I have to agree 100%. The spread of invasive species is getting out of hand and a good percentage of this spread is caused by careless boaters/fishermen. As I stated in an earlier post, it is not about what is "legal" or what is "breaking the law", it is about a collective effort and common sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by Springhill Duckman
We all want to be able to fish our "home" waters with some level of success, once an invasive species is introduced and populates, our fishery will rapidly decline, just like those that have been invaded previously. Once the invasion occurs every swinging dick that ever fished that impoundment will be crying bloody murder because somehow their lake became infected and it obviously was not their fault, it was someone else's fault.
We all need to take precautions when we fish two lakes in the same day! I live 9 miles from Pomona lake but normally fish Melvern. I have on occasion went from one lake to the other in the same day or next day. I always clean my boat and trailer as well as my livewell before putting in at the next lake. Hells bells I went to Milford (which is known to have zebra mussels) and wanted to go to pomona two days later and did not go simply because my bunks were still wet and my livewells still had residual water in them. I did not have access to hot water or bleach at that time so I did not put my boat in Pomona.
After all is said and done it is about responsibility. No one wants to take responsibility for their own actions. No one wants to think the rules apply to them because they choose to interpret the rules to fit their own situation. It is the guy who thinks littering is bad but just this once I am going to throw my beer can out because I don't want to get caught with it if I get pulled over. Yes I am talking about the guy who thinks the rules are for everyone else but do not apply to them because of their "particular situation at that time". It is the same thing with the whole bait issue or washing you boat before you put it in another body of water. If you do not have the resources or ability to properly clean the boat then you must stay out of the water for at LEAST 5 days according to the KDWP regulations.
It just seems common sense to me that we ALL take precautions to at least do our part in preventing the spread of invasive species. It is not and ass chewing, it is someone concerned with the prosperity of the waters in which we all fish.
Take this with a grain of salt. It is just my opinion and as far as I know it is still legal to provide opinions,,,,,
Keith
