# How much is a no PFD ticket?



## scott44 (May 28, 2013)

Anyone know?


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## T.P. (May 28, 2013)

For not having one on? Or not having one in the boat? Last one I heard was $125 for not having one on a child.


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## scott44 (May 28, 2013)

We had one pfd in the boat between 2 adults.


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## mikeys250 (May 28, 2013)

I was surprised at my stop with DNR Sunday. We had two coolers in the boat and all he asked was to see enough pfd for everybody, didn't even ask if I had been drinking. I hadn't but with the new law being passed I figured they would be cracking down on BUI. Guess they were just worried about pfd.


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## mtr3333 (May 28, 2013)

mikeys250 said:


> I was surprised at my stop with DNR Sunday. We had two coolers in the boat and all he asked was to see enough pfd for everybody, didn't even ask if I had been drinking. I hadn't but with the new law being passed I figured they would be cracking down on BUI. Guess they were just worried about pfd.



The PFD opens discussion. What you say will determine where else it goes.


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## Poor Poor Fisherman (May 28, 2013)

*Question*

Hate to be so ignorant but I'm new to Georgia Coastal fishing.  But what does PFD stand for?

Thanks!


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## Casey81 (May 28, 2013)

Personal floatation device aka life jacket


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## Ahab (May 28, 2013)

Saw A LOT of little ones riding around without pfd's on yesterday. Actually looking forward to seeing this enforced.


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## scott44 (May 28, 2013)

Ahab said:


> Saw A LOT of little ones riding around without pfd's on yesterday. Actually looking forward to seeing this enforced.



I aint cryin about it...i knew better,just didn't wanna deal with wallyworld ...needed to fish. We was totally disregarding the law


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## Casey81 (May 28, 2013)

Ahab said:


> Saw A LOT of little ones riding around without pfd's on yesterday. Actually looking forward to seeing this enforced.



That makes 2 of us. It is one of my peeves. I don't see what is so hard about putting a kid in a life jacket. I have started wearing one when we are underway again. I have friends that make fun of me for it but I would rather have one on and not need it than need it and it not have it on.


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## needmotime2fish (May 28, 2013)

Casey81 said:


> That makes 2 of us. It is one of my peeves. I don't see what is so hard about putting a kid in a life jacket. I have started wearing one when we are underway again. I have friends that make fun of me for it but I would rather have one on and not need it than need it and it not have it on.



Definitely!  There are way too many things that can happen on the water, whether they're your fault, somebody else's, or just a freak accident, to take a chance. 
It's just like seat belts in a vehicle -- better to wear 'em and not need 'em, than to need one and not be wearing it.


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## The Longhunter (May 28, 2013)

Had a good friend who was a long time GW on a major river here in Georgia.  

He said that the ONLY offense that he wrote a ticket for (as opposed to a written or verbal warning) EVERY TIME was for PFD.  He said pulling one two or three day old "floater" out of the river would do that to you.


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## dawg2 (May 28, 2013)

Ahab said:


> Saw A LOT of little ones riding around without pfd's on yesterday. Actually looking forward to seeing this enforced.



That fine should be $1,000 minimum, per child without a vest on.


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## Backlasher82 (May 29, 2013)

scott44 said:


> We had one pfd in the boat between 2 adults.



I think the county the ticket was written in decides the fine. What lake were you on?


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## fish hawk (May 29, 2013)

scott44 said:


> I aint cryin about it...i knew better,just didn't wanna deal with wallyworld ...needed to fish. We was totally disregarding the law



Would have been a lot cheaper to make that stop at walmart.......The fines are different for each county but I would think no less than $75.00.


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## StriperrHunterr (May 29, 2013)

dawg2 said:


> That fine should be $1,000 minimum, per child without a vest on.



Impound the boat for no less than 6 months, too, and then make them re-register it after a Coast Guard approved boater's education course. Most idiots on the water don't know how to calculate the right of way based on the marker lights. "But it's daylight out..."


