The lake is limited to 10 hp. All others can not run their outboard. But you will see 18' Rangers with 9.9 going WOT throwing a big wake. Been that way for a long time.

We have been trying to get the DNR and Wayercraft division to change to idle only. The last meeting showed exceptional support for it and a weak showing against but it was apparently tabled. It is mostly the sailboat club at the lake that fights it tooth and nail. They don't want to loose the private playground. But you will also see them using 40 hp + outboards as they have a permit.

So, if you have an engine larger than 10 hp you will need to use your to move around the lake.

 

I do know that last year it was still posted as a 10 hp restricted lake.
Cowan lost the battle to go unrestricted because the sailboaters association put up such a stink and reversed the decision to go unrestricted on this lake. Some how it doesn't seem quite right to me that the state caters to this one private group on waters that are deemed as public.
You can probably call the park office and get a more official answer.

My bet is it's still a HP restricted lake.

Please keep us posted.

As musky Fan pointed out the sail boat club isn't restricted and neither is the marina. Yesterday we were watching as a pontoon with a 150 was doing a test run. Something just isn't right out there....been that way for years.

 

If there was a change I certainly missed it and if there's a sign posted I certainly walked right past it without noticing it on Friday. Everything I've read says 9.9 HP limit.
Good luck and Good Fishing !

 

Thanks for the info. Just booked a campsite at Indian Lake Monday - Thursday.

That's odd that the sailboat club and marina are exempt. Some of these 9.9 lakes need to get on board here...

 

The marina has a permit for Mon-Fri only. It's where the test the boats they sell at the dealership up the street. The sailboat club runs them even on weekends.

South Shore is building a new place on 73 near Caesar Creek. They're tired of the sailboats bs as well. Plus they'll be able to run on the weekends.

 

Sounds like ODNR needs to get it together down there. I wonder how much revenue they are loosing to out of state fisheries over lakes that could be idle only for larger HP motors.

 

I fish Cowan weekly and I really don't see anybody obeying the rules.Everytime I go I see 150 hp bass boats passing buy pushing the boat.That lake is already overfished so I hope that the hp limit stays and gets enforced.Jmo.

 

The only reason for not allowing larger motors to operate at idle speeds is purely for selfish reasons. The people that oppose lifting the restrictions don't want to share the public water with all the public.

 

You're more than welcome to use the lake, just buy a small kicker or use your electric like everyone else.
I think it keeps some pressure off the lake and I kinda like that idea.
, to each his own.
Good luck and Good Fishing !

 

Always gets people going. I'll never understand anyone wanting to limit others freedoms in this great country based on the property they own. Purely Selfish reasons. Less pressure equals better fishing, but that comes at the expense of what others Americans are limited too.

The argument that you are free to buy a 9.9 is absolute garbage. Ask yourself if you agree to same regulation is it applied to roads, where certain roads can only be used buy certain classes of citizens, despite your tax dollars going to keep those roads. This already happens a bit with those hov lanes in some cities.

FYI, I have a 9.9 jon boat and fish there, I just do not personally agree with discriminating against a fellow American based on what they own. Certainly everyone can agree that a larger hp engine operated at idle speed causes less damage than a wide open 9.9 on a deep v.

 

You act like there are absolutely no other lakes in the area to fish lol. I enjoy Kiser lake for the simple fact that it's man powered watercraft only. It's kayak and canoe friendly. Not many lakes in our area that are like that. I don't think there is anything wrong with a handful of lakes with limits because there are plenty of other lakes in the area don't have limits. I see those limits as being fair to canoers and kayakers since some of those lakes you can't easily canoe/kayak without speed boaters making it dangerous at times.

 

Technically, it would only be fair if the other lakes restricted access to the jon boats, kayaks, and canoes.

 

I don't care one way or the other what they do. I don't begrudge Tommy @ the marina for being able to run or test his motors at the lake. He is a great guy and he has a business to run. The only real problem I have at Cowan is the control the sail boaters have on a public lake which belongs to all of us. In all fairness to the fishermen, and I mean ALL the fishermen (both big and small motors) we contribute way more money to the state than those sail boaters ever will.
I know it's not all of them but there is that select group of them that are the most rude and mean spirited group that intentionally tries to make life miserable for the fisherman. I've had them harass me and cuss at me & yell I was in their way.

