSON day use fee now. WTH?? On the bright side, kid under 6 yrs are free- so generous of them.

I assume this applies to all the lakes in Blackwater, I saw some mention of 'Munson' in the little love letter. I can't quote it now because I felt compelled to use it to leave a little love letter of my own along with the change I had to scrape together to pay the $4.00 fee (he's going to have to work for that too since the adhesive on the envelopes suck). 

Anyway, just a word of advice for those who haven't been there in a while. Make sure you have cash, seems they're charging everybody, doesn't matter if you're camping, fishing off the dock, or launching a boat. Jeez, from the looks of the little love note you have to pay if you just want to park your car there while you bird watch.

I don't know whose bright idea that fee was but they won't have to worry about getting any more out of me any time soon.


----------



## Ragon210 (Jul 11, 2013)

I have never used that ramp, but that's the first I have ever heard of a ramp charging per person! I use a lot of the ramps in the city of pcola. and there is a 5 buck charge per boat. I cant tell you how many times I have seen people not pay the fee! Don't know if they don't know about it or just don't care.


----------



## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Yeah that's bs, they act like it's some prized fishery or something...


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

I think it's just a "use fee". And I think it's been in effect for a while


----------



## SLICK75 (Sep 4, 2010)

The signs looked relatively new when I finally saw them. I haven't been to Karrick in a couple of years, Hurricane was free last year, t least the time I was out there it was. THey sure as heck didn't let me slip through, dude slipped that little slip on my windshield some time in the 3 hours we were there.

Jcoss, I agree. If it was a place that I have had better luck with it wouldn't bother me so bad. But those bass yesterday were the first I've caught in all the times I've been there. I only go back occasionally just for a change of scenery, keep thinking I will come across 'that magic bait' one day that will change my luck out there.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a launch fee or something like that. What gets under my skin is the fact that I had to pay for myself and my oldest son (and soon my youngest will over 6) while the other guy that was there launched for half what I paid and ALL of us went home empty handed. I thought it was things like this why they keep raising the cost of fishing licenses. 

Oh well, somebody has to foot the bill so the Ranger can keep his Direct TV going, can't leave it up the the camper rentals I guess.


----------



## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

It was in affect last year, but not before. I had to have the ole lady come up and bring me some $$$ cause the camp host came up to me acting like I was a dirtbag cause I didn't pay...I told him I didn't realize I had to pay since I didn't the year before....haven't been back. It aint alot of $$$ but I haven't ever caught anything worth while from there anyways!


----------



## SLICK75 (Sep 4, 2010)

Jason said:


> It was in affect last year, but not before. I had to have the ole lady come up and bring me some $$$ cause the camp host came up to me acting like I was a dirtbag cause I didn't pay...I told him I didn't realize I had to pay since I didn't the year before....haven't been back. It aint alot of $$$ but I haven't ever caught anything worth while from there anyways!


Thats my point, its not a lot of money if youre ALONE, it's no worse than most other fees that I happily pay other places. It's not until you start trying to include your family that they stick it to you.

Fortunately I didn't see the guy, I guess he was just hanging out watching tv until I got away from the dock. He sure wasn't doing anything that was worth $4.00. 

I might ride out to Hurricane to see if there's a fee required there. I don't remember seeing any signs out there last year but I only went a couple of times. I looked on the FWC site and the Florida AG Department but saw no mention of the fees on either place, though I didn't dig to awfully deep.

A few years ago the morons instated an 18 inch minimum limit on bass in the lakes. I quit going back then until that was lifted. I guess maybe they will come to their senses when they start tallying up the money and realize they've done nothing but put themselves deeper in the hole.


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

I dunno man - $2 to fish off the dock or bank, launch your boat, p or poop in the restroom, hike, picnic, enjoy a beautiful place away from town all day if you want. Seems pretty cheap to me


----------



## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Hurricane has a couple free launch sites on the NW and SW sides of the lake, or they used to.


----------



## bowdiddly (Jan 6, 2010)

That fee is only the beginning.

If you deer hunt in Fl you will remember the deer permit they sprung on us just before hunting season started 5-6 yrs ago.

