Mussel inspection on the gorge

[Propnut69]

I didn't want to hijack my earlier post about the gorge,so I started a new thread. For all of us that went through a mussel inspection this year at the gorge. What did you like or dislike about the inspection? What do you thing the Wyo G&F could do better in the future to make things simpler ,especially for the out of state boater? Where the inspections at the port of entry worth it,in trying to stop contaminated boats? Was just wondering what everyone's thoughts were.

 

[SuperD]

The Utah/Wyo. border inspection was no problem other than the inspectors liking to gab with the boat owners, making the wait a little longer than maybe necessary. The real issue that would be on top of my priority list to fix for next year is the one regarding folks that camp or stay in Lucerne but want to launch / fish out of Buckboard.

 

[Downrigger]

The Utah/Wyo. border inspection was no problem other than the inspectors liking to gab with the boat owners, making the wait a little longer than maybe necessary. The real issue that would be on top of my priority list to fix for next year is the one regarding folks that camp or stay in Lucerne but want to launch / fish out of Buckboard.

Amen. Wyoming needs to realize the Gorge is a special case.

 

[BiteMe]

Very frustrated with the whole thing. The inspections that they did were a joke. I could have had mussels hanging all over my boat & they wouldn't have noticed them. All they were worried about was dropping my outdrive. Hours were also a pain in the butt. Go through Evanston after they close & want to be on the water before they open at Anvil. It's definately broke, I hope they fix it.

 

[Lundman]

First thing was the hours of operation - Friday night open till 8 pm is not working -- I don't even get off work and home till 6 and it's at least a 90 min drive to Evanston. With the biggest population of boats in Utah heading to the Gorge they need to stay open till 10 pm on Fridays.

Second observation was at Buckboard over the Labor Day Weekend - guy shows up Sunday at noon - we were at the fish cleaning station and he ask us where the AIS Inspection station is -- and he's a resident from Rock Springs. Look like Mussel Inspection Location Knowledge was lacking.

Third Observation is veteran fisherman have got a few years of Mussel training under our props - seem like we should get a Mussel Diploma and graduate with our certification. We buy the AIS Stamp for $30 - that should good enough if you are over 50 years old.

Fourth -- I think a LAW should passed that would make it illegal to tow your boat with your plug in your boat. The DRAIN law.

Finally would like to add that I like the way it was last year - inspection station at Buckboard, and other launching spot.

 

[Propnut69]

Amen. Wyoming needs to realize the Gorge is a special case.

Would you care to explain,why you think the gorge is a special case, and why Wyoming needs to realize this?

 

[Propnut69]

First thing was the hours of operation - Friday night open till 8 pm is not working -- I don't even get off work and home till 6 and it's at least a 90 min drive to Evanston. With the biggest population of boats in Utah heading to the Gorge they need to stay open till 10 pm on Fridays.

Second observation was at Buckboard over the Labor Day Weekend - guy shows up Sunday at noon - we were at the fish cleaning station and he ask us where the AIS Inspection station is -- and he's a resident from Rock Springs. Look like Mussel Inspection Location Knowledge was lacking. Believe me if the inspection site was open that day, the guy from RS would have had the G&F on his ass, while he was at the cleaning station. Now as to why the inspection site was not open, especially on a holiday weekend, I have no idea.

Third Observation is veteran fisherman have got a few years of Mussel training under our props - seem like we should get a Mussel Diploma and graduate with our certification. We buy the AIS Stamp for $30 - that should good enough if you are over 50 years old.
You do know that you can become a certified mussel inspector don’t you?

Fourth -- I think a LAW should passed that would make it illegal to tow your boat with your plug in your boat. The DRAIN law. I have read where some northern states (mich, wisconsin ,etc) have this type of law. That might not be a bad idea to have that type of regulation here also. I never tow my boat with the plug in.

Finally would like to add that I like the way it was last year - inspection station at Buckboard, and other launching spot. I’m willing to bet that the amount of boats inspected this year, under the current system. Far out numbered the amount of boats checked last year. Going back to last years system would be moving backwards in my book.

 

[SuperD]

Would you care to explain,why you think the gorge is a special case, and why Wyoming needs to realize this?

Tim,
Does Wyoming have any other border sharing lakes? This would be so much easier if Wyoming and Utah quit pissing at each other and got together on a unified program.