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## mikeys250 (May 29, 2013)

mtr3333 said:


> The PFD opens discussion. What you say will determine where else it goes.



We'll I guess when he ask for a throwable and  I reminded him that under 16 ft didn't require one he figured I had some sense left.


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## klerchkatcher (May 29, 2013)

In the early 90's my dad and I were fishing lighted boat docks on Lake Oconee. 

   Going under the 44 bridge at 1:00 am two game warden boats stopped us. Long story ....

   ended up with a $45 ticket for not having our PFDs readily accessible.

I think it does depend on the county.


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## 3ringer (May 29, 2013)

A friend of a friend got a ticket because one of his pfd did not have a tag attached to it. Is the same law and penalty for removing the tag from your mattress?


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## crackerdave (May 29, 2013)

mtr3333 said:


> The PFD opens discussion. What you say will determine where else it goes.



True.
They get close enough to smell alcohol and spot any empty cans, etc.  and observe your behavior.


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## ThomasCobb123 (May 29, 2013)

StripeRR HunteRR said:


> Impound the boat for no less than 6 months, too, and then make them re-register it after a Coast Guard approved boater's education course. Most idiots on the water don't know how to calculate the right of way based on the marker lights. "But it's daylight out..."


Impound the boat?
Oh let's don't stop there......let's put a sheriff lien on their home, make them cut right of way out on country roads every Saturday and Sunday for 5 years, and then finish it off by whipping their buttocks in public every day for 2 weeks.
"Impound the boat".......indeed.
Absurd.


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## creteus (May 29, 2013)

Me and the wife got one in Florida on a Kayak in 3 feet of water. Cost us $68.00 each


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## buddy48 (May 29, 2013)

About 10 years ago it was $60. Got a ticket at Tuckahoe for not having one because i left it in the truck.


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## nickf11 (May 29, 2013)

Got one on alatoona 3 years ago and it was $100 even. But I had a boat load and was 3 PFD's short. I knew it too but disregarded in hopes of not getting caught. Stupid stupid stupid.


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## Ronnie T (May 29, 2013)

I have too many responsibilities in this world to be riding a moving boat without a PFD on.
I at least owe it to my wife to wear the life jacket.  I don't want her or my daughter to have to ID my body after the 5 day search.

My grandchildren will never have one off while in a boat.


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## StriperrHunterr (May 30, 2013)

ThomasCobb123 said:


> Impound the boat?
> Oh let's don't stop there......let's put a sheriff lien on their home, make them cut right of way out on country roads every Saturday and Sunday for 5 years, and then finish it off by whipping their buttocks in public every day for 2 weeks.
> "Impound the boat".......indeed.
> Absurd.



You're right, I was over the top with the impoundment notion. I've just felt very passionately about safe operation on waterways my entire life. We should be able to relax on the lake, not fear for our lives. That was reenforced this past year when two little boys were taken from our neighborhood by someone they knew who was being stupid on the water, drunk, and late at night. Their deaths were preventable, and not by restricing anyone's rights or freedoms, either. Boating isn't a right, it's a privilege like a car, and should be licensed as such. 

Having said that, a very stiff fine for kids not wearing PFD's and a mandatory Boater's Safety card for every operator couldn't hurt. 

The way things are now with people buying huge boats that belong more on the ocean than an impoundment (but I support liberty and if they want to do that I'm ok with it), having no experience, not getting any training, and just plowing about at 60mph is a recipe for disaster. We've already seen some of the consequences of that this year, and last year was far too tragic. 

No training is why Lanier is as much of a mess as it is. We can't control the out of towners, but GA registered boats could, and I think should, be required to have a licensed operator. 

Further, I think that the BAC should be 0.0 on a boat. It won't stop everyone from drinking, I realize that, but it would allow for the implementation of a non-relativist stiff penalty. Saying you're fine at .07 and not at .08 across the board is silly. I might be perfectly fine up until .10 where you could be a lightweight and fail a field sobriety at .04, not saying you are, just being rhetorical. 

