Felt Soled Waders Banned In Mo Trout Waters!

[moguy1973]

The decision has been made...but they havent released the proposed language and the implementaion date yet. We know the Who, What, Why, & How...no use arguing about the Where & When until an official statement is released. You might as well spend that time earning money &shopping for new boots;>)!

They have a "When"...it goes into effect March 1, 2012. No "Where" has been determined outside the trout parks officially though. (according to MDC's Facebook page)

[ness]

New boots and I think I'll get one of these too.

http://www.azod.com/fishing/FlyFishing/Archives/2002/Gladder%20Bladder-Product%20Review%20and%20Field%20Test%20by%20Terry%20Chia.htm

OK -- that's where I draw the line.

[Chief Grey Bear]

This is BS there are so many regulations at these places it makes you not want to go. Slot limit here, no lead there, can't wear felt shoes, no bait this 100 feet, flies up here, not down there. I mean absolutlely mind boggling for a put and take species.

Yeah its kinda like all the different speed limits on every fricking different road. Heck sometimes the speed limits changes multiple times on the same road!! And then you toss in school zones, work zones, this zone, that zone...I mean come on! Just set one speed limit for all roads and call it good!

[ozark trout fisher]

This is BS there are so many regulations at these places it makes you not want to go. Slot limit here, no lead there, can't wear felt shoes, no bait this 100 feet, flies up here, not down there. I mean absolutlely mind boggling for a put and take species.

I don't think that the MDC is so much worried about the trout as the streams that they live in. All possible effects on trout fishing aside, didymo can be an ecological disaster in some circumstances. It can have the effect of greatly reducing the number of aquatic insects in a stream. It makes it so that mayflies, caddis flies, stoneflies, and other insects have a very difficult time completing their life cycle. And this is very important on coldwater streams, because the entire food chain starts with these aquatic insects. This makes the issue important to everyone that cares about the health of these stream systems. Not just to trout fisherman.

So I'd say it's well worth a little inconvenience on our part to keep this stuff out of our streams. I just really wish the MDC could do a better job about getting information out on this, as I've said before. Also I wish that they would be willing to go all the way with this and make it statewide. Why just on our trout waters? I'd like to hear a good reason. I'm sure other streams would be susceptible to it as well.

[jdmidwest]

So the White River is a barren wasteland for trout now that it has been invaded? I have not been there in about 5 years.

[ozark trout fisher]

So the White River is a barren wasteland for trout now that it has been invaded? I have not been there in about 5 years.

Notice that I carefully said, "in some cases"

I never said it made streams a barren wasteland. I did say that it has the capability to greatly reduce the number of aquatic insects in a stream. And there can sometimes be pretty extraordinary negatives effects from that. I would suggest that you do some reading about Rapid Creek in South Dakota, or Esopus Creek in New York. Those are just two of many once great trout streams that have had very significant negative impacts from didymo. I don't know why it has not had that much of an effect on the White River. But it is certainly not because it can't have such an effect. You are basing your conclusions on too little evidence, on one stream that is infected with didymo and hasn't suffered visible negative consequences.

For detailed info on didymo and its effects, I would suggest checking out this link. http://seagrant.psu.edu/publications/fs/didymo.pdf

[jdmidwest]

Studies in New Zealand show the didymo there came from western North America. And given that the White was was a warmwater system prior to being dammed, and thousands of miles outside the native range of didymo, it's astonishingly unlikely the diatom was ever historically present.

But, the question was, have they ever determined where the didymo come from in the White River System? Since, historically, all of this area was a shallow ocean at one time, who is to say it has not laid dormant all of these years waiting for the right conditions to bloom again? How long can it lay dormant and still be viable? If memory serve me correct, it is a single cell organism, pretty simple in its life structure. What are its weaknesses? Everything in nature has a control of some sort for the most part, a predator or vunerabiltiy.

[ozark trout fisher]

But, the question was, have they ever determined where the didymo come from in the White River System? Since, historically, all of this area was a shallow ocean at one time, who is to say it has not laid dormant all of these years waiting for the right conditions to bloom again? How long can it lay dormant and still be viable? If memory serve me correct, it is a single cell organism, pretty simple in its life structure. What are its weaknesses? Everything in nature has a control of some sort for the most part, a predator or vunerabiltiy.

Okay, maybe you could be right. Seems doubtful to me, but all the same...

I don't like it any more than you do, but isn't it worth an extra $70 or so if there is any likely hood whatsoever that it will keep didymo out of our streams? I think the health of my favorite trout streams are well worth that. Because once we've got didymo the way I see it, we're stuck with it pretty much permanently. It's no good waiting around, discussing the issue until our streams are already infected with the stuff.

[Outside Bend]

Outside Bend, i am glad you are an expert and can educate anglers on the matter, but there is no need to turn others comments into some thing negative. I never implied that anglers should not be responsible to prevent the spread. If banning felt will stop our streams from becoming contaminated then i am all for it. There is nothing else that i have found that grips like felt, this will make wading more dangerous, especially for those with not the best of balance.

Not trying to offend anyone Bruegy, but the information's out there, and pretty readily available. When people keep bringing up the same issues which have already been addressed and expect some different answer, it can be a little frustrating.

I empathize with the folks who oppose felt bans because of traction issues to a point. Rubber soles are different than felt, and it's true you have to wade differently with them. But it's not insurmountable. Just like any other piece of equipment you've ever owned, be it a fly rod or a car, you have to learn how to use them.

[drew03cmc]

Studies in New Zealand show the didymo there came from western North America. And given that the White was was a warmwater system prior to being dammed, and thousands of miles outside the native range of didymo, it's astonishingly unlikely the diatom was ever historically present.

See what happens when we screw with natural waterways? We disrupted the native smallmouth and created trout fisheries, not to mention creating a habitat conducive to didymo.