In the future you will see implementation of additional permits to catch or hunt individual species of fish or game.

Bass permit, bream permit, catfish permit, squirrel permit, rabbit permit, turkey permit and on and on.

All to generate revenue, not to mention the fines if you do not have the required permits.

I do not think any of us are against paying a little more in order to help with conservation.

But sooner or later it will have the opposite effect and sportsmen will stop participating in some of these sports, which will also hurt the economy when they stop buying the equipment at sporting goods stores.


----------



## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

I believe all of Hurricane is free to launch or at least it was a few months ago. Once they started charging for Karrick last year the guy told me it was just an Okaloosa thing.


----------



## Sailor50 (Nov 8, 2007)

I called them a few months and asked about it, both Bear and Karick charge. They (Blackwater Forest folks - 850-957-6140) said Hurricane is still free but they are thinking about changing it too. Both Bear and Hurricane have primitive sites and boat ramps that I believe are still free but I would check first.


----------



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Fished Hurricane a couple of months ago and the grounds keeper told us he had been notified a charge would be forthcoming soon for launching and day use. He was not told when it would happen. Remember these folks are just doing their job as they are instructed when it comes to collecting fees.


----------



## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

SLICK75 said:


> The signs looked relatively new when I finally saw them. I haven't been to Karrick in a couple of years, Hurricane was free last year, t least the time I was out there it was. THey sure as heck didn't let me slip through, dude slipped that little slip on my windshield some time in the 3 hours we were there.
> 
> Jcoss, I agree. If it was a place that I have had better luck with it wouldn't bother me so bad. But those bass yesterday were the first I've caught in all the times I've been there. I only go back occasionally just for a change of scenery, keep thinking I will come across 'that magic bait' one day that will change my luck out there.
> 
> ...



Poor you. If you can afford a big lifted truck you can probably sling a whopping $4 to hang out at one of the last pristine places in NW Florida. 

And please think - or research a little - before you go popping off about things you have no clue about like Rangers (park or forest) and what they can afford and what your nominal fee goes toward. 

1,600 miles of roads, 220,000 acres and multiple recreation areas don't pay for themselves. 

Also, please realize that the FWC (wildlife laws and regs) and the Florida Forest Service (land mangement and wildfires) are two different entities. 

If you have a real problem, please come see me at my office at the Munson crossroads.


----------



## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

...


----------



## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

I just didn't get down with the Direct TV comment. Dude thinks the people that work there live a life of luxury and don't do shit. Both are way off base and I'd love to explain it to him.


----------



## SLICK75 (Sep 4, 2010)

JoeZ said:


> Poor you. If you can afford a big lifted truck you can probably sling a whopping $4 to hang out at one of the last pristine places in NW Florida.
> 
> And please think - or research a little - before you go popping off about things you have no clue about like Rangers (park or forest) and what they can afford and what your nominal fee goes toward.
> 
> ...


Pristine? Its a 200,000 acre pine tree FARM. When yall arent cutting and planting them in rows youre smoking up the north end of two counties burning them. Thats a far cry from pristine in my book.

What I can afford is no business of yours, you dont know whats going on in my life or what I do for what I have so lets just leave that alone.

I never said I had issue paying a launch fee. In fact I fully SUPPORT a standard launch fee. I dont get my feelings hurt to see someone fishing off the dock free of charge that my LAUNCH FEE helped pay for. I dont get my feelings hurt knowing that my LAUNCH FEE helped make a safer place for the hikers to park their cars free of charge.
Charge me two or three dollars every time I go to launch my boat and I will be there several times a month. But shaft me by charging my kids (which comes out of MY pocket) and I will go find somewhere else to hang out with my kids and let the camping crowd continue to foot the bill for your beloved paved road.