Anywho, sincerely, thanks for pointing out that I was being absurd, it made me think a little harder.


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## dawg2 (May 30, 2013)

Ahab said:


> Saw A LOT of little ones riding around without pfd's on yesterday. Actually looking forward to seeing this enforced.





dawg2 said:


> That fine should be $1,000 minimum, per child without a vest on.





StripeRR HunteRR said:


> Impound the boat for no less than 6 months, too, and then make them re-register it after a Coast Guard approved boater's education course. Most idiots on the water don't know how to calculate the right of way based on the marker lights. "But it's daylight out..."





ThomasCobb123 said:


> Impound the boat?
> Oh let's don't stop there......let's put a sheriff lien on their home, make them cut right of way out on country roads every Saturday and Sunday for 5 years, and then finish it off by whipping their buttocks in public every day for 2 weeks.
> "Impound the boat".......indeed.
> Absurd.


  I agree.  I feel it should be a charge of of "Child abuse and neglect."  Then they can use their boat after time served. 

I hav eno idea what the fine is for PFD's or lack thereof.  Anytime we go out I do a head count and then a PFD count.  We always make sure we have enough.  I keep three of them within an arms reach at all times.  Kids don't go on my boat without a PFD.  It is stupid and reckless for which there is NO EXCUSE.


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## rayjay (May 30, 2013)

Casey81 said:


> I don't see what is so hard about putting a kid in a life jacket. I have started wearing one when we are underway again. I have friends that make fun of me for it but I would rather have one on and not need it than need it and it not have it on.



Nothing has a greater impact on youngsters than the example set by their real live 'heroes' [ fathers, uncles, older cousins, etc].


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## geaux-fish (May 30, 2013)

What ever it is, it's not enough. Teach your kids and grandkids water safety early in their young lives so they can live and teach thier kids and grandkids.
 And don't get me started on how some have a bad day on the water because they forgot to bring a cooler full of beer.   

I will share a story from last year. Lake Alltoona, heading back to ramp after a great days fishing. As I come into Clark Creek I see a small runabout with a dad, mom, and four kids. Two of the kids are on a tube 50ft behind the boat. Kids were 9 and 10 years with NO pfds. As I got closer i realized the other two children in the boat had no pfds. So I got close and yelled " your kids have no pfds on" dude flipped me off. Well now it's go time, and I pull in front of him and force him to stop. He had NO pfds in the boat and continued to spew not so nice comments to me, " who are you, you don't own the lake", I said brother its against the law for you to not have pfds on the boat and your kids could easily drown. He kept up and I finished with," I have DNR on speed dial and they will be here in less that five min. Nuff said, he pulled the kids in and headed for the ramp.


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## buddy48 (May 30, 2013)

I think its sad that this has turned into a thread for bashing adults not wearing lfe jackets. Its called "natural selection".


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## StriperrHunterr (May 30, 2013)

buddy48 said:


> I think its sad that this has turned into a thread for bashing adults not wearing lfe jackets. Its called "natural selection".



Agreed. Over 16 and I would consider it a personal decision. Likewise, if the victim is over 16 and was observed without a PFD on then the LEO's should just wait for the body to surface, not spend thousands of dollars combing the lake trying to find them. It's callous, I know, but if they won't take responsibility for themselves we shouldn't have to pull out all the stops to find them. 

I feel the same way about helmets on motorcycles. If you don't want to wear one, that's fine, but it's basically an implied DNR agreement to me. You get first responder aid and if you die, then that's that.


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## mikeys250 (May 30, 2013)

I haven't seen one comment bashing ADULTS wearing life jackets, only that kids should be. Which is the law.


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## scott44 (May 30, 2013)

Backlasher82 said:


> I think the county the ticket was written in decides the fine. What lake were you on?



