# Kayak rules and regs help please



## Solaba84 (Jan 16, 2013)

I will be buying my first kayak in a couple weeks. Fishing kayak. I plan to fish rivers, ponds, inland lakes and even venture into Erie a bit. I'm hoping to get some help from experienced kayak anglers regarding rules and regs. I live in Michigan but fish Ohio waters as well (will also post in Ohio forum). The yak that I will purchase is an Ascend FS12T. 12' yak. At times I may mount a trolling motor off the side. What do I need to do in terms of registration/#'s. I will not be using a trailer. I will haul it on top of SUV or bed of truck. I will definitely be using a life jacket for safety, but will I need to carry a light, flare, horn...with me to be legal? I currently do not plan on night fishing, but that could easily change as I get more comfortable on the kayak. Sorry if these are some ignorant questions, but I'm just looking for help from people who have been doing this. Thanks in advance!!!


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Solaba84 said:


> I will be buying my first kayak in a couple weeks. Fishing kayak. I plan to fish rivers, ponds, inland lakes and even venture into Erie a bit. I'm hoping to get some help from experienced kayak anglers regarding rules and regs. I live in Michigan but fish Ohio waters as well (will also post in Ohio forum). The yak that I will purchase is an Ascend FS12T. 12' yak. At times I may mount a trolling motor off the side. What do I need to do in terms of registration/#'s. I will not be using a trailer. I will haul it on top of SUV or bed of truck. I will definitely be using a life jacket for safety, but will I need to carry a light, flare, horn...with me to be legal? I currently do not plan on night fishing, but that could easily change as I get more comfortable on the kayak. Sorry if these are some ignorant questions, but I'm just looking for help from people who have been doing this. Thanks in advance!!!


http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1585_15242-34638--,00.html

Here you go.


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## Barry McCockner (Jan 20, 2016)

Definitely have some kind of light if you're out in the dark. I Dang near ran over a guy in one of those wooden skinny racing yaks on the way back from a duck hunt a few years ago. I asked him what the h€ll he was thinking- boating at night with no lights and he said it was because he didn't think there'd be any other boats out in November.

Even a cheapo hat light would have been enough for me to have seen him. Luckily I caught a reflection of the moonlight off his kayak...I thought it was a log or something.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Forget legality, think what you would want to have with if everything goes south.

Add a motor and you will have to register and get MC numbers.

Also, I know the stuff you need for going out on the great lakes is way more complicated than staying inland. Hopefully the link posted previously spells it all out.


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## Southsider1 (Dec 22, 2014)

Here is my advice -stay off of The Great Lakes. I saved a guy whose kayak went under a couple of years ago that the CG had been looking for over 3 hours. If I would not have turned out to go deep, he would have died for sure because nobody else was around. I will never forget my wife saying "is that a buoy" only to realize it was a guy in a red life jacket trying to keep his phone out of the water. His life preserver was so saturated that his head was barely out of the water. He was lucky it was the summer and the water was warm. 

Well, I doubt my experience will scare you enough to keep you off big water so go buy a PLB aka Personal Locator Beacon. you can buy one for about $300. At least you have a chance then if everything goes south. I wouldn't plan on the CG or Sheriff finding you without one. 

Good luck and be safe.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Southsider1 said:


> Here is my advice -stay off of The Great Lakes. I saved a guy whose kayak went under a couple of years ago that the CG had been looking for over 3 hours. If I would not have turned out to go deep, he would have died for sure because nobody else was around. I will never forget my wife saying "is that a buoy" only to realize it was a guy in a red life jacket trying to keep his phone out of the water. His life preserver was so saturated that his head was barely out of the water. He was lucky it was the summer and the water was warm.
> 
> Well, I doubt my experience will scare you enough to keep you off big water so go buy a PLB aka Personal Locator Beacon. you can buy one for about $300. At least you have a chance then if everything goes south. I wouldn't plan on the CG or Sheriff finding you without one.
> 
> Good luck and be safe.


Your post brought a tear to my eye. I can't help but think you were purposely sent where he was. That man will think of you for the rest of his life.


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