DFG to conduct Boat inspections at Clear Lake this week.

[Jay Rowan]

The Department of Fish and Game will be conducting Boat inspections at Clear Lake for the remainder of this week in response to the Quagga/Zebra issue and the potentially high number of boats coming in from out of state and Southern California for the Vanity cup.

Boat owners will be expected to show identification and will be asked a couple of questions. Boats will then be inspected.

Clean and Dry is what we will be looking for. This means there can't be any water weeds, fish scales, craw bits and most importantly standing water in the bilge or live wells.
There have been numerous posts about how Quagga/Zebra are transmitted and John Barron has a good article that was on the front page and covers what we will be looking for.

If a boat fails the visual inspection we will work with the boater to come up with a satisfactory decontamination solution, however we will not be doing any decontamination.

Thank you in advanced for your cooperation.

We will do our best to make this as painless and quick as possible, but you may want to allow some extra time in the am.

Jay Rowan
Associate Fisheries Biologist
CDFG North Central Region

[Gator]

What about those that are spending the week on the lake?? I know there are several boats that are prefishing for the Vanity Cup that are on the water as we speak.....they may not be leaving their boats in the water and will not be "clean and dry".

[kopper_bass]

Jay,
No disrespect to you or the DFG, but is this inspection targeted at the bass boaters specifically because of the Vanity Cup or will DFG also be inspecting all the local fisherman, pleasure boaters, and others that will be accessing the water from the private and public launch facilities? Which is DFG targeting?

Curious to know if DFG plans inspections or pull-overs on the water also to promote awareness of the issue. that would be a welcomed site - DFG on water patrol.

Thanks,

Kopper_Bass

[Jay Rowan]

We will work with what we have.
If anglers, or any other boats for that matter, have already been in the Lake then the contamination issue is moot. It should be obvious tomorrow am who was in the lake today for example, their bunks and other areas of trailer carpet should still be wet vs. a boat that is completely dry except for some water at the bottom of the live well.

This is an initial run at this for me at least so we'll just have to see how it goes. Common sense and cooperation need to be the focus from both the boaters and us.

I have asked Vince to provide any anglers that were in the water prefishing and pulling out for the night at the Resort a slip of paper identifying them as having been in the water already. That should hopefully speed things up.

Hopefully the questions asked will get at whether the boat in question is a high or low risk of transporting Quagga/Zebra.

The goal of this inspection is not to keep anglers off the lake or comedown on tournament anglers in any way. I want that to be very clear. If any boat fails the visual inspection we will work with that person to come up with a decontamination solution and get them on the water. I talked with Vince today and has agreed to work with us on this for anglers fishing the tournament.

This tournament simply poses a higher risk of Quagga/Zebra transport to the lake than other tournaments because of the number of anglers that are traveling in from long distances potentially from infested waters, and the short turn around time and potential over lap of anglers from the Havasu FLW which does have Quagga's.

I know this is late notice, but if you know of anyone coming over please spread the word that there may be an inspection depending on where they launch so they can get their boat prepared.

[Smitty]

Jeff,
Thanks. I realize this is a pain but some of us tourament fisherman that live here really appreciate the effort.
Smitty

[Jay Rowan]

Kopper,
There will not be any "on the water" inspections or outreach. I would have preferred to be there all week because of the reasons I mentioned above, but logistically it could not happen.

Bass boats coming in from far away, Southern Cal or anyone that had their boats at the FLW and are coming in for this tournament are the issue in this case, absolutely. However, any boat that comes through where the inspections are will be checked.
Wake board boats and jet skis are a very big concern but it is still February and my thinking is that they are not traveling from any water that is positive to Clear Lake this time of year. The wake board boats that came for board stock last year went through a similar inspection.

I would expect more inspections of all boats to happen not only here but at other northern California waters in the future. It's just the way it's going to be from now on. The economic damage these things cause once established is unbelievable. For a State like California that relies so heavily on water transports, in my opinion it's probably the most important issue facing the people of this state.
Not to mention what it will do to the best, or second best if your talking with Cooch, bass water in the country.

[kopper_bass]

Thanks Jay for the straight answers and i am sure everyone appreciates your openness to present this information to us.

I am sure the DFG is doing their best to help protect our waters. we all thank you for that. As good weather approaches, i hope the DFG does consider to have a water presence. i think it would go a long way not only towards the awareness of the mussel issue, but many others too.

Good luck this week and keep a smile on your face. Hopefully those that are not aware of the issues and are caught a little offguard will do the same for you.

Cheers,

Kopper_Bass

[Gator]

Jay - Thanks for your answers. That is what is needed to curtail this problem is open honest discussion. I happened to be in Southern California at Casitas and got to see firsthand what problems this can cause for all involved. I am sure you will have the full support of the anglers and the org's.

[Rough Thumb]

Is this just for specific ramps, or will all of the numerous public and private owned launch ramps be staffed by DFG?

[Joe W.]

The goal of this inspection is not to keep anglers off the lake or comedown on tournament anglers in any way. I want that to be very clear. If any boat fails the visual inspection we will work with that person to come up with a decontamination solution and get them on the water.

This is nice to hear. It's too bad the guys in SoCal who fail the inspections are just getting a 28 day ban instead of some help getting them clean and on the water. It's real unfortunate that some guys travel a good distance to a lake only to fail because they have a couple drops of water in the livewell and end up having to turn around and only get a ban for their trouble.

[R.Mac]

Is there something we can run down through the bilge area to clean it out before there are any potential problems? Soapy water, bleach, clamocide???

[BILLY]

R MAC, Your boat never gets wet!

[UhSon]

I was recently told this, and i dont know true it is, (maybe the biologist can chime in) that useing the live well formula Catch and Release will kill all of those critters in your live well and system and should be used instead of Rejuvenade which does not do this. Something to look into.

[Jay Rowan]

Is there something we can run down through the bilge area to clean it out before there are any potential problems? Soapy water, bleach, clamocide???

Hot water. 140+ for 5 min. on recirc or in the bilge then drain.

A bleach solution (5%), same deal, but capture the water and flush it down the toilet.

Arizona Game and Fish recommends straight vinegar and I have heard the Catch and Release roomers but have not seen any data confirming it.

Rough Thumb: I'm not saying which ramps in the hopes that people will see this and get their boats ready just in case. Obviously CL has so many ramps that staffing all of them would be an issue.

I must say that today was a great day, and all that I talked with were very supportive and cooperative with the inspection, most went right through with just a few questions and a quick look, but all were tight lipped about the fishing.

[Lane]

Along with Arizona Game and Fish, we recommend the use of 100%
straight white vinegar in the bilge for a minimum contact time of
20 minutes and maximum contact time of 30 minutes. Oxidizing chemicals such as bleach are corrosive and can damage pumps.

Catch And Release contains a disinfectant/biocide that destroys
Quagga veligers with a relatively short contact time. Catch And Release also contains a well know electrolyte that aids in the destruction of the Quaggas. The scientific data along with samples, MSDS, etc have already been sent to CGF senior biologists working on this issue. Formulation amounts were disclosed as well. Catch And Release is currently under US patent pending, and disclosures of formulation is protected. California Game and Fish was provided a copy of the filing for the US patent. This information was provided under confidental disclosure on a need to know basis.

[David Rogers]

Hey Gator,

It would be interesting to know what you saw down South, what did you see that the zebra musles destroyed?