Lake Rabun...Couthouse down there finally got my ticket from greenjeans, Wasn't but $75


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## ThomasCobb123 (May 30, 2013)

geaux-fish said:


> What ever it is, it's not enough. Teach your kids and grandkids water safety early in their young lives so they can live and teach thier kids and grandkids.
> And don't get me started on how some have a bad day on the water because they forgot to bring a cooler full of beer.
> I will share a story from last year. Lake Alltoona, heading back to ramp after a great days fishing. As I come into Clark Creek I see a small runabout with a dad, mom, and four kids. Two of the kids are on a tube 50ft behind the boat. Kids were 9 and 10 years with NO pfds. As I got closer i realized the other two children in the boat had no pfds. So I got close and yelled " your kids have no pfds on" dude flipped me off. Well now it's go time, and I pull in front of him and force him to stop. He had NO pfds in the boat and continued to spew not so nice comments to me, " who are you, you don't own the lake", I said brother its against the law for you to not have pfds on the boat and your kids could easily drown. He kept up and I finished with," I have DNR on speed dial and they will be here in less that five min. Nuff said, he pulled the kids in and headed for the ramp.


The man was right concerning you!  You have no authority to be pulling in front of someone to stop him or even opening your mouth to him.
That is the job of the DNR Leo's.
You called the DNR people and that was absolutely correct and the right thing to do.  You should've just done that first and said nothing to him...you are not a safety 'counselor' (whatever that is).
The guy was *totally wrong *with all those kids being without the PFD's but you being an 'enforcer' is wrong too.  That's how a lot of people get shot...sticking their nose where it does not belong.  (if he was goofy enough to put those kids in harm's way like that, isn't it just a slight bit reasonable to guess he might be one of those hotheads who will pull on someone and blast away without even a rational thought?)
Your zeal for safety for the kids, in this situation, overrode your calmness under pressure.
Better cool it, man, and let those who're supposed to handle it do the handling.


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## ThomasCobb123 (May 30, 2013)

StripeRR HunteRR said:


> Agreed. Over 16 and I would consider it a personal decision. Likewise, if the victim is over 16 and was observed without a PFD on then the LEO's should just wait for the body to surface, not spend thousands of dollars combing the lake trying to find them. It's callous, I know, but if they won't take responsibility for themselves we shouldn't have to pull out all the stops to find them.
> I feel the same way about helmets on motorcycles. If you don't want to wear one, that's fine, but it's basically an implied DNR agreement to me. You get first responder aid and if you die, then that's that.


You're a wise man.
It's not calloused...it's reality.
If they're old enough to make stupid decisions to gamble with death, it's their own decision.


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## scott44 (May 30, 2013)

geaux-fish said:


> What ever it is, it's not enough. Teach your kids and grandkids water safety early in their young lives so they can live and teach thier kids and grandkids.
> And don't get me started on how some have a bad day on the water because they forgot to bring a cooler full of beer.
> 
> I will share a story from last year. Lake Alltoona, heading back to ramp after a great days fishing. As I come into Clark Creek I see a small runabout with a dad, mom, and four kids. Two of the kids are on a tube 50ft behind the boat. Kids were 9 and 10 years with NO pfds. As I got closer i realized the other two children in the boat had no pfds. So I got close and yelled " your kids have no pfds on" dude flipped me off. Well now it's go time, and I pull in front of him and force him to stop. He had NO pfds in the boat and continued to spew not so nice comments to me, " who are you, you don't own the lake", I said brother its against the law for you to not have pfds on the boat and your kids could easily drown. He kept up and I finished with," I have DNR on speed dial and they will be here in less that five min. Nuff said, he pulled the kids in and headed for the ramp.



Glad that worked out for ya and all but I'm not sure I'd make a habit outta that.


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## savage (Jun 2, 2013)

The fine is set by the county.  Each one is different.  Call the contact number on your ticket to find out.


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## 06 SB (Jun 3, 2013)

Ronnie T said:


> I have too many responsibilities in this world to be riding a moving boat without a PFD on.
> I at least owe it to my wife to wear the life jacket.  I don't want her or my daughter to have to ID my body after the 5 day search.
> 
> My grandchildren will never have one off while in a boat.



