INVASION OF THE ZEBRA/QUAGGA MUSSELS

Although it may sound funny, this is a VERY serious problem that has now worked its way into the San Diego Lakes system. Terry Chenowth emailed most all of the Club with an article from the SD Union Tribune, and Bud has posted the link in his Presidents Message. The article accurately identified that the method of transport was the Colorado River Water imported into our lakes.

What does this mean to you? It means that the local water authorities are going to take whatever actions they feel necessary to slow or eliminate the growth or transfer of these parasites in our lakes. If they perceive boats, not just fishing boats, but any boats as a method of transfer, they can prohibit the use of any private boat on the city lakes! Believe it!!

What can we do? Every boat owner should now take steps to clean their boat, live wells, trailers, and engine cooling systems after each use. This should be done after each use in the local lakes or the river and Lake Havasu and others.

Step 1: When leaving your fishing spot, open all drain plugs and live wells. Drain your engine cooling system, remove any grass or growth from engine, boat and trailer. Wipe down your boat. Open live wells during transit if possible, especially at the inspection stations coming in and out of California.

Step 2: Before your next outing, remove all your drain plugs, bilges as well as live wells and let them set for at least 24 hours. Make sure there is no grass on your boat, engine or trailer.

Step 3: Clean your live wells with a mild bleach solution. With the live well still half full, run your aerator pumps for at least 1 minute. After this, use your pump out for at least one minute to run the bleach/water solution though this system. Finally, remove your live well plugs and allow to drain. This process will clean your entire live well system. Allow to dry for at least 24 hours before heading out again.

Step 4: Clean your entire trailer with a mild soap/bleach and water solution.

Step 5: Completely flush your cooling system, inboard or outboard for 5 minutes after each use.

Do these measures seem stupid? Do they seem like an overreaction? If we don’t show the powers th at be that we take this threat seriously and are pro-active in preventing the spread of these parasites, we could all be renting boats to go fishing. Also, if giving interviews to or even talking casually with the local press, don’t make asinine comments like the numbskulls in the Union Tribune article. It makes all fishermen look stupid and uncaring. These types of comments give decision makers the ammunition they need to make decisions that will definitely not be in our favor.

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