invasives

[Lake Bum]

There's going to be a lot of people going to Powell this year that will have their eyes opened to a problem the State has been warning about for a long time. In my opinion, anglers have been the only boating group that understood the impact that these invasives introduce. I wonder if water levels rise like expected, if the recreational crowd will get 1 more year of naive ignorance before they'll see what mussels really are?

I suspect that the pendulum has swung -- for a long time people were feeling really inconvenienced with having their boats decontaminated. Now we (ME!) are upset when they don't decon the boat!

Really? You think anglers are the ONLY boating group that understands Mussels? Wow.......

The nature of a tournament fisherman, is to hit as many different lakes as possible, sometimes 4 lakes per WEEK. In my opinion, the tournament guys are some of the highest risk group out there, that caused the spread.

Do I get a free pass, since I both fish, and wakeboard/waterski? SMH....

 

[Ryan]

There's going to be a lot of people going to Powell this year that will have their eyes opened to a problem the State has been warning about for a long time. In my opinion, anglers have been the only boating group that understood the impact that these invasives introduce. I wonder if water levels rise like expected, if the recreational crowd will get 1 more year of naive ignorance before they'll see what mussels really are?

I suspect that the pendulum has swung -- for a long time people were feeling really inconvenienced with having their boats decontaminated. Now we (ME!) are upset when they don't decon the boat!

I've been worried about this for a long time. But seeing the mussels first hand last year was like a punch in the gut. It still makes my stomach turn when I see photos like these.

And I respectfully disagree with you assessment of the anglers vs the "recreational crowd". Maybe you are using the views of those on this board to make that conclusion (there are many more anglers here than water sports people), but I don't think that is fair, as this is an enthusiast site, and likely represents much less than 0.001% of the population.

If the tow boat people don't appreciate what this is going to mean now, they will very soon. I have two boats that I take to Powell - a Lund fishing boat and a Malibu towboat. The Lund is pretty simple with the outboard that will drain the water in the vertical position, and one live well that is easily accessible, and one live well and one bilge pump that are also easy to get to. Pretty similar to most other fishing boats here.

The Malibu is the opposite. Engine is closed cooling, but there is still a lake water intake. And a lake water shower. And a lake water based cockpit heater. And 4 hard tank ballasts that are under the floor. And two soft ballast tanks that are in my lockers. And 4 ballast pumps. And 3 bilge pumps. Way more potential for the mussels to wreak havoc on my systems, and way more expensive to repair when problems arise.

And as we move into more decons as the boats leave the lake (something I have been saying should be mandatory for a couple years), the rest of the boating public is going to get an education. Decontamination for my Lund takes maybe 10 minutes. I don't think that my Malibu has ever gone through decontamination in less than 60 minutes. Which is an acceptable tradeoff for me, as I am willing to wait. But how are you going to feel when there are 4 towboats in front of you waiting for decontamination? There is going to be a HUGE learning curve for everyone (especially the AIS program) in the next couple of years.

 

[PBH]

sorry to upset a few of you. I still stand by my comments. Those of you that do both understand the issues. I certainly do not disagree about tournament fishers -- I know the threat they pose. I believe those tournament anglers also understand the issue -- they just choose to ignore the issue and take the risk. This is one reason I am so adamantly against tournaments on our local lakes here in southern Utah.
I have extended family that own boats, and numerous co-workers that boat. They don't fish. They also get very upset at the mention of needing a decon, and have no idea what the issues with mussels are. They think mussels are a threat to fishing - which it is - but that's it. They do not realize the threat those mussels pose to their own equipment.

They soon will.



concerning the wait times for decons -- I'm still waiting for an entrepreneur to take advantage of this situation. I can't believe we have yet to see a "certified" boat washing business pop up yet...

 

[Lake Bum]

Well I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it is absolutely positively ridiculous!

So, because I possess a fishing pole, I guess I am somehow enlightened that I know about Mussels, and won't cause them to spread any further? That is pretty biased to say the least. But your mind is made up anyways.

 

[PBH]

Well I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it is absolutely positively ridiculous!

So, because I possess a fishing pole, I guess I am somehow enlightened that I know about Mussels, and won't cause them to spread any further? That is pretty biased to say the least. But your mind is made up anyways.

hmmm... I think that's called "white space". I never said anything close to what you implied.

Anglers certainly do hold responsibility here. What I said is that I believe that anglers are the only group that understood the impact. Whether anglers did anything to prevent it is another story.



Look at how many times anglers have asked specifically about how mussels will affect the fishery at Powell. We certainly knew there was a potential disaster coming. Did we do enough to prevent them? Probably not.
Every time I ever brought up mussels to my extended family I heard the same thing: "tell them you're coming back tomorrow so you won't have to decon your boat".