Amen brother.

06


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## TroyBoy30 (Jun 3, 2013)

geaux-fish said:


> What ever it is, it's not enough. Teach your kids and grandkids water safety early in their young lives so they can live and teach thier kids and grandkids.
> And don't get me started on how some have a bad day on the water because they forgot to bring a cooler full of beer.
> 
> I will share a story from last year. Lake Alltoona, heading back to ramp after a great days fishing. As I come into Clark Creek I see a small runabout with a dad, mom, and four kids. Two of the kids are on a tube 50ft behind the boat. Kids were 9 and 10 years with NO pfds. As I got closer i realized the other two children in the boat had no pfds. So I got close and yelled " your kids have no pfds on" dude flipped me off. Well now it's go time, and I pull in front of him and force him to stop. He had NO pfds in the boat and continued to spew not so nice comments to me, " who are you, you don't own the lake", I said brother its against the law for you to not have pfds on the boat and your kids could easily drown. He kept up and I finished with," I have DNR on speed dial and they will be here in less that five min. Nuff said, he pulled the kids in and headed for the ramp.



good way to get shot in this day and age.  its not your job to be the police.  do you pull over speeders on the highway and tell them its against the law?


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## MossyCreek (Jun 3, 2013)

got one last year at flat creek, $150


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## geaux-fish (Jun 4, 2013)

TroyBoy30 said:


> good way to get shot in this day and age.  its not your job to be the police.  do you pull over speeders on the highway and tell them its against the law?



Sorry , Its not the first or the last time. If I would have read in the paper that those kids drowned and I didn't do anything to stop it or educate them well Id be a bad example of a man. Its the people who look the other way , who are scared to get involved, that let things be that are  part of the problem with the world today. Step up and save a life.


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## Gaducker (Jun 4, 2013)

StripeRR HunteRR said:


> Impound the boat for no less than 6 months, too, and then make them re-register it after a Coast Guard approved boater's education course. Most idiots on the water don't know how to calculate the right of way based on the marker lights. "But it's daylight out..."




How do you calculate that?  It just come natrual to me because of the radar screen and I am curious how you calculate that.  You use a protractor or somethin?? Some fancy math??


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## sinclair1 (Jun 4, 2013)

geaux-fish said:


> Sorry , Its not the first or the last time. If I would have read in the paper that those kids drowned and I didn't do anything to stop it or educate them well Id be a bad example of a man. Its the people who look the other way , who are scared to get involved, that let things be that are  part of the problem with the world today. Step up and save a life.


I don't fault you for getting involved, just don't really understand how telling some idiot how to raise his kids is your duty. What if a tree hugger gets in your face and starts telling you how wrong you are for fishing, keep in mind he/she thinks its their duty to tell you how wrong you are. I had this happen to me and if it wasn't a women I would have socked them right in the nose for getting in my face.

I don't really understand getting involved before something happens, its no different than me standing at a redlight telling people to buckle up.

Maybe you can make a difference, just don't turn me in for posting on here I carry on Toona at night.

Its not my business to worry about your habits at the lake, so do as you feel.


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## geaux-fish (Jun 4, 2013)

sinclair1 said:


> I don't fault you for getting involved, just don't really understand how telling some idiot how to raise his kids is your duty. What if a tree hugger gets in your face and starts telling you how wrong you are for fishing, keep in mind he/she thinks its their duty to tell you how wrong you are. I had this happen to me and if it wasn't a women I would have socked them right in the nose for getting in my face.
> 
> I don't really understand getting involved before something happens, its no different than me standing at a redlight telling people to buckle up.
> 
> ...



S1 I get that, all life is something special and perhaps I was over the top but feel strongly about some things. Things happen in peoples lives, terrible things, lives lost and it changes you. If you were in a fight and it was 20 to 1, well then it would be 20 to 2, cause we would be side by side.


