Fences across creeks

[SkwalaStonefly]

During early season creek fishing it seems like I am encountering more and more fences across creeks. I thought this was illegal, but I don't actually know the land laws on this issue. I thought that the collective wisdom on the forum would be the quickest way to get educated on this. Is fencing across a creek legal? Can it be done to keep livestock from escape? Are creek bottoms public land in Alberta? Is there a size limit (do they need to be navigable?). If not legal, who does it get reported to? Encountering barbed-wire in a stream is not pleasant, especially if you don't see it. 

[bcubed]

Refer to this post

I wouldnt go cutting fences as you really don't want to be to blame for cows getting onto a road and killing someone, but they're definitely not allowed across the creek without a disposition in place from AEP. I'd report them to the local fish and wildlife, as ya, they shouldnt be there

[SilverDoctor]

Nothing said about cutting fences but access was the question. I am curious about crossing fences that run across creeks also.  At times you would need to stretch the fence to cross. Wonder if it would be considered a barrier?

[bcubed]

17 hours ago, SilverDoctor said:

Nothing said about cutting fences but access was the question. I am curious about crossing fences that run across creeks also.  At times you would need to stretch the fence to cross. Wonder if it would be considered a barrier?

As mentioned above, it's Crown land. They cant formally fence across it unless they have a formal disposition or temporary field authorization from Public Lands, and even if they had that disposition, there is no way that it allows for stopping access to anglers/hunters when in crown land. 

Hop it all day long, call fish and wildlife when you're back at your car, be done with it. Odds are nothing will come of it as the farmer is just trying to keep his cattle within his property or lease that may be on both sides of the river.

(This also doesn't speak to Canada Navigable Waters Act, which protects right to navigate.. this would likely be a non-compliance under that, pending the river)

[Jayhad]

This is a concern that is coming. I have a small jet boat purpose built to run these little waters, and there are many more of us coming. I know of one manufacturer that sold 300 hull kits in to Alberta last year.  With the free time covid is allowing folks it won't be long until a jet boat encounters barb wire at a high rate of speed.

That said look at it from the farmers side of things, how do you keep your animals in when a creek crosses your fence line?

I carry surveyors tape with me and often put pieces on the barb wire.... more for my eyes in the evening as these barb wires often lay across great runs.

 

Be safe out there

[bowbonehead]

I think I would be more concerned about hitting a Angler than I would barbwire ......

[1961flyman]

Funny;

People used to give me the gears about using my Power Drifter on the Bow. (2008)

Huge River..

Now we can expect a Tribe of Small Jet  Knuckleheads on small waters..

Oh My How .. Things change..

If I was wading and fishing and I came across Jayhad blasting up towards me. I would throw Big Rocks at him. 

 

 

[SilverDoctor]

I was fishing the Ghost when a jet come shooting by. Put down the riser I was stocking and blew the water out for feeding fish for about 2 and a half hours. Not to mention what it must do to the banks. In my opinion they do not belong in small waters. But I guess it was just a matter of time before it happens on a regular basis.

[Jayhad]

2 hours ago, SilverDoctor said:

I was fishing the Ghost when a jet come shooting by. Put down the riser I was stocking and blew the water out for feeding fish for about 2 and a half hours. Not to mention what it must do to the banks. In my opinion they do not belong in small waters. But I guess it was just a matter of time before it happens on a regular basis.

SilverDoctor, I understand your sentiment; a well known brown trout videographer went by me once in his 18' jet on the Raven.  I walked more.  That said your statements about not allowing others to enjoy the resources in a way that you find offensive is a slippery slope, there are many that are very concerned about our hurting of innocent fish. We all need to share the resources and there are many in the jetboat community that are anti-angling. I have a lot of respect for you Sir, the point of my post was a heads up, not to start a fight.

4 hours ago, 1961flyman said:

If I was wading and fishing and I came across Jayhad blasting up towards me. I would throw Big Rocks at him. 

 

 

Cute how your attempt to share the resource is to threaten an assault.... You should be ashamed of yourself and more so banned.

[SilverDoctor]

My opinion is my opinion. I ask you to respect mine and the reason for it as I respect yours and your use of the resource. I do not attack you personalty, but wanted to point out that which one enjoys may have repercussions on others.

1961Flyman I would highly recommend that you readdress your rock throwing statement to Jayhad..

 

[SkwalaStonefly]

I must admit to being stunned by Jayhad's post on using a jet boat on small streams and that more are coming. Now we won't be able to fish in peace and quiet even on small streams. I would much rather have barbed wire running across the stream than have jet boats on it. Funny how things can change in a day - I now like the idea of barbed wire across creeks. Maybe I'll start volunteering to help ranchers fence across streams running through their property  

[Jayhad]

i`m sure more than one of you has fished this stretch.  Enjoy it the music is relaxing, so is seeing people have fun

This week I've seen video from the Turner Valley guys on ThreePoint, Highwood, Sheep and some tribs and I've seen video from the upper Red, Clearwater, little red and the Burnt Timber.

Don't kill the messenger, this guy single handedly introduced Canada to these boats from his Native New Zealand, where they often use these boats to hunt brown trout.

 

[Flyfisher]

I'd be focusing on getting regulations that restrict jet boat use on small streams. Meanwhile leaving the barbed wire issue alone.

[Sparkplug]

Agree wholeheartedly on proactively getting regulations put in place.  On many stillwaters in the province we have speed restrictions, as well as fuel/motor-type restrictions.

Seems to me like a 10 km/h, electric motors only restriction on moving waters should do the trick.

To a non-jet boat/power boat guy like me, if a person wanted to take this sort of a jet boat out to rip around in, why not go to one of AB's numerous large lakes to do so?  Seems a great deal safer to me.

 

[Jayhad]

5 hours ago, Sparkplug said:

 

To a non-jet boat/power boat guy like me, if a person wanted to take this sort of a jet boat out to rip around in, why not go to one of AB's numerous large lakes to do so?  Seems a great deal safer to me.

 

you wouldn't want to use a low degree hull on lakes the lack of V will beat the crap out of you.  Jetboats are generally built to run rivers, a prop is far more efficient, so typically you'd want to use a prop on lakes.  A jet hull typically won't hold the turns in the way a prop hull will.  A jet hull that is specifically built for rivers wouldn't be the ideal boat for lakes as a prop glass hull isn't something you'd want to run up the red deer.