 

[Dorado]

Got to agree with PBH, anglers are more likely to realize the impact to their passion and be somewhat aware that it is not some abstract potential threat.....

Crying over spilled milk, but I still cannot get over the casual outlook of the State of Utah and the Park Service BEFORE the mussels got to LP. At the time LP had the ridiculous "self inspection" policy, just about every lake in Wyoming with a boat launch had a MANDATORY inspection going on at lakes with way less visitation and potential for infestation.....

Rant over....

 

[Pegasus]

Lake Powell Mussel Growth

Referring specifically to mussel growth on Lake Powell, I cleaned an underwater 90 degree seam on my boat mid-October 2016. As of mid-February, I had hundreds of very small, 1/8" long fully formed/shelled mussels in that prior cleaned seam. Flat areas, on the other hand, had a few visible mussels. What was new to this find was that they were attached to a non-metal seam more so than metal areas. Historically, metal seemed to be their 1st preference.

It is very ugly. And I agree with other comments made - LP boaters have no idea how bad this is going to be on their boats left in the water year-round. If that example photo above is close to accurate, this year will be the year we start seeing houseboats on LP having major engine intake issues.

 

[Ringer]

I don't get the fishing thing at all. my bass boat has one livewell and an outboard. They are all drained of water when I take out and the lids are opened so the boat gets completely dry.How can a bladder in a wakeboat ever dry out? I always leave the boat to dry for at least 3 days after fishing.

 

[Ryan]

How can a bladder in a wakeboat ever dry out? I always leave the boat to dry for at least 3 days after fishing.

It probably can't. Which is why they have to be decontaminated with 140* water.

 

[Powelldreamer]

sorry to upset a few of you. I still stand by my comments. Those of you that do both understand the issues. I certainly do not disagree about tournament fishers -- I know the threat they pose. I believe those tournament anglers also understand the issue -- they just choose to ignore the issue and take the risk. This is one reason I am so adamantly against tournaments on our local lakes here in southern Utah.
I have extended family that own boats, and numerous co-workers that boat. They don't fish. They also get very upset at the mention of needing a decon, and have no idea what the issues with mussels are. They think mussels are a threat to fishing - which it is - but that's it. They do not realize the threat those mussels pose to their own equipment.

They soon will.



concerning the wait times for decons -- I'm still waiting for an entrepreneur to take advantage of this situation. I can't believe we have yet to see a "certified" boat washing business pop up yet...

There is a for profit in Page, AZ Muscle Busters

 

[PBH]

I don't get the fishing thing at all. my bass boat has one livewell and an outboard. They are all drained of water when I take out and the lids are opened so the boat gets completely dry.How can a bladder in a wakeboat ever dry out? I always leave the boat to dry for at least 3 days after fishing.

I hope you wait at least 7 before putting it back on the water in UT, assuming it is summer and you did not get a decontamination.


ballast bladders should be illegal.

 

[Ryan]

I hope you wait at least 7 before putting it back on the water in UT, assuming it is summer and you did not get a decontamination.


ballast bladders should be illegal.

7 days may be the rule in UT, but other states recommend much longer dry times to avoid decon. Pretty sure it is 28 days in Colorado.

And, in regard to ballast bladders, are you assuming that the decontamination process is ineffective? Where is your data source?

Comments like that will splinter any hope you would have at a unified response to the problem.

 

[Dungee]

There's going to be a lot of people going to Powell this year that will have their eyes opened to a problem the State has been warning about for a long time.

Warned yet still did little, Powell could've been saved. And yet, here we are this very day with the same worthless honor policy "protecting" other amazing Utah waters like Strawberry and the Gorge. Just simply getting the word out and hoping EVERYONE complies is foolish. How many of Utahs amazing fisheries will be sacrificed before any real action takes place. Very frustrating especially with much better models that could be copied close by, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho etc.

 

[mtnpull]

I think there are anglers who care and are aware and anglers who are not and I think there are many tow / wake boats that care and are aware and those who are not. Unfortunately those who care and are aware are at the mercy of those who don't. I do think the big wake boats offer much more risk in the sense that with all the ballast tanks and bladders there is a whole lot more areas for those little buggers to sneak through a full decon and into another water way. Sad, but I think this will be a very difficult battle to not end up with these things in most waters. Between folks that are unaware, don't care or ignorant and the poor job of managing it from our state, it's hard to see a better outcome.

 

[Ryan]

If you look at the data, the highest risk boats are houseboats/cruisers/boats with ballast. Last I saw, they were all in the same category. If you start banning one class, it will be a slippery slope to not ban more. And you will splinter any effort to control the AIS, as you will have factions (and strong ones at that) now working against each other.