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## sinclair1 (Jun 4, 2013)

geaux-fish said:


> S1 I get that, all life is something special and perhaps I was over the top but feel strongly about some things. Things happen in peoples lives, terrible things, lives lost and it changes you. If you were in a fight and it was 20 to 1, well then it would be 20 to 2, cause we would be side by side.



fair enough


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## warronl (Jun 4, 2013)

geaux-fish said:


> I will share a story from last year. Lake Alltoona, heading back to ramp after a great days fishing. As I come into Clark Creek I see a small runabout with a dad, mom, and four kids. Two of the kids are on a tube 50ft behind the boat. Kids were 9 and 10 years with NO pfds. As I got closer i realized the other two children in the boat had no pfds. So I got close and yelled " your kids have no pfds on" dude flipped me off. Well now it's go time, and I pull in front of him and force him to stop. He had NO pfds in the boat and continued to spew not so nice comments to me, " who are you, you don't own the lake", I said brother its against the law for you to not have pfds on the boat and your kids could easily drown. He kept up and I finished with," I have DNR on speed dial and they will be here in less that five min. Nuff said, he pulled the kids in and headed for the ramp.





geaux-fish said:


> Sorry , Its not the first or the last time. If I would have read in the paper that those kids drowned and I didn't do anything to stop it or educate them well Id be a bad example of a man. Its the people who look the other way , who are scared to get involved, that let things be that are  part of the problem with the world today. Step up and save a life.



Or lose one.


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## Dean Harris (Jun 4, 2013)

OK, so if I see someone out there with kids that aren't wearing a PFD, how do I contact the DNR? Is their number listed anywhere for Allatoona or Lanier?


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## TroyBoy30 (Jun 5, 2013)

geaux-fish said:


> Sorry , Its not the first or the last time. If I would have read in the paper that those kids drowned and I didn't do anything to stop it or educate them well Id be a bad example of a man. Its the people who look the other way , who are scared to get involved, that let things be that are  part of the problem with the world today. Step up and save a life.



really?  so it makes you sleep better at night.  you just said it accomplished nothing.  its not your responsibility and it could get you beat.  take care of yourself and quit worrying about others


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## BCAPES (Jun 8, 2013)

It is still around $150.


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## nickf11 (Jun 8, 2013)

Yeeeaaaahh.....I'm in 100% agreement with TroyBoy on this one. Geaux-fish, do you turn your truck sideways on the road and get out of your truck and walk up to the car behind you when you look in your mirror and see the people in the car behind you not wearing seatbelts? 

And Dean, You want a DNR # to report people you see on the water without PFD's? 

How about y'all just focus on fishing and unless someone is affecting you or your passengers safety, not worry about what others are doing that may affect themselves? If It's not affecting your safety or enjoyment of the lake, it's not your concern...


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## LEON MANLEY (Jun 8, 2013)

Dean Harris said:


> OK, so if I see someone out there with kids that aren't wearing a PFD, how do I contact the DNR? Is their number listed anywhere for Allatoona or Lanier?



911


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## Eugene Stinson (Jun 8, 2013)

I watched a man and lady pulling 2 tubes behind their boat with 8 to 10 years olds on them. It was on Sinclair in the warm water cove. They were in the back third of the cove and I was fishing up the buoy line. I was wondering why they would do that in such a narrow cove. Their wake was making my boat control tough. As I got closer to them the man started making his turns closer and closer to me. I was thinking this guy is crazy. I was not wrong. The next circle would have put them kids real close to my boat if one of the metal poles had not stopped the kids from proceeding.  I fast trolled over to make sure the kids were OK (I am a Vol. Fireman). One was hurt but not dieing but both were scared to death. When the man and lady came over I looked him straight in the eye and just laughed. They retrieved the kids and left.


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## LEON MANLEY (Jun 8, 2013)

Personal safety should be just that. It should be an advisement not a requirement. 
Stupid is as stupid does. 
Stupid people shouldn't survive or reproduce.
Let Darwinism take the wheel and it'll sort itself out.


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