Felt Soled Waders Banned In Mo Trout Waters!

[ozark trout fisher]

According to Jim at MDC off their Facebook page, he says this goes into effect March 1, 2012. He didn't mention what waters it pertains to though.

That is wonderful that they posted it on facebook, but that is not generally how a state agency should get out information to people. Not everyone uses facebook with regularity, myself included.

Looks like I can wait a bit on the new wading boots though, which is good...I was gonna be a little upset if I had to spend 80 bucks on a new pair before this weekend. Not that I thought that was really a possibility, but one likes to know for sure.

[ness]

First, I hope that the 25 Acres has some land bordering Crane, that would be pretty awesome. I love fishing more than typing, but right now time is limited.

However, I've read those committee minutes, and I would have to disagree with the clarity. Yes, the intent is obvious, that felt should be banned. But what do you take away from those other words if they are indeed included in the regulation? Those fuzzy words are what scare me, and it should scare you too. A mere look at some of the statutes that we have passed in this nation shows that words are ambiguous, ("discrimination" in title 7, and how it was interpreted by the supreme court in United Steelworkers v. Weber). If banning felt is their intent, then ok, it is not going to make me happy but I appear to be the minority, which is fine. But if we are going to ban felt, then ban it. Don't put conditional limitations on it, ban the whole thing and put an end to what could be future litigation on "plain meaning" v. "legislative intent." Isn't that enough? And I'm not going out and interpreting anything the MDC hasn't made publicly accessible, these are awkward words to find on a website, and one would assume that a wording containing "ban on felt" is sufficient to ban felt. However that is not what that posting says, and while I am aware that it's not final, a key aspect in our society is the marketplace of ideas(yes, saying this in realization that Lilley is not a state actor and does not serve a public function). That's my gripe, and yes I do like to gripe especially on here.

Check yer law books to be sure 'fiend, but I think this was all addressed in Coyote v. Roadrunner.

[troutfiend1985]

Check yer law books to be sure 'fiend, but I think this was all addressed in Coyote v. Roadrunner.

Point was that sometimes words have two meanings. Nessy, I love you man, but it is easier putting out one good statute at the begining than amending it later, and really this should be an all or nothing situation, and just ban the darn felt state wide, ex-nay the crummy part i.e. Porous and Specific Trout Waters.

[3wt]

Point was that sometimes words have two meanings. Nessy, I love you man, but it is easier putting out one good statute at the begining than amending it later, and really this should be an all or nothing situation, and just ban the darn felt state wide, ex-nay the crummy part i.e. Porous and Specific Trout Waters.

Still realize that the text you read does not comprise any actual rule. It's a meeting minute bullet point referring to something that will be much more specific I hope. Or it could turn into a poorly worded law and turn into another 'deer hunting with dogs' or 'really officer, I was TRYING to snag gar' situation.

[stlfisher]

The meeting mintues are just as 3WT said...meeting minutes...and not the actual worded law or press release. I will wait to see what it actually reads, but I think we are jumping the gun a bit discussing the wording. And TF besides lawyers need poorly written laws so they have something to argue. The MDC is a laywer's dream in that regard.

I am just kidding TF most of my buddies are lawyers.

[ness]

Point was that sometimes words have two meanings. Nessy, I love you man, but it is easier putting out one good statute at the begining than amending it later, and really this should be an all or nothing situation, and just ban the darn felt state wide, ex-nay the crummy part i.e. Porous and Specific Trout Waters.

Yeah, yeah I know. I think I stated in the Camp Zoe thread some time ago that all laws are imperfect, and law is ever-changing. It'd be nice if it was always rock-solid from the start, but it never is. As an example, look at the good 'ol US Constitution. It got 10 amendments right off the bat, and another 17 since then.

My point is it's premature to get 'your panties in a bunch' (as my high school gym teacher loved to say) when it's so preliminary. They decided to ban felt in some places. Details to follow.

Oh, and I love you too, man.

[Gavin]

I wasnt sure about this....I havent fished in didy contaminated water in a long time so I wasnt really worried about spreading it around. Folks who fish Arkansas, yeah, they needed to do something but not me. This new developement finally made me do some research. I came up with the following

http://www.stopans.org/Science_of_felt.php

Sure didy can spread through other vectors...but felt seems to be the worst culprit and it has direct contact with the stream bottom..Looks like I'll be ordering some new boots this afternoon. Cheers.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The way I have it is The Concessionaires at the Three State Owned Trout Parks voluntarily decided to stop selling felt sole boots in the Park Concession stores. The were not ask to do so It was a voluntary thing.

Last I heard that would be the two, given that RRSP and BSSP are run by the same person. I don't see that it matters that much because they don't move that many waders.

It seems me that it is a shot in the dark. The numbers of people wearing waders with felt soles that have been exposed are probably very few. The number of people who have had laces, a net, a knot , and no telling what else exposed won't be affected.

I think education is the key.

[Idylwilde]

Got to love the MDC way of thinking the set a day of Trout Opening as a new rule day. Now the way I see it all the folks that show up at trout opening will be breaking the law LOL Now the agents will be telling the guy's to come out of the water so they can inspect their waders and They are going to have to have a BUNCH of agents to check the 9000 anglers that show up at the trout Parks. Also all the tackle shops that have made their spring of 2012 orders will really be happy to have all them boots and waders on hand that are not going to sell. I go along with the ban but give the anglers and shops a break not on March 1st make a new rule. January is just a little better for the anglers but this is to late for the shops also they make orders in August for February orders to be shipped.

[Outside Bend]

I will respect your opinion whereas you obviously do not mine, but that's ok. But I am curious, which Columbia are you from?

You're welcome to your own opinion Laker, but when you enter a conversation claiming:

Before long it will be illegal to fall down in a trout stream, because your clothes will also retain the rock snot micro what ever it is. No more wool gloves, and don't you dare let your hat get blown into the water. You will have to soak your fly line and your flies in salt brine before using the wire brush on them. Them vibrating soles are slicker than the rock snot. By the way, are wader "boot laces" suspect, or is that something they just conveniently overlook?

It indicates a certain level of ignorance about the issue.

Look, you're trying to use the slippery slope- that a ban on felt soles could lead to a ban on clothes, gloves, waders, boots, etc. But A doesn't follow B- felt soles don't behave like those other pieces of equipment. For one, they're CONSTANTLY in contact with the stream bottom, unlike your hat, gloves, waders, boot laces, fly line, etc. The design of felt (it's just matted, compressed wool- fibers randomly oriented throughout the material), also makes it tougher to keep clean than woven cotton or synthetics, braided boot laces, plastic boot soles and fly lines, leather or plastic boot uppers, etc. The random orientation of felt fibers means there's lots of interstitial spaces for critters to hide, and means there's no easy pathway for disinfectants to move through the material and ensure a complete eradication of any nuisance organisms.

Felt's NOT the same as the other materials your fishing gear is made of, which is why felt is being singled out. It's nothing more elaborate than that.