[kirbydog]

Why are we thinking of new ways to tax people? This is not a money problem its a how we choose to deal with it problem. Most every lake I fish in TX has zebra mussels and the water intakes are good and the fishing is as good as ever and you can launch a boat whenever you want anywhere you want.

This is a manufactured problem, thats all it ever was. I can't believe how many people fall for this nonsense.

 

[kirbydog]

Its really interesting to see the way different states have reacted to and dealt with the invasive species problem. In TX many river systems have a chain of lakes along their course-sometimes 3-4 or more. So when you get zebra mussels in an upstream lake its only a matter of time until downstream lakes have them as well. In most TX lakes I have fished they have a sign outside most marinas and boat ramps telling people its important to drain and dry their boat after being on the water. Thats it, thats their response to the problem.

They generally increase water clarity which encourages weed growth and the fishing actually improves on many bodies of water.

All I'm saying is this sky if falling reaction by the CPW is not justified. We've created another layer of bureaucracy and all the problems that brings.

 

[kirbydog]

I'm guilty of overstating my case. But I lived on Lake Texoma for 2 yrs and it was the first lake in TX to get zebra mussels. That was 2009. Never heard anything about clogged water intakes, never heard one person say they had damaged their boat (but many told me the ethanol gas had damaged their gas lines, their gas tanks and their motors.)

As far as stinking when they die and rot what doesn't? And cutting your feet doesn't seem like much of an issue.

Birds can transport them. Not saying they're not a problem but sometimes the solution is worse than the problem-in this case I think it is. When the inspection program is used to curtail or deny access to lakes that you paid for a license to fish, thats a problem.

 

[kirbydog]

Agreed. Something else to worry about are the golden algae blooms some lakes are getting-it is an algae that attaches itself to the gills of the fish and can cause a total (100%) fish kill.

There are several lakes in north TX that I used to fish that are now a dead sea. And to date, there isn't a cure.

You may be right about Powell but you may take heart in this-on some lakes the zebra mussel population explodes when they first get established (their on every rock) and then over time their population peaks and then starts going down. This has been observed on a number of lakes.

I didn't mean to make light of the problem, just think the inspection program, as you said, is not managed well.

 

[kirbydog]

To me it all boils down to whether or not an inspection program can stop zebra mussels from getting into a body of water.

The advantage we have here is most lakes have just one boat ramp, maybe two-so you can inspect every boat entering the lake-but I'm not sure that is enough to stop their
spread.

I'm on good terms with all the inspectors at Pueblo-without exception they're good people