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Not sure how many saw the article in the post register this morning, but, Bonneville County is considering raising the fees at Ririe this year. Season pass may go up from 45 to 75 for the season pass and increase in daily fees. I know this topic went round and round on here last winter/early fall, so I know there are a lot of thoughts on this out there. They are taking input at the following e-mail address on issues for there: [url "mailto:ririecomments@hotmail.com"]ririecomments@hotmail.com[/url] or can be sent to the Ririe reccomendation committee, Bonneville County Parks and Rec, 605 N Capital, Idaho Falls, Id, 83402. Kent Bateman is the chair on this committee to evaluate what is coming in on comments.
Once again, from what little information is really in the article that is pertinent to the issues, I get the real feeling that the director over the Ririe stuff, Craig Daniels, is one of the biggest anit sports people for Ririe. His name came up last winter against the ice fishermen, if i remember right, in an article on Ririe and I get the impression that he doesnt want people to use the area as the paper says, "he's reluctant to issue more than 300 passes in a year because of concerns the number of visitors could exceed the capacity of parking lots." How many of you have seen over 300 vehicles in the parking lot on any one day?
I dont fish Ririe much in the winter like most of you do, but, as the issues came up last winter, if they would take care of the restrooms do a little better on gargage and other issues, I might, but when you have someone who doesnt want the public to use a public resource, its hard to get excited about using it. Maybe the reccomendation is to change the Director of the parks and rec, Craig Daniels.
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Not to surprised. Good thing I all ready have this years pass. I think in the end they will price out the low and middle income eventually and make Ririe into a rich person vacation area. I know if they raise the prices to what is suggested, I will be done fishing there. I would rather drive to Pali  es and camp and fish for free or pay a reasonable fee rather than pay a higher fee to fish at Ririe. As far as changing the director, I am all for it. It would be nice to have someone in the position who actually enjoys outdoor recreation. It seems every time you turn around, someone somewhere is trying to get more money out of us. What happened to buying a fishing license and then you just went fishing and the biggest expense was stopping at the local store for some worms and beer/pop?[:/]
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Ririe means a lot to me because I live so close. I can go there after work and fish for a few hours. If they raise prices too much they will price the average person out and it will become a playland for the rich.
Windriver
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The parking lots are full every summer weekend. Also they need to make more improvements and give better service so I would like to see the fees raised. They need to increase the size of the lower lot and maybe even pave a third ramp at Juniper. The lot and roads need to be plowed and sanded in the winter so someone isn't stuck in the middle of the road or the lot. Also, maybe people would take better care of the area if they had to pay fees commensurate with it's use. I'd be happy to pay $100.00 for a season pass!
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That's the problem it's going to turn into a place for the rich , and the average Joe will just be out again . Curt G.
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Do you think there are 300 vehicles in the lots though? And I dont think most would care about an increase if those in charge of maintaining the facilites did a little with it and had information on hand for those that dont go there alot. I for one dont go a lot even though its close by because the toilets and garbage in the winter are just lousy when ive been there and i hate sitting in some one elses ****. And im like some, ive seen the ramp so slick some havent been able to get back up the ramp till sun hits some of it and on bad days, Ive seen 2 rigs have to be pulled up by others to get off the ramp. Alot can be done with increased fees if they actually go back into the facilities. To many times it is promised but with funding cuts etc these days, they take the money and run with it to do other things. I would hope they ear mark and make sure it stays with Ririe.
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I have been there a few times in the past. I don't see where rich people are going to be attracted, sorry. It is nothing special.
Pali es, Island Park, Henry's yes...Ririe?!
I agree the ramps are way steep and can be brutal.
As far as $75.....????? I guess this is new to you all but it is normal in Utah.
The Uinta's ....cost to go up and cost to stay. Poor people have not been turned off by this.
Just like the fact my out of state license goes up dramatically ever year. I am re thinking it every year.
Idaho is definitely having some problems with where the money is going and coming from....getting kind of scary. Look at the Ranch last year.
Idaho is getting greedy and sees FEES working else where. Good luck on this.
The free sites are the ONLY reason we come back home[  ][laugh]
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I think is what people are trying to say is that Ririe is a special place. Let me just paint a picture of what I see on a daily basis in the summer.
You will see families water skiing in everything from ancient motor boats to top of the line wakeboard boats.
You will see people trolling for trout and Kokanee in everything from 12' tin cans to 24' $50,000 jet boats.
You will see people fishing for bass in everything from the flat bottom jon boats to the $50,000 dollar tournament boats.
You will see some people fishing in tubes or tunes or off the bank in the places where they can walk in.
Wait it a little longer at night and you will see parents and kids setting crayfish traps and chasing them with flashlights.
Ririe is a wonderful place and I will probably pay the $75 dollars for a year pass or whatever it is. (Depends on the day fee). However, if you raise the price too much for improvements, convienence etc... you will price out some of those families who are living on a really tight budget. You will also price out the casual fisherman who may choose go a few times a year.
On one hand that would be great leaving me with more untouched water on the other it makes me sick to think of young families going to school or whatever that just can't afford to pay more to take their kids fishing.
Any way you look at it Ririe is a pretty unique place in the fact that you can fish for cutts, kokanee, and smallmouth bass.