As far as my remarks about the ranger, my truck being lifted as it is I found it rather comical picturing the guy trying to reach my windshield wiper to slip the note under it, and the remark about the change was more directed at the piss-poor quality of the envelope adhesive than a jab at the guys lack of working- I actually felt bad (at least until now) thinking about the guy having to dig it all out because the envelope fell open spilling the only 'cash' I had on me, which took 10 minutes of rooting through the truck to gather because I left straight from my house 5 miles away and was not expecting to pay for anything anywhere that didnt accept plastic. But since you want to drag them into this, why is it I never see these people except leaning on trailers at the equipment yard?
As much time as Ive spent at these lakes Ive only been approached twice by someone asking survey questions, the last time the guy seemed like he almost vomited as he said "Thank you". The rest of the time they are totally invisible and unapproachable. If theyre not cutting grass, which someone obviously does regularly ( I doubt its the game warden), where are they? This particular individual was obviously close enough to recognize I missed the payment box on the way in but not so much as a friendly wave coming or going or personal contact to explain the payment requirement. Just a little slip of paper slipped under a windshield wiper and back under his rock.

So set me straight, which government agency should my discontent be aimed at? The FWC gives a good sales pitch, even explaining the flip-flop on past/current bag limits but no mention of the day use fee. The Ag Dept. site simply provides a rough map of the layout of the lake and a brief description of the campsites, also no mention of a day use fee. Two days ago somebody at the Ag Dept was kind enough to update the lack of a crapper and no tent camping at North Hurricane until further notice but no mention of a day use fee there, at Karick, or anywhere else for that matter. 
So who is it that makes these decisions and where is this information found? Are they just relying on a little brown sign after someone has already driven to the middle of nowhere to inform them of the added cost of the trip or should I just get in the habit of emailing your office every time I think I want to humble myself in the pristine beauty of your pine farm?


----------



## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

SLICK75 said:


> Pristine? Its a 200,000 acre pine tree FARM. When yall arent cutting and planting them in rows youre smoking up the north end of two counties burning them. Thats a far cry from pristine in my book.
> 
> What I can afford is no business of yours, you dont know whats going on in my life or what I do for what I have so lets just leave that alone.
> 
> ...



Oh please, spin it how you'd like but you failed to see to obvious signs and were simply reminded - or made aware - of the day use fee (not a launch fee). With a polite note even. Many other agencies or facilities would probably give you a ticket. But we're nicer than that.

Quality of fishing, take it up with the FWC. Once it hits the water, that's them.

Day use fee or a problem the "pine farm," feel free to discuss it with the Forest Service. 

I'd be happy to educate and your children on what all goes in to keeping the largest state forest in Florida running and looking as good as it does. I'll gladly explain why we cut pines, why we burn, what a working forest is and how it works and also detail sustainable forestry practices. 

And yeah, it's a pretty pristine habitat. Virgin timber? No, not at all. Stop by and I'll show you what it looked like 75 years or so ago after the timber companies took everything, defaulted on their land taxes and it is was handed over to the state to fix.

And as to the lack of visible employees, there's like 4 or 5 people that manage the rec areas - all of them. Given that, I could see how they would be hard to spot if you weren’t right there when they are. You noticed the grass cut, clean facilities, decent roads and camp sites and a maintained landscape, though. That’s them.


----------



## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

I have seen some pics of BW before the timber companies ravaged it. The giant yellow heart pines would have really been something to see in person...


----------



## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

There are a few places where you can find one or two still but they're mostly gone these days. Even a nice 80-year-old longleaf pine is something to behold.


----------



## polhlor (May 8, 2014)

For a mere $30(last years price) you can go to the Munson fire station and get a pass for the whole family for a year. Cheaper than one trip to the movies. 
As far as the camp host; I believe he only gets to park for free unless that has changed. Probably amounts to less than minimum wage when you consider those bathrooms are always clean and he has to clean up after the litterbugs.


----------



## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

^ Yes, you can get an annual pass at the Forest Service office in Munson and just be done with it.


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Hey Joe - last time I was there there was only enough TP to wipe my tail twice....and it was not as soft as what my wife buys and I think it gave me a hemmoroid - who should I complain to?


----------



## Donut slayer (Jan 16, 2009)

Try'n Hard said:


> Hey Joe - last time I was there there was only enough TP to wipe my tail twice....and it was not as soft as what my wife buys and I think it gave me a hemmoroid - who should I complain to?


You got the "John Wayne" toilet paper. It dosent take crap off anybody.


----------

