Felt Soles
 

I just read that felt soles are now illegal in RI and the way it was worded was because of the lazy politicians that don't know their a$$ from their elbows. It was a quick way of doing a bill as usual.

Thanks for showin' up!

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...le-ban-ri.html

Ok... so here's a question: (dont know how to start a poll)

You own perfectly good felt soles you paid good money for not long ago... a season of life left in them. Which option do you go with assuming you fish ONLY RI saltwater in these boots?

1. "uh oh... even though it makes no sense, the law is the law! I'm throwing away my perfectly good felt soles and buying new rubber sole boots"

2. "My felt soles have one season of life left... I'll use them til they're dead, THEN buy only rubber soles and be a good boy from that point on"

3. "This law is total BS... rock snot doesnt survive in saltwater, and I'm not getting rid of my boots and buying new ones so the DEM has an easier time telling the difference between fresh and salt water. Screw em."

4. "insert your own option"

Fish em, the dem is never out anyway, unless you fish easily accessible areas and even then they barely check anything.

I'm not worried about my felts at all, until i see some enforcement ill stick with em
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I dont see how any self-respecting DEM officer could write a ticket with a straight face for felt soles in the ocean...

One angle that i didn't consider until a conversation with a buddy last night... Now that we are licensed, if we were to get "busted" for something, we could lose our license. I cant imagine that we would lose out license for felt soles, but it was just another angle that i never thought about before.

In regards to lug sole a properly designed tread pattern and material type are factor in preventing slips. Once the tread pattern wears out, forgetaboutit, such like a worn out tire on a wet road. I never seen felt tires but the traction would be better then a bald tire.
Take this senerio: This person has had felt boots for years and never taken a fall. Then one day he wore the lug soles a taken a bad fall. Would it be possible to sue the stae or DEM for negligence to saftey ?

Here is an update to the felt sole ban. The Newport County Salt Water Fishing Club and RISAA sent letters (see attachment 1) to RI DEM asking that steps be taken to rescind the felt sole ban in Marine Waters of RI.

Both organizations received the following response from DEM (see attachment 2). Note that in the last paragraph in the DEM response letter that the enforcement division states they will "minimize enforcement actions taken" and that workshops and a public hearing will be held in the spring so that the felt sole ban in marine waters can be discussed and proposed changes suggested.

What this means is that everyone will get a chance to address this ban. When the workshops are held we're going to need everyone's help to either come to the workshops, send letters, and/or email blitz our concerns to DEM. I'll personally notify this website when/where these meetings will be held.

Background: Apparently this felt sole ban has been proposed for the last three years by members of two RI chapters of Trout Unlimited and the Federated RI Sportsman's Club at FRESHWATER PUBLIC HEARINGS (see attachment 3) and NO notice was given to the Marine Division of DEM so that the RI Marine Fisheries Council could address this regulation. Basically there was "a lack of communication" within DEM (in other words "someone screwed up"). I've tried to contact the Narragansett Chapter of Trout Unlimited asking them if there intent was just to ban felt in RI freshwaters and the expansion to marine waters was an "unintended consequence". To date I have not received a response.

DEM Response letter
 

FYI, I received the exact same response letter to mine which was posted by a "VANSTALL" in the other thread on this subject.

The hell with them. I'm wearing mine. I have no desire to take a fall. Bones get brittle at 64 years old.

Just had my felt soles replaced with rubber soles on my Orvis breathable boot-foot chest waders, local cobbler in North Providence did a excellent replacement with rubber soles. Not sure if is allowed to give name of business you can private message me.
Thank you John, for permission.
North Providence shoe and luggage 1759 Mineral Spring Ave 401-353-6758
I had big lug soles, and i can put my cleats on over them for slippery rocks.

Go right ahead...