What is the new Michigan Keg Law?

Starting November 1st, consumers of Kegs will have to verify who purchased the keg through use of identification tags on the keg itself. The purchaser will be made to reveal their personal information including proper name, address, phone and some sort of personal identification. What is the reasoning behind the new law? To allow police officers to easily identify who purchased the keg and who is responsible. Say goodbye to kegs at undergraduate universities with underage students. Essentially this law allows the police to give the responsible party a ticket for serving to minors. You would have to be crazy to go sign up to buy a keg. As everyone know parties can sometimes get out of control and you would be responsible for the neglect of others. Doesn’t seem to fair to me. Anyways expect the volume of cased beer to increase because nobody is going to stop drinking, lets not be silly.

What are the Consequences of the Keg Law?

The identification tag must be returned with the keg upon return. There will be an additional $30 deposit upon purchase and in order to recieve this back, you got it, the tag must be with the keg. Failure to do so or removal of the tag is punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a fine of up to $500, which seems pretty harsh in itself. I foresee the amount of keg party’s to fall flat on its face, and I’m sure some local business won’t be happy, especially around college campuses.

Apparantly the Senators in Michigan feel that out of state residents are taking advantage of Michigan and our Michigan Marijuana Law. In a state that is well known as struggling and leading the nation in residents leaving the state, we are going to make another hurdle to attracting out of state residents. Senator Jones and Schuitmakker are drafting legislation that would require one year of Michigan residency before obtaining a Michigan Medical Marijuana card.

If there is actual proof of this going on, I could see taking this measure as a precaution. Unfortunately, there is none. As of now the requirement for obtaining a card is a Michigan driver’s license. The “threat” is out of state residents renting homes in Michigan. The rental receipts are then used to obtain a Michigan driver’s license….OH NO. These people would be investing in Michigan including paying taxes. Let’s just turn them away! This seems more like a political move by republicans to show their stand against MMA law. You really think this will sove the problem? I think not.

Although there are no changes regarding the Michigan snagging regulations, I feel I need to refresh everyone’s memory. As an avid outdoorsman and fisherman in this very state, I feel people need to be reminded that snagging negatively affects the overall fishery. Snagging in Michigan rivers is still illegal! I feel this has been a hot topic lately since the salmon run is just about full swing in Michigan lakes and rivers. I was lucky enough to take a trip up to the Manistee River for a few days two weeks ago and was astounded by the number of people “snagging”.

There are many anglers who follow the rules and still catch tons of fish! In fact I would argue learning the proper techniques and methods would actually increase your catch. The problem is that river fishing ain’t easy. I spent my first year or two river fishing completely lost. If not help from some fellow anglers I probably would have quit due to frustration. My advice is to talk with fellow anglers and absorb as much information as they are willing to give. Hiring a guide while still learning is the best thing you can possibly do if affordable. You will save yourself a years worth of trouble and frustration.

Unfortunately in my time up north, the “snaggers” outnumbered the traditional anglers. This isn’t just a problem at the Manistee, just about every river I’ve fished in Michigan snaggers could be spotted. How am I so certain that illegal snagging is taking place?

Anglers using large treble hooks with a stainless steel wire leader is a pretty good indicator. It’s also obvious when passing by floating downriver. Quick jerks and rapid reeling really sticks out since its not part of a traditional river technique. I hate to stereotype, but alot of the snaggers I have witnessed come out late at night with headlamps, heavy duty yellow rods, and don’t talk too much. Presumably because there is less chance of getting caught in the dark.

Anyways, I KNOW that illegal snagging is going on and I’ve never witnessed a single arrest, although I hear about them on internet fishing forums. I try to stay away from the hot spots due to huge amounts of fishing pressure, yet I still see a major problem. So lets protect the viability of our fishery which is in enough trouble as it is due to pollution, invasive species, and bait die-offs.