Area fishing clubs should take a serious look at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources' proposal to regulate tournaments.       Last spring, the Natural Resources Commission gave the DNR approval to a preliminary plan that would require organizers of fishing tournaments to apply for a permit. It brings all waters under a similar law that for years only covered contests held on state-owned reservoirs. The concept goes before public hearings before it will be implemented.       The Commissioners' action comes on the heels of legislation enacted by the 2000 Indiana General Assembly, cultivated by a governor-appointed Lake Management Work Group that cited tournaments as problems on northern Indiana lakes.       The popularity of competitive fishing has grown remarkably in recent years and has created some user conflicts on northern waters. Most tournament anglers will agree to that.       But the manner in which the DNR has structured the permit process gives property owners far too much say in the matter.       If adopted, lake communities will decide which lakes are subject to regulation and the type of "special" rules they want enforced. Therefore, if a few lake-front property owners complain to their local government about tournaments, a petition can be tendered to the DNR to bring that lake under regulation.       The plan also allows the lake community to specify "periods when it wants the public water to be regulated and the restrictions on (those) activities."       Here's my problem with all of that. These are public lakes, yet some property owners believe their ownership extends beyond the shoreline. This empowers them - especially those with political clout - to determine when and how the lake will be used.       One could argue that the DNR will have the ultimate say and that unreasonable requests would be rejected. But this administration doesn't have a very good track record when it comes to ruling in favor of sportsmen. Political intervention often overrules fairness or common sense.       But there are more reasons why tournament fishermen should be uneasy. The DNR fisheries division, the people who deal with fishermen regularly, weren't involved in writing the natural lakes proposal, probably because most of them oppose regulating tournaments in the first place.       Opponents within the DNR believe that it's not fair to single out fishing tournaments without regulating other lake users including property owners. If public safety is the issue here, why not limit the number of local pleasure boaters, water skiers, pontooners and water bikes on a lake?       There is no denying that natural lakes are abused and over- used, but fishing tournaments share only part of the blame. These anglers champion conservation causes, pay additional revenues through licensing, excise taxes, and special fees. They're also required to wear life jackets and engine kill- switches - safety features that other pleasure boaters often ignore.       Furthermore, it's not fishermen who destroy habitat by building seawalls along shorelines, apply chemicals to aquatic vegetation or leach herbicides, fertilizers and raw sewage into the water. Any fisheries biologist will tell you those are the things that are hurting our lakes.       Tournaments aren't without blame. Large events over-crowd launch sites and deny the recreational fisherman a day on that water. And yes, there are a few irresponsible participants who have been disrespectful of lake users and residents. That's inexcusable.       But tournament organizers are addressing those problems and most agree that some form of permit system could be beneficial to everyone. A fee-based reservation system guided by the DNR not property owners could eliminate problems of multiple groups sharing the water, reduce congestion and enhance everyone's on- the-water experience.       Perhaps those are the DNR's intentions, but you have to wonder if it went to far to appease lake residents. Think about that when it comes time to voice your opinion.