Windriver
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I don't feel that most of the families you speak of buy the season pass. They mostly pay-go, which isn't going up or at least not very much. I'm just thinking the season pass holders could pay a bit more. Last year I had over 100 days on Ririe. If you do the math the cost is pretty nominal for the season pass and they probably aren't charging enough for people like me. Some of my friends were on the water over 100 days just for ice fishing.
They can pay a bit more to help out! ![[Image: bobwink.gif]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/images/gforum/bobwink.gif)
Having your pass paid for in the first two weeks of January seems way to cheap to me!
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I understand what you are saying. Just like our Jordanelle, Strawberry, Pineview....
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I love Ririe for all the reasons listed, but also despise it for reasons listed, plus the complete lack of enforcing safe boating on the waters where joy riders like to buzz fishermen, canoes and tubers. But back on track. I would have a hard time justifying paying $75 for a season pass to Ririe. That's over a 100% increase over this years fee! There are several other spots to fish around here where I don't have to pay a fee to access and I can catch larger fish and at times more, I just don't have as big of a selection on types. I think a more moderate increase is in line, but primarily to address the problem issues like bathroom maintenance and garbage.
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Absolutely! But they are doing it across the board. What was is a $13. jump for out of staters?
I am with you 100% on this, but money talks.....it isn't about the people anymore.
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I tried to figure out how many times I went to Ririe last year. It is around 20. This year I got on Ririe 9 times ice fishing so far. Most of those were on the weekend so if I bought an individual day pass I already paid for my year pass. I guess the break even point is fifteen trips to Ririe if they really do raise the pass to $75. In that case I still might get the pass because of the conviencence of not having to fill out the card everytime and I would still probably get my money's worth out of it.
It is just harder to come up with $75 all at once.
Windriver
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I like Ririe and have fished it since it was built. The problem is that it seems to keep expanding. More docks, more parking, more camp sites, etc. Ririe is not that big of a reservoir. I hate fishing it because of the wake boarders and skiers that have no manners. As things become expanded, it will just increase the problems. Look at Glendale. That place is a nightmare on holidays and most weekends in the summer.
Blacktail is a nice place, but no camping makes it a not so desirable place for me to go. I prefer weekend trips, not one day fishing trips, especially if I have to drive an hour or more to get there. I also hate that if you camp at Juniper, you still have to pay to park when you put your boat in. To me, that is BS. The increase proposed is over a 100%. How can someone even think about raising it that much at one time? How about raising the golf fees 100% for the people who propose this and watch them cry. Then there is the issue that not all that money generated will go back into the recreation area. Maybe they should look into making another boat ramp and campground somewhere else on the res instead of expanding the ones they have. That would help spread the people out. As others have pointed out, I do feel sorry for the younger generation who are barely scraping by and would not be able to afford to take their family out as often as they use to. Most families have a hard time spending quality time together as it is these days, this may just make it a little harder. I have a lot of memories fishing with my father on Ririe back in the 70's and 80's where you were lucky to see 5 boats all day while fishing the res. Fishing was great, time with my father was great, the peace and quiet was excellent. Those days are gone for Ririe.[bob ]
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Last year I stopped to see what was going on at Ririe. The problem I see with it and tubes and toons is the total lack of areas to launch. Now I don't know it at all but it looked like everyone had to use the same area. That leaves a lot of the lake that tubes and toons can't get to. I don't like to fish by docks and I WON'T pay to fish by docks anywhere. In the end I saw there was a fee and left. We went to Milner for the first time, another fee area. We left there too. While I guess I have the money to go to those places I want MORE than just a chance at a fish if I am going to pay a fee.
If I pay a fee I want the place to be like fishing in a hatchery race way. If you get skunked at a fee area then it is NO good at all. Just my opinion. Ron
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If you're out to guarantee a fish catch Ririe is about as good as anywhere. I have often used it as a last ditch when checking out different areas on the S. Fork. It's usually good for a fish or two over an hour.
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When I tube or toon Ririe I get out at the crack of light and fish for a few hours then head in before the power squadron even gets there. It can be very peaceful in the middle of the week and early.
When Steelfisher and I go bass fishing we usually go for the last few hours of light at night. Again, the ski boats are going home and we usually don't have too much of a problem with crowding or wakes.
Windriver
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Sounds like you frequent it pretty much the same times that I do [  ]
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I agree the only time you can really fish it is early or late due to the boarders and such. It's not like the county does not already get money from the boaters from boat registration and gas taxes. I would like to see an accounting of the money spent and its sources. I for one don't want to pay the camping facilities with boat entrance fees or the fancy longterm mooring docks.
I think the biggest gripes is the limited number of season passes. Supply, demand and quality of experience will hold the numbers down, not how many season passes they sell. It just seems like a money grab as things get tighter.
Just remember if they don't get this right to check a different county of use on your boat registration. Frome park at Henry's lake is still free.
Come on Kokanee[fishin]
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I only fish Ririe in the winter so a $30.00 increase seams a little steep. I would probably pay it those kokes are pretty good eating,[ ] but I would not be happy. I am afraid with the way things are going there is going to be a lot more fees to come [frown].
Jim[fishin]
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