fish cops and a new prop.

I have been wanting a new prop for the boat for awhile now .So yesterday I hook up the boat and head to buckboard ,as Greg had a prop i can try. Well It seems that I had picked the very day that the G&F was going to conduct their very first public inspections,under the new AIS program. I was actually the third boater to get inspected. The inspection went well,only took a couple of minutes. They checked my live well,and my bilge to make sure they were dry.During the course of my conversation with the (hmfic) I found out a couple things.
1. The fine for not having the sticker will be 150.00 dollars. Personally I think that is kinda steep. He also said that the G&F will not hammer on the boaters/fisherman,as they want education to be the main point right now. I'm sure in time ,the fines will start to be handed out. They will be issuing temporary stickers,to those that don't have one yet. These stickers will be good for 5 days only.

2. I asked about how water fowl can transfer AIS from one body of water to another. I was told that waterfowl have a very small chance of any transfer,as they do clean themselves,and the mussels are not longer a threat ,one they have been digested by the birds. Ok so far so good.

3. I asked how they plan to enforce the inspections,when so many people don't use a boat ramp,and can unload from the shore line. Here is where things took a turn for the worse. The (hmfic) told me, that the USFS is in the process of drawing new regulations,to make it UNLAWFUL to unload any boat,from the shore line.. I get a feeling that the USFS has more of a agenda,then just trying to keep the lake mussel free. I have a few thoughts on that,but for the time being,I want to hear what others have to say about this.Well there was not sense in me throwing a hissy fit right there,as it would not of done a damn bit of good.

So I go pick up the new prop,and then on to Squaw hollow I go. After getting the boat on the water and doing a few test runs with the new prop,I decide that maybe a little fishing in in order. To relive a little of the frustration ,from being told what i was just told by the fish cops. As the old saying goes"the fishing was great,but the catching sucked" . Only manged three small kokes ,then got blew of the water about 12:30/p Water temp was just around 49 degs,didn't graph many fish,and they all came from less then 20 ft down. So back to BB i go so I can shell out a few bux for the prop. The new wheel really made a difference in the way the boat ran. I even gained a couple mph's and a few rpm's to boot.

I have called the USFS office in Manila this morning,only to be told the person I need to talk to would not be in the office today. I want clarification from the USFS as to the how's and why's of these new regulations. If anyone finds out any thing from the USFS please post it .

tim if you didnt buy the prop. form Greg check out A-ROCK in S.L. not trying to ace out greg but they are a full blown prop-shop and can probley save ya a couple $$$

Art ,thanks for the head up,I did by the prop from Greg ,He made me a good deal.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Well i certainly was not going to call the fishcop a liar. If you want to call him that,then that's up to you. All i can say is what he told me.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ok, so skookum, I guess my question is this, so how do you know this fish cop is lieing ? Next question? Where did you gain all of your knowledge on this subject that gives you the ability to call him a liar? You seem to know so much, please share with us about the gorge, Wyoming and our fishery and this Nasty muscle that will soon take over all of our fishing waters. I'm sure that Wyoming game and fish are a little more knowledgeable than your giving them credit for

Xxxxxxxxxx

There actually is nothing scientific out there that supports the notion that mussels are transported by birds. Most of the evidence is contrary to that. In Minnesota the DNR has been very successful in containing mussels to a limited area. There are significant numbers of birds that travel from lake to lake, but yet the mussels have been contained quite well with the invasive species program MN has implemented.

I would imagine it won’t be long before we start seeing AIS supporters marching on the boat ramps and hanging out in our harbors carrying signs that read “Save the Mussels”. Maybe they will form a group and call it the AISCLU and designate a “spokesmussel” to make a public statement. I don’t think we should call them Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) it seems very derogatory. Maybe we should refer to them as “Aquatic Guest Species” (AGS). After all we don’t know their intentions. With all the recent publicity maybe they were forced to attach themselves to vessels as a form of safe passage to move about as they please unseen an undiscovered because our “government” has not created a process for them to enter our country legally. Only a few million have managed to enter the bodies of water around the country. It’s not like they are displacing the long term residents, which is only the effect not the cause. So begs the question, what is the cause? Perhaps we have not recognized their value and contribution to the aquatic society yet. Maybe they came here to escape the plagues of corruption and only want to create a better life for themselves. I don’t know it is really their intention to “migrate’ here to do any harm. I suppose we should all just accept them, house them, look after their well being and maybe even pay for their health care. Seems pretty ridiculous doesn’t it. Don’t worry I’m sure we will never see something such as this divide us.

