|
|
| I'm serving on the Governor's Task Force on Evasive Species
(exotic plants and animals which are not native to Wisconsin, Sponge Bob I didn't say erotic!) Eurasian Milfoil is an aggressive plant that is in many of our state's lakes already. It over grows the native plants and crowds them out of space. This plant once it gets a foothold in a body of water, at the worst case, can grow right up to the surface of the water making it impossible to fish, boat or swim.
This nasty plant has recently been discovered in North and South Twin Lakes in Vilas County. The lake association is spending thousands of dollars to attempt to eradicate the plant before it is out of control. The main way that this plant is spead is by plant parts which hang on your boat trailer as you take your boat out of an infected lake and drop off in a different body of water.
Check your boat trailer and boat after leaving every body of water to keep this scurge in check. Minnesota is very progressive when it comes to fighting the spread of invasive species. Much of their programs and enforcement methods will be adopted for Wisconsin within the year.
Prevention of spreading is the only real chance that we have
to keep our waters as they are now. Take the few minutes to clean your boat at each landing. |
|
| |
|
| The Eurasian Milfoil.... tsk tsk!!! Charlie used the shiny stuff to alert others of G.I. presence....[::)] [:sun:]
** They started putting in Grass carp to control some type of weed here, think that would help? |
|
| |
|
| SVL,probably from Big Sand!Thats bad to see on the Twins!Jeff [:((] |
|
| |
|
| Interesting perspective Sean. Good post.
I think we sometimes get too involved with 'controlling' things and do more harm than good. I'm all for doing what we can to limit the spread of euration millfoil such as removing weeds and debris from our boats and trailers before launching at another lake, river or stream. But have to draw the line at pounding our waterways with chemicals. Babe Winkleman does a commercial on TV regarding this very subject and states to hose the boat and trailer down with hot water or let it air dry for at least 5 days between uses. LOL. How many people do any of us know who have their garden hoses hooked up to the hot water line? Being a weekend warrior for the most part, it doesn't bother me too much to think of air drying my rig for 5 days after coming in on Sunday evening, but the same scenario on Friday evening certainly doesn't appeal much. And what about guides? Don't think they'd be able to survive taking 5 days off between charters either. I don't think too many other fishermen will react favorably to this approach either and it worries me that we all might be just a little too eager to sanction a chemical approach. Every time man gets involved and takes actions not routinely occurring in nature, the cure is almost always becomes worse than the disease. Sure do hope they don't go down this chemical path. |
|
| |
|
| Steve, certainly some of the imports like the dreaded milfoil and zebra muscle are a problem but what about our domestics? There's a lake we fequent which gets totally covered in what some people call duck weed at certain times of the year. If you dip your boat/trailer in this stuff it will be covered in it like it was painted dark green. Is it ok to dip that mess in another lake or should it be taken to the car wash prior to going to another lake? |
|
| |
|
| If facilities are available, after removing your rig from a body of water, hosing the boat and trailer down or steam cleaning would be preferable. Another option is letting the sun bake your boat for 5 days, before taking it to a different body of water.
Yes, it is a "bother" to do these things, but once the problem is introduced to a lake, usually it is too late to eliminate the problem. |
|
| |
|
| I have the answer to the problem! I have invented an "easy bake oven", designed to remove grass/weeds/zebra mussels in 5 quick minutes...just pull your boat into the canvas enclosure, fire up the easy to use propane mega heater plus + zip shut; w/in 5 minutes all creatures big + small will be toasted as well as any weedy material. These specially designed enclosures will fit boats up to 24' in length + are the answer to epoxied species that are wreaking havoc on our nations waterways. Hopefully in the near future fish/game commissions will purchase these for use at public ramps. These enclosures also come w/ foil wrap w/ which to heat food while you toast your rig during cold weather periods. Look for the Weed Warmer soon![:0] |
|
| |
|
| I hate the stuff, it's a major pain to fish and troll. it gets very very thick and the boats chop it up. You just think about eurasion millfoil and it's on your lures. I wonder how it affects fish species. It certainly affect the native weeds. Many lakes that had great coontail is now void of it. I wonder how much cabbage it displaces? I also wonder how much it contributes to algae blooms, it dies frequently in hot water temps. |
|
| |
|
| Got ya beat, Sponge. I've already patented my 25 ft. bassboat microwave. Two minutes and its done. Looking for a catchy name for it now. Thinking about "RangerRange"??!! m
|
|
| |
|
| Good idea Mikie!!! My problem is I keep going to Ron Popiel for help...never do business w/ family! Ranger Range sounds good, as does "WEED HEATER"...can you roast corn on deck?[:0] |
|
| |