Everyone worries about adding a few more fishermen to the mix up there and it's going to ruin the fishing. (I used to be one of them) My question it how do they have such good fishing at lakes like Buckeye, Rocky Fork, Indian & Grand Lake? They have houses built on them, docks are built all around them...talk about pressure. No restrictions there, heck people don't even have to drive to get there, just get out of bed and jump in the boat.

The state removed a whole bunch of lakes from the HP restrictions the last few years and it's had no negative impact on those lakes. Why would Cowan be different. I honestly feel that once the novelty wore off, the pressure wouldn't be much different than it is now. One thing that has increased over they years is the number of privately owned pontoons. I don't think I've ever heard that mentioned.

One thing most people don't look at is that parking lot is small. That alone is going to limit just how many folks are going to fish there. Just moving around there on some days is about all the challenge most of us want. Can you imagine bringing a $50/$60k bass rig there and parking in that lot on a weekend...you're just asking for someone to hit that thing.

I started fishing Cowan in 1975 when I got out of the Air Force, I thought what a nice little lake. Then I notice there were some pretty good fishermen up there and it got me to thinking that hey "the way these guys are going, they're going to catch all the fish".
Well it's 42 years later and guess what...it still hasn't happened.

 

I don't see it....
No one is being restricted from fishing there. It's public waters.
No one has to buy another motor. It's an easy lake to get around with a TM.
HOV lanes are open to anyone, ya just need a passenger. (or a manikin)

 

Yea don't really need a motor for Cowan anyway. It's small. Quit being lazy and paddle a jon boat! Lol I would never let a motor limit stop me from fishing a lake if I really wanted to fish it. I would find a way but that's just me.

 

I would be all for keeping the existing regulations if there were a few larger lakes in the area closed to pleasure boaters. Only fisherman in watercraft powered by motors 15HP and up.

 

Were HP restrictions put in place to protect the resource or to restrict access? The initial and primary reason stated by he ODNR was to preserve the resource from erosion and pollution and for safety concerns. HP restrictions were never and are not about limiting public access yet it has that unintended effect. That is why the ODNR is moving towards updating antiquated restrictions by replacing HP restrictions with speed and or idle restrictions

I contend (Many ODNR think the same) that HP restrictions do little to actually accomplish those stated goals any better than a speed or idle restriction that would serve to meet those objectives equally as well or in many cases better.

The days or restricted HP ODNR managed lakes is I believe coming to a end in the coming years.

 

So If and when they do remove the motor restrictions.Who's gonna be there to enforce the idle only rule?Answer is nobody.I already see guys on a weekly basis using there 150hp motors there.As soon as they see nobody looking they will go 20-30 mph across the lake.Im just afraid it will be abused just like all the other laws.I fished there lastnight and seen more then one boat cruising around the lake at 11pm with no lights on there boat.Obviously those guys were not concerned with the laws or the safety of others.

 

I've been checked a few times for safety equipment and licences so there is some enforcement. It's like any other place in the world-- if you're gonna break the rules you'll just take a chance, sometimes you'll get caught, there's not a highway patrol every mile of the interstate, sometimes a speeder gets caught, more often he doesn't, it's just the way it goes.
I believe 99 percent will obey-- we'll just remember the bad 1 percent.
Good luck and Good Fishing !

 

I think most bass fishermen are just wired to go fast and have a hard time being controlled by rules.I know a few bass fisherman that use trolling motor Only at Cowan and don't complain one bit.They just have good batteries.Ive fished there prolly 20 times this year.Only officer I seen was walking the banks.Im guessing they spend more time at Ceaser Creek.As long as nobody gets hurt I really don't care what they do.

 

Cowan is not a big lake. If the goal of ODNR is safety and conservation of the resource then I support 10hp limit. The lake is not so large than you need to fly 50+ mph from one end to the other.

 

No one has proposed or advocated for increased HP with anything but idle speed.