On a more serious note I for one am not a biologist, nor do I pretend to be a subject matter expert. If someone in any profession is given information from another whom they believe to be a creditable source and later pass that information on, I do not believe that makes them a liar or a fool. Only when the information is proven incorrect and they continue to pass the information on would I agree they are intentionally misleading someone and subsequently lying.

In previous examples of ponds and such unless we are watching the pond 24/7 to verify the activity I find it difficult to say with certainty the birds are the problem. Perhaps they do in fact contribute, maybe there is another explanation. I don’t know. Perception is the process of observing something and forming an opinion. Our perception doesn’t necessarily make our opinion factual or correct. It can however be very powerful in convincing us (the individual) that what we think is right when in fact it may not be. I’m sure we all know of scholars that have no common sense, just as we know many inquisitive idiots. Opinions don’t make people wrong, facts do. There are many who will never allow the facts to convolute their opinions its just the way it is. Have a great day! Tight Lines and Good Times

I did read all of what you previously posted. You simply stated that you strongly feel that the ducks carried in the cattails, duck weed and the shiners. This simply brings up many questions. Where does the water source originate from that fills this pond? Bucket bioligists? What other birds and animals used this water source?

As Trophy Taker previously stated, you cannot see what is going on with this pond 24/7. Your observation and first hand experiece is with the duckweed and cattails. I asked earlier about where the water source originates. To add to this, are there more than one water sources feeding into this?

You have only explained shiners, duckweed and cattails. Mussels are more of a shellfish as I am sure you know. Totally diffrent than a shiner in my view. Like smoked trout said above, there is nothing out there to support your observation.

This has nothing to do with what you, me or anyone else does to pay the bills and feed our families. It's not about attacking you or anyone else personally like you did about the way i spelled the word mussel vs. Muscle. It's about having facts from reliable sources to support what your trying to convince all of us is the truth. And frankly, you have not done that in many of us as members here yet.

If this thread can be kept as a civil discussion, I will keep it open for that. I am fine with that. If you take it another direction, I will simply close it up and lock it.

Wow I thought this post was about the new stickers and regulations not about each other...oh well I will look elsewhere for info.
T

Kokaholic said:

If this thread can be kept as a civil discussion, I will keep it open for that. I am fine with that. If you take it another direction, I will simply close it up and lock it.

Click to expand...

I totaly agree101smilie101101noharte101101cactus101

tortuga said:

Wow I thought this post was about the new stickers and regulations not about each other...oh well I will look elsewhere for info.
T

Click to expand...

Tortuga, this might be what your looking for. Click Here

Well now people from out of state will have to decide if the extra cost for the new stickers are going to be worth making the trip to the gorge. Oregon looking better everyday.

smokedtrout said:

There actually is nothing scientific out there that supports the notion that mussels are transported by birds.

Click to expand...

Let me state up front that I am NOT calling anybody a liar. That would include SmokeTrout and the Wyoming fish cop. But I WOULD like to point out that there is in fact some compelling evidence available to you that will show the opposite to be true. If you would like to read the evidence, may I suggest you start by looking at a post I made on another site. You can click101bomb101 to read that other post.

If you would like to read the complete text that the excerpt came from, follow the link in that other post. In the appendix to the complete text you will find the reference used for the claim. I will not argue with you on whether or not this reference will qualify as scientific. I leave that to you to research and verify if you care to. For me, I’m satisfied with its authenticity and accuracy in stating that birds can, and do, transport mussels from one body of water to another.

I also will agree with the statement that “transport on animals is only a low-level vector.” Compared to transport by boat, it is probably a very small percentage. But it is a percentage none the less.