GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) — House Bill 4362, that was recently introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives has caused an uproar among boaters and fisherman.
The bill proposed limiting the operation of boats on public inland lakes to between 8 a.m. and sunset.
Northern Michigan fishermen and boaters say they don’t want to see restrictions for inland lakes.
State Representative Jack O’Malley, says he spoke with one of the representatives who introduced the bill Jason Sheppard.
Representative O’Malley says Sheppard told him that the bill wasn’t worded correctly and that boaters shouldn’t worry.
Fishermen like Josh Gratton, say they were shocked when they saw the wording in the bill.
“I actually didn’t believe it was real when I first saw it this morning,” said Gratton.
Gratton loves using his boat and fishing at places like Long Lake, Torch Lake, and Lake Leelanau.
He says he also saw many people concerned about the bill on social media.
“The best fishing is you know right at, a half hour before sunrise which in the summertime is 6 a.m. and then again the best fishing in the evening is typically sunset until an hour after that,” said Gratton.
O’Malley says that Representative Sheppard told him the wording in the bill was a mistake. (Makes you wonder how many more mistakes get through!)
“He wants everybody to know that he is working to correct that language,” said O’Malley.
According to O’Malley, the bill is being rewritten.
“People need to know that this was a mistake. It was not intended to restrict the hours. It was intended to actually open them up. So that issue has been noted and they are redrafting it so that the new version will expand the hours it will not restrict the hours”, said O’Malley.
However, Gratton says he doesn’t think any legislation is needed when it comes to lake time hours.
O’Malley says when the bill has the proper wording it will be reintroduced.
