ALERT - - - ALERT - - - ALERT - - - ALERT - - - ALERT On August 24th, Eldon, Paul, and Sue were invited to attend a special committee meeting to discuss the present system for the application process of obtaining lake permits, ramp fees, user fees, etc.. At that time, we felt as though we had given the DNR several avenues to consider for helping increase their funds and at the same time, not raising our user fees or having an application for a lake permit fee. Since the November 12th lake permit meeting, all of our efforts have gone unheard/ignored and through phone conversations between Eldon and Jim Gerbracht (DNR Lake Permits) and Kyle Hupfer (DNR Director) and Bill Embry and Kyle Hupfer, we now know that absolutely NOTHING we suggested to them went into their thinking process. We need to communicate to you the following D.N.R. proposals that are supposedly going into effect for the 2006 tournament season, as understood after the above phone call conversations. The DNR is proposing to RAISE the User Fee from $1.00 to -----$2.00-$10.00/individual The DNR is proposing to initiate a Lake Application Permit Fee of $20.00-$150.00/permit Initiate a DNR Lake Boat Permit to take the place of the Ramp/Launch Fee. This would require any boat (canoe, jet ski, yacht, bass boat, row boat, sailboat, johnboat) etc. to have this decal (?) in order to be on any DNR governed waters (Monroe, Patoka, Hardy, Mississinewa, Cataract, Huntington, Salamonie, Brookville, and Raccoon). This is the ONLY good proposal we've seen so far. This way, it's not just us getting screwed at the ramp because it also includes all of the boats in the marinas, sailboat yards, and anyone else going in off the ramps when the DNR isn't present to take their ramp/launch fee. These, as well as possibly other dictates of the D.N.R., are being proposed to BEGIN IN 2006 ! ! ! HOW CAN THEY DO THIS????? We drew for the 2006 dates on November 20, 2004 AND reviewed them again this year on November 12th at the annual lake permit meeting. We don't feel that they can do this in the middle of the stream. Wouldn't drawn dates prior to their current decisions fall under a 'Grandfather Clause', or just on the common sense line of thinking, be UNETHICAL? ARE YOU UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO TELL YOU???????? All of you that have a lake permit for conducting a tournament next year are going to be paying WAY MORE than you did last year. Have you heard even one word about any of this? NO YOU HAVE NOT! Why? Because the DNR didn't want you to. They don't want to hear what we, the competitive bass anglers of Indiana, have to say. We tried to represent you in the best way we knew how --- But We Failed. They, the DNR, are going ahead and do what they want, to whom they want (US), and when they want (2006). Look at what the neighboring states charge their bass circuits/clubs for using their waters. WHY is it that the only state in the neighborhood, INDIANA, is charging US these ridiculous and exorbitant fees for using OUR public waters? STATE USER FEES/Individual RAMP FEES APPLICATION FEES INDIANA $2.00-$10.00 $20.00 Lake Pass $20.00 - $350.00 ILLINOIS $50.00 to Army Corps of Engineers -0- -0- KENTUCKY -0- -0- -0- MICHIGAN -0- Membership Trny./"open" $75 max. -0- MINNESOTA -0- -0- -0- MISSOURI -0- -0- -0- OHIO -0- -0- -0- WISCONSIN -0- -0- -0- For more information, please contact one of these individuals: ELDON CRABTREE     I.B.F. Representative - ectree@nxco.com   (765) 524-1835 BILL EMBRY     Got 2 Love It Circuit Director - embrygot2loveit@aol.com   (812) 325-0328 PAUL JOLLY     H.O.T. Circuit Director - pjolly@blueriver.net   (812) 525-7815 SUE PARRISH     Bass Tourney Calendar Originator - rubyranger361@yahoo.com   (317) 727-7476