 

[Propnut69]

Dave,right off the top of my head,I don't know if they do or not. but lots of states share lakes with other state. I agree that both states need to be on the same page when it come to mussel's. Wyoming is trying to do the right thing ,especially when we have three surrounding states( Utah,Neb ,Colo ) that have mussel infected waters.

 

[Bduck]

Day trips that I have done, the AIS inspection station setup at the port of entry was never open when I was passing thru Evanston in the wee hours of the morning. One other time I did go thru during the day I did go thru POE AIS inspection, it was more of a BS session. Fishermen are becoming more aware of the problem but it becomes confusing when you go from state to state. We do have a serious issue but I also see the personality conflicts that boil. AIS has been around for a few years but presented its ugly face in more recent years here in the west. I personally can't see any special case for the Gorge when Utah shares border lakes with other states as well. Our western states are still young with inspections and I suspect they are stockpiling together information to come up with hopefully a nationwide plan that all states agree upon. I would like to be able to use my boat out of state without getting turned back or quarantined. So far I haven't used my boat in infected waters and try to avoid those waters that are known infected. Realistically it doesn't take a boat or any water sports equipment to infect a lake but those are the targets for inspection. When I comply with drain, I always pull the plugs from my IO motor and main boat plug after every use as if I'm winterizing. Using the slope of the ramp helps drain most water out.

 

[mtncat1]

I thought the program worked fine it was nice to be inspected at the border but the one time I wasn't I was inspected at the lake so hrs. were not really a problem for me. I am self certified for ut. so if I launched at Lucerne. and had my Wyoming decal there was no issue for me. also I don't really know how you could miss the inspection station outside of buckboard. the only thing that bothers me is the cost of the wy. mussel decal. 30 bucks is a little steep. I think the burbot are going to and are currently having much more of an impact on the gorge the mussels, and much more resources should be put toward eradicating that invasive species! on a side note what a fantastic year for kokanee fishing at the gorge.

 

[Downrigger]

Would you care to explain,why you think the gorge is a special case, and why Wyoming needs to realize this?

Because even if Wyoming was 100% effective at preventing mussels from getting in the lake, even if they draped a ring of steel around the lake and didn't let anyone in or out, even if they didn't let anyone use the lake at all, Wyoming still cannot prevent mussels from getting in the lake because only half of it is in Wyoming. It doesn't matter if mussels come in through Utah or Wyoming. If they get in anywhere, they are in. That makes the Gorge unique among Wyoming lakes. It makes it a special case precisely because Wyoming can't do a thing to prevent mussels from getting in the lake on its own. If Wyoming doesn't realize that, it's foolish.

 

[mtncat1]

one sad thing about mussels is they can hitch hike on birds in extreme cases they can be trans ported that way plus we all live down stream of some where .I hope the education and inspections can hold them back but since flaming gorge is on the green I have little hope they will be keep out. its a downer but that's reality

 

[Metal Manipulator]

My experience withe the AIS program. I traveld the I80 from Utah into Wyoming. All persons hauling watercraft must stop at the inspection station which happens to be the port of entry station. The inspection took 15 minutes. I received my copy of the report and the cable was applied to the trailer and boat. When launching the cable was to be kept on the boat. All I needed now is the tag which I thought I could get at the Buckboard Marina. THEY DO NOT SELL THE AIS DECALS AT THE BUCKBOARD MARINA. The Marina does not open until 8:00am. We waited around unroll 8:00am only to find that they did not sell the AIS decals. When then drove back to the Green River ACE Hardware store to buy the decal. This cost us another two hours. We did not launch the boat until 10:30am. Luckily the wind held off until 1:00 which enabled us to catch some Kokanee and some Lake Trout.

 

[Wyo307]

Tim,
Does Wyoming have any other border sharing lakes? This would be so much easier if Wyoming and Utah quit pissing at each other and got together on a unified program.

Off the top of my head Palisades Reservoir is shared with Idaho.

I recently bought a new boat in Colorado and was expecting to have to stop when I came back into the state to get checked but the station wasn't open in Laramie. Before they let me register the boat to get my bow numbers assigned they made me schedule an appointment with the local inspector to have it done. Seems kind of dumb for a boat that has never been in the water but what do you do. I would personally like for them to step up their game a bit just because I would hate for the mussels to be let into our lakes.

 

[tortuga]

CA boat

We try to time it so we go through during open hours so we've never had a real problem...it is a hassle going from lucerne to buckboard and having to re inspect. Heck it's usually easier than the lines at some of our local lakes!
See you out there
Tortuga