minnow alert even now

[howey1176]

Isn't it funny that the state has found a way to capitalize on this "disaster".

Must be revenue was low.

[Bartel Rd. Bait & Tackle]

jimo I mean no disrespect but dude what are you doing?
this is not a joke and just because they aren't floating dosn't mean they don't have it
otherwise there would be no sense in haveing the bait wholesaler's send them out for testing because they
would already be dead.

man the niagra conect's ontario and erie and both are confirmed positive for vhs so logic state's yeah it's in the niagara so please if you still have these emerald's put them back.

[BAZOOKAJOE]

This virus sounds pretty serious and the state is not trying to capitalize on anything.  They are working hard to make sure this stuff doesn't get spread around this winter and the attitudes expressed above are exactly what we DON'T need if we are to do our part as sportsman and help out.  The state can't do it alone by merely passing some regulation it needs our help if this is to be stopped.  Just because you don't SEE any dead minnows doesn't mean a thing and revenue has nothing to do with this.  Our fisheries are at stake here so please stop the cynicism.  Big dead muskies and walleyes are no laughing matter    

I'm sure you wish it only effected white perch, bass and gobies.   

[dwayne]

This virus sounds pretty serious and the state is not trying to capitalize on anything.  They are working hard to make sure this stuff doesn't get spread around this winter and the attitudes expressed above are exactly what we DON'T need if we are to do our part as sportsman and help out.  The state can't do it alone by merely passing some regulation it needs our help if this is to be stopped.  Just because you don't SEE any dead minnows doesn't mean a thing and revenue has nothing to do with this.  Our fisheries are at stake here so please stop the cynicism.  Big dead muskies and walleyes are no laughing matter    

Well put John...Really the worse case scenario for us fisherman is for this stuff to spread and destroy our fisheries.  You think you have something to bixch about now, wait till you see thousands of dead fish washing up on shore and realizing you lost your fishery for at least 10 years or so.

So really how does a temporary minnow ban affect you other than the fact the tip-ups stay home this season.  I'd much rather deal with that than a dead fishery.  

Many are saying this will destroy the small bait shops.  Well, if they sell bad bait they will be destroyed next year anyways when we all have no where to fish.  It is a much bigger problem than not being able to run 5 tip-up.

[Bartel Rd. Bait & Tackle]

don't have to leave the tip up's home there will be plenty of arkansas still available my wholesaler is waiting on his first bill of health so we can take a shipment next week

[dwayne]

Oh god no, who would even think of leaving their tipups at home    Perish the thought that you could actually catch fish "without" tipups  

oh come on....I know you were thinking about using yours this year for a walleye hunt or two.....They don't make you less of a man...   

[dwayne]

I might need your help this winter to show me how to spool up my tipups   I only have three and need two more to get the full spread so I can yell FLAG too   Of course I like to yell flag all the time anyway just to mess with people  

I can borrow you a couple of Paige's tip-up's.  That is as long as you don't mind fleece pink flags.....   

[BAZOOKAJOE]

Oh god no, who would even think of leaving their tipups at home    Perish the thought that you could actually catch fish "without" tipups  

But jigging with a vex is real hard too??    

[rondog]

Does anyone know if this is a new virus or if it has hit before? and if it did hit before what was the results and how did it end?

[Bartel Rd. Bait & Tackle]

this is new in the usa it originated in germany I do believe

[crayfishbob]

I found this:

Geographical Distribution
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is enzootic in most countries of continental Eastern and Western Europe, and the virus has been isolated in the Puget Sound area of Washington in the United States. No outbreaks of VHS or isolations of VHS virus have been reported elsewhere.

Of course this is old data.

[iceisnice]

Well 2 things happened today.
I had a wholesaler tell me that the Vermont DEC has now said that  Lake Champlain was added to the list of infected waters.  If this is in fact true it would be a terrible thing.  He said it should be verified during the next 2 weeks.
Then FISH307 was the 1st bait shop in NYS to be checked for papers that state the bait in the tanks was certified disease free.  Thank God I had the correct documentation.
There have been wholesalers checked but I believe we were the first retailer.
It Has Officially Begun!!!

[coldbum]

Wow... I am sure this is going to go on for a very long time!

iceisnice, thanks for the update.

How long do you anticipate your supply lasting at the store?

[iceisnice]

The supply chain seems good now.  As the season moves on and the demand increases we can only hopes it can keep up.  The good news is so far there has been no price increases.

[iceenut]

Thanks for the update,much appreciated .