I see three options with the highest likelihood of success.

1. Mandatory decontamination. Either before launch (like Colorado does), or after retrieve at an infected lake. To be thorough, you would need to include ballast tanks, engine compartment, hull, life jackets, anchor ropes, ski ropes, live wells, etc.

2. Quarantine infected lakes. Once a lake like Powell gets infected, either no boats are allowed, or boats can't leave and be used at a clean lake.

3. Quarantine clean lakes. No boats allowed will keep them clean.

Pick your poison. None are great options. The last two are unacceptable. The first one represents all sorts of challenges, but maintains the most freedom.

And even then, there is risk. I took my Malibu through decontamination yesterday. The boat hasn't been used since October, and the decon was the fastest ever, and took 45 minutes.

And in regard to decons, I have never had a rope or life jacket inspected. Mine are always dry because I open up the boat and air everything out when I get home, but I know many don't. So, even if you ban the boat de jour, you still have risk.

 

[PBH]

Just a few comments:

I see three options with the highest likelihood of success.

1. Mandatory decontamination. Either before launch (like Colorado does), or after retrieve at an infected lake. To be thorough, you would need to include ballast tanks, engine compartment, hull, life jackets, anchor ropes, ski ropes, live wells, etc.

This only works if the equipment being used to decontaminate is operational. When the equipment doesn't work, like this last weekend at Bullfrog, then what? Mandatory quarantine of boats?

2. Quarantine infected lakes. Once a lake like Powell gets infected, either no boats are allowed, or boats can't leave and be used at a clean lake.

that would be a sad, sad day.

3. Quarantine clean lakes. No boats allowed will keep them clean.

#3 is reality. My opinion of why:
We like to mention big lakes. Powell, Strawberry, Utah Lake. Heck, throw in Quail and Sand Hollow. Those areas have a nice tax-base, or use fee, that could possibly collect money to help with mussel costs. What about irrigation impoundments that don't? Small lakes that are not owned by a large water company. Some place like Minersville. Newcastle. Those lakes, and the water owners simply cannot afford to risk an infestation. It's those lakes that will go for option 3, and shut down boating to all. This is what scares me.
Who's monitoring boat launches at those lakes? How many fishing tournaments happen at those lakes, and provide a great opportunity for an infestation?
It's only a matter of time before that farmers sprinklers stop spraying water, and when he goes to see why he'll flush out a pipe full of shells. Game over.

I've heard rumor of a new reservoir going in near LaVerkin (Washington County Water Conservancy District), and that this new reservoir would not allow watercraft of any kind on it. Anyone else know anything about this?

 

[Dorado]

I saw on the news last year that Idaho banned boats on several of their water supply reservoirs out of fear of mussels (at least temporarily). They also have bans on boats with ballasts at some lakes, acknowledging that they have the greatest potential risk to spread mussels....

 

[Ringer]

I never fish more than once a month so there is zero chance of anything surviving. Arizona never even tried to prevent the spread of mussels. They did the education thing but boats were using lake Pleasant then running to other lakes the next day. They were in Pleasant first and that is fed mostly by the CAP canal. I never hear any issues here about mussels and they have been here with no restrictions for over ten years. I know California had them get into some lakes that had zero boats allowed so I think they attach to water birds.

 

[Ryan]

Just a few comments:



This only works if the equipment being used to decontaminate is operational. When the equipment doesn't work, like this last weekend at Bullfrog, then what? Mandatory quarantine of boats?

I guess I'd ask why you would only have one decon station at the lake? There is no way that would service as many people as come in and out of a place like Bullfrog.

Have you looked at Colorado's system? It is far from perfect, but has some good points.

Virtually every lake in Colorado requires an inspection prior to launch. There is a tagging system that will show where your boat was last. No tag, then inspection. Inspection for an outboard is pretty simple. Sterndrives and inboards require a decontamination prior to launch if you aren't tagged. Ramps are only open when there is an inspector on duty (which is where the system needs improvement). They cable them off when no one is present.

Only one time have I run into a situation where the decontamination equipment was out of service. That was Blue Mesa in April, and they had a freezing problem. But they were able to get the back up equipment out to decon the out of state boat.

 

[PapaWhit]

Pre-fishing for the tourney this week in my Tracker and am signed up to be a non-boater, so I was done using my boat. So today I took the boat to the decon station and it only took a few minutes to flush the engine. The fellas running the operation were more than helpful. I would suggest taking a 1/2 hour every couple of weeks and getting this done to save yourself the worry of what might be growing inside the engine. I know I will. What I have seen this week on the lake walls have truly brought the word "infestation" into a new light, and I surely do not want to be the one responsible for this happening at my local lakes up north.