Felt Soles For Your Soul

[flytyer57]

...Instead of focusing on how to stop the spread, I think the industry should focus on how to KILL Didymo in an environmentally safe way. There MUST be some organism that will eat that stuff...

Sure, let's introduce another invasive to get rid of an invasive.

Remember the millfoil problem? They introduced grass carp to get rid of that. Now how to get rid of the grass carp? And this list can go on and on...

[EddieRay]

This is an interesting topic. I'm all for doing all I can to protect the waterways that I love and use so I understand the idea of foregoing the use of felt. I am of the opinion that I would rather err on the side of protecting our waterways; however, it does raise the question of how far can this go before it is impractical. How many of us still use lead sinkers or jigs that we break off in our lakes and streams? I know I still use them though I use other types of sinkers as well. How much of this lead does it take to pollute a huge waterway or pollute fish that are in it? I'm not sure. I know it is almost an apples and oranges comparison because a few spores can multiply into billions, trillions, etc. while lead is an inanimate element. I don't have the answers but it's just food for thought.

[Danoinark]

Waders are another source for transfer. I think Terry B's thoughts are on target. Find a friendly agent to get rid of the stuff.

[Justin Spencer]

I never take my felt soles that I use in the NFoW to a didymo infected river, but without them I would die a quick death in this slick river, fall plenty even with them. If they need to outlaw them outlaw them in the rivers that are the problem.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Honestly? You fish with me. I will not wear rubber soles on slick rocks. Didymo affects how many waterways in Missouri?

I guess you slipped that one by me. I don't know of any waterways that are affected yet. And that is the way I would like it to remain.

I like all this "I am all for conservation until it is inconvenient for me" stuff. It shows who we truely are.

[flytyer57]

I had two pair of felt sole wading boots. Now I have one pair that I wear wet wading on Crooked Creek. When I can afford a pair of river shoes, I'll get rid of them.

As for the pair that wore out, I replaced them with a pair of Simms with the vibram soles. Wading the White or Norfork rivers can be a real pain in the a** when I step on slick bedrock. I thought about buying some of those hardened screws they call studs, but I can't see how that would be any better than the vibram. In fact, I think it might even be worse (hard studs on hard rock.)

Has anyone any experience with the studs that screw into the bottom of vibram boots? Are they better than just plain vibram or like I think, are they worse?

[snagged in outlet 3]

Don't get in a fiberglass boat with those studs.

SIO3

[fishinwrench]

waterfowl have been migrating across North Amerca for thousands of years...

Really, so when didymo shows up why do they immediately insist that it was brought there on fishermens boots ?

I'll tell ya why, because it's convenient and another window for manipulation. They know the majority will buy into it if they keep repeating it long enough. Have any of the hotshot biologists even taken an aquarium and a boot and TRIED to transfer it ? I'll bet it isn't as easy IRL as it looks on paper.

If they need to outlaw them outlaw them in the rivers that are the problem.

Absolutely ! And is the proposed ban aimed at banning the SALE of felt soled boots, or banning the USE of them ? How would they monitor that...."Ah that guy over there hasn't busted his butt yet, maybe we oughta do a boot check on him".

If the NFOW (or any other Missouri stream) is ever going to get diddy it will get it regardless. None of the bans or requests to disinfect gear are going to make a difference because the majority of people aren't going to do it. Look at all the money and effort spent in an attempt to stop the spread of Zebra mussels "through education".....it ain't working, and now that we have them here I'm not so sure that they are a bad thing. Zebras might actually help save this pond that I live on.

[eric1978]

Has anyone any experience with the studs that screw into the bottom of vibram boots? Are they better than just plain vibram or like I think, are they worse?

They help, but they're still not as good as felt.

Drew, why'd you delete your post?

[Danoinark]

They help, but they're still not as good as felt.

Drew, why'd you delete your post?

Another option which I use is drill 3/4 inch sheet metal screws into felt boots. Works great.