[howey1176]

This virus sounds pretty serious and the state is not trying to capitalize on anything.  They are working hard to make sure this stuff doesn't get spread around this winter and the attitudes expressed above are exactly what we DON'T need if we are to do our part as sportsman and help out.  The state can't do it alone by merely passing some regulation it needs our help if this is to be stopped.  Just because you don't SEE any dead minnows doesn't mean a thing and revenue has nothing to do with this.  Our fisheries are at stake here so please stop the cynicism.  Big dead muskies and walleyes are no laughing matter    

It's ridiculous to think that this "measure" is going to stop transmission to other bodies of water. All it will do is slow it down, very little. Everything is, in some way, connected.

[ice boy19]

Maybe, but I commend the NYS DEC for taking quick action and at least trying! If they're that concerned about it we should be too because it's OUR fish that will be affected  

well said slipbob 

[fishingking]

Vex   wait til I get my new LX-5  

oh so now your gonna get one hahaha

[coldbum]

Can anyone spell out this bait law restriction, does it prevent me from keeping bait? I have like to keep 10-15 dozen assorted morsels on hand in the basement tank.

[iceisnice]

Can anyone spell out this bait law restriction, does it prevent me from keeping bait? I have like to keep 10-15 dozen assorted morsels on hand in the basement tank.

The law says that an angler can catch and possess up to 100 bait fish and use then only in the waters in which they came from.

[coldbum]

I would however be able to purchase as much "certified" bait as I want and use it anywhere I want?

[crayfishbob]

What about certified bait ? I would think after paying the extra bucks at the baitshops because of this AND they are free of any disease, a person can use them where they want.

* edit - same time question.

[Icecycle Eddie]

I was just wonderin who knows if this viris hasen't been around for
many years and now somone tests the minnows and finds it now.
It sounds a little like a new way for the states to make more revenue
This could have been around for years and hasent hurt the fishing yet

[coldbum]

What is the history of VHS?

From NYSDEC website, http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/vhsv.html

"VHS was first discovered in the mid 20th Century in Europe where it was originally a significant and costly disease of cultured rainbow trout. Since its initial discovery in Europe, four strains of the VHS virus have been identified, including both freshwater and marine strains. In 1988, VHS was reported in spawning salmon in the Pacific Northwest and was determined to be a new strain of the virus (Type IV) that appears to be a North American strain. It is widespread in the Pacific herring and Pacific cod populations in the Pacific Northwest and has also been found in Atlantic herring and Greenland halibut in the Atlantic Ocean."

One could easily think that the "Man" is just trying to make a buck on this one, however I think they are just trying anything they can think of to protect all of our water before it is to late!

[crayfishbob]

I was just wonderin who knows if this viris hasen't been around for
many years and now somone tests the minnows and finds it now.
It sounds a little like a new way for the states to make more revenue
This could have been around for years and hasent hurt the fishing yet

This isn't the case. Last summer, thousands of fish washed up on the eastern shore of lake ontario.They tested positive with the disease. My best friend has a camp there and whitnessed it.

[taxi1]

But keep in mind that those so called massive fish kills were at most 10 percent of the fish population in the area. It looks massive but you have to put it into prespective of how many fish actually exist in the area of the fish kill.  A maxium fish kill of 10 percent tells me although we should be concerned not all is gloom and doom, as it doesn't kill everything in site like some kind of plague. Very, very rarely do pathogens kill all of their hosts, some recover and some develop an immunity, or may already have a natural immunity.

It's actually possible we could just be putting off the inevitable by keeping it out of water ways as once the fish are exposed, some will die but then things will go on as normal.

If I had 150 trout in one of my trout ponds, and lost 15, and then things went back to normal I wouldn't be that concerned. In fact mortalites like this are not that unsual on fish farms. And how many of you knew that up to 50 percent of an age class of fish disappear every year naturally? It's entirely possible this may be overblown but of course it's better safe than sorry.

I think this think is a realtively newcomer or mutation of VHS based on how it effected the gobies. If the virus comes from the same area that the gobies are native to, they should be resistent to it. From what I understand gobies have suffered the highest mortalities.

[iceisnice]

I would however be able to purchase as much "certified" bait as I want and use it anywhere I want?

Yes, that is correct, as I understand it.

[Bartel Rd. Bait & Tackle]

the emergency contigency from nys say's that personal possesion of baitfish is limited to 100
and it say's nothing about certified or not just 100 per person at a time. so be careful with that one

[Hunter]

The following link on the NYS DEC website cleared a few things up for me.  It explains things so the  average person can understand them.  Just thought I'd pass it along.

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/fhregs.html

[coldbum]

Thanks for the link Hunter!

This is the line that gets me in the gut!

"The personal (non-commercial) possession limit of bait fish is 100 regardless of whether those fish were personally harvested or purchased at a bait and tackle store."